Love Until It Hurts (Monteverde Series 4)

34

Chapter Thirty Four

William

            "They know, they know, they know." Bernard was frantically pacing back and forth. "They fucking know! The other day, may mga pumuntang investigators sa Aldeguer Med! Hindi magtatagal ay maikokonekta na nila ang lahat! They will know it was you! Soon the Monteverdes will tear us to shreds!"

            Napapikit ako nang mariin.

            Celine, my beautiful Celine. I have loved you, have I failed in that aspect?

            All I did was love you.

            After all this time, why did you still choose Zade?

            "What do we do?" He asked and I gave him a blank look. Lingid sa kanyang kaalaman ay nakabuo na ako ng plano, sa loob ng ilang buwang pagkawala sa akin ni Celine ay unti-unti kong naayos ang plano.

            She loathes me now, that much I am sure of. Pero alam kong mamahalin niya ako uli. Alam kong babalik siya sa akin, I am the husband she deserves and not Zade.

            "I have fake documents, Bernard. We can escape the country, we have money. Puwede tayong tumakas at hindi tayo mahuhuli pa ng mga Monteverde. Hindi nila tayo masusundan. They have power, yes, connections, too. But what good will those connections do kung wala na tayo sa bansa?"

            "Nababaliw ka na ba? Paano ang ospital na pinaghirapan nating itayo!"

            I snarled. "Mamili ka, ang ospital o ang makulong?"

            He slumped on a nearby chair and palmed his face. "Fuck it, I knew I shouldn't have helped you. I knew I should've just ignored your plea when you came begging like a stupid dog! It was pure idiocy, you knew that! I never should've gotten myself involved in this mess."

            "We have money," I repeated. "Money will help us. Money is our friend!"

            "Paano ang mga kamag-anak natin? Iiwan na lang natin sila ng basta-basta dahil lang sa matinding gusot na ito? Dapat ikaw lang ang managot sa batas dahil grabe ang ginawa mo! Ikaw ang may pakana ng lahat!" he spat.

            I eyed him coldly. "You are an accessory to the crime, don't you dare forget that. Kapag ako nakulong, mabubulok ka rin sa loob kasama ko, tandaan mo 'yan."

            He weighed my words, letting them sink deep. His fists were balls that were crumpling his lab coat. Matiim at makamandag siyang tumingin sa akin na para bang ngayon niya lang nakita kung gaano ako kaseryoso sa pagtakas sa mga kasalanan ko.

            "We don't have to go to jail," I pressed. "We can get away with it."

            His eyes lit up with insanity and sheer desperation and I could see that hope was visible in them.

            "Then let's go! Mag-impake na tayo sa lalong madaling panahon! Kailangan na nating umalis kung gano'n para hindi na nila tayo mahuli."

            "Not yet. Aalis tayo. Tatakas tayo, oo." I swallowed once and gave him a look that was probably filled with madness. Madness for Celine. "Pero isasama natin si Celine."

            His eyes widened. "Lalo tayong mapapahamak!"

            "I will never leave my wife in the hands of Zade Monteverde." I gritted my teeth.

            "She is not your wife!"

            "Don't ever say that to me again!"

            "You are turning into a madman!" I felt the sudden surge of anger but I held it at bay.