Master of my Inferno

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

WE ARE ALL GATHERED in Mancini's Mansion. All of us are nervous, I can't concentrate. They're finalizing the votes.. then it's like those scenes in movies. Everything happened in slow motion—cheering everywhere, shouting, jumping into joy. Leandro's father won the election. He is now the Town's Mayor. Mayor. Gosh.

"Congrats, dad!" Sabay na sigaw ng kambal na kapatid ni Leandro—sila Alenxander and Alexandra.

"I'm so proud of you, dad!" Anas naman ni Lani na kapatid din ni Leandro, siya ang step-mother ni Jamie, katabi niya sila Mr. Stellvester at Jamie.

"I knew it. You're going to win." Marahan pang tinapik ni Leandro ang balikat ng daddy nila, "I'll talk to our PR officer, people are now talking about you—our family. Let's make sure everything will be according to our plan."

Tumango ang daddy nila, "I'll handle everything." Bumaling ito sa kambal, " Don't do stupid things starting today, Alexandra and Alexander. Listen to your older siblings. People will be watching everything we do. Since this election was very tight, our opponents will be trying to find any hole in our family—and we don't have any of it."

Umingos si Leandro pero sa tingin ko ay ako lang ang nakapansin no'n.

"We are behaving well, dad." Sagot ng isa sa kambal, pareho na silang nakatungo. Parang takot na takot sa daddy nila.

Pati tuloy ako ay natatakot na rin. Their father is really intimidating!

"And you," anito at tinuro si Jamie, na ngayon ay bakas ang kaba sa mukha. "Don't bitch around, I know you are doing stupid things. Your debut is coming, people will be witnessing it, start acting like a lady, Jamie."

Sa tingin ko ay gustong magsalita ni Mr. Stellvester, kumibot ang labi niya ngunit hindi itinuloy ang gustong sabihin.

"We have a perfect family. No one is going to destroy our empire." Matigas na anas nito. He's talking like a king. At nakikita ko na kung ano ang sinasabi noon ni Leandro tungkol sa daddy nila.

"Congratulations again, father, but we have to leave. I've got a lot of things to do." Walang emosyon sa boses ni Leandro, hinawakan ang kamay ko at saka kami naglakad palabas sa Mancini's Mansion.

"Wow." Hindi makapaniwalang anas ko nang makasakay kami sa kotse, "your father is.." I don't want to say it!

"A shitty asshole. I know, Veronica." Ngumisi si Leandro, marahang pinaglaruan ang daliri ko na nakapatong sa hita ko. "I wonder what will happen next after this."

" Was he always like that?"

Muli ay pinaglaruan niya ang kamay ko, binilang ang daliri na parang magkukulang iyon, "Yup. One of the reasons why I left that house when I turned eighteen."

"But you said before that he is your mentor. I don't understand." Confusion painted across my face.

"He's my father, Veronica. It's my family's tradition, and I hate, hate it. No wonder the twins also want to leave that house." Marahan niyang hinaplos ang buhok ko na lagi kong ikinatutuwa sa tuwing ginagawa niya. "Jamie's eighteenth birthday is just around the corner, and my father wants to organize it himself—he wants to control everything."

"And Mr. Stellvester didn't get a say in it?"

Tumango si Leandro, "He is my sister's husband, he is also one of the board members, he is very much associated with our family, and my father thinks he's above everyone." Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Leandro, sa tingin ko ay kuminang din ang asul niyang mga mata, "But not me."