Hiring: UGLY Secretary (PUBLISHED under IMMAC)

Thirteen

"Mang Jose is there any problem?" I asked the driver. I look around to see where we are. I don't know this place.

Napatingin ako kay Cathlyn nang bitawan n'ya ang kamay ko at may kinuha sa bag n'ya. She faces me with a smirk and pointed a gun with me.

"C-Cath?''

" Hi, my dear. Say hello to my new friend " she said, getting the gun closer to my face.

I swallow a lump and look at Mang Jose. He is holding a gun, too. "W-What is the meaning of this?"

They both gave me a glare and smirk widely.

"C-Cath?"

Lumabas s'ya ng kotse at maya-maya rin ay bumukas ang pinto sa tabi ko at hinila ako palabas. Ngayon ko lang napansin ang asul na kotse sa likod ng kotse ko. Napaatras din ako nang may mabilis na puting van ang pumarada sa harapan ko.

"Cath? What is this? I-I thought —"

"You only think of that, Xavier. And by the way, I am not Cath, Xavier. I am not." She said with a smirk but her eyes. I can see pain in her pain.

"Then, who are you? Why are you doing this? How about us?"

She laughed sarcastically. "There's nothing between us, Xavier. Uh, meron pala. You are my mission."

I crease my forehead in confusion. "M-Mission?"

Tinulak n'ya ako at hindi ko iyon inaasahan. Bumagsak ako sa isang medyo malambot na bagay.

I fell inside a coffin.

I was about to stand up when two men stepped at my chest. I can't move.

"I am Audrey, Audrey Suarez, boss. And you're beloved Cathlyn is my boss. She wanted you to be killed because you dumped her." She shouted and pointed her gun on me.

She smile at me. Sweetly.

"I love you, goodbye." She sarcastically said.

A loud and deafening sound cover the silence of the morning. Three bullets escape from her gun and it was directly shot my stomach and chest.

After that they close the coffin.

I can't breath. The coffin was too tight. I started coughing with blood. I felt suffocated. I cannot think of anyway how I wronged Mang Jose to side them.

"Cath!"

"Kuya! Kuya!"

Nabaling ang tingin ko sa may bintana ng kotse ko. Wala sa sariling napalabas ako ng kotse.

"Kuya? Y-You're crying!" Napahawak ako sa pisngi ko. It was wet.

"I-I saw a coffin."

I'm trembling inside. My body is shaking. My fists are hardly close. My heart is pounding like there is no tomorrow.

"Kuya! Listen, Cath will never gonna do that again on you, okay?" My eyes can't blink. My mind was blank and I don't know what is happening. "Kuya, don't mind it please, please. Blink your eyes."

I want to but I can't move.

Looks can be deceiving. That apothegm. I never heed an attention to that until that accident happen. Yeah, Cath or Audrey, deceived me. I was too blinded seeing that she is a red flag. What did they have done to me, that is the worst thing and I wouldn't want it to happen again.

"It will never happen again, Kuya. Kaya nga gumawa tayo ng protocol na dapat p-pan..get na dapat ang secretary mo like L-Luna."

My eyes automatically blink when I heard her name. Luna. Luna Velarde, my ugly secretary.

LUNA's POV

My tears are continue flowing while Tita Yassi hugsme. Medyo nasa likod kami ng mga kamag-anak ni Hanzel dahil ayaw naming lumapit doon sa naka-ngiti niyang pictures sa unahan, mas nasasaktan lamang ako.

I can't help, but to cry and cry and cry. Hanzel leaves me. And he will be gone, forever.

"Shh, tahan na, hija. Hanzel is happy right now wherever he is. Hindi n'ya gugustuhin na makita tayong ganito."

Tita Yassi keeps on saying those words while rubbing my back and comforting herself, too.

"I-I can't stop it, Tita. I r-really love your son."

"I know, hija. I know. And I am so greatful to be the witness of your love. Please be happy for Hanzel, hija."

Umiling ako.

Pumasok na kami sa loob ng chapel para sa sandaling misa before the cremation process. Siguro ay hindi ko na makakaya pang makapunta sa cremation. Hindi ko kaya.

Pinaupo ako ni Tita sa tabi nila ni Tito Patricio.

"I w-will not let go, Tita. I will not let go until I got the justice for my babe."

"J-Justice?"

They both stared at me. "Leave it to me, Tita, Tito. I will give justice to Hanzel. I will make sure na magba-bayad sila sa ginawa nila."

"H-Hija, ano bang sinasabi mo?" Tita Patricio ask. Nasa kaliwa ko s'ya at inaalalayan kami ni Tita.

Pumipintig na ang ulo ko. Ang bigat ng mga mata at katawan ko.

"I will give justice to him." I said and everything went black.

Nagising na lang ako sa back seat ng isang kotse. This is Luis' car.

Napabalikwas ako at tiningnan ko ang paligid.

Rs is on the passenger seat at mukhang iniintay n'ya talaga akong magising. Nag-kaunawan na kami kagabi na hanggang best friend lang talaga kami ni Luis dahil kay Hanzel. And she accept it now and so I invited her to Hanzel's cremation.

She smiled at me. "I'm glad your awake. How are you feeling?"

"My head is aching but I'm good."

"No, you're not, Luna. You haven't eaten since yesterday. Wala ka ring tulog at iyak nang iyak."

I smile at her, weakly. "W-Wala na akong gana sa ibang bagay, Rs. Wa-Wala na siya." My tears are starting to fell again.

"Shhh, enough, Luna! Brace yourself. He will be mad if you continue crying." She said.

The car door at my side swung open.

"A-Althea?"

Umurong lahat ng luha ko. Nakatitig lang ako sa kanila. Ang ka-kapal ng mga mukha nilang magpakita pa rito.

"A-Althea, can we talk?" Mrs. Knight ask.

Tumingin ako kay Rs at tinanguan n'ya lang ako. I better confront them. It's now or never.

I step out the car and walk towards the chapel's garden. Mr. Knight was sitting on a chair like a King. King of Evilness.

"What now?" I said in a monotone, suppressing the anger that I have inside.

They didn't bother to answer me. May sinenyasan sila sa likod ko. Lilingon sana ako nang may biglang tumakip na panyo sa bibig at ilong ko.

I tried to shout and fought for myself, but I can't defeat them. The man who's holding me is too strong.

"Yes, we did it and your not going to ruin the Knight's reputation." Mr. Knight said before the darkness eat me.