Ruthless Beauty

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I walked through the land of the dead wearing a sheer white dress that dances around my ankles with each step I took. The wind was blowing softly against my cheeks, the cries of the crows only a muted background noise as I continued to drift past tombs and catacombs.

Nang makita ko na ang pakay ay huminto ako sa paglalakad. I glanced at the basket of flowers I bought and crouched down in front. The wind blew again, this time a little colder that it made me shudder a bit. Authoritative yet concerned emerald eyes glanced at me, questioning. I smiled weakly at him and stroked his head.

"I'm alright, Barin..." I said softly.

Far from alright. My mind is in chaos right now. I took a harsh deep breath and shut my eyes for a moment, hoping that the voices would go away. When it didn't, I just ignored it and lit the candles.

My gaze at the cursive letters spelling out his name was long and hard, as if any moment it would start burning and savage the entire cemetery in fire. Bumibigat din ang paghinga ko.

"I don't understand..." I glanced down as hot tears started blurring my vision. "I've done what I came here for. Bakit...?"

The rustling of the leaves followed by heavy footsteps startled me. I quickly wiped the unshed tears away until a shadow fell over me. The scent was too familiar that I didn't have to turn my gaze to confirm it was him. He followed me all the way here.

"I thought I'd find you here." Blake said.

I gestured to the empty patch of grass next to me, inviting him to sit. Sinunod niya naman ang pinapagawa ko at inokupa ang parteng iyon. I glanced at his set side profile. Nakatitig din siya sa kabaong. His eyes are darkening and his jaw is clenched.

"It's been so long..." I murmured, gathering my knees and hugging it close to my chest. Ipinatong ko ang baba sa tuhod at tumitig sa kawalan.

The words sat at the tip of my tongue. I wanted to tell him that even if Valerie's in jail right now, I still couldn't sit still. Something inside me keeps on telling that it isn't over yet. For so long, I waited for this day to come. And now that it's here, I don't know exactly what to feel.

I was so full of hatred towards that woman. I could never forgive her for everything she did to me and my family. But I don't have the stomach to kill her either. Maybe it was her last words that rang inside of my head when I visited her last night.

"You could've killed me instead of letting me rot in this jail!"

The sound of her sharp voice ringing nonstop in my head made me shudder. I hugged myself as the wind blew harder. Concern went in and out of Blake's eyes as he stared at me, unsure of what to do.

"Dad visits here sometimes," he said instead, dropping his gaze from my frail body and staring at the tomb in front of us. "Kahit papaano, naging mabuting kaibigan naman sa kaniya si Tito Simone."

I nodded and remained silent.

"Minsan bumibisita din ang pinsan mo dito. She's talked to my father a couple of times."

Hindi na ako nagulat sa sinabi ni Blake. Dad helped my cousin when her father died. He was a good friend and a good man to other people, but he was a terrible father to me.

"I know your father made some mistakes, Anna."

"Mistakes that made me suffer." I said through gritted teeth. My heart pounded violently in anger. Until now, I couldn't calm the turmoil inside of me. "He cheated on a wretched woman who killed my mother and grandparents. She pushed her luck on trying to kill me as well so she could get all the money. And she became my father's demise. His downfall. She took us one by one, Blake."