Crown Series #1: The Dark Era of Diadem

Part 2: Chapter 68

As we arrived inside, people starts to whisper about us. I can feel their looks at us, good thing we are wearing mask, so people can only know the lower part of my face and the appearance that I have.

I can feel Cain's breath fanning on my right ear. "Did I tell you that you are the most gorgeous lady in this room?" he whispered. I chuckled with what he said as I shook my head.

"So are you, Mr. Garrick," I said as I smiled at him. Nakaangkla ang braso ko sa braso niya at elegante kaming naglalakad, patingin-tingin kami sa aming paligid nang biglang may nagsalita sa earpiece na binigay sa akin ni Cain kanina.

Makatutulong daw ito sa aming pag-uusap nang palihim, pero ibang earpiece ito. Dahil ang konektado lamang ito kay Valerie at Golden.

"Cain? Are the guy in white tuxedo with a beautiful sexy lady in red with?" Nabosesan ko iyon na si Golden. True to his words, Cain is wearing a white tuxedo that compliments his white complexion and alike with his white hair. Everything about him is white.

Cain touched his earpiece and spoke, "You guess." Then laughed afterward. Someone whistled at us that made the both of us looked at Cain's left side.

I can tell who it was by his hair, his pink hair is radiating and lots of girls are gawking at him. He had this annoying smirk on his face which made me accidentally frowns. Pero naalala ko na dapat pala hindi niya ako makilala kaya naman napilitan akong ngumiti at tinignan si Cain.

"I thought they will not arrive early," I mumbled to Cain. "So do I," he answers.

Both of us smiled at Valerie. I only smiled at him because I am the partner of Cain, so I don't want them to think of me as a rude person. I should debunk their future theories or suspicions.

"Mr. Garrick," Valerie called Cain and then gazed at me. "I didn't know you're with a lady," mapang-asar na saad nito. I mentally rolled my eyes and keep a smiling face.

This is making me feel irritated, nervous, and anxious. I secretly roamed my eyes around and so far, mukhang sina Golden, Valerie at kami pa lamang ang nandito.

"You're early," saad ni Cain dito. "Well, Golden keep on bugging me to go here. He keeps on saying..." Someone interrupted Valerie. Nang tignan namin ay nakangising naglalakad si Golden. Wala itong maskarang suot kaya naman kilalang-kilala siya.

Well, hindi naman kasi siya required lalo na't isa siyang elite na inimbitahan, ibig sabihin, isa siyang importanteng guest nila. Desisyon na lamang nila kung magsusuot ba o hindi.

"...better to start early than finish late," he said. He smiled at me and I smiled at him too. Then, suddenly he take my hand and kiss the back of it.

"Hello, mademoiselle,"  he greeted. I smiled at him and bowed down my head. "Good evening too, Mister." Iniba ko rin ang aking boses at mas lalo pang pinahinhin na akala mo ay isang babasaging gamit.

"Well?" Valerie talked. "Care to introduce you lady, Cain?" Cain looked at me with agitation. I just smiled at them as I extends my hand for a handshake.

"I"m Nerissa Rose. How about you, Sir?" I introduced. Kinuha naman niya ang kamay ko at ginawa ang ginawa ni Golden. Hinalikan niya likod ng aking kamay, mahina naman akong nagpasalamat na nagsuot ako ng isang puting gloves.

Kung hindi ay malamang na-meet na nila ang kamao ko at mayroon na silang black eye ngayon. Pilit akong ngumiti at humarap kay Cain. 

"I'll just go to the bathroom," pagpapaalam ko rito at hinawakan ang kaniyang kaliwang dibdib. He looked at me for a second before smiling at me and nodding his head. He held my hand for a second, "Okay, just be back before the program starts," he said. I nodded my head as my response and looked at Valerie and Golden before bowing my head.

Nagmadali naman akong pumunta ng bathroom dahil may kailangan akong ayusin, pagkapasok ko ay may dalawang babae na walang maskara ang nandoon at nag-aayos ng kani-kanilang mukha. Dumiretso naman ako sa isang cubicle at ini-angat ang aking damit.

Inayos ko ang aking sapatos dahil bahagyang sumasakit ang aking paa, inayos ko rin ang earpiece na binigay sa akin kanina ni Cain. Hindi ako makakasagot sa mga sinasabi nila pero maririnig ko lamang sila, si Cain ang magbibigay ng instruction sa akin.

Hindi ko alam kung sino pa ang pupunta, dahil wala pa naman dito si Pickett o sina Xabi, baka papunta na rin, kaya dapat lamang na mag-ingat ako. Wala sa plano ko ang magpakita sa kanila ngayon, kaya naman hindi ko rin expected na nandito na kaagad sina Valerie. Kaya naman kailangan ko nang humiwalay sa kanila at hanapin ang tagong pinto papuntang dungeon.

Hindi rin ito alam ni Cain, na kikilos siya mag-isa dahil paniguradong hindi iyon papayag. Nalaman din niya na may isang daanan ang mga bata upang i-transport ang mga bata, pang-front lang naman nila ang birthday party, sinabay lamang nila upang hindi makahalata ang mga awtoridad.

Nalaman niya ang mga ito dahil mayroon siyang nakilalang tao na pinagkukuhanan niya ng source noong nasa temple pa lamang siya. She didn't tell that to Cain because she knows what he might do, he'll stop her from doing so.

"I heard his highness will make an appearance today!" the girl squealed while saying that. Napatigil naman ako at nagpatuloy sa aking ginagawang pag-aayos.

"Oh my! Is this our chance to see the future king of our empire?" the otehr girl excitingly said adn they both squealed which hurts my ear.

Napailing na lamang ako at napa-irap. There's nothing special about that.

"Oh my! This is our chance! I am going to seduce him, so that I can be the future queen!" she exclaimed. Napataas naman ang kilay niya at napa-irap lalabas na sana siya upang tignan ang mga babaeng kanina pa nagchi-chismisan nang may bigla siyang narinig na kumalampag na pintuan.

"Look who are daydreaming about the crown prince," a girl said. I stop from opening the door and listen more. Medyo pamilyar kasi ang boses at ang pagtataray nito. Si Bella ang nasa isip niya pero hindi sigurado dahil nasa isip niya na baka kasabay ito ni Pickett.

Tsk. Pakielam ko naamn kung siya ang escort? she thought.

Napailing na lang siya sa kaniyang sarili. "Huh! And who the hell are you?" tanong ng isang babae.

Huminga muna ako nang malalim bago casual na lumabas at bahagyang tinignan ang mga taong nasa loob ng bathroom.

She is right with what she thought, it's Bella. Mukhang hindi pa rin ito nagbabago at bigla na lamang naghahamon ng away sa kung sino-sino.

She felt that Bella gazed at her but she still talked to the two girls who are admiring the crown prince.

"Well..." Biglang tinanggal ni Bella ang maskarang suot-suot nito. Kasabay ng paghawi ng kaniyang auburn hair ay ang pagngisi nito.

Kaagad na nanlaki ang mga mata ng mga babae nang makilala nila si Bella. Dumiretso naman ako sa sink at inalis ang aking gloves, pagkatapos ay binuksan ang faucet upang maghugas ng kamay.

Kaagad na yumuko ang dalawang babae upang humingi ng tawad at dali-daling umalis, ni-hindi na nila hinintay kung ano ang sasabihin ni Bella. Napailing na lamang si Bella habang nakangisi.

"Coward b*tches," she mumbled, then  went straight to the sink to the otehr side. Pinagpagpag na nila Lacy ang kaniyang kamay at kumuha ng tissue upang punasan ang kaniyang kamay.

Ramdam niya ang tingin na binibigay ni Bella sa kaniya sa may salamin, may pagtatakha ito ngunit masungit pa rin tignan. Bumaling ang atensiyon ni Lacy rito at naglabas ng isang pilit na ngiti.

"Yes, my lady?" she asked to Bella, in polite manner. Kailangan niya iyon upang hindi siya mabuko.

Bella shook her head but didn't smile at her. "Nothing. I thought you are someone I knew," she said while squinting her eyes at me.

Tumango ako sa kaniya at yumuko nang bahagya, "Then..." pagpapaalam ko rito. Nang makatalikod ako ay kaagad na nawala ang pilit na ngiti sa aking labi at dire-diretsong umalis.

I needed to hurry right now, before the program starts, I need to find it out now. Right here, right now, there's no second chance. Just this time.