MACAU
‘Sometimes a mans weapon to knock a woman heart is through her eyes,’ the voice of her late foster father echoing in her head. He is a good person and a good father to her, everyday he taught a couple of insights to motivates her in daily lives and near future.
‘He use it to flatten your heart adds sweetest promises, some magical tricks to exhilarates you then a few minutes you realized you’ve lost your self and you were genuinely invited into mystery of his life. It sucks! It just a minutes but he is already conquered half of your soul.’ Stop it, Cyla! You are engaged to Joeres! Saway niya sa sarili. Masyado naman siyang assuming porket tinitigan siya nito kanina bago sila magpakilala sa isa’t-isa. Hindi niya naman masisisi ang sarili dahil makalaglag panty ang kagwapuhan ng lalaki sa harapan niya.
“T-They are the choices, Sir.” She handed him the envelope while her hand sweating but cold. What’s happening to her? This man looks familiar to Cyla but she can’t remember from whence she’d encounter him. Then he open it with a not-so-interested look. What’s with this guy?
“After picking, Sir, I’m gonna discuss the rules.” He’s still looking at the three pages paper as if he didn’t listen to Cyla.
She stay quiet while waiting for him to say something. She took a glance of his face. He looks an Asian and there’s no trace of being a European. His face is more like a Japanese? Chinese? Or maybe Korean? Or maybe a half. What really caught her attention is his lips. Thin lips just like a girl. A lips like she’d tasted that night.
“Staring is rude,” he said while smirking. She startled a li’l. His attention is still on the papers. Shit. She didn’t noticed that her glance turns into staring.
“You can start discussing the rules. Don’t need to wait for my choice,” he added and she did what he said. His voice was familiar also or maybe because she just missing him. A young man who ruin her heart at midnight after her first stripping shows in the Philippines when she’s eighteen.
“Okay, Sir. First, extension of time has a fee. 1000$ per hour.” He didn’t react on that so she continued. “Secondly, we are not reliable to any lost if you brought them in your place.” She saw his eyebrow raised. She smirk in that reaction.
She pause and glancing his face to see what expression he has for the last rules. “And last but not the least, if the girl gets pregnant, you have no rights to claim the child unless you pay for the both of them. 2 Million$ to be exact.” Finally, he gave her his attention and base on the look on his face, he made his choice.
“Alright. My choice is...” A smirk formed in his lips. “You.” Cyla can’t hear it clearly because someone calling her phone but she’s able to read his lips the moment he said, “You.”
“What!?” She’s about to jump in her chair. “I’m not in the list, Sir,” she complain.
“Yeah, but I want only you.” He smirked again.
Twenty-five, frisky, diligent Launcelle Vyralen a.k.a Cyla was no stranger to managing delicate situations. But today was too much. His late father always said that ‘God never gave you more than you could handle.’ But it was too damn to handle this handsome man named Loudon Riege Rosco.
This is her job. A manager of this prestigious Stargazer Club in Macau where only rich people could afford. It actually a branch Club from Philippines but after her father Nicolo Vyralen murdered in that club her family migrated here in Hongkong. Mr. Nicolo Vyralen was a Macau residents and she married Magenta Vyralen who adopted Cyla.
Five years after they build Stargazer in Macau. Launcelle was working as a manager though her mother owned this business she offered to work in this undercover business. Undercover because it was illegal, they hide it from the government. It’s a prestigious club na tanging mayayaman lamang ang mga clients. Hindi lang talaga ito naabot ng government because of their connection to the highest government officials in Macau. One of their client before tried to expose their business but magically the issue suddenly disappeared. That's how powerful their connections are. Malaki ang kinikita nila rito kaya hindi ito basta mahuhuli.
Launcelle was a loyal daughter and responsible lady that she’ll never doubt to offer even herself. Dealing her family business was draining her but here she is, continue working with her mom and never complain because they are her savior. They saved her life when she’s 8 years old hungry, naked and barefoot.
“Why does his nearness affect my whole veins?” Cyla talking to herself while the man in front of her, staring her and waiting for her response. She must close her eyes to save her heart. He was something she couldn’t define. This man obviously into her. He is intimidating.
‘I had encountered some of them, somehow it affects you in a seconds, or maybe whole day but I guess his grayish eyes that lingers in me could affect my whole life.’ She was dreaming in a broad daylight.
She met and talked thousands of different men but he was one of those rare men gifted with hazel eyes that could linger briefly on her but she let him do his habits, seems searching inside her skin for something he desires, for something he wanted perhaps coveted but yet she couldn’t define. And she don’t understand herself why she suddenly swayed by him, though he’ll never talk to her or say anything that struck her heart.
He just said, “My choice is yours.” Then suddenly her hand trembling and her stomach cramps.
**
It was already midnight when a noised from doorknob awakened her. Someone opening her door. It was dark but she clearly saw a man entered her room. Approaching in her bed.
‘Sh*t! Who the heck is he? Anong ginagawa niya sa room ko?’
Naglakad siya palapit sa kanyang kama kaya marahas niyang ipinikit muli ang mga mata. Unti-unti na siyang nakaramdam nang takot at kaba.
Naramdaman niya ang mahinang paggalaw ng kanyang kama at ikinanginig ng kanyang katawan ang paghaplos ng lalaki sa kanyang balikat. She can’t hide her nervousness, her heart rumbling loud, she want to scream but her tongue can’t move, her lips was sealed. She was scared to death because she knows what his plan. Takot dahil alam niya ang patutunguhan ng ginagawa sa kanya ng lalaki.
Unti-unti niyang iminulat ang mga mata at tuluyan na ring naibuka ang kanyang mga labi hanggang sa mapagsino niya ang lapastangan.
“HUWAAAG!”
Malakas na sigaw ni Cyla at napagtantong nakaupo na pala siya sa kama. Hinihingal at pawisan.
‘Sh*t! Panaginip lang pala. Hindi, hindi panaginip ’yon kun’di isang bangungot. Bangungot na kahit kailan ay hindi ako nilubayan. Nanginginig ako sa takot at galit nang maalala ang taong ’yon. Matagal na ang panahong lumipas ngunit hindi ko siya makakalimutan at hinding-hindi ko siya mapapatawad.’ Nagngingitngit sa galit ang puso ni Cyla at walang preno na umagos ang luha sa kanyang pisngi.
“Baby, are you ok?” tawag ng kanyang mommy mula sa labas ng kanyang kwarto. Bakas ang pag aalala sa kanyang boses.
Nais niya sanang maglakad papunta sa pinto upang pagbuksan ang mommy niya ngunit hindi niya maigalaw ang kanyang katawan. Nanginginig at patuloy parin ang pagdaloy ng masaganang luha sa kanyang mga mata.
Narinig niya ang pagbukas ng pinto at ang kanyang mommy ang iniluwa na tumatakbo palapit sa kanya. Niyakap siya ng mahigpit at naging dahilan upang ilabas niya ang malakas na hagulhol.
“Nightmare again?” Tumango lang si Cyla bilang tugon at patuloy parin sa pag iyak.
“Sshh, it’s ok baby. Mommy is here now. I love you, Cyla,” pag-aalo ng kanyang ina.
Katulad noon, tila isang mahika ang kanyang mga salita. Nagagawa niyang patahanin si Cyla. In her arms, she feel safe and secured. She’s so lucky to have a mother like her in her life.
“Thank you, Mommy. Can you sleep with me tonight?” Kumalas siya sa pagkayap sa kanya.
“I will.”
Bumalik na si Cyla sa pagkakahiga at nakasiksik siya sa tagiliran ng kanyang Mommy habang nakaharap ito sa kanya, “Tulog na, Cyla.”
Ramdam niya ang paghaplos sa kanyang buhok na naging dahilan upang bumigat ang talukap ng kanyang mga mata at muling nakatulog. Nakatulog nang mahimbing hanggang umaga.
**
“So, how’s the deal with that bachelor yesterday?” her mom kissed her cheeks the moment she entered their house. Kaninang umaga pagkagising niya ay umalis ang kanyang mommy kaya ngayon lang ulit sila nagkita pagkauwi niya galing main office nila.
“She wants me, mom.” She pouted with that thought. Her mommy starled and worried about her. But she heard her sweet laugh. “Ang haba talaga ng hair ng prinsesa ko. Magkano raw?” She sat beside Cyla and caressing her hair.
Then she lay her head on her shoulder that made her relaxed a little bit. She’s really her stress reliever. “Five million dollars. I named my price.” Mas lalong nagulat at nag-alala ang kanyang Ina-Inahan
She suddenly hug Launcelle, “I'm sorry, baby. Wala ka dapat sa sitwasyon na ’to,” she said in hesitant.
She hug her back, “No worries, Mom, It’s my choice. I love you.”
She felt her hug gets tighter. “I love you more, Cyla.” She smiled to her mom genuinely.
Time passes but he is inside her head because of that gaze; then she found herself asking if she’s crazy or fool?! So, turn a blind eye when someone stare you because it may steal your heart, made you fall in love at first sight. Then the moment would pass and his attention would wander away like birds in the sky, like a balloon on the breeze. You never expect, it ends like nothing but pains, disappointments and it never ends up being exactly what you thought it would be.