HIDING HIS DAUGHTER (UNDER EDITING)

CHAPTER 39

ANTHONY'S POV

"F*ck," sabi ko nang makita ko ang chat ng baby ko, si Xianna. Naku, delikado na 'to. Mukhang may kailangan akong harapin na dragon mamaya. A single message from her could send shivers down my spine, more potent than any threat from a rival gang. Ang gwapo ko pa naman, tapos magkaka-problema ako.

"Bakit?" Natatawang tanong ni Kuya Alvin, siya ang The Silver Fox. Parang alam na niya kung ano ang problema ko.

"Kasalanan niyo 'to, hindi ba kayo hinahanap ng mga baby niyo?" I asked them, trying to shift the blame. Seriously, bakit ako lang ang nalilito dito? I was just trying to live my best life as The Midnight Sun, ang pinaka-gwapo sa'min. Syempre, kailangan kong i-assert 'yon, lalo na sa harapan ng dalawang 'to na feeling cool.

"I told her I was leaving," simple lang na sagot ni Jaiden, walang kaabog-abog. Ang chill niya talaga, as if he didn't just drop a bombshell about his whereabouts. He just sips his drink, parang 'di takot kay Angela.

"Ako rin naman, I also said goodbye to Shean," dagdag ni Kuya Adrian, ang Dark Phoenix. Mukhang ang dalawa kong kuya ay mas responsable sa pagpapaalam kaysa sa akin. Bakit sila nakapagpaalam? Anong sikreto nila? Did they have some kind of secret communication strategy that I was unaware of? Feeling ko nalalampasan ako sa mga importanteng bagay.

The name of our group is The Black Diamond or T.B.D. Kaming tatlo nila Kuya ang leader. We're also called 3DH, which stands for 3 Dangerous Hernandez. Syempre, may kasamang yabang 'yan. Pero minsan, 'yung yabang na 'yan, nagiging liability. The irony was not lost on me. We were supposed to be dangerous, not forgetful.

Meanwhile, Jaiden is the strongest. He's the Mafia's Boss, and his group is called The Black Mamba Clan. He's ruthless, you know. Walang sinasanto, kahit ang sarili niyang pamilya, kung kailangan. He commands respect and fear in equal measure, a true force of nature in the underworld.

He's a monster in the Mafia world. Many have tried to defeat him, but all have failed. Walang nakakatalo, kahit gaano pa sila karami o kalakas. He's like a legend that walks among us, a living nightmare for his enemies. His reputation precedes him in every dark alley and secret meeting.

Even the three of us, including Kuya, can't beat him. Ang kapantay namin sa lakas ay ang kanyang kanang kamay lamang, pero kahit kailan hindi namin siya mahihigitan. Tanggap na namin 'yan, at minsan nakakainis. Kasi, you know, we're supposed to be dangerous too! But there's just a different kind of power he wields, a silent intensity that makes everyone around him uneasy. It's like he has an aura of impending doom.

"I said I was leaving too, but I didn't say where I was going," sabi ni Kuya Alvin, naka-ngisi. Naiinis ako sa kanya, ang dami niyang alam. He even looked smug about it, as if he had just pulled off the perfect prank.

"So ako lang pala ang hindi nagpaalam," I muttered, saka napakamot ng ulo. Lagot talaga ako kay Xianna. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko pagdating sa bahay mamaya. Siguradong may sermon na naman ako. My head was already spinning just thinking about it.

Mapapatay ako ni Xianna ng 'di oras. Si Xianna ay isa nga palang agent. Target niya ako noon, kalaban ko rin siya noon, namin. Kaya nga masaya ang buhay, may thrill. Kaso 'yung thrill na 'yan, minsan nagiging life-threatening. Agent ba naman girlfriend mo aba kabahan kana.

But there's nothing wrong with falling in love with your enemy. Xianna is so brave, that's why I love her. I really love that woman. Siya ang bukod tanging nakapagpaamo sa The Midnight Sun, ang nag-iisang babaeng nakakagawa sa akin ng ganito. She challenges me, she excites me, and she makes me feel alive in a way no one else can.

Wala pang nakakasampal sa'kin, siya lang ang kaisa-isang taong sumampal sa napakagwapo kong mukha. Isipin mo 'yun, ang lakas ng loob niya! Walang nagawa ang gwapo ko sa kanya. That slap was a wake-up call, a testament to her fierce spirit. And for some reason, I found it incredibly attractive.

Pero okay lang 'yan, mahal ko naman, e. Kahit sampalin niya pa ako ulit, basta siya ang kasama ko. I'd take a thousand slaps just to be with her.