Only Ever After

Kabanata 54

Kabanata 54

It felt like it was useless for us to go to Algaya, tila pinaglaluan lang kami ng mga taong nasa likod nitong lahat.

It seems like the odds is on their side, nilibing na nila Capo si Tita Imelda, I gave a silent prayer for her, are we exactly doing what the enemy wants?

Dahil sa pagod kaming lahat sa nangyari ay agad natulog na kami, kinaumagahan ay nagtipon kaming lahat sa sala, hindi man namin sabihin ay halata sa mga mukha namin na nahirapan kaming matulog.

Dahil maaaring may mangyari pa lalo't nalooban kami sa mansion, paano kung hindi lang pala ang sobre na may invitation letter ang iniwan?

Speaking of the letter, iyon ang rason ng pagtitipon namin.

"It's a trap." Lessy said, starting the topic. She held the invitation letter, "it's obvious."

I agree, unang basa pa lang ay malalaman mo nang patibong ito.

"What if your twin is there? It's our only chance of getting her." Liham's voice was serious and cold, humugot siya ng malalim na hininga at tumingin kay Capo, as if acknowledging what he has to say.

"Young Master, look at the bold letters." Turo niya sa mga letra, tinignan ko muli ang letter, nakaligtan ko siguro dahil sa mensahe ako mismo nakatingin. I focused on the bold letters.

You are cordially invited to Vles Masquerade Party, November 1 at Delerro Hotel, La Mayor. Be prepared.

I read it... "Death."

"What does it mean?" Achilles frowned.

"It means that somebody will die at the masquerade party, but who?" Lessy seemed to think about it, "maaaring isa sa atin o isa sa mga miyembro ng mafia natin, o isa sa mga taong mahahalaga sa atin. Either way, it seems like that."

"What if this is the enemy's way of confusing us?" Capo suggested. "Why would they put signs?"

"To intimidate us." Sagot ko, "kung sino man ang kalaban natin, gusto nila na guluhin ang utak natin, they want our judgment of things to be clouded with doubt, fear, and confusion. We are giving them exactly what they want. They are controlling us through this." Tinignan ko muli ang invitation letter, "but I think there is a hidden meaning, it can't be a coincidence that the event will happen at such date, sa araw ng mga patay."

Wait, November 1...

It's my birthday. It can't possibly mean that.

Death. November 1.

As if getting the message, I gasped. Ako ang mamamatay.

Pero paano nalaman ng kalaban ang kaarawan ko? Sino ang nakakaalam ng kaarawan ko? I haven't told Liham yet so he doesn't know, even Lessy do not know about my birthday even if we were together for years, dahil gastos lang ang pag-celebrate ng kaarawan.

Maybe I am just mistaken, maybe the enemy really do not know. Pinag-isipan ko nang mabuti, who could possibly know about my birthday?

"Mimi, are you okay? Bigla kang namutla." Halata ang pag-alala sa boses ni Lessy na nagtanong.

Umiling ako at ngumiti, "siguro dala ng puyat." I sighed, I know Lessy and Liham were concerned because of the soft face they gave me, I gave them a look that says I'm fine, alam kong nag-aalala rin sila sa kambal, I might exactly not be giving my twins their needs.

"There's nothing here." Liham said, "babalik na tayo sa La Mayor."

"Paano ang komadrona?" Lessy asked.

"She's not here." Liham said, "she might be dead or what, we have no clues where she is, let us give up on her and focus on finding your twin, she's giving us a chance to take her, we'll give her that." Kumuyom ang kamao ni Liham, "my sister or not, whoever that woman, I will kill her."

Lessy seemed to think about it, as if considering that. She must have a soft spot with her twin even if she never knew her nor seen her, alam kong gusto niyang tumutol but given the things we've been through because of her twin, it is normal to agree.

Is it?

~*~

Tahimik kong pinagmasdan muli ang kalawakan, pabalik na kami sa La Mayor, si Achilles naman ay naiwan, it seems like we've been here for nothing, ngunit kahit papaano ay at least may alam na kami dahil sa imbitasyon.

I did not bother telling Liham anymore about the letter and my assumption, I might be mistaken. Ayoko siyang mag-alala para lang sa isang bagay na hindi ako sigurado.

I won't die, I won't...

"What's wrong?" Malambot ang boses ni Liham, nang ibaling ko ang atensyon ko sa mukha niya ay napansin ko ang mapupungay niyang mata, he must still be lacking sleep.

Umiling ako.

"You seem nervous, is there something you aren't telling me?" Liham asked.

Ngumiti ako at umiling.

"Mi, I know there's wrong." Liham said, "I know..."

I blinked, "huh?"

"I know that November 1 is your birthday, I know that because I once had your bio-data when you became my secretary and I knew that you were the daughter of Lassandro Lamortel back then, I just acted like I didn't know because you seem not to know that your father was a mafia boss, because somehow, a part of me was afraid you might go to him and become my enemy, I don't dream of having the woman I love as my enemy..."

"Liham..."

He cupped my face with his hands, "you're not going to die." He assured, "not now, not tomorrow, not the day after, not on your birthday, we are going to make your day special."

Seryoso ang mukha ni Liham, dahil sa sobrang lapit namin ay hindi ko maiwasang tignan ang kanyang anyo mula sa malapit, makapal ang kanyang kilay at mahahaba ang kanyang pilik-mata, what caught my attention was his eye... they shift from black to hazel brown and vice versa, it was beautiful.

It made me forget somehow of the things I am worrying of.

"You don't have to make my day special, Liham." I smiled, "because you're enough to make me feel special."

He smiled, he closed the distance between us and gave me a short kiss on my lips, suddenly, it felt like all memories of that night came back and my senses became hot.

Nang natapos ang halik namin ay tila hinanap ng labi ko ang dating init na nakadikit, I craved for the warmth to keep my sanity, Liham held my hand and intertwined our fingers, "I'm going to the masquerade..."

"No... it's a trap."

"Trap or not, it is the only way for us to find out who Lessy's twin is."

"It's dangerous."

"There's no safe place."

He was right...

"I want to come..."

"No, you stay." Liham answered, "I might lose you when you come." Nag-aalala siya na baka mangyari ang hidden message na nakaukit sa likod ng imbitasyon.

I nodded, understanding him.

Sinandal ni Liham ang ulo niya sa balikat ko, I smiled and let him rest, our fingers remained intertwined, Liham smiled as he closed his eye, the entire trip, I just stared at his face...