Bumukas ang malaking pintuan at pumasok si Victor habang nasa likuran nito sina Alejandro. Natigilan ang tatlo sa bumungad sa kanila. Nandoon ang mahabang lamesa na punong-puno ng pagkain. Nakaupo rito ang ilang myembro ng society habang nasa pinakadulo ng mahabang lamesang iyon ang ama ng binata.
"It's good that you're here." wika ni Sr. Laurier sa sarili nilang lengguwahe.
Pinagmasdan ni Victor ang lahat ng taong nandodoon bago muling sulyapan ang ama. Hindi niya maiwasang mapangisi habang naglalakad papalapit rito.
"I didn't know you knew how to celebrate Christmas." sarkastikong sagot nito.
"Sit down first." utos nito at mabilis namang silang sumunod.
Sinulyapan ng binata sina Frederick at Thomas na tahimik lamang sa kinauupuan nito habang umiinom ng alak.
"I thought you would never go home to Spain to celebrate Christmas with your father." wika ni Frederick habang nakatingin parin sa sariling plato.
Hindi naman kaagad sumagot si Victor. Pinagmasdan niyang muli ang sandamakmak na pagkaing nasa kanilang harapan.
"Do you know the reason why we came home here?" seryosong tanong niya sa ama.
Tiningnan lamang siya nito bago ipinagsakop ang mga daliri.
"Mr. Roa is in the Philippines. He ordered us to come home."
Ang lahat ay natigilan dahilan sa kanyang sinabi. Nangunot ang noo ni Marshall habang nakatingin sa anak.
"What did you say?"
Bumuntong-hininga na lamang ang binata at hindi na inulit ang kanyang sinabi dahil alam niyang malinaw naman nila itong narinig.
"Why did he have to go there without my permission?" kunot-noong tanong ni Marshall kina Alejandro at Miguel.
"He was supposed to do a mission there. I told him that we could not leave him in the Philippines because it was too dangerous but he insisted on staying there." mahinang sagot ni Alejandro.
"What mission? I didn't tell him anything about that."
Ibinaba ni Thomas ang hawak-hawak niyang baso at unti-unting sinulyapan ang pinakamataas na myembro.
"You already know the mission that Roa says. You don't even have to command that person because he knows what he's doing."
"Did you know that he is going home to the Philippines?" inis na tanong ni Marshall at agad naman itong tumango.
"Doesn't he think? It's too dangerous in that place. He was at the right age to do the wrong thing!" malakas na sigaw nito dahilan para mag-echo iyon sa buong dining area.
"Marshall, Marshall, Marshall." umiiling-iling na anas ni Frederick habang binababa ang hawak-hawak na baso.
Pinagsakop rin nito ang mga daliri at ngumisi sa matanda.
"From the very beginning, you already knew Roa. Even if you say you are the highest of us, you still cannot control any of us. We also have a high position in the society you have built and we also have the right to do a mission without your permission." pagpra-prangka nito.
"Why is there the highest person in this society if you don't follow?" hindi na naiwasang manahimik ni Victor sa kanyang kinauupuan. "Do you see the logic? Why do you make a level of membership in this society if you do not follow based on your level?" dagdag pa nito at hindi nakapagsalita ang dalawa.
"I understand that your position is also high but I have a question. Why did you enter this society if you could not be submissive?"
"You don't have to tell us that thing. You are only the son of the highest member of this society, your father is still the one we will listen to, not you." asik ni Frederick.
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Loving You Is A Losing Game
Fiksi UmumCameron. The most infuriating man in existence. A whirlwind of charm and chaos, capable of both devastating cruelty and irresistible allure. He could twist any woman around his finger, a master manipulator cloaked in ungentlemanly behavior, yet some...
