The Devil's Trap

Chapter 42: Oceans and Wreckage

Chapter 42: Oceans and Wreckage

I kept stirring my coffee as I waited for Miss Van. Kanina pa nakauwi ang mga staff at tanging ako ang natira sa coffee shop.

Lumabas si Miss Van sa kanyang opisina. Napatayo ako at binati siya.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting."

"It's okay. Salamat sa oras para makapag-usap tayo," sinabi ko.

She smiled a weary smile. "I owe you an explanation."

Muli kaming umupo. Sinabi ko ang dahilan kung bakit ako muling bumisita. "How did you know Helena?"

Miss Van let a deep breath na tila matagal niyang inasahan ang tanong na ito mula sa akin. Gone was the aura of the employer I looked up to. In front of me is Miss Van, who's as tired as I am.

"Helena and I, we were inseparable. We were high school friends who attended the same university and set up this coffee shop."

Miss Van smiled at the memory.

"She's the prettiest of the class. Always has been. The queen bee. Her image created the misconception of her having the perfect life. But nothing was perfect, not even decent for Helena's family."

"I met her family by accident when I visited her house for a school project. The address brought me to an infamous street where drug dealing was rampant. Helena was furious I knew the truth. She never wanted anyone in school to know about her family. She never wanted to ruin her made-up kingdom where she was the queen."

"But it was also the reason why we became close," continued Miss Van. "She begun opening up to me. And I knew back then Helena had dreams bigger than her reality."

"She hated her family so much she burried her name with it. From Helena Limerick to Helena Morgan. In chasing what she thought would save her from her mess up life, she ventured the rich and glorious world of vampires."

"But a wrong deal led to another, until she was once again trapped in the messy world of vampires and blood contracts... until Landon came."

"Landon came when Helena's life was crumbling down. We both knew that she was never the girl Landon was desperately searching for. But Helena treated the coincidence as an escape route from her current life."

I was silent as I hold on to my tears. Every detail was a stab in my chest.

"Helena's life became blissful with Landon. I never saw her that happy... that contented before. But the bliss came with a heavy guilt." Miss Van bit her lips. "I always wonder during those years... where was the girl Helena stole her idenity from? How was she? Is she still alive?"

Tuluyang tumulo ang luha ko. "How could you..." I whispered. "If I knew sooner... If I only knew my father wanted to protect me. I shouldn't have felt this years of hatred towards him!"

"I'm so sorry."

Umiling ako. Hindi ko gustong putulin ang usapan sa paghingi ng tawad. Kailangan kong malaman ang lahat.

"How did Helena came back?" I asked. "The fire... she's one of the casualties from the incident..."

Miss Van took a deep breath to collect her thoughts.

"Nagkaroon ng deal ang Lolo ni Landon at si Helena. Helena could live the glorius life she had been dreaming of, kapalit nang tuluyang paglayo niya kay Landon. It was days before their engagement. The fire was a set up," said Miss Van.

Nanghina ako sa kinauupuan ko.

"I didn't saw the scope of Helena's ambition until I experienced it. Isa ako sa mga unang nakaalam ng pagbabalik niya matapos ang inakala naming pagkamatay niya. Doon ko nalaman ang totoo."