The Secrets We Keep (Completed)

Chapter Seventeen

"I knew you looked familiar. It just didn't occur to me that you're Steve West's son."

Stefan kept his face blank his eyes intent on the old man before him. Itinuon niya ang atensyon dito, habang kinakalma pa rin ang sarili. Papunta na siya sa kanyang sasakyan kanina nang lapitan ng tatlong tauhan ng mga Melloni at sinabing kailangan niyang sumama sa nga ito.

Hindi agad sumagi sa isip niya ang maaaring dahilan ng biglaang pagpapatawag sa kanya. May ilang beses na din kasing nangyari na mga emergency "meeting",at "troubleshooting" na isinasama siya. Those instances though, were always with Holt.

Still, he didn't think anything was amiss, because he was more worried about JC. Ni hindi niya magawang kunin ang cellphone sa bulsa dahil tatlong goon ang kasama niya sa sasakyan.

Nagsimula lang siyang kabahan nang mapagtantong papunta sa lumang mansyon ang sasakyan. Nang makababa sa harap ng main door ay agad siyang pinosasan, magka-krus ang mga kamay sa likod.

He was hungry, defeated and he could feel all his strength waning as he was pushed through the now familiar hallway, then lead inside a room he'll probably never forget -- the library. Damn it.

"It seems you came across certain documents." Franco Melloni tapped a sheaf of papers, much like the ones he had. "You're a lawyer and trained investigator, young man. Do you really believe these," he pointed to the papers, "will prove anything?"

Hindi siya kumibo.

"You want answers?" the older man's voice was deceptively calm, but his sharp eyes flickered with quiet anger. "On top of stealing Marita from me," tukoy nito sa kanyang ina, "Your father knew too much. Stana was slowly becoming as shrewd as he was, and you had to go, for the simple reason that I wouldn't want anybody else with your mother when I take her back."

Umiling ito, bago nagpatuloy. "But you lived, and my plans were ruined. I believe you coming here by your own accord," may kung anong kinuha ito sa drawer, "was an opportunity." A gun materialized in Franco Melloni's hand, then pointed it at him.

His breath hitched, not out of fear but of worry. JC. Marahil ay nag-aalala na ito ngayon.

"But," Melloni continued, along with a slight thud. Napadilat siya, at agad nakita ang pagbitaw at pagbaba ng baril sa mesa. "I believe someone is better fit at doing this job." he nodded at someone behind him.

Narinig niya ang pagbukas ng pinto, at lilingon na sana pero nauna niyang naramdaman ang presensya ng dumating.

"Come here, young lady."

Reluctant footsteps followed, and from his peripherals he saw her. Felt her. Smelled her.

JC. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang mararamdaman o iisipin. Sinubukan niya itong tingnan pero na kay Franco Melloni din ang atensyon ng babae, na iniabot dito ang isang mahabang piraso ng tela, at baril.

~~❤~~

The irony wasn't lost on Jendra, as she kept her gun trained on Stefan during the short drive to the execution site. Tahimik lang ang lalaki sa tabi niya, na naka-piring at naka-posas ang mga kamay sa likod. Halos hindi ito gumagalaw.

Si Holt ang nagda-drive, na wala ding imik. Katabi nito anv isang goon ng mga Melloni na si Lopez na panay ang sulyap sa kanila ng makahulugan. Wala na siyang pakialam kung obvious man o alam ng iba na may namamagitan sa kanila ni Stefan. It doesn't matter now, anyway.

She was about to point a gun to his head and kill him. Or at least, pretend like she would.

“Are you not going to even say goodbye, JC? You only have five more minutes with that traitor.” nakakaloko ang ngiting sabi ni Lopez, na kumindat pa sa kanya.

Hindi siya kumibo. Tumingin lang siyang muli kay Stefan. Gusto niyang alisin ang nakatakip sa mga mata nito, tingnan kung ano ang nararamdaman nito ng mga sandaling iyon. His jaw was set, his lips drawn into an almost straight line. His breathing was steady, but his shoulders were slumped. Parang pasan nito ang lahat ng problema ng mundo.

Or most likely, he simply felt defeated. Hopeless. At isa siya sa maaaring dahilan kung bakit. Nakita niya kanina ang magkahalong matinding sakit at hindi pagkapaniwala sa mga mata nito nang tawagin ni Franco Melloni ang pangalan niya at iutos na dalhin sa abandonadong ranch.

Parang may patalim na unti-unting bumabaon sa likod niya habang palapit dito. Halos hindi siya humihinga habang ipinoposas si Stefan. She wanted to refuse to put the blindfold on him, but Melloni and his men were watching. A lump formed in her throat as she stepped in front of him. She wanted to look into his eyes for the last time, but Stefan had them closed tightly.

He flinched when her hands grazed the side of his face. She held back from touching him reassuringly, because even that won't do anything.

Sa pagitan nilang dalawa, siya ang tunay na traydor sa umpisa pa lang.

“Don't think nobody knew about what you two were doing before the guys caught him, JC. You've been stupid to get involved with this fucker. You should have never been fooled by that pretty face, you des--”

“Shut up, asshole!” halos sabay nilang sabi ni Holt. Nagkibit-balikat lang si Lopez, pero makahulugang pinasadahan siya ng tingin bago nito ibinalik ang atensyon sa hawak na cellphone.

Nakakadiri at nakakakilabot ang iniwang tingin nito, at kung hindi lang dahil sa plano nila ni Holt ay baka nasapak na niya ang lalaki.

They turned on a narrow road that spanned about half a kilometer before they stopped on a dilapidated fencing made of wood and barbed wire. Naunang bumaba sina Holt at Lopez na ipinagbukas sila ng pinto.

Tahimik na umibis ng sasakyan si Stefan nang marahang tapikin niya sa braso. He flinched again, as if he hated being touched by her. Pinauna niya itong maglakad. Kaantabay nito si Lopez na hawak ang isang braso ni Stefan habang nakatutok din ang baril sa tagiliran nito.

Naiwang bantay sa sasakyan si Holt habang nasa likod lang siya ng dalawang lalaki. Panay pa rin ang makahulugang sulyap ni Lopez, pero direcho ang tingin niya sa daan. Quietly, she was counting. Two hundred more steps until they reach the foot of the hill where she was supposed to raise a gun to Stefan's head and fire.

Naririnig niyang nagsasalita si Lopez. Tungkol sa kung gaano siya kasuwerteng hindi siya ang papatayin ngayon sa kabila ng involvement niya kay Stefan. Na dapat daw ay magsilbing leksyon ito sa kanya. He went on and on and she barely looked his way.

Patuloy lang siya sa pag bibilang. One hundred seventy-eight, one hundred seventy-nine...

“Hey, you sure you don't even have a goodbye kiss for dead boy here? Come on, JC.”

One hundred eightyseven, one hundred eighty-eight...

Si Stefan naman ang binalingan ng kasama niya. “You knew you two were doomed from the start. But that shouldn't stop you kids from getting it on one last time, right? Go on, I'll just watch. I'm being geenrous here...”

One hundred nine-five, one hundred ninety-six...

Humigpit ang hawak niya sa baril, bago until-unti iyong itinaas habang bumabagal ang lakad nila.

“Well, you just lost your chance. It's time.”

Halos hindi na niya narinig ang sinabi ni Lopez. She was quick and precise as she trainecd her gun on her target, soon followed by two shots that broke the silence of the still late afternoon air.