Aurora's Gambit: Defying Destiny

Chapter 30

Doomed

Aurora's POV

Just as I thought I could finally rest, Philip announced another guest.

Malchiah Luis le Sciellou... and his little brother, Mikael.

Kaya naman ibinaba ko ang iPad na hawak at saka sinundan si Philip para batiin ang mga bagong dating na bwisita... este bisita. 

Sinalubong ako ng tumatakbong si Mikael. 

"I missed you! You never came to visit me," saad niya at niyakap ang bewang ko at saka ako tiningala.

He looks healthier now and more energetic than when I last saw him. I crouched down, ruffling his hair with a small smile. "I was... busy."

"Busy being dead?" singit naman ni Malchiah saka ngumiti-ngiti sa akin na tila nagigiliw siyang makita ako kaya tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. Kailan pa kami naging close nitong gagong to at kung makangiti siya sakin ay parang magtropa kami?

"Something like that," simpleng sagot ko.

Mas lalong lumapad ang ngiti ni Malchiah sa'kin na nagmukha na siyang timang. "I was looking for you, you know. Imagine my surprise when I learned the ghost of Kinara de Fidellis had returned."

"Why would you even look for me, sir? We only met once, and you don't even know me personally."

Sinapo niya ang kaniyang dibdib na parang nasaktan sa sinabi ko. Seriously? "Ah, Kinara, you wound me. Our meeting was brief, but unforgettable. Also, drop the sir. You can call me Malchiah, or you can even call me 'Mine'," magiliw na saad niya at nag-lipbite pa sa harap ko na siyang kinangiwi ko. Yuck.

I glanced down at Mikael, who was still clinging to me. "Big Brother talked about you a lot, Big Sis! He talks about you every second of the day. He even—"

Hindi pa natapos ni Mikael ang sinasabi ay agad niyang hinila mula sa akin ang kapatid at mabilis na tinakpan ang bibig para pigilan ito sa pagsasalita. "That's enough, Mikael. Huwag mo akong ibuking," bulong bulong pa nito sa kapatid kaya napatawa naman ako nang mahina.

 "And here I thought you weren't the sentimental type."

"Sentimentality has nothing to do with it. You're fascinating, Kinara," saad niya saka umupo at dumekwatro sa couch habang hila hila pa rin ang kapatid kaya umupo na rin ako sa tapat na couch. "A pretty woman who bravely saved a kid from a hostage taker suddenly disappears without any trace, and let's add the fact that my handsomeness did not faze you like it normally does to every other woman in this country. It's enough to make a man like me curious."

Sinalubong ko ang mga titig niya gamit ang bored kong pagmumukha. "Curious, or simply nosy?"

Tumawa naman siya sa sinabi ko. "Grabe ka naman sa akin, Kinara. I'm not chismoso. Anyway, the reason we came here, aside from checking on you, is to inform you that I'm still serious about my previous offer."

Kumunot naman ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. "Offer?"

 "To make you my wife, of course," sabi niya na parang wala lang.

Agad na sumabat si Mikael sa pinagsasabi ng kuya niya. "No! It is me whom she will marry, not you, you ugly brother! Big Sis is mine!" Sigaw nito saka tumakbo sa akin at sakay kumandong at yumakap kaya niyakap ko din ang cute na bata at hinaplos haplos ang malambot nitong buhok.