Devali's Deception: Against The Vow

Chapter 10: Crossed Paths

Nailing na sumunod ako kay Luanne papunta sa garahe at hinayaan siyang mag-inarte. Akmang bubuksan niya ang pinto sa driver seat nang agawin ko sa kamay niya ang susi saka siya bahagyang tinulak.

"Sa passenger seat ka. I'll drive. Baka ibangga mo pa dahil sa inis. At least I can control myself," I mocked her with a straight face, she rolled her eyes at me as a reply. Mabilis na napaandar ko ang makina ng kotse at hindi pa man niya tuluyang nasusuot ang seatbealt ay pinaharurot ko na ang sasakyan kaya napasigaw siya at napahawak sa braso ko.

Tumatawang binagalan ko ang pagmamaneho at nang makuha ko na ang tiwala niya ay muling binilisan ko ang pagpapatakbo.

"Fuck you! I don't want to die! Bitch! Slow dow – ouch! My head! Nova!" Halos hilain ni Luanne ang buhok ko sa sobrang gigil.

"You're overreacting. Kailangan natin bilisan dahil plano ko maghatid ng pagkain kay Luca sa bukid niyo."

"Drive slowly! This isn't a highway. If you want to die, then die alone. You know na super lubak ang road then you will drive ng mabilis? Dumbass!"

Hindi ako sumagot pero dahil sa good mood ako ay dinoble ko pa ang bilis ng sasakyan. Then I started to laugh loudly hearing Luanne chanting a small prayer. Her face is really pale, at panay ang hawak niya sa kanyang ulo habang sinisigaw ang kanyang pagdadasal. Compared to Viv's driving skill, this is slow. Baka kung si Viv ang kasama niya ay talagang makita na niya ang liwanag.

When we arrived at the city, Luanne rapidly opened the car door and weakly hopped out. She sat on the grass while catching her breath. Pero kahit putalng-putla na siya ay nagawa pa rin niyang itaas ang kamay para ipakita sa akin ang gitnang daliri niya.

"C'mon, bilisan mo na mag-inarte jan. We need to buy groceries now." Hinawakan ko ang magkabila niyang braso saka inakay patungo sa loob ng supermarket. Kumuha ako ng dalawang push cart at inabot sa kanya ang isa.

"Bahala ka na kung ano ang ilalagay mo. Don't worry I'll be the one to pay," sabi ko kay Luanne na mukhang hindi pa totally moved on sa ginawa ko. I left her in the entrance and took my chance to go to the Automated Teller Machine to withdraw all of the money I've taken from my father. Nilagay ko 'yon sa lumang eco bag na nakita ko sa kusina. Pagkatapos ay nagsimula na ako sa pagbili ng kakailanganin namin maliban sa gulay at prutas. Bumili na rin ako ng bagong mga damit, sapatos, at kung anu-ano pa. I also bought new clothes for Luca, even a new phone. Napansin ko kasing sira na ang ginagamit niyang cellphone at minsan ay delay pa kung dumating ang mga texts.

After paying for everything, sinimulan ko ang paghahanap kay Luanne. Nakapila siya sa counter at may malaking lalakeng nakasuot ng tuxedo ang kumakausap sa kanya. That is the man that I saw at the wet market. Sino kaya ang hinahanap nila? I secretly took a photo of the man's face and sent it to Cassie via email. Then I noticed that she provided an information about Viv's friend.

Barbara Santana Avignon, the owner of the hospital under an organization that is connected to the black market and mafia. Attached to the report was all of the hospital's address and Barbara's personal details. Napangisi ako dahil tama ang aking hinala. Sasakyan nga ni Viv ang nakita ko at mukhang malapit lang dito sa bayan ang hospital ni Barbara. I need to go there.

Napansin kong patapos na si Luanne kaya agad ko siyang nilapitan. Ako na mismo ang nagbuhat ng karton para ilagay sa push cart at mukhang nagulat naman siya, especially when I paid for all of the stuffs she bought.

"Tara na, may pupuntahan pa akong importante." Sunud-sunuran naman siya at nakapagtatakang hindi siya umaangal ngayon. Tahimik lang si Luanne hanggang sa makasakay kami sa kotse. At that point, I remember the man who talked to her.

"Who was that? Iyong lalakeng lumapit sayo? Kilala mo ba 'yon?"

"Huh? Oh, that guy! No, hindi ko siya kilala. He was just asking me if I knew the woman in the picture. Pero I cannot even recognize who it was. Black and white ang image and the woman is facing on the left side, can't really see her face. Why ba?" Luanne asked politely. Nagkakaroon na nga siguro ng himala subali't imposible 'yon.

"Wala naman, nagtatanong lang." I was about to start the engine when I noticed the man that we're talking about. He just came out of nowhere and he is walking towards our direction. Base on the expression on his face, I already had an idea whom he was looking for.

"Gosh, can we eat muna there? I'm hungr-"

"Dito ka lang muna," I cut her off. "Kahit na anong mangyari ay 'wag na 'wag kang bababa sa kotse. Close your eyes, Luanne. Don't ever think of peeping at me. Wait here, may aasikasuhin lang akong basura."

RIGHT AFTER NOVA went out of the car, Bernard – one of Maceio's underling – approached her. Good thing Luanne listened to Nova so she didn't see how Nova lifted her right feet to kick Bernard on the stomach. Napaupo ang lalaki habang sapo ang tiyan dahil sa lakas ng pagkakatama ng paa ni Nova. Akmang tatayo siya nang sipain nanaman ng dalaga ang mukha at lalamunan niya. Without wasting any time, Nova sat on his stomach, wrapped her hands around his neck before pointing the dagger's tip on his chest.

"Who sent you?" mariing tanong ni Nova.

"Bakit ko naman sasabihin sayo?"

Magtatanong sana siya muli nang makita ang pulang ilaw na nakatutok sa kanyang dibdib. Mabilis na gumulong siya paalis sa ibabaw ng binata kaya ang balang nagmula sa sniper ay tumama sa hita ni Bernard. She hurriedly opened the car and went inside to flee and take Luanne to the safety.

"Sorry to drag you into my mess," paghingi ni Nova ng paumanhin. Mabuti na lamang at hindi agad nakasunod sa kanila ang mga humahabol sa kanya. Those men aren't familiar to Nova so she suspected that they are Arthur's men. Dahil sa sobrang pagmamadali ay hindi niya namalayang tinatahak na niya ang daan patungo sa hospital ni Barbara, kung hindi siya tinanong ni Luanne ay hindi niya mapapansin.

"Where are we? Talagang may plan ka to kidnap me? I knew it! Duda talaga ako sa motives mo," ani Luanne habang yakap ang sarili. But in her mind she was glad to be away with those men, she witnessed how Nova expertly took that man down with a single kick. She's just pretending not to notice anything. And the picture that the man had shown to her was very clear and it is none other than Nova.

"Masyado kang maingay para gawin kong target sa kidnap for ransom. Saka 'di ko kailangan ng pera. I'm here to see a friend. Stay here in the car. Don't be stubborn."

Muli ay iniwan ni Nova ang kasama saka mag-isang pumasok sa hospital na mas mukha pa yatang asylum. Agad niyang nakita ang isang binatang nakasuot ng puting uniporme kaya tinanong niya ito tungkol kay Barbara, at ang binata rin ang siyang nagdala sa kanya sa opisina ng kanyang pakay. When she arrived at Barbara's office, she barged in to show her existence. Mukhang hindi na niya kailangan pang magpakilala dahil batay sa ekspresyon ng dalaga ay kilala niya si Nova.

"Anong maipaglilingkod ko sayo, Claudia Nova?" seryosong tanong niya sa dalagang pumasok ng walang pahintulot sa kanyang opisina. Mabuti na lamang at wala ang kanyang kaibigan dahil natitiyak ni Barbara na magugulo nanaman ang buhay ni Vivianne.

"Report to me anything and everything about my little sister. Is she safe?"

"At paano kung sabihin ko sa'yong ayaw ko? I don't want my friend to think that I betrayed her for giving you information about her. Hindi ka ba aware na galit siya sayo? For leaving her?"

Nova's face darkened and with a swift move she tackled Barbara. Her dagger is inside Barbara's mouth and one wrong move her weapon will cut through her tongue. Barbara was taken aback and her heart began to beat faster out of fear.

"I don't need any of your manipulation, I will fucking shove this on your throat if you anger me. Now, tell me, Barbara. Everything! Before I lose my patience."

Barbara's eyed widened anxiously, she knew that Nova isn't bluffing when it comes to threatening someone. Yet, who would've thought that Nova can move that fast? Ang buong akala niya ay hindi humahawak ng patalim si Nova dahil ayaw niyang makasakit ng ibang tao kaya si Vivianne Cora ang hinasa para mamuno sa mafia organization ng kanilang pamilya?

With her life on the risk, she told Nova the whole thing, including what she discovered about Arthur's plan to assassinate Vladimir Devali.

"Thank you, and please don't tell Viv that I came here to see you. Hindi ko gustong malaman niya kung saan ako. Here's my number, contact me for more information. I'll be leaving now." and with that, Nova left without a trace.

Unbeknownst to Nova, when she left that is when Vivianne's car arrived at the hospital. Their paths have crossed once again but destiny has a way to hinder it.