The Great Pretender

Chapter 25: More Like 'Try Not To Fúck Too Much'

I nodded. This time I slowly and gently touched the scar line.

"Where did you get this?" Bulong ko.

"The first monster I murderéd gave that scar to me."

Napalunok ako.

"And w-who was that?"

Hindi siya agad sumagot, bagkus ay sa loob ng ilang segundo ay ang tunog lang ng nalulutong itlog ang tanging ingay

"The rapist who repeatedly assaulted my mother," Sagot niya. "And also the reason why she killed herself when I was barely a kid."

Tuluyan akong hindi nakasagot. I heard her turn the stove off and then she faced me. Her gray eyes were somber.

"I am sick, Miguel, because the moment that I was capable, I gave the monster a slow and painful death. I didn't just shoot him and made it painless, no." She shook her head, her gaze never leaving my eyes. "Monsters like him deserve a ƒúcking hell....do you even want to know what I did?"

Warning bells are blaring inside my head, but I didn't wanna look away nor run away. Instead, I just said, "Yes."

"When he was finally weak enough to hurt me, I stabbed him here," My back straightened when she jabbed her finger on my stomach. "And again," Jab. "And again," Jab. "And again—and then I pulled the bloody knife and then to make sure that he has no chance to live, I shove it right here," She pointed at my carotid artery. "I watched him choke in his own blood. I sat there until he was covered in the red crimson liquid, and there was no more life left in his pathetic eyes. When I finally killed him, I didn't feel anything but relief. I had no empathy when I disposed of his body. I am that sick, Miguel." She said firmly, tears are pooling in her eyes.

Napalunok ako. There was no doubt in my body whether she's telling the truth or lying to me. I can feel that whatever she just told me is the truth. It's a confession to a pre-meditated mürder and as a person of the law, I shouldn't justify it and I should be running the opposite direction...

..but right now, I didn't feel the need to move or even be the person of law....right now, all I can see is a brave woman who avenged for a victim.

"....Are you scared of me?"

I shook my head. I wiped the lone tear on her cheek.

"No. I am not scared of you." I said, " And you're not sick, Kamila. You killed the sick."

Hindi siya nakakibo. I don't know who I am anymore and whatever I am slowly becoming should scare me but it doesn't.

"Come here." I said and pulled her to my chest. She automatically wrapped her arms around me after I did. For the beats of silent moments, All I can feel is her body and the thudding of her heart. Deep down, there's a primal urge to protect this woman at any cost.

"I don't care about what you do about your day, but you come home to me later." Sabi niya habang nakasubsob sa dibdib ko.

The way that she said it made me feel like that meant more...but instead of saying anything, I just found myself nodding at her request.

A few moments later, we ate breakfast as usual and then I drove to work. It was a bizarre morning for both of us, especially for her. She is slowly but surely uncovering things about her.

I wanted to ask her more things and who really Kamila Dimaano is? I have this sudden urge to find out everything about her, not because I wanted to hold it against her, but because I just really have this itch of curiosity.  No matter how dark and 'vile' the information might be.