Decoding Rose

Chapter 1

"FUCKING bullshit!" I closed my eyes and wait for another slap from my boss. This is frustrating!

Nag-igting ang panga ko nang maramdaman ang paglatay ng kirot sa aking pisngi at nanatiling nakatabing ang mukha patagilid. Nang unti-unti ko siyang harapin ay sinalubong ako ng nag-aalab sa galit na mga mata. Those piercing eyes looks like a demon from hell and all I can do is to bow my head and wait for another hurtful words.

Prince Keiv is my boss.

He is a russian and he is a prince. A psycho prince who love to get all his opponent's treasures. He is a psycho whose willing to let all his men died just to get what he wants. He never show mercy, he never show goodness, he never show weakness.

"You idiot slut?!" aniya sa matigas na ingles at piniga ang aking pisngi. "I already gave you time to kill that bastard but what the actual hell is happening to you?!"

"Forgive me, my Lord. I'll do—"

"Oh shut up!" Hinablot nito ang baril at tinutok sa aking noo. "I'll give you another chance, Rose. Once you failed me again, I swear I'll kill them. I'll kill your brother, your mother, your everything. Remember our contract, lady. You are already sold. I bought you, your body, your heart and your soul."

Matapos niya iyon sabihin ay tumalikod na siya at lumabas ng aking kwarto sa loob ng kaniyang mansiyon. Yes, I stayed with my boss's place. Umupo ako sa kama at inihilamos ang aking palad dahil sa inis. Yesterday, I was supposed to end that Alec Sebastian Ybañez's life but that Sophia Andrews meddled with my plan.

"Bwisit! That bitch!" I exclaimed.

Sophia Andrews is my Kuya's colleague. We both know each other since then. I know she already has the hint about me as the assassin. Hindi ito dapat malaman ni Kuya, kung hindi ay papatayin siya ni Prince Keiv or else, madadamay pa ang mga taong malapit sa kaniya. Or worst, baka idamay niya si mama.

Paano nga ba ako nasadlak sa ganitong buhay? I was just a simple college girl who studied very hard to reach my goal. My dream was to be a respected lawyer, and that's the reason why I planned to go abroad. Pero paano ko gagawin iyon ngayon? Kung may bahid na ng karahasan ang aking mga kamay at nasa ganito akong sitwasyon.

"I'm a criminal," usal ko sa aking sarili. I already killed hundred of people because I need to protect my family.

"Yes, you are."

Napatingala ako sa nagsalita at tumambad sa akin si Hyacinth na malungkot na nakangiti. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay at inirapan. Hyacinth is just a girl who abducted from an orphanage. Hindi ko siya gusto dahil mahina siya lalo na sa t'wing nakikita ang kaniyang kapatid.

"And so are you," mataray kong sagot at tumayo. "You're Sophia Andrews half sister. Why bother yourself to protect her? She didn't even know who you are-"

"Si Sophia na lang ang mayroon ako, Rose. Just like you, I need to protect those who we love. We have the same mother, we were at the same tummy. Kaya katulad mo po-protektahan ko rin siya."

"That bitch meddled with my plan, Hya. Or. Let me say Camelle Cuevas?"

"Cut it, Rose. I already buried that name six feet under," she sighed. "My mother's other man came from Cuevas clan but I'm not part of that freakin fam."

Napa-iling ako akmang lalagpasan siya nang pigilin niya ako sa braso at hinawakan ang nagdudugo kong labi.

"Gamutin natin."

I shake his hand away from my lips and stared at her annoyingly. Ayokong may mabait sa akin, ayoko maging mahina. Hindi ko kailangan ng kaibigan dahil sagabal lang sila sa misyon kong tapusin ang kontratang ito sa pagitan namin ni Prince Kiev. Especially now, Hya's sister is a pest.

"I don't need your concern," I told her and walked out.

"Bakit ba napaka-tigas mo, Rose." Tinitigan niya ako na puno ng pag-aalala.

"Dahil kailangan Hya. Kasi kung hindi ka magiging matigas, matatalo ka sa laro ng buhay. Malulugmok ka at maiiwan kang mag-isa."

"Tama ang sinabi mo," singit ng bagong dating na si Maria. She's wearing a robe and we all know that she came from Prince Keiv's room again.

They had an affair. Alam iyon ng lahat dahil si Maria ang tumatayong tagapagligtas ng damuhong boss namin. At hindi siya magdadalawang isip na patayin ang sino mang tatraidurin si Prine Keiv. That's pathetic.

"Ang mahina, walang lugar sa mundo natin. Ang mahina dapat namamatay," she added and touched Hyacinth's face. I looked away when Maria kissed Hyacinth on her lips.

Hindi ko mapigilan ang kilabutan nang makita ang pag-aalinlangan ni Hya sa ginawa ni Maria. Nang humiwalay si Maria kay Hya ay tumingin siya sa akin at ngumisi.

"Bear that in your mind, Rose." Matapos sabihin iyon ay tumalikod siya at umalis. Naiwan si Hyacinth na halos hindi humihinga dahil sa nangyari.

I gulped and walked away. Hyacinth and Maria are Prince Keiv's woman. At kunti na lang, ako na ang susunod. It was part of our deal.

Our contract is not that simple. I need to kill that Alec Sebastian Ybañez. Once I make it, they'll let my mother go and we'll be free.

Tumungo ako sa aking big bike at umangkas. Pinaharurot ko iyon hanggang sa marating ko ang isang partikular na lugar.

Huminto ako at umupo sa isang mahabang upuan kung saan kaharap ko ang mga rosas na kulay pula. Inabot ko ang isang rosas pero agad ko iyong nabitawan dahil sa tinik na siyang tumusok sa akin. My eyes glued in my forefinger, a drop of blood came out and all I can do is to watch it.

"Roses are red, violets are not blue. Let go of your tears. I'll be right here, beside you."

Natulos ako sa aking kinauupuan nang muling marinig ang baritonong boses na iyon. Nanatili akong nakatingin sa aking sugat nang may panyong nagpunas niyon at nilagyan ng band-aid. I looked up to him and my heart almost fell. He was busy with my hands while smiling.

Yung ngiting minsan nang nagdala ng liwanag sa mundo ko. Yung ngiting dahilan kung bakit hindi ako magkaundagaga sa aking higaan. Yung ngiting nagpapakabog dati ng bata kong puso.

"J-jako."

Tumingin siya sa akin at tumayo sa harap ko. He dipped his hands on his pocket and gave me the most genuine smile.

"Papatayin ako ng kuya mo kapag nalaman niyang alam ko na wala ka sa ibang bansa," aniya at umatras.

Tumayo ako at nilapitan siya pero iling ang ginawa niya dahilan para mapahinto ako. Kinuyom ko ang kamay ko at binunot ang aking baril at tinutok sa kaniya. His faced remained still. Nakangiti pa rin siya at walang bahid ng takot ang kaniyang mukha.

"Magkalaban tayo," anas ko. I'm in his opponent's team.

He chuckles, "You're right. But my heart beats for you. Paano ko ngayon kakalabanin ang babaeng tinitibok ng puso ko?"

Kinagat ko ang aking ibabang labi. Jako is a responsible guy. Salungat kami sapagkat ang batas ang sinusunod nila samantalang bilang mamatay tao, si Prince Keiv ang sinusunod namin.

"I told you to stop—"

"You told me to stop loving you, yet my heart can't. Hindi computer ang puso ko Rose para i-delete ang pag-ibig ko sa'yo. Hindi ko kayang i-undo ang nararamdaman ko," saad niya at muling umatras.

Every time we bumped into each other he always left me alone. Not because he wants to but because he needs to. Dahil oras na makita ako ng tauhan ni Prince Keiv ay tiyak na libingan ang kahahantungan ko.

"Our story has ended, Jack." Nag-igting ang panga niya at tumalikod.

"Mali ka," he replied.

Binaba ko ang baril ko at hinintay ang susunod niyang sasabihin.

"We're going to make another story. A story where happy endings exist."

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