The Rich Man's Right Hand

Prologue

Iridesca "Yrah" Montreal

This is gonna be another boring night.

Pasimple kong tinakpan ng kamay ang bibig ko bago pa kumawala ang paghikab ko. I'm tempted to open my mouth wide and yawn pero hindi pwede. My father invited too many guests who are more interested to watch my every move rather than drink themselves to oblivion and stuff their face with food.

Ugh. I really hate it when everyone's eyes are set on me. Hanggang anong oras ba ang party na ito?

Napaangat ako ng tingin nang may maglahad ng kamay sa akin.

"May I have this dance?" Tanong sa akin ni Crae. He is one of my distant cousins.

"I'm not feeling well." Pabalewalang sabi ko bago inalis ang tingin sa kanya at nangalumbaba.

He chuckled. Kumuha siya ng dalawang kopita ng wine mula sa tray ng napadaang waiter, iniabot sa akin ang isa at naupo sa tabi ko. "Your father organized this party to find a husband for you. Aren't you supposed to go around and check if there's someone here that meets your taste?"

I snorted. "I feel like I'm auctioned here."

"Well, you really are. Hindi mo naman masisisi si Tito Guillan. In case, you haven't realized it yet, dalawang taon na lang ay mawawala na ang edad mo sa kalendaryo. Tapos kahit isang beses, wala ka pang naipapakilalang nobyo sa kanya. He has given you enough time to choose a guy on your own. Pero zero ka pa rin until now. Hindi kaya babae ang hanap mo?"

"Sapak gusto mo?"

"See? You can be violent at times and that makes me wonder if you are straight." Umiling- iling ito.

"May boyfriend naman ako ah. Wala nga lang siyang idea na may relasyon kami. Magbibreak kasi kami kapag natuklasan niya iyon." Biro ko. Partly, totoo. There's this man whom I can't get out of my mind since the first time we've met. Nakagawa na ako ng maraming daydream sa utak ko kung saan siya ang bida at ako ang leading lady.

Sumeryoso ang mukha nito. "Your father's not getting younger. Kung ayaw mong pumalit sa posisyong maiiwan niya, kailangan mong humanap ng ibang tao na pwede mong pagkatiwalaan para humalili sa kanya. Remember that we are not talking about a simple business here."

Napabuntong-hininga ako. Of course. My father, Guillan Montreal is not an ordinary businessman. He is the leader of the Black Circle. A mafia group which is now recognized as the most powerful and influential among its kind. Being his only daughter means that I will inherit everything he has, including his position. Pero hindi ako intresadong maging parte ng mafia. Kuntento na ako sa pagiging general physician at pagpapatakbo ng sarili kong clinic. Alam iyon ni Papa at sinabi niyang wala siyang balak na pilitin akong maging bahagi ng Black Circle. He gave me one condition though.

I have to get married and convince my husband to take my father's position for me.

Napahilot ako sa sentido at tumingin sa paligid. Karamihan sa mga dumalo sa party ay galing sa mga mafia na ka-alyansa ng Black Circle. Kapansin-pansin ding halos lahat ng naroon ay nasa mga edad na mid twenties to early thirties. Dad really planned this thoroughly.

Crae pointed on something behind me. Nilingon ko naman iyon. May nakita akong lalaki na naglalakad palapit sa kalapit na table. Nakasuot ito ng three piece suit. Nasa late twenties. He looked approachable enough.

"That's Julian Fortaleza. The heir to DAB Group of Companies. What do you think of him?"

Muli kong sinulyapan ang lalaki. "He seemed to be a good man. Does he know about the Black Circle?"

"He has no idea. He was invited here because your father saw his achievements. Julian bought four companies that suffered from bankruptcy and revived them. He is also known as a pilantropist since he started a foundation that grants scholarship to children with disability."

Tumango-tango ako. "He'll be a great addition to the Black Circle. But I don't think he's interested to join us. Sa tingin ko siya ang tipo ng businessman na hindi ipagpapalit ang malinis na background niya para maging miyembro ng mafia."

Crae laughed. "What a smooth way of saying you don't like a guy."

I smiled widely.

Muli siyang nagturo. "That guy. He's Alaine Crest. Fil-Am. Leader of our allied mafia, the Sealed Rose."

Nagkandahaba ang leeg ko sa pagsilip sa tinutukoy nito. I crunched my nose. "Ayoko sa lalaking putok ang muscles."

Crae tried another one. "How about that guy? Aleck Birkins. The leader of the Zephyr, also one of our allies."

"Ayoko sa kalbo, Crae!" Napalakas ang boses na sabi ko. Agad kong natutop ang bibig ko at lumingon sa paligid. Luckily, no one seemed to have heard what I said. Nakatutok ang atensiyon ng lahat sa entrada ng garden namin kung saan naglalakad papasok ang isang lalaki.

"How about Keegan Altierra? Fil-Portuguese. Leader of the Altierra Empire and owner of the largest casino-resort chain in the country. One of the richest bachelor in the Philippines." Muling wika ni Crae. Nakatitig na rin siya sa bagong dating na lalaki.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Halos pabulong ko na ring sagot. "He got all of these wealth when we are just in the same age."

Keegan smiled at the people he passed by. Obviously, he is very aware of his assets. Lumilitaw ang dimples niya sa magkabilang pisngi kapag ngumingiti ng ganito. Guwapo . Matangkad. Model-figure. Mayaman. Playboy. Hambog. Duwag.

Crae smirked. "Are you? Are you really impressed, Yrah?"

His tone was sardonic. Alam kong may iba siyang ibig sabihin sa tanong niya. I rolled my eyes. "Okay, fine. I'm not."

But I would have been if I hadn't learned where his success came from. Maaring humahanga nga ako ngunit hindi sa kanya. I'm reserving that for the person behind this rich man's success. Ang totoong utak ng Altierra Empire. Ang lalaking naghirap para sa lahat ng magagandang bagay na tinatamasa ngayon ni Keegan.

Hindi ko inialis ang mga mata ko sa entrada. Alam kong papasok na ang taong hinihintay ko. Keegan would never go out in a social gathering like this without him. He was this rich man's shield.

True enough, another guy walked in. With his six feet and two inches height, he is very impossible to miss amidst a crowd. Nakasuot ito ng isang itim na americana. Walang tie at bukas ang unang dalawang butones ng puting dress shirt. His chestnut brown hair was neatly styled. Nahaharangan ng black-rimmed glasses ang mga mata nitong mukhang itim ang mga iris sa malayuan ngunit hindi pala. I knew very well that his eyes are gray not black. I have seen them upclose for many times.

I watched as he walked discreetly behind Keegan. Kung gaano katodo ngumiti si Keegan, ganoon naman ka-pormal ang itsura nito. I know that he's dressing and acting this way to make sure he won't steal the spotlight from his boss. Like seriously? He can easily do that if he want to. He was way too gorgeous. Too sexy. Too attractive. And too intelligent compared to Keegan. His name is Claude Janus Sullivan. The rich man's personal assistant slash advisor slash errand man slash bodyguard.

My breath momentarily stopped when his eyes landed on my direction.