Twisted Fate

CHAPTER 28

I headed straight to Royalé- Loui's bar after that confrontation. Kailangan kong pawiin ang stress na nararamdaman ko ngayon and drinking is the key.

Agad akong sinalubong ng malakas na tugtugan at amoy ng sigarilyo pagkatapak ko palang sa loob. Hapon na rin kasi at nagsimula nang magdagsaan ang mga tao.

This place is my haven. I usually go here during my free time or if I have a problem just like now.

Binati ako ng bartender pagkarating ko sa bar counter. I just nodded at him at umupo.

"Give me a glass of Russo-Baltique Vodka." I simply ordered. Bahagyang kumunot pa ang noo nito dahil sa sinabi ko. Alam niya na may problema ako dahil ang inuming 'yon ang lagi kong inoorder pagnagkataon. I didn't mind him and wandered my sight around the area.

"Having a hard time lover boy?"

My eyes landed at the guy sitting not so far from me with a cup of coffee in his hand.

"Why are you here fvcker?" My eyebrow arced at Loui. Lumipat ito sa stool na katabi ko.

"Obviously, because I own this place." Bored niyang sagot na parang ito na ang pinakawalang kwentang tanong na narinig niya sa buong buhay. Hindi ko nalang siya pinansin at ininom ang inorder kong alak.

"Uno my man, anong problema natin ngayon?" He playfully asked and sipped his coffee.

This moron is really weird. I mean, who's in the right mind would drink a coffee inside a bar? Minsa napapa isip na rin ako kung bakit ko naging kaibigan ang isang 'to.

"It was my old man. He fvcking threatened me again about Jessica." I answered staring at the glass I was holding.

"Tsk tsk tsk, buti nalang single pa ako. Then? What will you do?" Salita niya sabay iling-iling. Malalim akong bumuntong hininga at hinarap siya.

"I'll stop him of course." I replied and drink the alcohol in one go.

*****

After that night, I took my flight to France. Sinunod ko nalang ang utos ni dad dahil wala naman akong magagawa. He's the chairman after all.

I was busy the whole week to the point na wala na akong oras para tawagan si Jessica. I'm beat up. But god I miss her.

The deal with Grimaldi Empire went well. Medyo natagalan lang ng konti dahil nalate ang pagdating ng kanilang chairman dahil may inasikaso pa 'to.

I thought mahihirapan pa ako to think that we're dealing with the largest business in Europe but Zed Grimaldi was so approachable. Both sides were flowless so naging madali lang ang proseso.

Excited na akong umuwi dahil at last! Makikita ko na ulit ang baby ko. I've waited for this day to come kaya nangangati na talaga akong umuwi.

I was about to get ready for home nang tawagan ako ng executive assistant ko. And the next thing made me curse.

"May malaking problema po tayo sa company branch natin dito sir. There was a huge sabotage in the finance department."

Agad akong nagpatawag ng board meeting para sa issue na 'to. Sobrang nag-aaburido na ako dahil naudlot ang plano kong pag-uwi.

After the meeting, agad kong tinawagan si Jessica upang ipaalam sa kaniya na hindi pa ako makaka-uwi but the motherfvckers are so loud and it pissed me off.

Nang marinig ko na ng maayos ang kaniyang boses ay agad nawala lahat ng galit at pagod na nararamdaman ko. Kumunot ang noo ko nang maramdaman ko ang pagod at lungkot sa kaniyang boses. It's like she was about to cry.

It made me want to go home more.

Pagkatapos nun, my assistant informed me that dad was staying in my house since last week. Agad akong nagkaroon ng masamang pakiramdam dahil doon. Damnit! That old man was definitely planing something bad.

Tinawagan ko ulit si Jessica ngunit hindi ito sumasagot.

'I really got a bad feeling about this'

At dahil doon, mas minadali ko ang pag-ayos sa mga dapat ayosin. Imbes na isang linggo pa ang ikatagal ko, naging tatlong araw lang 'yon.

Kahit sobrang pagod, hindi na ako nag-abalang magpahinga at dumeretso sa airport para umuwi.

Malalim na ang gabi nang makarating na akong Pilipinas ay agad kong hinanda ang mga dala kong pasalubong na chocolates at dumeretso sa bahay.

I deeply prayed na sana okay lang si Jessica pagdating ko.

I got off the car as soon as I arrived at dali-daling tinahak ang daan papunta sa kuwarto ni Jessica pero agad akong nanghina nang hindi ko siya makita doon.

'Maybe she's in the bathroom'

Nilakad ko ang distansiya papuntang cr at tatlong beses na kumatok.

"Sweety I'm back! I got presents for you." Malambing kong wika ngunit walang sumagot. Agad na namang nagsibilisan ang tibok ng puso ko. Pinihit ko ang pintuan ng cr at mas lalong lumala ang kabang nararamdaman ko nang wala siya doon.

"Jessica where are you!" I called her at lalabas na sana sa kwarto niya nang makita ko si Dad na nakahilig sa pintuan.

"Dad." Banggit ko dito. Umayos siya sa pagkatayo at hinarap ako.

"If you're searching for her, it's too late. She already left you." He sternly said that made my heart broken into pieces.

*****

Five months have passed pero ni anino ng babaeng mahal ko ay hindi ko parin mahagilap.

I've searched her everywhere ngunit wala paring Jessica Valdez ang nabalitaan ko. I even stopped my search for that woman para lang ma prioritize lang ang paghahanap ko kay Jessica pero bigo parin ako.

Kung saan-saang lupalop ng mundo na ako naghanap pero kahit lead wala talaga. It's like she never existed.

But I won't give up.

"You should rest a little bit, bro." Nag-aalalang usal ni Loui sa akin. I gazed him and took a sip of my drink.

"Nah, I'm good." I replied.

Simula nung umalis si Jessica, halos araw-araw na akong tumatambay dito sa Royalé drowning myself with alcohol. Wala na akong ganang umuwi doon sa bahay. Sino pa bang uuwiin ko dun? I'm still hurting deep inside at mawawala lang ito kapag bumalik na si Jessica sa akin.

Days passed and I was still working on my search for Jessica but Dad keeps on pestering me about that woman. Hindi niya ako tinatatantanan kaya mas lalo akong nai-istress.

Then one day, I decided na hanapin na rin ang babaeng 'yon. Dad gave me no choice. I need to remove any obstacles at isa ang babaeng 'yon doon.

I have to find her before dad does then kakausapin ko siyang huwag na ituloy ang kasal na binabalak nila. Pero kung hindi ko siya madadala sa pakiusap, then I'll silence her for good.

Agad kong kinuha ang tumutunog kong telepono. Nakita ko ang pangalan ng private investigator ko kaya agad ko itong sinagot.

[Sir, remember when you told me to keep an eye on that woman's friends?] Tukoy nito sa fiancee ko.

"What about that?"

[Well, one of them was acting strange. Lagi itong pabalik-balik sa isang bahay na hindi naman kaniyang pag-aari habang may dalang mga groceries.] Wika niya mula sa kabilang linya na ikina ngisi ko.

'This is it. Malapit na kitang mahanap.'

"Who is it?" Tanong ko.

[Aera Feliciano.]

To be continued...

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