MERRY CHRISTMAS!
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Breathing in deeply, a smile formed on my lips as I took in the delicious air. Pasta sauces, rich wine, fresh grapes. It's perfect. My hands curled around the cold metal rail as I opened my eyes, before me, the city lights shimmered like millions of fireflies under the darkest hue of blue. It was my second home, but it lay closest to the center of my heart. My soul hummed in approval, it liked this place. I liked here.
Saka ko lang napagtanto ang lamig nang may komportableng init ang bumalot sa mga balikat ko.
"Thank you." Lumingon ako sa dumating at binalot nang maigi ang malambot na jacket sa mga braso.
He smiled, standing beside me, and propelled his arms on the railing, clasping his hands together. He stared ahead and shifted his warm gaze to me.
"How are you liking it here, by the way? I'm sorry if I haven't given you much attention these days. There is just so much going on in the families, more of them were annihilated," he said mournfully and sighed. The crinkles on his forehead sharpened with the burden he was carrying. "There's nothing much we can do. He is coming for all of us, and even if we hide, he will find us."
Wala akong masyadong alam sa mga nangyayari pero nabanggit niya sa akin na unti-unting umuubos sa mga Mafia. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin nila matukoy kung sino.
I saw the hopelessness in his eyes, and the last thing I wanted to give him now was trouble.
"You have done too much for me, Charles. And besides, I never felt alone, Fawes made sure that."
He chuckled, and there was light now in his eyes. "I know. That was actually worrying me. My wife tends to overwhelm people to the point where they beg to get off her radar. I hope you're not thinking of running away, Circe."
A flash of my burning house flashed before my eyes, and my chest felt punched. My knuckles turned white around the railing.
"I don't think I have anything to call home anymore," I said bitterly.
"This is your new home now, Circe. I have no plans to take you away from my sight anymore, not only because Eastman was after you but because my wife will kill me."
Inangat ko ang tingin sakanya at masuyong ngumiti. "Thank you."
Hindi pa rin kayang i-proseso ng buo ang utak ko ang mga nalaman ko dalawang linggo na ang nakaraan.
Charles Cambio was Betty's friend—the man I mistakenly thought was her secret lover. After the attack by Eastman in my house, Charles took me to Italy with him. I met his wife, Fawes, the most stunningly elegant woman I have ever met. Did I say she also had the sweetest and most humble heart? Another fact: she's my aunt. She was my mother's sister. My family.
Emosyonal sa parte niya ang pagkikita namin dahil hindi siya tumigil sa paghahanap sa amin ni Betty. It confused me, but Charles told me his wife didn't know he was exchanging letters with Betty. He asked me to keep silent about it until he found the right time to tell his wife. I don't know why he didn't tell her, but it's not my problem anymore.
Unang gabi ko na nandito ay nilunod ko ang sarili sa lungkot at poot. I grieved for my burned house, I grieved for Betty, I grieved for Calix, and I grieved for being weak and helpless.
Hindi ako pinilit ni Charles at Fawes, sa loob ng tatlong araw ay pinabayaan nila ako. Hinayaan nila akong magluksa at i-proseso ang lahat ng mga nangyari. Nag-aalala man sila ay nanahimik sila, binigay nila ang oras at espasyo sa akin. Sa pang-apat na araw, tila hindi na nakatiis so Fawes at nagising ako nang nakatabi siya sa gilid ng kama at masuyong hinahaplos ang buhok ko.
BINABASA MO ANG
Man at Arms
RomanceCalix De Luca is dead, and Circe has to confirm it. Fulfilling her promise to her dead adoptive mother, Circe continued her duties as a church usherette, but this time she had another solid purpose-to confirm that the person lying inside the coffin...
