Cutthroat

Chapter 45

𝑀𝒾𝑔𝓊𝑒𝓁 𝒜𝓁𝒻𝑜𝓃𝓈𝑜 𝒱𝑒𝓇𝓃𝒶𝓃

Vulnerability

"Why do I feel like you hate her so much?" Gabriel asked.

Napatingin ako sa dalampasigan. Ang hangin mula sa dalampasigan ay umiihip papunta sa balkonahe. Inihip nito ang mainit ko pang kape.

"It's not that I hate her," I answered. "I hate her for existing this way."

"Simula noon, hindi ko talaga makuha kung paano ka mag-isip," puna ni Gabriel. "Hating her and hating her existence makes no difference to me."

I watched him move the Queen piece. Naglalaro sila ni Raphael ng chess habang ako naman ay nagbabasa malayo sa kanila.

Sumulyap si Raphael sa akin. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ginagambala ako ni Gabriel. He should use his energy to distract his opponent, not someone who wants to read a book alone.

"You're too logical and technical, Gabriel," Phil started to talk and too his move. "Checkmate."

Gabriel smiled half-heartedly. Irritation is evident on his face.

Gabriel is kind? Tsk... A manipulative kind, perhaps. A manipulative kind who thinks people are like codes with algorithms.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit bukambibig ni Sera na mabait si Gabriel. 

Gusto kong matawa. Tsk!

"Take this advice, Gabriel," ani Phil at seryosong tinitigan ang aming nakatatandang kapatid. "Eye not just on your target. You must protect what you have sometimes. Not being attentive is your defeat."

Alam kong ang ibig sabihin ni Raphael. He only meant about the chess game they just had. My mere presence distracted Gabriel so much that all he did was to pester me, waiting for me to burst. Apparently, he failed to protect his King on the game. Kaya roon, natalo siya kay Raphael.

"If you are still angry at me because of Nazrene, fire at me!" I challenged.

Phil looked at us perplexed. Napatikhim ako.

"Sinubukan ko lang siya, Gabriel," sabi ko. "Hindi niya kinuha ang pera. She must have taken it to her heart and got angry enough to leave you."

"Ilang beses ko bang sasabihin sa'yo na hindi ganoong tao si Nazrene?" Pagsinghal niya.

"My point here is hindi ka niya sineryoso kaya hindi ka niya kinayang ipaglaban," sabi ko. "If she's not after the money, she probably just wanted to play around, Gabriel."

Napakuyom ng panga si Gabriel. He suddenly laughed in a sarcastic manner.

"I get it, now," Gabriel cocked his brow. "You hate how Sera exists, eh? You hate how she was born in the family of Dilaurentis."

Gabriel stomped his way out of the veranda.

Napatikhim si Phil. "I still think Fajardo Salvani was framed."

"There are strong evidences against him. I can't just let go of the thought that he's heavily been guilty," I told him. "Though, I agree with you about Lysandro Dilaurentis. He might have manipulated the whole situation leading to Fajardo Salvani killing our father."

I could only bow my head as I took a sip of my coffee. Gabriel was right. Seeing her makes my blood boil. She's born in a family of the Dilaurentis. Wala pa kaming sapat na ebidensya ngunit malakas ang kutob namin ni Phil na may kinalaman sila sa pagkamatay ng aming ama.

Even with the lack of evidence to prove them guilty, I have loathe them so much.

Masyado pang bata si Sera noong namatay si Daddy. Ngunit, hindi ko rin mapigilang dalhin siya sa sisi.