Shotgun Groom

Shotgun Groom: 23

"She can have it all." Sabi ko na nag patahimik kay Attorney Salas. Sa pag bitiw kong ito ay sigurado akong maglalahong parang bula ang mga gustong pumatay sa akin. Magiging ligtas si Áidan at hindi pa rin ako titigil sa pag hahanap kay Cory.

"She is unmarried. Your grandfather's will stipulates that she, too, must be married before she inherits." Sabi ni Attorney Salas ng makahango ito sa pagkabigla.

"Then put it all in trust for her. I don't really care anymore." Sigurado akong ngayon pa lang ay may pina-plano na rin si Moira para makuha ang parte nito sa yaman ni Lolo Ben.

"Ano ba talaga ang gusto mong mangyari ngayon, Quin?"

"All I'm saying is...I don't want my grandfather's money. I never should have married to get it in the first place." Dahil sa pera ay nawala ang pinakamatalik kong kaibigan na si Cory. Nawalan din ako ng pinsan ng halos ipamukha sa akin ni Moira ang mga pag kukulang ko. At nasa peligro ang pinaka importanteng tao sa akin, si Áidan.

"P-Pero...I thought that is why you were marrying that Crisostomo, right? J-just to inherit the money." Umiling ako, "But this Saavedra kid..."

"That's why I'm giving it back to where it all begins, Attorney." Sabi ko. Although technically, hindi pa tuluyang naililipat sa akin ang mana ko. Maybe it was a good thing that she had never received that ransom demand. Because how would she have paid it?

"You really want to give it...b-back?" he asked. And his shoulders and back relaxed, the tension apparently leaving his body. Why was he so relieved? Maybe because I have made his life easier.

"I-Is that possible? Technically I had satisfied the stipulations of Grandfather's will before my twenty-fifth birthday." At ngayon nga ang ika tatlumpung kaarawan ko. At ngayon nakatakda ang pag sasalin sa akin ng kayamanan na ipinamana sa akin ni Lolo Ben.

He waved his hand, dismissing what I was trying to say to him. "You can sign a paper claiming that the marriage was never consummated and get it annulled."

"But what if it was?" Naramdam ko ang pamumula ng pisngi ko. Para ko na ring inamin kay Attorney na may nangyari na nga sa amin ni Áidan.

"It won't be a problem." Pagkasabi niyang iyon ay bigla na akong kinutuban. To have worked with her grandfather for as many years as he had, he had to have few principles or morals. But could he be...

Was he the killer?

Hindi. Baka lang sa sobrang dami ng iniisip ko ay kung ano-ano na ang pumapasok sa utak ko. It made no sense to doubt a man she had known most of her life especially since he had nothing to gain. But I can't help but notice the goosebumps rising on her skin.

"Kung ganon ay tapos na po ang usapan. Aalis na ho ako." Magalang ko pa ring paalam. Her instincts warned her to get out of the mausoleum before she wound up in an urn-like her grandfather.

"Sandali lang, Quin." Agad na itong humarang sa pintuan, "You'll need to sign those papers." Nakangisi nitong sabi sa akin.

"I-I'm sure you don't have them with you now. You can draw them up and get them to me another day." Hindi na maayos ang pag tibok ng puso ko dahil sa takot. Nag uumpisa na ring mangatal ng katawan ko dahil sa kaba.

"Actually, I do have them with me." At saka tinapik ang attachè case na bitbit. She shivered as her unease turned into fright. She was alone with a killer. And her first thought wasn't for her own safety but for Áidan's. Hindi nito mapapatawad ang sarili kung may mangyaring masama sa akin. Alam kong dadalhin nito ang guilt ng matagal sa puso nito.