Enslaved By The Possessive Mafias

🦋EPISODE FIFTEEN🦋

 
“OMG! Bakit nasa kanya ang larawan ni Talia?” I murmured curiously holding the folded picture on my hand.
 
I was curious why it’s folded into two so I started stretching it out nung mapanganga ulit ako sa gulat. “OMY GAWDD! It’s a photo of them together?!”  I exclaimed with my other hand covering my mouth.
 
“What are you doing?”
 
Nagulat ako nung marinig ko ito. It’s Drake standing behind me kaya wala na akong chance to deny. Pumihit ako paharap sa kanya with my trembling hands holding the wallet and the photo. Napatitig siya dito at nag-iba ang rehistro ng kanyang mukha.
 
“What the hell are you doing? Bakit nasayo ang wallet ko- and why are you intruding my privacy?!” he exclaimed dahilan para mapatawa ako sarcastically ng palihim. “Ay HUWAWWW! Look who’s talking about privacy?! Yung taong kung makalingkis sa akin na akala mo pag-aari ako ang nagsasalita about privacy?! Gago ka pala eh!” I murmured walking next to him dahil naglakad siya papunta sa veranda sitting on the table set for two na naroon. Nakatitig parin siya sa babae na nasa litrato, babaeng kilalang kilala ko.
 
His eyes were dropped showing an expression of sorta kinda...melancholic heart. Well, sa kanilang tatlo na bumaboy sa akin, I can really say na siya talaga ang pure s*x lang, no string attached. Katawan ko lang ang habol niya using me to make revenge from my husband’s wrongdoings sa kanya, kung anu man yun, I don’t know.
 
I sat down occupying the other chair in front of him putting my hands on top of the round table in between us. I stared at him constructing some question in my head that I wanted to ask him.
 
“Ah’ uhmm...w-why do you have Talia’s photo?” I asked him in between doubts nung bigla niya akong tignan na nagulat din sa sinabi ko.
 
“Y-you know this woman? You know Talia? Magkasunod niyang tanong na nagtataka parin.
 
I nodded at bigla kong natutop ang aking bibig nung may maalala ako, “OMY GAWD! Are you perhaps—‘ B-Black Shadow?” I asked him still shocked.
 
“How d-do you know that name?” Tanong naman niya pabalik na napatingin pa sa akin, kunot ang noo.
 
“Ah umm, I-- I heard it from Talia, it’s the c-code name of his boyfriend.” I hesitantly said kaya lalo siyang nagtaka.
 
“H-how do you her? He asked again leaning backward on his chair’s backrest.
 
“Well—‘ I-- I happened to know her because of my husband.” I said calmly pero nagulat ako nung ngumisi siya at tinapunan ako ng masamang tingin.
 
“Y-you know the reason why I am taking revenge sa asawa mo?!” he asked with his glaring eyes pinned to mine.
 
“Uhm-nope! I have no idea since you didn’t tell me anything aside from saying that I am my husband’s ransom para maabswelto siya sa kasalanan niya sayo.”  I said talking back at him containing my temper.
 
“It’s because of this woman. Inagaw lang naman ng asawa mo si Talia, ang babaeng pinakakamamahal ko.” He uttered firmly glaring at me.
 
“Wait... what?! Inagaw? No! That is absurd!” Protesta ko naman agad-agad.
 
Tumawa lang siya ng marahan at bumaling muli sa akin.
 
“Why? What do you know ba about your husband’s cruelty during university days hmm? I think wala naman!” He said insulting me kaya napangisi ako.
 
“No...I am telling you the truth. Walang inaagaw ang asawa ko sayo. Girlfriend na niya ako noon when he met Talia and decided to helped her.”
 
“Help her?” he asked curiously.
 
“Yes. Talia approached him asking for some help. Pero wala silang relationship.” paliwanag ko ngunit tinapunan niya lang ako muli ng sarkastikong ngisi.
 
“No relationship? Are you fvcking kidding me huh? Inuwi ni Garth si Talia sa bahay niya to leave with him, tapos walang relationship? How dim witted!” Sarkastiko niyang bulalas then he smirked kaya napalunok ako at huminga ng malalim.
 
“Drake, I see now why you're so angry but I'm telling you, mali ka ng inaakala." Mahinahon kong saad dahilan para titigan niya ako ng mariin.

"At bakit mo naman nasabi iyan? Kung inaakala mong mabibilog mo ang ulo ko, nagkakamali ka--"

"Drake listen to me, that’s not true. Even me, I actually thought at first na niloloko niya ako when I  learned na may babae sa bahay niya and nakita ko rin sila sa isang restaurant one time na kumakain so I confronted them. Pero pinakilala ni Garth sa akin ng maayos si Talia, and even Talia, she introduced herself to me asking for my understanding. Look here Drake, you’re loathing me and my husband for nothing?! Gawwd! I exclaimed.
 
Tumawa lang siya. “Woahh! Alam mo medyo kapanipaniwala ka naman, pero you can’t fool a mafia boss, Astrid.” Sarkastiko niyang tugon while staring at me.
 
“No---I am telling the truth. The thing was, one night, Garth was on his way home when Talia run onto him so he helped her. Inuwi niya sa house niya si Talia because Talia that time seemed in a great depression. He let her stayed for days sa house niya. Until one day, Talia finally talked asking help from him, he asked him to protect her because someone might kill her and t-that’s B-Black Shadow.”
 
“What?! That’s is absurd! How could I kill her? She’s the only woman I've loved.” He shouted.
 
“Well she thinks you can, you might, b-because she’s pregnant that time.”
 
“What?” he asked with his whimsical eyes leaning boward towards the table.
 
“She’s pregnant with another man’s child, that’s the thing. Kaya ganun na lamang ang takot niya na kapag nalaman mo, mapatay mo siya, o kaya naman yung anak niya, or yung ama ng dinadala niya.” I asserted. Tila nabuhusan siya ng malamig na tubig sa reaction niya. I don’t know what he’s feeling right now since, I have just disclosed to him a big revealation after years of holding a grudge towards Garth’s and Talia, and even me.
 
“Astrid I am warning you... this is no joke!” he said warning me.
 
“Hindi nga—‘ I am telling the truth. Well I honestly lived with her for two years sa bahay ko. Kinupkop ko muna siya upon Garth’s plead. Ang sabi niya kapag sa bahay niya daw kasi tumira si Talia for sure malalaman mo and anytime ikaw at ang members mo will gonna ambush him to assassinate him and Talia. At least sa house ko secured, and you don’t know about it.” Pagkukwento ko.
 
“A-anung sabi mo?’ he asked again still shocked.
 
“Yes, sa bahay ko muna tumira si Talia, she’s an orphan right? She has no family to turn to, so I had to take care of her, dressed her up, and provide for her and her baby’s necessities for survival. After niya manganak I let her stayed with me for more time kasi kawawa yung baby. After two years nagpaalam na siya dahil yung ama ng anak niya bumalik na from the States to take them with him. ” I said as calm as I could.
 
Hindi na nakapagsalita pa si Drake sa sinabi ko. Napayuko siya sa table at sinuntok ito with his fist na ikinagulat ko. Matagal siya sa posisyong iyon. I think he’s reflecting or kinda feel guilty because of what I've just told him.
 
 “I-ikaw pala si Black Shadow, I didn’t know. Actually, Talia has a journal book, she wrote there every secret of her and her daily life and her baby. That even contains some letters for you, that’s why she left it with me when she left my house kaya lang hindi na ako nakatira doon, yung mga care takers ko na ang naroon so I don’t know if nandun pa yun.” I uttered again nang iangat niya ang kanyang mukha and stared at me with his longing eyes.
 
“Astrid, I said this is no jok—‘
 
……Kringggggggg.....kriiiinnggg!!.....
 
“Yes Mom?!” it was a call from his Mom kaya hindi na niya naituloy ang sasabihin sana niya sa akin.
 
“What?! That’s so sudden! Bakit naman ako babalik jan this soon?” he asked angrily.
 
“Our company needs you Kiddo! Your Dad is ill, you have to return this quick to take over the company. Ang tagal kitang hinayaan jan sa mga kalukuhan mo Drake, now I am not going to tolerate it anymore. You have to come home next week lalo na at may sakit ang Dad mo! Umuwi ka na dito sa Canada the soonest!” I heard his Mom shouting angrily.
 
“Whoahh... saan naman nanggagaling yan Mom? Since when do you care for Dad? Ni halos hindi nga tao ang tingin niyo sa kanya eh, kundi hayop, hindi ba? Where are all your cares coming from huh?" He said bluntly insulting his Mom. Tahimik lamang akong nakikinig.
 
“Hey! Don’t you dare talk to me like that Drake, you know why I loathed him to death. Sinong hindi? He stole me from my husband and killed him, sinong hindi mamumuhi? But he's now dying...paano ko siya hindi manlang magawang alagaan? And—‘ of all people, ikaw dapat ang unang unang makakaintindi sakin because you’ve been through the same!” his Mom shouted in a painful tone. I was so shocked sa mga naririnig ko. Drake suddenly turned into a tamed lion upon hearing his Mom’s crying voice.
 
“Y-yeah... o-of course I understand how you feel Mom—“ Drake said submissively while nodding with his eyes’ dropped.
 
“Then come home, son.” I last heard his Mom, sighed and hanged up.
 
Pagkatapos ng call sa Mom niya ay tumawag siya sa isa sa mga tauhan niya at nagpaakyat ng alak sa kinaroroonan namin at inilapag niya pabagsak ang phone niya sa harap ko. Wala siyang imik kaya naman hindi na rin ako nagsalita.