Love Until It Hurts (Monteverde Series 4)

35

Maria Samantha

            "You keep an eye on Castlemore. Mico has a property there. Huwag din kayong tumigil sa paghahanap sa kanya sa Siargao. He may still be there. He may just be elusive."

            "Have all the checkpoints increase their security. Contact Amadeo Ramos and ask him to pull some strings for me. We will make it impossible for this man to leave the country."

            "Make sure he doesn't escape. I will pay a huge bounty to anyone who can give us a lead about where he is hiding. Make it a million."

            "Calm down." I held his arm, but he continued rambling angrily over the phone. "Zade, please, calm down. This is becoming like a manhunt."

            "It is a manhunt, Sam."

            "It doesn't have to be."

            "No." He sounded firm. I could see raw fury in his eyes, but he quickly let out a forced sigh before he dropped the call on one of his staff. He faced me, took my hands, and gave me a look of pure desolation.

            "Please..." I mouthed. "You are scaring me."

            "I'm sorry," he replied. His voice was strained as he reached out to stroke my chin. "I'm so sorry. I just... I can't... I can't help it. I have this anger in me that just wants to break free, but I'm trying my best to hold it together. I seem to be failing at doing that lately."

            "I know you're furious right now, but I don't want you to put justice here..." I held his hands and turned his palms face up. "I want these hands clean and your conscience as clear as a crystal, because you are not a criminal."

            His face went hard. Binawi n'ya ng marahan ang kamay niya at tinitigan ako sa mata.      "Everyone is a criminal. Some are just unaware of it. We commit different kinds of crimes varying only in extent."

            Umiling ako. His eyes held contempt and vengeance.

            "But you are aware... This is not who you are."

            "And, so? I would not bat an eyelash at the sight of him all bruised and bloodied in front of me. The reality is that justice isn't always pretty."

            I shook my head, disbelief was dripping from my tone as I shook a little bit. "That is not justice! Killing for revenge is never justice, Zade. You do not understand. Your judgement is clouded by your anger."

            "Maybe it's you who don't understand. What do you want me to do? Let him live after what he has done to you? Let him walk this earth freely with his ego and sanity intact? It's not easy to just let him off the hook like that!" He shouted in annoyance. "How could you feel even the slightest bit of mercy for your captor? Not everyone deserves your kindness, Sam."

            "Then, what would be easy to you? Ang kumitil ng buhay, Zade? What happened to the silent, but righteous Zade I know?" My lips quivered as I questioned him. He looked lost as he stared at me for a few seconds before he pulled his gaze away. "What happened to him, Zade? What happened to him?" I yanked his arm, so he would meet my eyes, but he refused.

            "I don't want to talk about this anymore." He twisted his body and faced the massive windows of his luxurious penthouse. Outside was the beautiful blue skyline that seemed like a perfect contradiction for the turmoil inside our minds.

            "Zade, answer me." I took a deep breath. "What happened to the old you?"

            "Stop it, Sam. Don't push me!"