Breathe Again

Prologue

"Fuck!" A vase came flying across the living room. "Where the fuck is he hiding my wife?!"

Napakamot ako sa ulo sa pamomroblema. Cecelia was taken by Uncle Perci earlier and we don't have any information of her whereabouts.

Another loud crash echoes around the house.

"Kuya, calm down..." Pagpigil ni Amadeus sa kapatid.

I looked away huffing a cigarette between my fingers. I sigh.

Ayon na e. Nabago na ang mga batas sa organisasyon pero 'yung dahilan kung bakit binago ay nawawala naman.

I puff the air forcefully.

Darn this!

I frowned when I felt a slight vibration in my pocket. I took my phone out just to see a text from an unknown number.

From: 09*********
She's been taken away so you need information right?

From: 09*********
Come to the right alley beyond the tall wall of that house.

My eyes squinted as I huff air. "Nico, I need to go somewhere urgent."

He abruptly turns in my direction. "Gago, ngayon?"

"Yeah." I answered putting my helmet on after I threw the cigarette butt and rode my motorcycle.

Pinaandar ko na ang motor at lumabas ng gate na binuksan ng isa sa mga tauhan ng pamilyang Silva. I turned to the right.

Nang makitang walang tao ay lumiko pa ako ulit sa kanang kalye. There I saw a parked car near a light post at doon ako dumiretso.

I got off of my bike and also took my helmet off while walking to the driver's window.

Kumatok ako ng tatlong beses sa heavily tinted na bintana at bahagyang lumayo at sumandal sa pader na tinatago ang buong mansyon.

Seconds later, the door opened. The person I was least expecting to see came out of the car. Her wavy long blonde hair was tied into a high ponytail showing her long neck.

I clench my fist looking at her. "...it's you."

She never made a single step away from the car and she just stood there holding onto the car's door.

"It's been a long time." Her mellow voice embraced my ears. "Long time no see, Ced."

Her voice was like the sweetest poison when I first heard it back then.

The corner of my lip tugged up. "Ha. You're the last person I'm expecting to contact me... after what you've done."

"I'm not here to reminisce the past, Cedrick. Right now, you can treat me as an informant."

Nawala ang mapanuya kong emosyon at napalitan 'yon ng kaseryusohan.

Is she serious?

She looks up and back into my eyes. "I can guess that Alpha was enraged because he can't find his wife."

"You can say that." I said with a nonchalant tone.

"What would you do if I tell you where she is?"

Muling naging mapanuya ang emosyon ng aking mukha. "And why would you do that? Anong kapalit? Pera?"

Her lips thinned. "Yes, I need money..." she averted her eyes. "...for some reason."

I chuckled. "Money... Fucking money..." I look at her straight in the eyes. "Bakit? Ubos na ba ang perang ninakaw mo sa'kin? Wala na bang pera ang lalaking pinagmamalaki mo?"

I saw her gulp. "Yes, so I need a large sum of money right now."

"Tangina. Ang kapal naman yata ng mukha mo, Avina." I pointed out. "Pinapaalala ko lang sayo na pagkatapos mo 'kong pagnakawan, iniwan mo din ako para sumama sa kung sinong lalaki dahil ang sabi mo sawa kana sakin, tapos ito ka pagkaraan ng anim na taon magbibigay ng impormasyon kapalit ng pera. Hah! What a crap!"

She was silent for a minute before talking again. "I don't care, Cedrick. Don't forget that Alpha's wife is kidnapped so you still need the information I know because I can assure you that you can't find her anyway."

I gritted my teeth because it is true. Ipit kami sa sitwasyon dahil wala kaming mapagkuhaan kung nasaan si Cecelia pero wala din akong tiwala sa impormasyong dala niya.

"How can I be sure that you're saying the truth? Don't also forget that the blood you have was also that traitor's blood." Nilapitan ko siya hanggang sa isang hakbang na lamang ang pagitan namin. "Remember, Avina. You are part of his bloodline. A seed planted by that fucking weed. You are Avina Villamartin, daughter of Percival Villamartin, so tell me? How can I trust you? Huh, Avina?"

Napahawak siya sa braso niya nang umiwas siya ng tingin. "My father... he took a warehouse from someone else's properties kaya mahihirapan kayong hanapin 'yon." Tumingin ulit siya sa akin. "It was a land owned by the fallen Russ clan's leader, Yusof Russ, surrounded by a forest." She sigh. "It was under the name of Yusof's son that my father used."

I can tell that she's not lying and I can also tell that she's desperate just by observing her actions. Kinapkap ko ang bulsa sa loob ng jacket na suot para kunin ang wallet. Nilabas ko ang isang ATM card. "Here. I think it contains more than a hundred thousand. The pin was my birthday." Nagsuot na ako ng helmet.

Of course, it was a lie. That card was one of my savings cards so it should be containing a million or more. Bago pa makasakay sa motor ay nagsalita pa siya na ikinalingon ko.

"Thank you, Cedrick." I can see her tearing up that she immediately wiped off. "Thank you so much."

That money is nothing since I'm doing this for Cecelia. She's the reason for Ellis' change so I'm doing this for her and not because I'm still wrapped around Avina's grip.

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin at napunta 'yon sa sasakyan niya. It was a shabby car. Sumakay na ako ng motor at pinaandar 'yon.

Bumalik na ako pero bago ako pumasok sa loob mansyon ay tumigil ako para itext ang secretary ko.

To: Pete
I'll send you a license plate number so look into the owner's whereabouts. You have three days before reporting to me.

Tinago ko na ang cellphone at pumasok na sa loob ng mansyon. Ellis was sitting on the couch defeated.

"Alpha, I know where she is." Agad na napunta sa akin ang mga mata nila.

Alpha stood up and hastily walk towards me. "Where?!"

"One of my informants told me that he's in a warehouse he took from Yusof Russ under the name of Yusof's son." Sagot ko.

"How can you be so sure that this information is true?"

Napalunok ako sa tanong ng matandang Silva, si Don Estavo. "That informant and I had a deal. We can send one of our people to confirm if this is true or not, Don Estavo."

"Alright."

Yes. How can she provide me false information if she knows that Cecelia is Ellis' wife?

She'll die if this is a setup. Hindi ako mag-aatubiling ipagkanulo siya kapag mali ang impormasyong binigay niya.

If it's true then... she didn't change at all. Avina still exchanges anything for money.

And why?

Why does it have to be her? Why do I have to see her again? Anyway I don't care because I already moved on.

Hi hahaha! Belated Merry Christmas and also advance Happy New Year! I was so worn out yesterday that I forgot to publish this story. I think 2022 ko na ipupublish ang kasunod na chapter. Thanks for reading!