Once Upon a Time in Citadel

Chapter 25

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I'm sure she's upset. I wonder where she is. I badly want to look for her and talk to her. 

"Terius," Lady Rose called me, kaya naman napatingin ako sa kaniya. "Napaka-lalim naman ng iyong iniisip," nakangiting aniya. 

"Ah, I'm just wondering where Lady Celestine is," I said. "I'm worried because she looked upset earlier." 

"I see," I noticed that her smile suddenly vanished. "You love her?" she asked me. 

An image of Celestine's smiling face suddenly popped in my head, making me smile. "Very much," I honestly answered. May ibinulong siya sa kaniyang sarili ngunit hindi ko naintindihan. "Saying something?" tanong ko.

"Nope. It's nothing," she replied with a forced smile. 

Naririto kami ngayon sa kanang bahagi ng palasyo. I'm helping Lady Rose pick a room where she can stay. We already went to the main castle, but she didn't like any room there. Huminto sa paglalakad si Lady Rose, kaya naman napahinto rin ako. She then turned to face me. 

"I don't like to stay here," nakangiting aniya. 

"But you haven't even checked any of the rooms yet. Let's continue, maybe you---" 

"Let me just stay at the left wing, please?" she pleaded then held my arms. "Please?"

"I'm sorry, but all the rooms there are occupied," I said, gently removing her hands from my arms. "Just choose a room here." 

"Okay," she finally surrendered. She smirked and pulled me inside the nearest room. 

"Why? Do you like this room?" I asked her. "You can stay here, then."

"No, I don't like this shitty room," she replied. Her smirk suddenly turned devilish. She seems like a totally different person. She turned from being sweet to cruel. "But I like you," she whispered to me, seductively. 

"I don't like you," I straightforwardly told her.

She laughed hysterically. "It doesn't matter whether you like me or not. I always get what I want," she said. "I'll use force if I need to," she threatened me. 

"What the fuck do you want?" galit na tanong ko. 

"Didn't you hear me? I want you!" she shouted. Nilapitan niya ako at hinawakan sa pisngi. Tinanggal ko naman kaagad ang pagkakahawak niya. "Don't make me go mad. Just a letter to my father and it's all over for you," pananakot niya pa. 

I scowled at her. "As if I'll let you send him a fucking letter," seryosong aniko.

Again, she laughed hysterically. "Someone from my father's kingdom will check on me every day. I don't even need to send a goddamn letter. If they found out that something happened to me, you're doomed," she stated, sounding like a crazy person that she is. "Aww. Darling, don't be scared," she sarcastically said to me. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you," she added. "But I want to hurt her. I will hurt her. Celestine is her name, right?" she said, smirking devilishly. 

Biglang nagpanting ang aking tainga dahil sa narinig. I can't control my anger anymore. I grabbed her throat and pinned her to the wall. She started coughing, struggling to breathe. 

"Don't touch her or I'll fucking kill you!" galit na sigaw ko sa kaniya. "Don't you even dare say her name." 

Mapang-asar na tumawa siya, kaya naman mas hinigpitan ko pa ang pagkakahawak ko sa leeg niya. Her face is literally turning red, and the veins in her neck are popping out. 

"O-O-Okay, I...I...I-I won't..." she can hardly speak. Binitawan ko na ang pagkakahawak ko sa leeg niya to let her breathe. She gasped for air the moment I let go of her throat, and coughed many times. 

"Don't you dare lay a finger on her," pagbabanta ko sa kaniya, at lumapit na sa pinto para lumabas na sana, but she suddenly grabbed my arm. Tinignan ko lamang siya nang masama at tinanggal na ang pagkakahawak niya sa braso ko, ngunit hinawakan niya ako ulit. She's hella annoying. "What the---" I wasn't able to finish what I was saying when she suddenly held my cheeks and forcefully kissed me. My brain suddenly stopped functioning. 

Nagising lamang ako nang may biglang kumalabog --- parang may bumagsak na kung anong mabigat na bagay sa sahig. Itinulak ko palayo si Lady Rose at tumingin sa direksiyon kung saan nagmula ang ingay. 

"C-Celestine..." I muttered under my breath. She looks shocked. My heart suddenly started pounding fast. I tried to approach her, but she suddenly ran away. "Celestine!" desperadong pagtawag ko sa kaniya at susundan na sana siya, but Lady Rose suddenly hugged me from behind. "Let go of me," nagpipigil ng galit na aniko.

"I don't want to," pagmamatigas niya at mas hinigpitan pa ang pagkakayakap sa akin. 

"Fucking let go of me!" galit na sigaw ko at pwersahang inialis na ang pagkakayakap niya sa akin. 

I immediately went out of the room to chase Celestine. Lumingon-lingon ako, trying to look for her. Thankfully, I saw her. Tumatakbo siya palabas ng palasyo. Hinabol ko siya kaagad. Nang makalapit na ako sa kaniya, I instantly grabbed her arm to stop her from running. She turned around to face me. She's crying. I can feel my heart suddenly aching. I hate seeing her cry. I stretched my right arm, trying to wipe her tears away, but she slapped my hand, stopping me.

"Don't touch me," she coldly told me. Tila may isang daang pako ang biglang tumusok sa aking dibdib. 

"You're mistaken," mahinahon na sabi ko. "It's not what you think," I said, almost pleading. 

"Really?" galit na tanong niya. "Explain it to me, then." 

"She just forced me," I explained. "Please, believe me," pagmamakaawa ko. 

"You expect me to believe that?" She let out a sarcastic laugh. "You seemed to like it though." 

"You're mistaken. She just forced me. I'm telling the truth," I said, trying to convince her. "Please..." 

She just stared coldly at me, at tinanggal na ang pagkakahawak ko sa braso niya. My heart feels heavy. 

"Don't follow me. I don't want to talk to you right now," she seriously said before walking away, leaving me heavy-hearted. 

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