"A-ahm... mauuna na po ako tita."
Agad tumayo si Mariel at umalis ng kusina. Habang papalabas ng bahay ay nakita niya pa ang sasakyan ni Vincenzo na palabas sa main gate. She wanted to run after him pero magmumukhang tanga lang siya lalo pa't nasa poder siya ng mga De Luca. She won't humiliate herself. She is the dignified daughter of Santos Real Estate.
Masyado ba siyang mabagal para mapa-ibig ang lalaki? Damn it! Naunahan siya. Well, she won't be kind anymore. Hirap magpanggap para lang mapansin siya ng binata. She gritted her teeth in annoyance saka pumunta sa kotse niya.
She will talk to her father.
-----
"Your mom doesn't like me," ani ni Henrietta nang makalayo sila sa bahay ng mga De Luca. They didn't use the chopper pabalik dahil malakas ang hangin at medyo masama ang panahon. Ayaw din naman mag-stay ni Vincenzo sa bahay ng family niya kaya nag-insist ito na umalis na sila. Siya din naman ayaw niyang makitulog doon kung gano'n ang ugali ng mama ng asawa. Hindi ata siya makakatulog.
"I don't care. She's always like that," reply ng binata. Seryoso ang mukha nito habang nag-da-drive. If his mom doesn't like Henrietta it's okay. As long as hindi nito guluhin ang asawa. He knows that his grandpa and maybe his father accepted Henrietta. Mahirap lang talaga sa part ng ina niya dahil ang gusto nito ang dapat na masusunod. No. He won't live following what they want and desire for him. Kaya umalis siya ng bahay. He won't let her mom control his life lalo na ang kagustuhan niyang gawin sa buhay.
"Mariel Santos. Siya ang gusto ng mommy mo. Why not marry her instead of me?" Henrietta asked, and moved her hair on the other side. She bent down and lowered the temperature of the air-conditioner in the car.
"She's crazy," maikling sagot ni Vincenzo. He's not stupid to marry someone who loves him crazily. Hindi siya bibitawan ni Mariel at alam niya ang plano nito. And of course, he doesn't like that woman. Si Henrietta lang ang gusto niya. Hindi siya nandidiri dito at siya pa ang lumalapit sa asawa. Imagine him like a puppy. So damn gay!
Suddenly, his phone rings, connected to his Bluetooth earphone.
[He's here.] Two words at alam na ni Vincenzo kung sino ang tinutukoy nito. Ah~ So fast? He disconnected the call and drove faster.
"Slow down!" sigaw ni Henrietta na napakapit pa sa seatbelt nito.
Vincenzo chuckles and says, "Okay. What my wife say—"
Sunod-sunod na putok ng baril ang pumutol sa sasabihin ni Vincenzo. He looked at the side mirror and saw a black car going towards their direction in a full speed. May isang baril na nakalabas sa bintana nito at nakatutok dito.
"What was that?!" Napatingin si Henrietta sa likod at nakita iyon. Hindi na bago ito sa kanya dahil alam niyang maraming magtatangka sa buhay niya—nilang dalawa.
"Get down," utos ni Vincenzo. He's now driving at full speed. He connected his Bluetooth device and called his assistant.
"San Francisco Street. Asap."
Vincenzo looks back at lalong pinabilisan ang kotse. Dalawang putok ng baril ulit ang umalingawngaw sa kalsada at natamaan ang windshield ng kotse. Time to time, Vincenzo will check on Henrietta who was silent and calm. Gustuhin niya man na maglabas ng baril ay hindi niya iyon gagawin. Hindi pa ito ang panahon.
He grabbed her hand and held it tightly.
"What are you doing? Let go of my hand now! You're driving and someone is after us. Focus!" Pilit tinatanggal ni Henrietta ang kamay ni Vincenzo pero hindi niya ito maalis. Gosh! Bakit ba nasa liblib at malayong lugar ang bahay ng pamilya ni Vincenzo? Wala man lang sasakyan na dumadaan maliban na lang sa naghahabol sa kanila. Wow. Great timing! Walang katao-tao kaya malaki ang chance ng mga suspect na makatakas kung sakaling mamatay nga sila.
Maya maya pa ay dalawang kotse ang sumulpot sa likod ng naghahabol na kotse.
Damn! Kasabwat ba 'to?
Gunshots fire through the night.
"That..."
"They're my men," sagot ni Vincenzo sa obvious na tanong ng dalaga. They're three minutes late! Luckily, walang nangyari kay Henrietta kung hindi...
[Boss.]
One of them greeted their boss through an earpiece device.
"Hmm. Take care of them."
Pagkatapos ay binilisan ni Vincenzo ang pagmamanaho at tuluyan ng nakalayo sa naghahabol. If it is only him, he will stop and fight them but now, he already has a wife to protect. And soon hindi lang ito ang po-protektahan niya.
Tumigil sila sa isang two story old building. Bumaba siya ng sasakyan at pinagbuksan ng pinto si Henrietta.
"Were here, wife." Tinanggal ni Vincenzo ang coat at inilagay sa balikat ng asawa.
"What is this place?" Henrietta asked, eyes roaming around the building.
Hinapit ni Vincenzo ang kanyang bewang at sumagot, "You'll know it soon."
Pagkapasok nila ay isang malinis na hallway ang tumambad sa kanila. There are hallways on the right and on the left.
Diretso ang lakad nilang dalawa at nag-stop sila sa isang pinto. Hindi. Dahil agad na nag-slid ito nang ini-swipe ni Vincenzo ang kamay pababa.
"Let's go."
Elevator pala iyon. How did he find this place? Si Vincenzo ba ang may-ari nito.
"Is this one of your property?" tanong niya.
"No," sagot ni Vincenzo. The elevator opened and they stepped out. What greeted them was mostly men in the area with bulky and sturdy bodies.
"Vincenzo!" bati ng isang lalaki na nakaupo sa gitna. The man have two woman by his side. The other woman wink flirtatiously on Vincenzo and blink her fake eyelashes. Henrietta rolled her eyes. Mga babae nga naman.
Tumayo ang lalaki. "Oh! Sino ang binibini na ito?" The man has an eye patch on the left eye and has a spiky haircut looking like a bad boy.
"My wife. Anyway, can we stay here for a night? Bukas na lang kami lilipad paalis dito."
"Of course! I heard someone ambushed you. It's good that the two of you were safe." Tumingin ito kay Henrietta. "My bad! Ismael is my name, nice to meet you Mrs?"
"Henrietta. Henrietta De Luca."
Napa-oh naman ang karamihan doon.
"Naks! 'Di mo man lang ako inimbita?" baling ni Ismael kay Vincenzo na malapad ang ngiti. 'Whipped!'
"Soon," sagot ni Vincenzo.
Henrietta knitted her brows. What soon? Matatapos din ang deal nila kapag nahanap niya na ang mama niya.
"Can you take my wife to one of your guest rooms?"
Ismael ushered someone and was about to guide Henrietta outside when she looked at her husband.
"Ikaw?"
"I have to talk to Ismael." Vincenzo gives Henrietta a kiss on her forehead. "Go. Susunod ako."
Tumango si Henrietta at sumabay na sa babaeng maghahatid sa kanya sa kanyang kwarto.
The surroundings became serious and cold when Henrietta was not in the room anymore.
Ismael smirks.
"Welcome back, Vincenzo."
-----
© _eysteambun
BINABASA MO ANG
Henrietta's Blade
Romance"Divide your enemy so you can reign approach." Upon rebirth, she returned to the time when she was twenty-four years old. As she recalled the torture she had through, memories filled her head. Smarter, feistier, and more daring! She became the cold...
