After a plane landed on the airport, a woman walked out the door as she put her sunglasses on. Everyone gasps as she walks confidently like a model. Actually, she is. She's a famous model in London. She grinned while they were all gossip. She finally came back after a few years and she didn't just come for nothing. Vengeance, the long wait is now over for her.
Maaarte niyang ikinuha ang selpon sa kaniyang sling bag tsaka may tinawagan na kung sino.
"I'm already here at the airport. Just fetch me up and don't ever make me wait for an hour, okay?" she sarcastically said.
"Alright. I'm on my way now, ma'am," the man said on the other line. Napairap na lamang siya bago binaba ang tawag. After a few minutes, she dragged her suitcase out of the airport.
Saktong paglabas niya, dumating na ang taong inutusan niyang sumundo sa kaniya ngayon. Such a handsome man...Indeed, she thought. Lumabas na ito ng kotse as he is still wearing his sunglasses and approached her after. She raised her eyebrow as she ooked at him then smirked.
"What's with that smirk, Eirlys?" he asked then chuckled.
"Oh come on. Is that how you welcome me back here?" she said.
"What do you want me to do then? Throw a huge billboards for models like you? I'm sure you're used to seeing yourself on it there in London, right, Eirlys?" he teases her as she winces. She lazily handed him her things and opened the passenger seat.
"But you still owe me one. No but now, Hugo," she insisted as I got inside. Nakita niya itong umiling habang natatawa. He put her things at the back of the car before heading inside the driver's seat.
"You know, I still never failed to pissed off so much, Eirlys. And I'm glad you came back after 6 years. Why are you here, anyway? Why did you come back?" anito as he put on his seatbelt. She crossed her arms around her chest, still not looking at him.
"I had my reasons. And granddad allowed me so after Aileene died."
"So, you make a plan before coming back here, didn't you?"
"Of course, I did."
"What's your plan then?" he asked.
"My plan? *smirk* I'll do the consequences of that deal." Nakangising saad nito habang nakatanaw sa bintana ng kotse.
"What did you expect him to do? Left her with nothing? He's the mafia boss here, remember? You can't stop him just what you expected," he stated. Napayukom ang kamay niya upon hearing those words from him. He's the mafia boss? And I can't do anything with that? Argh! F*ck that! she angrily thought.
"Shut up! I'm not a loser and I can do anything that I want. I'm not stupid, jerk!" she snorted in annoyance.
"Hey, calm down. You don't have to yell. People might think we're a couple arguing over something."
"I don't care! Just drive! Tsk," she yelled out of control then turned her attention outside the window. Hindi na nagsalita pa si Hugo pagkatapos no'n. They stayed silent along the way as they reached his mansion.
"We're here," he said as he parked his car. He went out of the car first before opening the door beside her. She looked at him as she got out. His guards faced them.
"Good evening, Master Hugo," one of the guards said.
"Good evening. This is Eirlys. You know her already, right? So be nice to her just like before. Understand?" he said and guards nodded quickly and then bowed their heads.
Dumeretso na sila sa loob at halatang nagulat ang mga kasambahay na makita ulit nila si Eirlys The last time they saw her when she was 19 years old and now she's 25 years old. Agad silang napayuko at alangan na tumingin-tingin sa hindi inaasahang bisita.
"Get her things at the back of my car then bring them to her bedroom," he ordered them. Agad naman silang sumunod sa pinag-uutos nito. She got stunned when he held she hand firmly.
"W-What the---"
"Don't protest. We're just going upstairs to your room," he said before dragging her.
Napatikhim na lang siya habang tinitignan 'yung kamay nito na nakahawak sa kaniya.
He's my best friend and he still stays by my side whatever happens...I just couldn't love him more than how I still felt for Stefan. I thought.
Napatigil na lang siya sa paglalakad at pag-iisip ng kung anu-ano nung mapansin nitong nakatitig ito maigi sa kaniya na para bang binabasa kung ano bang iniisip niya.
"I-I'm sorry..." she mumbled out of nowhere. Ngumiti lang ito sa kaniya ng bahagya tsaka umiwas ng tingin.
"You still love him, do you?" she nodded slowly. She heard him sigh deeply as he hugged her.
"Y-Yes," she hesitantly answered. Kita niya kung paano ito ngumiti ng pilit dahil sa sagot niya but he still managed not to show it. He gently held and squeezed hee hand.
"It's fine. But he is already married. Matagal na silang kasal ni Zavie even after your step-sister died." Napasinghap siya kunwari sa sinabi nito.
"W-What? You don't mean it, do you?" Umiling naman ito at ngumiti ng matamis.
"I do," he only answered. She snorted. Oh right...I forgot about it...I was there on their wedding day...she thought.
"Right. I know." Nagtataka itong tumingin sa kaniya.
"You know? But how?" he asked. She opened her bedroom after they put her things inside. She roamed around and it looked like he fixed some things in there. She sat on the side of the bed and sighed. He followed her and sat beside her.
"Tell me. How did you know about it?" pangungulit nito sa kaniya.
"I was there, okay?" Inis na turan niya dito.
---->Flashback<----
"Madam, may I come in?" she heard someone say sa labas ng kwarto niya. Tinatamad siyang tumayo at pinagbuksan ang taong iyon.
"What?"
"Pinapatawag ka po ng lolo niyo, madam," mahinahong saad nito sa kaniya. Tumango-tango na lamang siya tsaka ngumiti ng tipid.
"Fine. Pakisabi susunod na lang ako," anito bago pinagsarhan ng pinto ang sekretarya ng kaniyang lolo. Huminga siya ng malalim bago inaayos ang sarili.
"Sana pumayag siya," bulong niya sa sarili habang nasa tapat ng salamin. Kinalaunan, lumabas na siya ng kwarto at demeretso sa opisina ng kaniyang lolo. She breathed in, breathed out. Pinagbuksan siya ng nakabantay sa labas ng opisina nito.
"Pinapatawag niyo daw po ako, granddad." Umikot ang swivel chair nito paharap sa kaniya tsaka pinagtiklop ang palad.
"How's your contract with Black Universal? May balak ka bang magrenew ng kontrata, Cressida?" anito kaya napabuntong-hininga siya. Alangan siyang tumango.
"Yeah. By the way, granddad---"
"You knew you had to renew your contract, right? It is for the benefit of our company," he stated as he cut her off.
"I know pero may gusto sana akong sabihin---" naputol muli ang nais niyang sabihin ng magsalita ito.
"What is it all about, Cressida? Ipagpipilitan mo na naman bang umuwi ng pilipinas para makita ang g*g*ng 'yon?" inis na saad nito.
"Pero granddad, you know hindi lang naman iyon ang dahilan ng pagpunta ko. It was all about the upcoming battle," katwiran niya.
"Vengeance, right? That's all you wanna say, Cressida?" nanlaki ang kaniyang mata sa narinig.
"H-How did you---"
"Vengeance, for what? For your stupid half-sister? Or for the jerk you were trying to fight before?"
"It wasn't for Aileene, granddad. And you knew all along that I still love Stefan. I can fight for the love I had for him---"
"Stop this nonsense, Cressida! Alam mong hindi pa rin ako papayag sa kagustuhan mo na 'yan! He's not good for you. Ipinaliwanag ko na ang rason sa'yo 6 years ago. Yet, you still insisted on what you want?!" Halos ibalibag na nito ang mesang nasa harapan kaya sinubukan niyang lapitan ito dahil sobrang pula na ng kaniyang mukha sa sobrang galit. Umiwas siya ng tingin pagkatapos.
"Alright, fine. I won't go back there if that's what you really want. But I can't promise the thing that you were trying to make me do it. I'm going back to my room." Magsasalita pa sana si Cleo Amazon subalit walang mg salita ang lumabas sa kaniyang bibig. Tuluyan ng tumalikod si Eirlys at lumabas ng opisina.
Nagmamadaling bumalik si Eirlys sa kaniyang kwarto. May naisip siyang plano. Plano kung paano siya makakagawa nang paraan without her granddad's knowledge. Kinuha niya ang kaniyang maleta sa ilalim ng kama at inilapag iyon sa ibabaw. She packed all the things she'll need on her way back to the Philippines. She will leave, tonight.
Kinuha niya ang susi sa drawer ng kaniyang bedside table at binuksan gamit ang susing iyon sa lagyanan ng kaniyang kasangkapan sa pakikipaglaban. Iba't-iba iyon. Agad naman niyang dinampot ang baril na matagal na niyang ginagamit. It's been years since she had used it. Malinaw pa sa alaala niya noong unang ginamit niya iyon. She was 12 years old when her granddad trained her how to use it properly. Naalala niya pa noong sinabi nito sa kaniya na,"Someday, you'll use that when you can finally join me in a battle that only mafias and gangsters do."
Ang mga salita na iyon ang tumatak sa kaniyang isipan kahit ilang taon na ang lumipas. Huminga muna siya ng malalim bago iyon nilagay sa kaniyang bag. Alam niyang magagamit niya iyon ano mang oras. Inayos niya ang kaniyang kama upang hindi maghinala ang kaniyang lolo. Walang dapat na makitang ebidensya na umalis siya nang walang paalam.
Pagkatapos ay tahimik niyang binuksan ang secret exit passage kung saan palabas iyon ng lugar nila at bubungad ang siyudad na saktong pupuntahan niya. Mabuti na lamang ay nagwig siya at saktong gabi na rin kaya malabong may makakilala pa sa kaniya. Pumara siya ng taxi papuntang airport. Walang siyang pagsisisi na umalis habang paalis ng London. Hindi rin naman siya magtatagal ng halos isang linggo doon at balak niya rin naman na bumalik sa bansang pinanggalingan niya.
Kinakailangan niya lamang na magawa ang kaniyang naturang plano. At iyon ay ang kamustahin ang lalaking naiwan niya ilang taon na ang nakalilipas. Pagkarating sa pilipinas, inaakala niyang makilala siya ng mga tao dahil na rin sa kasikatan niya sa London bilang isang modelo. Subalit naalala niyang nakadisguise siya. Tahimik siyang lumabas ng airport at nagpara taxi para dumeretso sa CMC. Marahil, ganoon na lamang kilala ang kumpanyang iyon dahil matagal na iyon simula noong nagkaroon na maayos na kalakalan sa ibang kumpanya sa ibang bansa.
Napanganga siya pagkalabas ng taxi. Bumangad kasi sa kaniya ang mataas na building habang may nakalagay na,"CLINFORD-MADRIGAL CORP." Nais niya sanang pumasok doon kaya lang alam niyang baka mabigla si Stefan na makita siya. Sa di kalayuan, natanaw niya ang isang pamilyar na lalaki. "Hugo..." Tanging nasambit niya. Nataranta siya noong hindi sinasadyang napalingon ito sa dereksyon niya.
Agad siyang tumalikod at pasimpleng tinakpan ang gilid ng kaniyang mukha. Kinalauna'y sumakay na rin ito sa kaniyang kotse at umalis. Nakahinga siya ng maluwag kaya't dumeretso muna siya sa isang café malapit lang doon. Umorder siya ng kakainin at sa hindi sinasadya ay narinig niya ang usapan ng ilang kustomer na kumakain sa ilang table.
'Have you heard about it? Ms. Madrigal and Mr. Clinford was getting married this month after her dad died,' said one of the customers.
'So he must be the new CEO of CMC. But how about Rhazer and Hailey? Her siblings? I thought sir Rhazer owned the company temporarily?' Hirit pa nung isa.
'Yeah. But I haven't heard about them yet,' she listened carefully to their conversation before her order arrived.
He's getting married this month? Seriously? She doesn't have any idea about it. And who are they talking about? Ms. Madrigal? Who is she? Before the waitress left, she stopped.
"Excuse me, Miss. May I ask something?" Takang saad niya. She hesitantly nodded.
"What is it, ma'am?"
"Oh. I just wanna ask if you have any idea who is Ms. Madrigal they are talking about?" She stated.
"I-I just know she was the eldest daughter of Mr. Madrigal. Her father who owned the CMC for a very long period." She nod.
"Oh, right. I see. Thank you," she said and smiled a bit. She wants to know more about her before their wedding day.
She got an invitation card but her real name doesn't write on it. Yes, she pretended to be their visitor and changed her name on purpose. Then, she witnessed how the ceremony started. She quickly left the place even before it exactly ended. She won't let Stefan notice that she attended their wedding ceremony. She flew back to London like there's nothing happened.
--->End of Flashback<---