The Demon General's Young Wife

Chapter 44

     "Ngayun na ang tamang panahon, tatlong buwan na lamang filing na ng Certificate of candidacy for the coming Presidential Election." Pahayag ni Hillary.

Kasalukuyan silang nagsasagawa ng pagpupulong ng mga kaalyado niya sa politika kabilang na si Senator Sta. Maria at ang Vice-president ng bansa, ang step-father ni Dhark.

     "Kung ganun, saan tayo magsisimula? Sayang lamang at nakaligtas pa ang Presidente sa Somalian pirates. I thought nasa panig na natin ang tadhana. I thought we will be able to eliminate him without having to give it a hand." Ngingisi-ngisi namang saad ni Senator Sta. Maria.

Nagtiim bagang naman n'un ang bise-presidente kaya napako sa kanya ang mga mata ni Hillary.

"Francis, naihanda mo na ba ang lahat?"

"Of course, Hillary. The cabinet will support you. I made sure of that. Iilan na lamang ang nananatiling loyal sa Presidente.

"Kung ganun, simulan na natin ang palabas."

____

     "Mom, I thought you're not going to harm Shu anymore? Then why is Shuntal there in the General's house? What's going on?!"

     "Well, it is true that I won't harm her, physically. I didn't say I'm not going to use her anymore."

"What?!"

"Anyways, you shouldn't focus on those trivial things! We have a lot of work to do. Hillary is already preparing to make movements to please people and get their support for the coming election. Matatalo ang Dad mo kung wala tayong gagawin, so pull yourself together and join hands with me."

"So what are you planning to do? Kill people? Bluff people? Threaten people?"

"Huh, if that's what it takes to earn victory!'

"Seriously? You are going that far?"

"I've been son, I've been. You don't know your mother well but yes son, those things are just a cake walk."

Hindi nakapagsalita si Khallib sa tinuran ng ina, pakiramdam niya hindi ang inang kinalakhan niya ang kausap. Para siyang nakikipag-usap sa isang taong estranghera. Kinalabutan siya at nakaramdam din ng takot.

      "Son, listen up. This world is not so nice to live on. We should strive to be able to live. It's not so innocent either, if you're good, they will just shove you around and use you because in reality, we are all greedy people who only wants things in our advantage, and so is the General."

"Mom, here we go again! Will you stop suspecting hi--"

"Why not?! Do you think he's really loyal? Mag-isip ka nga anak! Do you really honestly believe that he's protecting us, that he's sacrificing himself for us out of loyalty? Hindi! He's just using us to earn more power. He's Hillary's backbone, he's paving the way for his Mom's return here in the Palace."

         Napangisi siya dahil doon, "I have already told you Mom, I won't believe you until you show me an evidence--"

"Evidence? Ayan! Look at it!" Agad namang saad ng first-lady sabay abot sa kanya ng isang folder na naglalaman ng mga papeles.

"W-what's this?"

"Tignan mo!"

"But this is nothing but bank account statement and list of names and agencies!"

"That document is not nothing son, that's something that we will be done for kapag napabayaan."

Dahil sa sinabi ng fisrt-lady ay muli niyang tinignan ang mga papeles at nanlaki ang mga mata noong marealize ang koneksyon n'un sa heneral.

"That's right son. For years, I've been also keeping an eye on the General. Malinis siyang magtrabaho at maingat kaya nahihirapan akong masilip ang ulterior motives niya but still, thanks to my people, I was able to get all of those." A'nito sabay tingin sa mga papeles. "

"See his bank accounts? Huh, yes he's the General so he earns a lot of money, but look at how rich he is. How do you think he earned those million of dollars? He alone can pay the debt of the Philippines, with such amount of wealth!" Makahulugang wika pa ng kanyang ina.

"Mom, we all know that he was born billionaire because of his father, Gray Griffin, who is also a son of billionaire businessman from Monaco, the land of Business tycoons." Katwiran naman niya ngunit tumawa lamang ang kanyang ina.

"Exactly, ganyan siya kayaman, but why is he still here in thd Philippines working as a General, working hard under other people when he could just live happily and freely in other country with all those money that he has? Huh, ibig sabihin lang n'un, may gusto silang makuha, silang mag-ina, they want to rule this country! They want to make this country their own empire, and of course, gustong maghiganti ng Tita Hillary mo sa Dad mo at sa akin for taking everything from her, at dahil narin sa pagkamatay ng kanyang asawang si Gray."

Napalunok siya sa tinurang iyun ng kanyang ina. He just realized how scary it is to open his eyes and able to see the reality that's going on around him.

"A-and what about these people? As far as I know, they are politicians and some government officials." Napapalunok niyang tanong.

"Yes, those are the list of people on their side. Those are traitors, handa nilang talikuran ang ama mo para kay Hillary. Of course, that's not because they really like Hillary, but because her son is the General. They fear the General, that's why." Konklusyon pa ng kanyang ina.

"But the General is doing nothing to them? Why would they fear him." Lito naman niyang saad.

"Akala mo lang yun Khallib! He's not the so-called General Demon for nothing! Huwag mong katakutan ang taong ipinapakitang masama sila sa harap mo mismo, katakutan mo ang mga taong tahimik, nakangiti kapag kaharap ka, because they are the most scary. The General? He devours his prey in silence."

     Tila pumintig ng mabilis ang puso niya dahil sa narinig. Dama niya ang pag-pitlag ng kanyang palapulsuan. Of course he knew the dark side of the General, he's been with him since he was just a kid. But, he doesn't expect it to be so real that it gives him chills.

   "I want to protect from those information anak, but I think it's time for you to know. I've worked hard to make us stay in power anak, para sa future mo. But now, I think we have just reached the final round of the game. The General must be stopped  bago pa man niya makuha pati ang puso ng mga tao."

"What do you mean?"

"Hawak ng heneral ang AFP anak, even high ranking officers of PNP follows him. Baka nga kapag nagkaroon ng ambush, siya pa ang mas una nilang protektahan bago ang Presidente."

"But Dad have the heart of people, and Presidency is about people's choice. Kaya nga may election diba? Isa pa, the General is feared by the people and tita Hillary is sick, alam ng taumbayan yun. They will not vote for a sick woman who has a scary General as a son."

"Kaya nga nararapat na tayong gumalaw ngayun anak habang nasa atin pa ang puso ng mga tao. Hillary was once the owner of people's heart, and the General? Malawak ang impluwensya niya sa loob ng gobyerno. If these people are to chose whom to support, of course they'll chose Hillary over your Dad dahil alam nila na kapag wala na si Hillary, the next in line would be the General. They know that he's reliable and more than capable to lead a country knowing how smart and skilled he is. He can run this country without any problem. If they side your Dad, they know that you'll be next in line, and they will doubt your competence anak. Wala ka pang napapatunayan anak kaya ngayun palang, you should start establishing yourself too."

"But how can I ever surpass the General. He's ahead of me in many ways!"

"Akong bahala anak. As long as you do as I say, there will be no problem. And we will start in targeting his love ones, kasama na doon si Shu."

"Shu?"

"Yes, go take her. He has become one of the General's weaknesses. Just imagine how flustered the General is knowing that his wife is up close to his enemies, huh..."

Hindi na nakasagot si Khallib sa tinuran ng ina. He was shocked and overwhelmed.

____