CHAPTER 9
RAMDAM niya ang panginginig ni Elizabeth habang yakap-yakap niya ito. She's scared and that nightmare of hers triggered her. They stayed silent for a couple of minutes. He keeps on rubbing her back, trying to calm her.
Hindi niya maggawa ang hindi mag-alala dito because anything that has something to do or that is connected to her will surely affect him.
"Eli, what happened? You can talk to me..." aniya pagkalipas ang limang minutong katahimikan sa mababang boses.
He felt her shaking her head. "You won't understand." Anito sa mahinang boses habang humihigpit ang yakap nito sa kanya na nagpangiti sa kanya.
"Try me, Elizabeth." May paghahamon sa boses na sabi niya. "You know I won't judge you, come on." Pang-uudyok niya dito dahil siguro, kung sasabihin nito sa kanya ang kwento nito, marahil ay maiibsan ang takot na lumulukob sa puso at pagkatao nito.
Naramdaman niya ang paghinga ng malalim ni Elizabeth bago nanginginig ang boses na nagsalita.
"It all started when I was still seven years old..."
DESIDIDO na si Elizabeth na sabihin kay Alaister ang nakaraan na naglagay sa kanya sa sakit at pangamba. May tiwala siya ditong hindi siya nito sasaktan ng pisikal sa anumang paraan. If she wants to get his trust again, she has to tell him the truth. Kailangan niyang maging totoo dito.
He has a point. Hindi lang ito ang naglihim, pati rin siya. Wala siyang karapatang sisihin ito sa kasalanang hindi nito ginawa. It's Alaister's father's fault, not his.
"I was seven years old back then, young and innocent to the world." Panimula niya at mas lalong isiniksik ang katawan niya sa katawan ni Alaister. Alaister is sitting beside her while she's clinging to him.
"M-My father is, ahm, he's a Czar- the one who leads the Russian Mafia, the Vasiliev Family. He's the head of it..."
"What?!" Bulalas nito. Halatang nagulat ito sa tinuran niya.
Nag-angat siya ng tingin at tiningnan ito. Shock and disbelief are visible on his face making her smile and shake her head.
Gulat lang itong nakatingin sa kanya kaya natatawang pinitik niya ang noo nito.
"Yeah, you heard me right. Alam kong alam mo kung gaano ka delikado ang mundong ginagalawan ng Daddy ko. Being in a mafia world means you and your family is being chased by danger. And that's what happened to us," she hugged him tightly and buried her face on his chest. "I was kidnapped... ako lang dapat ang kukunin nila kasi ako lang naman ang nag-iisang tagapagmana ni Daddy but Mom got involved when she fights the battalion of gang." Nagsisimula na namang bumalik ang ala-alang iyon kay Elizabeth.
That scene traumatized her. Very much.
"I-I was a k-kid back then, easy to f-fool and doesn't know what's happening a-around me. I t-trust easily, I was so kind to everyone, that leads to my mother's d-death." Nanginginig ang boses na aniya habang nagsisimula ng tumulo ang mga luha niya mula sa kanyang mga mata.
Naramdaman niya nalang ang marahang paghagod ni Alaister sa kanyang likuran na parang inaalo siya.
"Hush, baby. It's okay, you don't have to continue it if you still can't. Naiintindihan kita." Mahinahon ang malalim nitong boses na anito habang patuloy pa rin sa paghagod sa likuran niya. "I don't like seeing you crying, feeling your body shaking in fear, and hearing your broken voice. It makes my blood boiled in anger that want me to kill those motherfuckers who hurt you in any way. Those bitches who cause your trauma." Ramdam niya ang diin sa bawat salitang binibitawan ni Alaister at wala siyang mahimigan na biro sa uri ng boses nito, tanging kaseryusohan lamang.
Pero imbes na kabahan o matakot sa anumang kayang gawin ni Alaister ay napangiti siya.
"I-It's okay. Gusto kong sabihin sayo ang lahat. Ayoko ng magsinungaling sa'yo," she said, trying to talk straightly and calmly.
"You can tell me anytime, baby. I don't mind. There's always time for everything and if you're not yet ready to tell me, it's okay. Hindi ko pa rin naman nasasabi sa'yo ang lahat tungkol sa akin eh."
