Versailles Series: The Nun [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 15

"Sir Azrael?"

Nyx saw how lost Azrael was in his thoughts. Mabilis siyang gumawa ng mainit na tsokolate para sa kanilang dalawa at tila natulala ito nang dalhin niya ang mga inumin.

Hinawakan niya ang balikat nito kaya tila nagising naman ito.

"Okay ka lang?"

"Ah...y-yes."

Umupo siya sa katapat na upuan dito.

"Bigay ito ng Inang ko. Lagi niya akong tinitimplahan ng mainit na tsokolate. Alam mo ba kung bakit gustung-gusto ko uminom nito? Pakiramdam ko kasi, gumagaan ang damdamin ko." Sumimsim siya ng inumin. "Tikman mo kung masarap."

She watched as he brought the mug to his lips. He sipped before putting the mug down.

"It's good."

She smiled. "Sana gumaan din pakiramdam mo. Na-miss ko ito. Mula noong pumasok ako sa kumbento, madalang ko na lang natitikman ito." Napansin niyang tila lumungkot ang anyo nito.

May na-sabi ba siya?

Pilit niyang pinasaya ang boses niya. "Sa tingin mo ba, mabebenta ito ni Tabi? Masarap naman siya 'di ba?"

He looked like he snapped out of his thoughts finally.

"I think many would need this drink."

"Bakit naman?"

"Sabi mo nakakagaan siya ng loob."

"Gumaan na ba ang loob mo?"

"This reminds me of something." He was aimlessly caressing the mug. "Do you have a happy family?"

"Hmm...masasabi ko naman na masaya ang pamilya ko. Mas matagal kong kasama si Inang at Amang kasi nasa Maynila ang mga kapatid ko. Maingay at masayahin kami sa bahay. Lalo na kapag kasama namin ang ibang tiga-kooperatiba. Paarang piyesta. Sabay-sabay kami mag-aagahan, tanghalian, o minsan pati hapunan." She looked down at her half-filled mug. "I miss them."

"How do you make a family happy?"

Napatingin siya rito. She didn't know how. She born to a happy family. "Ahm...hindi ko alam ang sagot sa tanong mo...pero ang nakikita ko sa pamilya ko, mahal namin ang isa't isa. Sila Inang at Amang hindi natutulog ng magkaaway. Ayaw nilang nalulungkot ang bawat isa. They just love each other. Naniniwala akong mula talaga doon kaya masaya kami bilang pamilya."

"My family is far from happy." He softly said. "We barely call ourselves a family. I'm an only child. I have my Dad and my Mom. My Mom left us when I was six years old. She went with another man and never came back until recently. My Dad followed suit. He started bringing home women." He smiled bitterly but there was also disgust. "I barely slept since I can hear them from my room having sex. When I was 18, one of his women barged in my room and laid beside me. She framed me up and my Dad was furious. He kicked me out of the house."

Nakaramdam siya ng habag para dito. Sa likod ng yaman nito, may isang lalaking may tinatagong mga hindi magandang karanasan.

"My trust fund and inheritance matured when I was 21 years old. I built my own company. I was ruthless they said. But I had one goal in mind. To surpass my Dad. I did. I became one of his competitors. I eventually surpassed him." Humigpit ang hawak nito sa mug. "Sa mata ko, happiness is not found with just one person." Tumingin ito sa mata niya. "I am a playboy. Mahilig sa babae. In the end, I turned out like my parents."

Hinawakan niya ang kamay nito. He looked like he snapped out of something.

"Hindi ka katulad nila, Sir Azrael. It's not too late-"

He withdrew his hand and stood up. "I begged Him. Your God. Not to take my mother away. Not take my father away. I was young. I always prayed. I obeyed everyone. He let things happen that way. I almost forgot how happy feels like. I vowed I never ask of Him ever again nor step in His House. We'll be strangers until I die."

"Sir Azrael-"

"Gabi na. Pumasok ka na para hindi ka lamigin."

Before she can even reply, he was already on his way.

***

Azrael knew he had to go or he will burst. He doesn't want to lose his temper especially in front of the nun.

Everytime his family is brought up, he loses it. Baka dahil sa tinatagong galit niya kaya ganoon pero ayaw niyang mawala ang galit na iyon. It was the one thing preventing him from thinking about his parents.

Sa mata niya, pinabayaan siya ng mga magulang. They focused on their own happiness they forgot all about him.

Pagkauwi ay agad siyang nagsalin ng alak sa baso.

No one dared to ask him about his family. That's because people knew. His friends knew. His company knew. With Nyx, it felt like he said everything without even pleading him to spill the details.

It must be the hot chocolate. It brought up a lot of memories that has been kept for long.

Hindi naman ni minsan na inisip niya kung masama ba siyang bata para maging ganoon ang mga magulang niya sa kanya. Some people told him to grow up. He's 36 years old who still carry grudges.

As if on cue, his phone rang with an unknown number on the screen. He knew who it was. For the first time in a long time, he answered but did not speak.

The person on the other end did not speak for a moment.

"Azrael? Anak?"

He just kept the phone on speaker.

"Akala ko hindi mo na ako sasagutin. Kumusta ka na?"

He just sipped his brandy from his glass. Alam na niya kung ano ang susunod.

"Nakabakasyon kasi si Richard-"

He pressed on the end call and block as soon as he heard the man's name.

Richard Tan was his mother's lover when she left them. They are married now after his parents' marriage was annulled.

It has always been like that. Tinatawagan lang siya nito kapag hindi nito kasama ang asawa. His father hasn't called him since he kicked him out. They meet on business conferences but he only sees through him. It's like he's not there at all.

He took off his clothes and left his boxers as usual. He stared at the ceiling.

He has never felt this alone. The women surrounding him kept him occupied. But now since he can't sleep with anyone else, he's all alone. He closed his eyes hoping sleep will visit him. It did. Only in his dream, he was with someone else.

CHAPTER 16 >>