Aurora's Gambit: Defying Destiny

Chapter 26

Rule

Aurora's POV

The silence that followed my words was deafening. The conference room, which had been filled with the panicked murmurs of executives just moments ago, now felt like a frozen wasteland. All eyes were on me, disbelief and fear evident in their expressions.

Ang magaling ko namang pekeng ina na si Phoebe de Fidellis na nakaupo sa dulo ng meeting table ay namumutlang nakatingin sa akin na tila hindi pa rin makapaniwala na buhay ako. She looked at me like she had seen a ghost. Inakala niya ba talaga na patay na ako? Nang gano'n lang kadali? 

Pagkatapos ng ilang sandaling katahimikan ay napuno ng bulungan ang silid at bawat isa sa kanila ay may iba't ibang reaksyon. May mga nagulat at hindi makapaniwala, mayroon namang iba na nagtataka. But there were two reactions I was more interested in.

Kairo Pantaleon, yung anak ni Phoebe na pekeng kuya ko rin, ay nakatitig sa akin gamit ang isang ekspresyon na hindi ko mabasa.  His sharp features, eerily similar to his mother's, were stiff, but his clenched fists on the table betrayed his emotions. 

Galit siya. Kanino? Sa akin? Sa mama niya? O sa sarili niya? Hindi ko alam at wala naman akong pake. He can get angry all he want and I don't give a fuck.

Gabriel Montaluan, Phoebe's creep husband, on the other hand, had a vastly different reaction. While the others looked like they were witnessing the impossible, he merely leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs leisurely. His lips curled into a smirk, eyes roaming over me shamelessly.

"Oh, what a sight to behold." Isang mababang halakhak ang lumabas mula kay Gabriel habang hinihimas niya ang kanyang baba. 

Napangiwi naman ako sa ipinakita niyang ekspresyon.

"You've grown into such a stunning woman, my dear. It almost makes me forgive you for this little... stunt."

My stomach twisted in disgust. Ugh. What a creep.

"Don't call me that." My voice was sharp, cutting through the tension. "And don't flatter yourself into thinking you were ever important enough for my forgiveness."

Tumawa ulit nang mahina si Gabriel, na para bang wala siyang pake sa sinabi ko, at sumimsim ng alak mula sa hawak niyang wine glass, as if he's watching a very interesting show. 

"Feisty. I always did like that about you."

Sa wakas ay natauhan na si Phoebe at mabilis na bumaling sa asawa niya, ang mukha niya ay punong-puno ng galit. "Gabriel, shut up!" asik niya rito habang ang mga kuko niya'y unti unting bumaon sa armrest ng kanyang upuan. Mabilis siyang bumaling muli sa akin gamit ang tinging nakakamatay. 

Boy, if looks could kill, I would be dead on the spot.

"I don't know how you managed to pull this off, but whatever tricks you're playing, they end tonight! Security! Remove this woman!" She shouted.

Napabuntong-hininga ako at marahang umiling-iling. "Tsk, tsk. You always were too impulsive, Phoebe. That's why you never saw this coming."

With deliberate ease, I placed a thick folder onto the polished table. The sound echoed through the room like a gunshot. "Since you're all confused, let me clear things up."

Mabilis na lumipad ang tingin ni Phoebe sa folder, na para bang naglalaman ito ng isang bomba. Ang kaninang galit niyang ekspresyon ay napalitan ng pangamba.

"Nasa loob ng file na ito ang mga dokumentong nagpapatunay na ako, si Kinara Psamathe de Fidellis, ang tunay at tanging nararapat na tagapagmana ng kumpanyang ito," patuloy ko, ang boses ko'y malamig at puno ng awtoridad. "This also contains financial records exposing every fraudulent transaction, every laundered dollar, every falsified document Phoebe's family used to cling to power. And most importantly..."