Three months later...
"Ugh... I hate you." Yumi said as she weakly stood up from the bathroom floor.
She just finished vomitting and now, she was giving Mateo a death glare.
This was all his fault.
This was all this perverted man's fault.
Anyhow, the lad simply stopped caressing her back and started to wipe her face and lips with the wet towel he prepared before hand.
Then he assisted her to stand up.
Yumi slapped his hand away from her but he didn't let go. Instead, he insisted on walking her upto their bed.
"Go away. You're annoying." She said after pinching borh of his cheeks which he removed gently.
"I won't. Just keep hating me. They said the more you hate a person, the more it will end up looking like him or her. So just continue hating me. I don't mind."
"But I mind! Ugh..." Yumi, by this time, was already too irritated.
Yun naman ang naabutan ni Malia when she knocked and opened the door of the master's bedroom.
She saw how Yumi was looking so fierce towards her brother. Napailing na lang siya. Umagang umaga ay magkaaway na naman itong dalawa.
Or more likely, inaaway na naman ni Yumi ang kuya niya.
"Hep, don't argue anymore. Come outside, Yumi. Handa na ang almusal."
Yumi went with Malia too willingly.
She just wanted to go away from Mateo. He was the most annoying person for her at the moment. And her feelings were just being provoked continuously because the lad kept on hovering around her despite knowing how she was feeling towards him.
Ilang beses na ding sinabihan nila Malia at Doña Teresa si Mateo na pabayaan muna si Yumi. But the lad was not listening to him.
He kept insisting that he didn't mind being hated by her and still stuck to her everytime.
He did that ever since they all found out that Yumi was pregnant.
That's right. Those sleepless nights of the two of them since Mateo arrived from his conquest mission had bear seed within Yumi right away. And just weeks later, Amelia had diagnosed her pregnant.
The elders were very happy, of course.
Malia and the other ladies were kind of excited lalo na sa magiging itsura ng anak ng dalawa.
Would the baby become like its parents who were peerlessly beautiful?
Or because both of them were gorgeous so heaven would be fair and turn the kid into hideous one?
They even managed to bet secretly about it. If Yumi, Mateo and the elders would find out about it, they would surely end up coughing blood due to anger.
Anyway, going back, susundan pa sana ni Mateo sila Yumi but Malia blocked his way right away.
He quickly glared at his sister who cowered in fear pero agad ding nakabawi.
"Y-you should shower and change clothes first, Kuya. Don't worry. Mama and I will take care of Yumi while you are not around."
Because of the news of Yumi's pregnancy even reached the L City, Doña Teresa and Victoria came back just for her.
"Fine." Mateo closed the door and finally let Yumi away.
Napahinga ng malalim si Malia before following Yumi quickly.
***
Yumi's first trimester passed by quickly at humupa na din ang pagkainis nito sa asawa. So much for everyone's relief.
However, her cravings seemed to get extended even after several months. Crates of apple would be brought home by Mateo everytime which Doña Teresa and Amelia would turn into juice, pies or dried snacks just for her.
She had been spoiled by the elders and Mateo these past few months that somehow her cheeks fattened a little bit due to eating constantly.
Eto nga at kasalukuyan siyang nangangain ng bagong hiwang mansanas na hinanda pa para sa kanya ni Muna habang kaharap sila Kami, Rui at iba pang mga tauhan niya.
Kami and Rui could only shook their heads because of this. Pero hindi na nila pinuna ito dahil sanay na din sila.
"Still no news about Don Enrico?" She asked them.
"Un... Our people still can't find him." Rui answered.
"What about the secret bases? Any development?"
Doon naman tumayo si Xun Bao upang iabot sa kanya ang ilang mga sulat mula sa mga tauhan nila.
"These are from the spies we planted to the secret bases."
Yumi stopped eating and read those letters at once.
She frowned which made Kami and Rui curious.
She quickly handed them the letters after she read them.
"The machines are already done." Rui muttered loudly so everyone knew about the news too.
"And they have already perfected the Puppet Pills." Kami added.
"This is bad then." Xun Xue mumbled to herself, full of concern. Everyone in the room heard her though.
"Indeed. It is bad and we cannot stop them anymore. Since they have finished creating those two important things we can only assume that they will be utilizing them next.
"What we can only do is to prepare. They will be mass producing the Puppet Pills. Therefore, we must anticipate them distributing to the citizens in order for them to build their Puppet Army.
"Keep your eyes and ears open for missing people cases. O hindi naman kaya ay mga taong nag-iiba ng pag-uugali. They are more likely the victims of this Puppet Pill."
"We understand, Boss." They said in unison.
"Also, pull out out people in the secret bases except for those main ones. We need all the help we can get for preparing for the upcoming calamity." She added.
"How about spreading rumors, Yumi? This might help us buy time and alert people as much as we can. Although people don't often trust rumors but at least we have been able to plant the seed of doubt to everyone." Kami suggested.
"Not bad. Take care of that matter. Xun Xue's team will help you. Also, make sure that the rumors won't just spread around the Capital. The more cities we spread news about the Puppet Pill, the more people we can influence."
"Consider it done, Boss." Xun Xue said.
"Anymore news or suggestion?"
"I will take care of the rest of the preparation." Rui said.
"It's okay. I'd like to get involved."
Pinangunutan siya ng noo ng binata. "Kabuwanan mo na, di ba? Just stay put here and trust us."
"Yah... I maybe pregnant but I am not a weak lady."
"Wala namang sinabing ganun si Rui, Yumi. He is just concern for your baby. Malapit ka ng manganak kaya so it won't harm for you to be careful just this once."
"Mama said I should be doing a lot moving for easier birth giving. Don't mind me so much. Naturally, I love myself more than anything else so I won't let myself get harm evwn by this thing called pregnancy and giving birth."
Napailing na lang sila Kami at Rui dahil sa pagkapasaway ni Yumi.
"I believe this meeting should be done by now." Lahat sila ay napatingin sa pinto ng study room.
Of course, it was Mateo.
The team leaders greeted him and started to leave then. For the past few months, kinasanayan na nila na ang pagdating ni Mateo ang senyales nila para umalis.
As for Kami and Rui, they stayed behind.
"You convince your wife to lie low for now, Mateo. This kid is so stubborn." Rui told him when he finally reached them.
"Who are you calling kid, aber?" Yumi asked Rui.
"You."
She was about to retort back when Kami stood between them.
"Hep. That's enough. Aalis na kami ni Rui. We'll just see you again next time, Yumi."
The two left at once at naiwan na naman ang mag-asawa doon.
Mateo reached for Yumi's cheeks and caressed it. Since nagkalaman na ng bahagya ito, whenever she eats, she looked like a squirrel which he found very cute.
"I have cooked dinner. Let's eat now?"
"Fine..."
***