From Metro Manila, they arrived at Ilocos Norte at around noon. Tumuloy sila ng kuya niya sa bachelor's pad nito dahil na din sa pagpupumilit niya kahit ang gusto nito'y sa mansion sila tumuloy.
"Nakakapagod ng bumiyahe kuya. Let's stay here in your pad instead."
Her brother sighed. "You still want to avoid dad? Cayenne, ilang araw na lang birthday mo na.."
Natigil siya sa paglalakad ng marinig ang sinabi nito. She didn't realize until that very moment na ilang araw na lang pala ay kaarawan na niya.
"What? Don't tell me you forgot your own birthday." He chuckled.
Isang pilit na ngiti ang pinakawalan niya. "Of course not, naisip ko lang na siguradong magwawala si Brooke dahil hindi siya makakapunta.." Palusot niya.
Sandali siyang tinitigan ng kanyang kapatid. Hindi na lang niya ito hinarap at nagtuloy tuloy na lamang sa guest room.
"Anong gusto mong handa?" Tanong nito pagkaraan. Nakasandal ito sa hamba ng pinto habang nakatingin sa kanya.
"Kahit ano kuya, hindi naman ako mapili."
"Talaga ba? So okay lang kahit wala ng spaghetti at leche flan sa birthday mo?"
Napatigil siya siya sa pag-aayos ng gamit. Spaghetti kasi at leche flan ang lagi niyang request sa mommy nila noon tuwing birthday niya. At lagi ng ang mommy niya ang nagluluto at naghahanda ng dalawang iyon. The other foods the maids could cook but the spaghetti and leche flan... lagi ng sa mommy niya naka-toka iyon.
Wala naman na si mommy para mag-luto kaya bakit pa ako mag-re-request?
"It's fine kuya, anything will do." She said while smiling at him.
"Okay. Ako na ang bahala." Anito bago tumalikod. "Bilisan mong mag-unpack! I'm starving!" Sigaw nito mula sa living room na ikinatawa na lang niya.
They chose a restaurant near his pad.
"What do you want to order?"
"Pakbet na may bagnet and bagnet sisig." Mabilis niyang sagot.
"Alright! Let's do bagnet. Matagal na din akong hindi nakakatikim nun."
"Cayden, hijo!"
She froze when she heard the familiar voice. Agad ang galit na bumugso sa kanya ng makita ang mukha ng bagong dating.
"Tita Alora!"
Her brother smiled at the woman. Nag-mano ito at humalik sa pisngi nito. The bitch smiled at her brother. Tinapik tapik pa nito sa balikat ang kapatid niya. She looks as though napaka-bait nitong tao at walang ginawang masama sa mommy niya noong nabubuhay pa ito!
She almost couldn't contain her anger especially when the bitch looked at her and smiled at her as if nothing happened.
"Ito na ba si Cayenne? Aba... at napakalaki mo na at napakaganda pa.."
Wala sa sariling naikuyom niya ang mga kamao. She wanted to slap her so bad pero pinigilan niya ang sarili. She composed herself and masked her anger. She smiled at the woman.
"Of course. Maganda din kasi ang mommy ko eh."
Bahagyang nawala ang ngiti nito sa sinabi niya. If I hadn't known her true colors, siguro ay hindi niya mapapansin iyon. But she knows her for what she truly is!
She gave another smile. "Yes indeed. You look a lot like your mother, hija. You're both elegantly beautiful.."
"Yes. That was why my father fell in love with my mom."
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Comrades in Action: Chase Vonn Book 6
רומנטיקהChase Vonn couldn't remember anything other than the memory of a cold dark ocean enveloping him whole... the darkness and coldness suffocating him... Death is all he could feel and every night, his dreams never failed to make him remember that same...
