Love In A Cruel World

Chapter 40

I feel the rising anger within me as I look at my sister, Lie. She keeps on crying while her sad eyes are locked on us. Gulong gulo na ang buhok niya at halos nagkalat iyon sa buong mukha niya. Her face is full of her own tears yet we can't hear her sobs because of a handkerchief tied on her mouth.

Tanging hanggang balikat lang niya ang nakikita namin mula sa nakababang bintana ng sasakyan habang nakasakay siya sa backseat niyon. I can see a black thick strap on both of her shoulders and I don't know what it is because her gown doesn't have that.

I tried to run towards her direction but she immediately shook her head, giving a sign that I shouldn't go to her. Yet I still took a step towards her but Timothy Blake held my wrist and hugged me from behind to stop me.

"Lie!" I shouted as I kept on struggling from Timothy Blake's embrace.

Lie just keep on shaking her head while crying. I don't know what's with her and why is she giving me a signal not to come closer. Nararamdaman kong umiinit na ang gilid ng mata ko as I keep on trying to get out of Timothy Blake's arms. Hindi ko alam kung dahil sa galit para sa mga Baltazar o pag-aalala para kay Lie ang dahilan ng pag-init ng gilid ng mata ko.

"Fuck you, you son of a goddamn bitch! Let go of my sister!" Timothy Blake shouted at Alejandro. I know he wants to go to Lie too, but he can't dahil sa dami ng mga kalaban at hindi rin namin alam kung anong naghihintay sa paligid.

Pilit kong sinusubukang kumawala kay Timothy Blake para lumapit kay Lie but he keeps on tightening his embrace. Hanggang sa unti-unting sumuko ako sa pagkawala sa kaniya and just look at my sister, helplessly.

"Ah-Ah-Ah. I haven't started yet." Alejandro's mocking voice tuned in.

I look at him furiously. I throw daggers at him with my dangerous eyes. He'd gone too far. This is too much. Kailan ba siya titigil? Kailan ba matatapos lahat ng kaganapan na 'to? Nakakapagod na. But I can't be tired. Hindi pwede hangga't hindi ko pa sila tuluyang napapabagsak.

Alejandro just smiled evilly at me. Alam kong iniinis niya ko sa mga ngiti na binibigay niya, and he succeed dahil nanggigigil na ko sa inis. Ilang metro ang layo ng sasakyan kung nasaan si Lie at may ilang tauhan pa na nakapaligid doon. May mga tauhan din na nakapaligid sa amin and we are all helpless dahil wala kaming laban gayong napapaligiran kami at walang armas. Though I have one beneath my gown, hindi pa rin sapat 'yon.

"Alejandro, parang awa mo na, pakawalan mo na siya!" Tita Blee pleaded and like me, yakap yakap siya ni Tito Timoteo to stop her from approaching Lie, her real daughter.

I saw Tito Timoteo look at his oh-so-called friend while pain and anger was visible in his eyes. "Stop this now, Alejandro! You've gone too far!"

Alejandro fakes a gasp and pretends to look shocked yet he can't hide his evil smirk. "Do I? Yes. Yes, I do. But, the war is not yet over and it will never be over hangga't may isang Zabala o Relish na nananatiling humihinga," he said dangerously while smiling.

Mom then interrupted in her angry tone. "For fuck's sake, stop it this instance, Alejandro!" Mom is not into bad words and she only says those if she's really angry. Tahimik siyang magalit and I know that by now, she's angry.

I can't take this anymore. Inis akong humarap sa kaniya yet Timothy Blake still stand beside me. "Ano pa bang pakulo mong demonyo ka?! I said let go of my sister!" I shouted and I swear, if he's not meters away from me, baka nasaktan ko na siya.

Alejandro just smirk instead. "Good thing you asked, Angel." He then walks back and fort slowly while swaying his hand, playing on his gun. "Two minutes from now, sasabog ang bombang nakatali kay Angelique. She's currently hand-tied and the bomb is tied to her body. The clock is ticking at kasabay ng pagsabog ng bomba ay ang tuluyang pagkawala ng tunay na heiress ng mga Relish."