Chapter 4

72K 2.5K 91
                                    

Chapter 4

The moment we arrived at Leon's condo, I hurried towards my room and shut the door closed. My entire body is shaking so bad. Napasandal ako sa pintuan at pinilit na ayusin ang aking hininga.

Breathe, Mal. Breathe.

I took long deep breaths and tried to calm myself but every time Sage's helpless look enters my mind, tears prickled in my eyes.

Fuck.

You're not going to cry, Mallory. You are not allowed to cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and pulled my knees to my chest, hugging myself. Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagpatak ng mga luha ko na mabilis ko namang pinalis.

Goddamit! Don't fucking cry, Mallory!

"Mallory?" marahang kumatok si Leon sa pintuan ng aking kwarto. "Are you okay?" he asked in a quiet voice.

"Fine," I answered with a broken voice. I immediately cleared my throat. "I'm going to sleep. I'm tired, Leon."

"Okay. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," I answered and remained quiet. His shadow lingered in front of my door for a while before I heard his retreating footsteps.

I glanced at my phone. 24 missed calls from Sage. I ignored it.

It was the first time in years that I had cried myself to sleep again.

---

"Mallory . . ." nag-aalalang wika ni Gideon pagkababa ko pa lamang ng sasakyan. Mabilis ang aking paglalakad patungo sa lumang kwarto. "Are you sure you want to see him?"

"Of course," I snapped, my heels clicking against the dirty floor. Two men opened the door for me, revealing a tiny room with a broken light hanging dangerously above us. At the center of the room is a chair with a man tied unto it. May nakatakip na sako sa kaniyang ulo.

"Get the water," I commanded. Tumango ang lalaki, marahas na inalis ang sako mula sa kaniyang pagkakatakip at binuhusan siya ng malamig na tubig. The man's eyes flew open. He gasped for air and tried to move his hands but he couldn't.

"N-Nasaan ako?"

I stared at him. Biglang kumuyom ang aking kamao sa galit. Positive. It's him. It was really him.

Lumapit ako sa kaniya at ipinag-krus ang aking kamay sa aking dibdib. "Hey,"

He glared at me. "Sino ka? Sino kayo!"

"You don't remember me?" I asked in a calm voice.

He squinted his eyes at me, trying to recognize me. "Sino ka?" mas lalo lamang kumunot ang kaniyang noo.

I grabbed the collar of his shirt and leaned closer. "Look me in the eyes and say again that you don't remember me," I said through gritted teeth. "I'm the child you tried to kill years ago," madiin kong wika sa kaniya. "You are the one who shoot my mother."

Nanlaki ang kaniyang mga mata. "I-Ikaw . . ."

I shoved him brutally, sending his chair stumbling on the floor. He groaned in pain. Mabilis siyang itinayo ng mga tauhan ni Gideon.

Without saying a word, I grabbed Gideon's pistol from his hips before he could even react. Itinutok ko sa kaniya ang baril. "You should remember me, mister. Now that you are in a gunpoint . . ."

He swallowed hard.

"I just have a few questions to ask before I decide if I should spare your life or not," huminga ako nang malalim at tinitigan siya nang masama. All I could feel is anger and the searing pain that he had caused when he stole my mother from me. "Sino ang nag-utos sa iyo na patayin si Mama?"

The Billionaire's SonTahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon