Chaos in the Cavity of Peace (Love in Mendiola Series #1)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Trigger warning: Alcoholism / Addiction / Blood / Suicide / Violence / Parental verbal & physical abuse.

This chapter contains scenes that might trigger trauma for readers.

Please read responsibly and skip if you must.

KEECIA

"That was your father?" I asked, eyes widening. I couldn't hide the shock in my voice.

Natigilan din ako sa aking ginagawa. Marahan niyang inagaw iyong hawak kong yelo na binalutan ko ng towel kanina at siya na ang naglapat nito sa kaniyang putok na labi. He winced as he pressed it against his lip.

Akala ko nagkamali lang ako sa pagkakarinig pero tumango siya sa akin, confirming it. His own father did this to him?

I blinked a few times, trying to process everything. "Why? How... what?"

Hindi ko maintindihan. Why would his dad do this to him? How can a father do this to his own son?! Halos mapatay niya si Caine! Anong klaseng tatay siya kung ganoon?

"Quite a fucked up family situation, isn't it?" he said bitterly.

"Caine..." I touched his wounded face to offer support.

"I'm okay," he smiled flatly. Caine put his palm over mine then he turned his head to kiss my hand. "I'm sorry you witnessed that."

"I don't know why you're apologizing. You're the victim here." I stroke his cheek, tender and reassuring. "I'm sorry your dad did this to you. Can I ask why?"

"Well... I've never told you this, but I'm also helping in the family business. Just last week, I made a decision that pissed off my father. He wanted me to reiterate it, so he kept bothering me. It was annoying as fuck, but I stand by my choice. Ginawa ko kung anong alam kong tama at mas makakatulong sa kumpanya. So I ignored his calls, which obviously, have angered him even more. When he found out from my assistant that I'm here in Subic, he wasted no time following me here." Napahilot siya sakaniyang sentido. "I should have known, sana naagapan ko. You weren't supposed to see that."

"Pero bakit niya kailangang gawin sayo to? Business lang naman iyon, pwede pang madala sa matinong sa usapan! Pwede namang kumalma muna. He shouldn't have hit you, Caine. You're still his son!"

Caine gave a sardonic laugh. It almost scared me.

"William De Laurentis is anything but a father." He stopped when he realized what he had just said. Then he became serious. "Anak niya lang ako sa dugo, but he was never a father to me. So, it doesn't matter."

"I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that this isn't the first time it happened."