Bound by Rebirth

Page 20

Nagising akong walang tuwa na naramdaman. Masakit ang puson ko at isa lang ang ibig sabihin non, parating na ang dalaw ko.

Agad akong naligo dahil kailangan kong mag luto. Kahit may mga katulong dito, mas mabuti sa sarili ko kung ako ang mag luluto para sakin dahil baka maisipan ni Levin na utusan ang mga katulong nila na lasonin ako. Ede kataposan ko na sa mundong ito.

Hindi na ako nag tagal pa dahil mabilis naman akong kumilos pero sa pag lalakad nga lang ako mabagal kasi kumikirot ang puson ko.

Pagbaba ko sa hagdan, hindi maiwasang mapatingin sa paligid. Mas maraming tauhan ngayon sa mansion ni Levin kaysa dati, tila sinisiguradong wala akong lusot. Ngunit wala akong oras para intindihin iyon. Tumunog ang cellphone ko, at agad kong sinagot nang makita ang pangalan sa screen—si Ember.

“Ensure tighter security on the man,” I ordered, my voice firm as I descended each step. “Yung lalaking dinala ni Riana kahapon. I want every move he makes monitored.”

“Yes, Empress,” sagot ni Ember sa kabilang linya. “We’re already on it. We’ll make sure he doesn’t slip through our fingers.”

“Good,” I replied, eyes scanning the hallway ahead as I approached the main floor. I could feel the intensity of the situation mounting, and there was no room for mistakes now. “If anything changes, I expect an immediate update.”

“Understood,” Ember affirmed, his tone equally serious before I ended the call.

I was about to pocket my phone when I heard Levin’s voice behind me, catching me off guard.

“Sino ‘yang kausap mo?” tanong niya, his voice laced with suspicion.

I didn’t bother turning around to face him. Instead, I kept walking, my eyes set straight ahead. Ignoring him was easier than getting into yet another confrontation, especially one I wasn’t in the mood for.

𝘛𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘢, 𝘢𝘯𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘬𝘪 𝘯𝘪𝘺𝘢? Dapat bang pati kausap ko sa phone ay dapat alam niya.

“Sylverine,” his tone grew firmer, but I kept my silence. I wasn’t obligated to answer him. He could throw all the questions he wanted, but it didn’t mean I had to respond.

I could sense him following closely behind me, his presence a weight I had learned to bear over the years. There was a time when his voice could command my attention, could shake me to my core. But not anymore.

The silence stretched between us until I finally ended the call and placed the phone back into my pocket. Levin, of course, wasn’t one to let things go that easily.

“Be prepared,” he finally said, changing the topic abruptly. “Darating ang mga magulang ko for lunch.”

I stopped in my tracks, my expression hardening, but I didn’t bother looking back at him.

𝘈𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯? Hindi na ako ang Sylverine na nasaksihan nilang kinasal sa anak nila or baka naman ginagamit na naman ni Levin ang pamilya niya para mapaniwala ako. It was another power play—another way to exert control over me.

“When?” tanong ko, my voice cold.

“Around noon,” sagot niya. “And I expect you to be there.”

𝘉𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘬𝘩𝘢 𝘣𝘢 𝘢𝘬𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴? Gusto ko sanamg umalis pero 'ka pagod naman mag maneho.

I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, I clenched my fists by my sides, forcing myself to keep calm. If this was going to be another one of those family luncheons where I was paraded around like some obedient wife, he was sorely mistaken.