Heart By Heart (The Architects Series #2)

Chapter 30

L A U R E N

"Siguraduhin n'yong hindi makakawala 'yan."

I tried to open my eyes but I can't. Itim kaagad ang sumalubong sa akin. I was blindfolded and I just heard some random voices of a man. I believe my lips were covered by a cloth.

Umungol ako pero kaagad ko rin namang naramdaman ang panghihina.

I heard footsteps walking towards my direction... somebody removed my blindfold and the covering in my mouth. I adjusted my vision and looked up to the two men who are standing right in front of me.

"My family has a lot of money! We can give you millions, billions... any value! Just let me go!" I started screaming at them like a lost child. This is so insane.

I don't have to be afraid right now, I need to be brave. Our family has teachings and I am trying to sink in to my mind that this is just a normal death threat and they just need our money. Stupid groups.

"Paniguradong hinahanap ka na ng buong angkan mo. Would you imagine?!" Sumigla bigla ang boses niya. Prenteng umupo ang isa sa kanila sa isang upuan na parang hari. "The princess of the Del Valle's was kidnapped—kahit na sobrang dami na ng security sa Residenza de Del Valle," diniinan niya ang pag-banggit sa pangalan ng mansion.

I just rolled my eyes when the both of them started laughing exaggeratedly.

This man whom I am talking had a large scar on his left eye. It was almost like a spider web from the way it looks. Nakakatakot ang tindig niya. Ang laki rin ng katawan niya.

"Mr. B," he whispered as he went near me. "Just call me—Mr. B."

"Don't go near me!" I hissed at him.

He smirked and lifted my face with his fingers pressing my chin. "Walang kwenta ang pamilya niyo. You were just powerful by owning the largest empire when it comes to the field of Architecture. Pero, sobrang hina niyo pagdating sa pag-ibig." He looked at me with anger. "Starting from 'The Great' Don Gregorio Del Valle—who happened to be the wife of Doña Rosalina Del Valle. Your great grandparents, right?"

"How did you know every detail of it?!"

He silenced me with his index finger and continued, "Hindi nawawala sa pamilya niyo ang paghahanap ng iba. Everybody in your family had affairs and continued through generations of your family. Like yours, six years ago... Arthur Stephenson left you because he had sex with some random woman and felt guilty. Kaya ka niya iniwan."

"That's not true! He explained to me and I don't fúcking care whatever his reasons are!"

"Katulad ng kapatid mong si Xander Del Valle. He also cheated on his wife, Zaira Del Valle and... vice-versa. How poor it is right? Kung ang kuya mo naman na si Austin Del Valle and pagbabasehan, he will probably cheat too. Kahit na ang anak sa labas ni Philip Del Valle na si Lilian or Lily Del Valle ay makakaranas rin ng ganyan." Umiling-iling siya. "Ang tapang niyo dito..." Itinuro niya ang noo ko. "Pero, ang hina niyo dito." Itinuro naman niya ang puso ko.

"Just let me go!"

He stared at me for a while and laugh again until he stopped. "Del Valle ka nga talaga. Itinuro sa inyo na hindi matakot." He crossed his legs and removed his masquerade. Itinuro niya ang peklat na nandoon. "See this scar? Ikaw ang may kagagawan nito."

"You fúcking díckhead! I don't remember you entering in my life!"

"Ha!" He winked at me. "That's the point, Del Valle. You don't remember..."

I was taken aback. "What does it mean?"

"Remember the car crash fifteen years ago?" Kumunot ang noo ko. "You took out a ballpen and throw it on the wheels of our car just because you were annoyed that we were faster than that damn family of yours?!"

My eyes widened. My body was frozen... "We can just pay for it..." I sobbed. "Magkano ba ang kailangan niyong pera?"

"Hindi sapat ang pera niyo sa buhay ng mga magulang ko!" He shouted and stood up. "Kung buhay ang nawala, buhay din ang kapalit! At ikaw, Del Valle ang kapalit!"

"I'm sorry... sorry..." I looked up at him. "Batang-bata pa ako noon. I didn't know what I was doing. I'm really sorry for what happened."

"Ilang taon kaming nagdusa nang dahil sa 'yo, Del Valle. Starting from that day, I despised your family. We planned everything. Kaso, kahit ang pinagkakatiwalaan niyong security agency ay laman ng mga tanga at bobo. Naging madali ang lahat -- at ito na ngayon ang bunga."

Hindi na ako makapagsalita. It was too hard to sink this in. Sobrang laki ng atraso ko sa kanila at wala akong magagawa. I don't want to die in this kind of way. Marami pa akong pangarap... lalo na para sa amin ni Caius.

Lumapit siya sa akin at hinablot ako pataas. Napangiwi ako sa sakit. Pinalakad niya ako palabas hanggang sa makarating kami sa isang lugar na bakante. Pinaupo na rin niya ako ulit sa isang bakal na upuan.

Bigla namang dumating ang mga naka-itim at naka-maskara na mga lalaki. Halos pare-parehas sila ng hubog ng katawan. Sumilay ang kaba sa katawan ko. No...

"Sa pagpaplano, may kasama ako." Ngumisi siya sa akin. "Lahat sila kasama. Pero, isa lang talaga ang mas malaki ang galit kaysa sa akin." He signaled by using his fingers and suddenly one of the doors opened...

"CAIUS?!" His hands were tied at his back and they let him be seated on one of the metal chairs too. "Pakawalan niyo siya! 'Wag niyo siyang idamay!"

Tumawa siya at liningon si Caius. "Oh c'mon, CJ. Would you mind explaining it to her?"

"C... J...?" I whispered.

"Caius John R. Montez," Mr. B interrupted. "Known as CJ, Del Valle." Nakatulala lang ako kay Caius habang ang puso ko... unti-unti na namang nadudurog. "Initial plan—make you fall in love with him. Wala akong pake kung naka-home run si CJ sa 'yo. My younger brother is so intelligent at making you fall deeply in love with him. We were expecting that this would take some time, but it only took him almost six months to fall in our trap." Mr. B pointed at me. "He is so excited to kill you in his own hands."

My tears started falling. This man... whom I love so much—fooled and break me?! Hindi ako makapaniwala. All of those things was a trap? Humapdi ang puso ko sa sakit, katangahan at kabobohan ko para sa lalaking ito. Buong akala ko, siya na—pero, mas sinira niya ako. Mas masakit pa ito.

"Caius..." All I could was to pronounce his name while looking at him with tears. His face was emotionless looking at me.

"Now you know the truth, Del Valle," Mr. B started talking. "How does it feel?" I closed my eyes and started to reminisce the memories we had. In just short span of time, he makes me feel how he can managed to heal me with my past.

"Denisse..." He uttered. I looked at him.

"Mas masahol ka pa kay Arthur, Caius. Pina-ikot mo ako sa patibong niyong magkapatid. You could've just kill me the first time we met! Hindi 'yung mas masasaktan pa ako sa plano mong ito!" I shouted at him.

Umiwas siya ng tingin mula sa akin.

"We can't do that, Del Valle," singit ni Mr. B. "Siya ang tagapagmana ng trono ng pinatay mong ama namin. He is the next Mafia Lord—given that he will kill you slowly."

"M-mafia?" Nanginginig na ang buong katawan ko sa takot.

"Yes. Illegal transactions among the government, recruiting criminals, illegal agreements—trained to hold illegal guns, equipment, but most of all—to kill those who are giving us headaches."

●♥●