TOXIC (Dark Mafia Romance)

Chapter 17 (2 of 2/contains sensitive themes)

note: contains sensitive themes. 

sa mga may pinagdadaanang ganitong sitwasyon, maaari po nating i-contact ang mga itinalagang ahensya ng gobyerno para po tayo ay matulungan.

dswd hotline: The Globe hotline numbers are 09171105686 and 09178272543, and the Smart hotline number is 09199116200.

I just stood there dumbly as I stared at the black intercom screen. Somehow, the last words Frank told me made my gut even heavier. Alessio already gave me permission to leave and visit Riza once she woke up. I didn't know why, but somehow, Alessio giving his permission that easily felt like he didn't give a fuck what I did anymore.

As if he couldn't be bothered with me anymore.

Muli ay mariin akong napapikit.

God, what was wrong with me?

I forced myself to step back and look at the darkening heavens outside the glass walls.

Pagdating ng pagkain, pinilit ko ang sariling harapin ang mga iyon. Nagpasalamat ako kay Frank at tumango siya pero hindi agad lumabas.

"Don't forget to take your vitamins," seryosong paalala ng bodyguard. "I'm going to check later if you've taken them."

The man had been doing that since I got home last night. At talagang sinisipat niya ang mga banig ng mga vitamins para siguraduhing ininom ko ang mga iyon. I could only feel grateful that at least he didn't make me take the vitamins in front of him because that would just be too much.

Akmang aalis na ang lalaki, pero nagsalita ako.

"Wait..." There was hesitation in my voice.

Bumaling siya sa akin. "What?"

I stared at the silver domes covering my food. I had thought it was silly about half an hour ago, but after what Frank had told me...

"Did..." My voice was still brittle. "Was it De Luca who asked you to make sure I take my vitamins regularly, too?"

"Si," walang gatol niyang sagot.

Kumislot ang dibdib ko roon at napayakap ulit ako sa aking baywang. "And the menu," patuloy ko. "This new restaurant, was he behind this, too?"

Tumango ang kausap. "He got some nutritionist to make your food. They're in a suite downstairs to cook your meals."

Namilog ang mga mata ko at napalipad kay Frank ang tingin ko. "In a suite downstairs?" bulalas ko. "You mean there's no restaurant?"

Oh, God. So it was like a private chef?

Tumango uli si Frank. "There's no space for them downstairs yet, so Boss made a deal with them. He'd give them a spot for their restaurant, but for now, they had to cook your meals in a suite below us. They could only start today because we had to check everyone and make sure everyone's cleared."

I could hardly hear anything through the rush of blood in my ears as my mind tried to process Frank's words. If I wasn't mistaken, the old lady Mrs. Ina Inosanto prepared all the food herself in Ina's Kitchen, and that was one of the reasons there hadn't been another branch of Ina's Kitchen aside from the one in Manila. And now they were saying Ina Inosanto herself was in a suite downstair practically just to cook my meals throughout the day?

"The chef," usal ko sa bahagyang nanginginig na boses. "Was it Mrs. Ina Inosanto?"

Frank grunted. "Yes."

Napahawak ako sa bar counter. Oh, God. How did De Luca get Mrs. Inosanto to practically be my personal chef?

"The menu," mababa kong sambit. "Who made the menu?"