ENCHANTEUR: Dominick & the Naughty Six-winged Angel

Chapter 2: The Pretend Wife

HE WAS dreaming. Siguro ay dahil sa sobrang pagod siya sa trabaho. He just finished three video conferences with their investors from three different countries; had an early dinner meeting with the local online game producers who would want to produce the games they are developing.

Siya, si Dominick De La Garza, ang CEO ng Alternate Realms, Ltd. ARL is a company that produces graphics, CGI, post production for TV ads, websites, TV shows & films. But the company specializes in developing online games. Five years in operation and they are already in the top thirty companies in the country. Masuwerte siya, kasama ang tatlo pa niyang malalapit na kaibigan, dahil pare-pareho silang genius sa larangang kanilang tinapos. After graduating from their Master's Degree at Ackerton University and earning their first million at the age of twenty - four they started saving up money for the their dream company.

At dahil ayaw ng mga kaibigan niyang sina Coltrane, Janus, at Chase ng sakit ng ulo, siya ang pinagkaisahan ng mga ito na maging CEO, thus, he never had a vacation for the longest time. Kaya ngayon, pagdating niya sa kanyang bahay ay agad siyang dumiretso sa kuwarto upang magpahinga.

He was dreaming and in it he saw his four - year - old self reaching out for his parents' hands but they just ignored it and left him alone in the middle of nowhere. He was crying hard. His parents wanted him not. When he turned to his back he found his nineteen - year - old self during his graduation accepting his magna cum laude award.

But he was not smiling. Bakit naman siya tatawa? Wala sa tabi niya ang pinakaespesyal na tao sa buhay niya mula noong pitong taong gulang siya - si Cattleya. He was dreaming a very sad dream but he didn't want to wake up.

Dahil sa oras na magising siya, he'll be the Nick De La Garza the business world knew - ruthless, heartless, cold and unemotional and geeky. Magkukunwari na naman siyang ibang tao; itatago na naman niya ang tunay na Nick De La Garza.

Kahit ayaw niyag magising, kahit nilalabanan niya ay naalimpungatan siya sa kanyang pagtulog. Humihingal siyang nagising. Basa siya ng pawis. Bumangon siya sa kama. Nagtaka pa siya nang mapansing iba na ang suot niya. Ang alam niya hindi na siya nakapagpalit ng damit pang-opisina niya pero ngayon ay simpleng t-shirt at sweatpants lang ang suot niya. Hindi na sana niya iyon papansinin pero bigla siyang kinilabutan.

He felt something unnatural is in his room. Biglang humangin ng malakas at napatingin siya sa may bintana. Bukas iyon. Sigurado siyang nakasarado iyon bago matulog. Pero bukas nga ang bintana at nilalaro ng banayad at malamig na hangin ang puting kurtina.

He sighed.

Masyado lang akong pagod.

Biglang may nagbukas ng pinto niya. It was so sudden it made his heart jump out of his rib cage. There was a person standing at his doorway. He could see the silhouette because of the light from the post outside his house.

Humakbang ang nilalang. Napaurong siya sa kama. Parang puputok ang kanyang dibdib sa kaba; sa takot. Muling humakbang ang nilalang palapit. Napansin niya ang kamay nito. May hawak itong kutsilyo.

Magnanakaw? Serial Killer? Kalaban sa negosyo?

Hindi niya maiwasang mag-isip kung sino ang gustong pumatay sa kanya? Dahil sa takot ay tumili siya. He screamed at the top of his lungs.

Bahala na kung isipin nilang bading ako. Basta may makarinig lang at tulungan ako.

"Tulong! Tulungan ninyo akooo! Tulooooonggggg!"

Biglang bumaha ng liwanag sa buong silid. He found himself adjusting to the blinding light. Nang maka-adjust ang mga mata ay natagpuang nakatayo sa mismong harapan niya ang taong may kutsilyo. Isa iyong lalaki. The man's face was peeking at his pale face. Concern was evident in the intruder's eyes.