The Demon General's Young Wife

Chapter 41

"Where's Mom?"

"Sir?"

"I said, where's the first-lady?" Malakas na saad ni Khallib kay Karen pagdating na pagdating niya pa lamang sa palasyo.

"N-nasa office niya po Sir. Teka bakit po ba?"

"Don't follow me! Stay here!" Singhal lamang ni Khallib sa assistant ng kanyang ina at tinungo na ang opisina nito at padabog na isinara ang pinto.

"Son! What's the matter? Are you upset or something?" Gulat naman nitong saad.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING MOM?"

"Doing what? What are you saying? Pwede bang kumalma ka mun--"

"Why did you do it? Bakit mo ginawa yun kay Shu?!"  Paglilinaw niyang bulalas kaya napangisi bigla ang kanyang ina.

"Mom! May nakakatawa ba sa sinabi ko? I know it's your doing! I heard you the other day, I didn't know na tututuhanin mo. Why did you send the General's daughter in his mansion?"

"Why not? That's where the General lives, saan ko ba dapat ipapadala?"

"Oh for *** sake Mom! How about your sister? Shuntal is out there waiting for her daughter! Why it has to be Shu? Alam mo ba kung gaano iyun kasakit at kahirap sa kanya? She has to take care of the daughter of his husband to another woman! And you know What's worse? The General is not always around so she has to do all the responsibilities of a parent sa batang anak ng asawa niya sa ibang babae!"

"And so? Why do you even care? What it is to you?" The first-lady just said nonchalantly kaya lalo siyang nainis.

"Do I really have to answer that Mom? You know exactly how I feel about her. You know of all people that I care about her and I'm not letting anyone give her nightmare like this!"

Napahalakhak ang first-lady dahil sa tinuran niyang iyun.

"What can you do? I'm doing this for you, afterall!"

"For me? Then leave Shu alone!"

"What does that have to do with you?"

"If you really care about me, leave her alone cuz I only care about her! I even convinced the General to take care of her, to treat her well even if it hurts for me to see that! But it doesn't matter cuz that's what Shu wants and the General can make her happy! If you want to see me happy, do the same!"

"Huh! That's foolishness! Sarcrificial love is never a real thing but an illusion son! Isa pa, why do you have to endure being apart from her? Don't you think this is the right chance for you to take over her? Besides, the General is busy enough with his work, now I've added two more special people in his life, he can't have enough time for Shu."

"MOM!"

"Huh, the time has come son. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. Hillary is getting ready for a comeback since Presidential election is approaching. For sure, the General is almost finish laying out a ground work to take us all down. Kaya ikaw, get back to your senses and take this things seriously!"

"Mom, that's not true. Oo, the General and I have misunderstanding this past few weeks but I'll never think bad about him. I grew up beside him, under his supervision. He has become my brother and best friend. I admire and adore him for his upright personality and work ethics. He always works hard for Dad, for our family specially to protect us! So, you can't tell me that he's trying to betray us or he's a traitor Mom! You can't because he's not!" Matatas naman ang dila niyang pahayag kaya napangisi ang first-lady.

"What a fool! So disappointing!" Dismaya nitong usal bago humalukipkip.

"What? Fool? I'm not a fool Mom. I'm just saying, the General has been working for us for years! You shouldn't question his loyalty like that! He's putting his own life in the line to protect me, to protect the President! He's been experiencing assasination attempts too. Gladly he was born skilled and smart so he was able to escape those and still alive til' now!"

"Huh! Hahaha! How funny! You actually believed in him son? Too sad, I've been working hard for years, I've gone through hell and walked in the valley of barbaric deeds just to paved the way for you but seems like-- you can never be like the General: smart, arrogant, skillful, lofty, and ruthless enough to rule a country. But my son? Huh, so sad, he's too soft and gullible!"

"Mom no! I'm not! Can you stop calling me fool and gullible!"

"Then prove that you're not! How can you rule a country with that attitude! How can you lead and intimidate a group of leaders, fake and selfish bunch of politicians, if you're like that! How can people rely on you if you're not strong enough to intimidate and oppress your both party and opposition!" Matatas pang bulalas ng first-lady.

"So, what are you trying to say Mom? You want me to be ruthless? To be heartless like Dhark? To be selfish and be cruel? Yun ba? Yun ba ang gusto mo?"

"Exactly! That's what you should do and what you should be! That's what you need to be victorious! Being a President is not something a soft and emphatic person like you could handle! You should be clever and ruthless enough to rule a country son!"

Natawa siya ng bahagya dahil sa tinuran ng kanyang ina, "you're being absurd Mom. That's just another way of running a country, cuz if I were to rule this country, I'll do it my own way."

"Your way? Hahha! And what way? Being kind and soft? Politics is never a clean place for that son! Or else hindi ka pa nakakaupo, bagsak ka na, or mas malala, patay ka na! Your Dad, do you think he's a good and kind president yet manages to stay on post? No! I'm doing all the dirty laundry for him! And that's what I'm doing for you too."

Hindi siya nakapagsalita dahil sa tinuran ng kanyang ina. Of course he knew all about those but he just chooses to be ignorant, but seems like, the time has come for him to face the reality of his life as the young master.

"Anak, isa pang term at maglalast term na ang Dad mo, by then dapat nakapasok ka na sa politika so it's time to be serious."

"I know Mom. But being serious doesn't mean that I have to pull a string against our strongest support. I will still trust and rely on the General."

"Fool! That will be your biggest setback son."

"Not until I'll prove what his real intentions are."

"And what if I give you things that will prove my suspicions on him are true?"

"I'll believe it when I see it!"

"Okay fine! Wait and see then! I'll show you that the General you've been trusting and praising is on his way to take you down!"

"That's for you and me to prove Mom. But then again, you can do everything you want but don't ever lay hand on Shu! She's not part of your fury against the General  so leave her alone!"

"Huh, why don't you just take her by your side then?"

"What?"

"That will hurt the General more!" Ngingisi-ngisi sambit ng kanyang ina kaya natigilan siya ngunit tumugon din.

"Again! Leave Shu alone Mom!" Pag-iiwas na lamang niyang saad kaya napangisi ang kanyang ina.

"Okay fine! No worries, as long as you do as I say, I won't harm that woman, she's just a side dish anyway!"

"Mom!"

"Okay fine! Fine! But do remember my conditions son if you really want to save yourself and that woman!"

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