#DS8Uncovered #LuMa #BearCouple #DaggerSeries
CHAPTER 6: DECENCY
LUNA'S POV
"You look terrible."
Magnus blinked, and his eyes focused on Lucienne, who sat in front of us. Nasa bahay kami nina Lia at Kuya Gun, at kasalukuyan pa lang na nagdadatingan ang iba pa.
"Thanks," he said unenthusiastically.
Naiiling na inabot ko ang stainless pitcher na nasa gitna ng lamesa na naglalaman ng kape. "I told him to sleep some more, but he was insistent on coming with me."
"I'm your husband."
"You're a version of my husband. He's more awake than you are."
"I was half-asleep even then."
I couldn't help but chuckle. He's probably right. Parang normal na kasi sa kaniya na parang tulog ang kalahati ng kaluluwa.
"When I first met you, you looked more human than now. Sign of aging na ba 'yan?" pang-aasar ko sa kaniya.
"Mas kaunti ang sakit ng ulo ko noon."
Halos sabay pa kaming tumingin kay Lucienne na inosenteng ngumiti. Siya ang number one na sakit ng ulo ni Magnus noon at mapasahanggang ngayon. Number one na sakit din niya sa puso.
Tinuro ni Lucienne ang sarili. "Moi?"
"Ikaw lang ang sakit ng ulo niya noon. Ngayon dumami na kayo," sabi ko.
Tumango si Magnus. "At kasalanan mo pa rin."
Nilukutan lang kami ng ilong ni Lucienne pero hindi siya tumanggi. After her case was resolved, it wasn't surprising that her story became of interest to people. Lalo pa ng isulat niya ang kuwento nila ni Kuya Thorn.
Hindi lang ang mga libro niya ang mas nakilala kundi maging ang Quetzal. After all, Magnus has a role in her story. Kaya kalaunan ay mas maraming mga manunulat ang naging interesado na magpasa ng mga akda nila sa Quetzal. Dumami rin ang sakit ng ulo ni Magnus.
"Mga fake news kayo. Ang bait-bait ko 'no," ngumuso ang babae. "Ako nga ang favorite writer mo eh."
Naunahan ko si Magnus na magsalita. "Siyempre. Patay na patay kaya 'yan sa'yo." Sa pagkakataon na ito ay sila namang dalawa ang napamata sa akin. Tinaasan ko sila ng kilay. "What? Millions of people have read the book. Ilang milyon na rin ang nakabasa kung paanong nabasted si Magnus." Napangisi ako nang may naisip at nilingon ko ang lalaki. "Biruin mo 'yon? Nabasted ka na, naitsismis ka pa sa iba't ibang parte ng mundo."
The books were translated into different languages, so they didn't just make a buzz in the Philippines. Kaya worldwide ang nakakaalam ng kabiguan ng asawa ko.
"Anong pinag-uusapan niyo?" Si Belaya ang siyang nagtanong na umupo sa tabi ni Lucienne. Kasunod niya si Lia na may dalang isang tray ng pagkain.
"Ang pagkabasted ni Mags na nalaman ng buong mundo," sagot ko.
The actress scoffed. "Paano pa si Damian? Anak ng dating presidente, running for president, at nabasted ni Lia. Ginawa pang official babysitter ng Dagger wives."
Lia blushed, but she didn't say anything. Bumalik lang siya ng kusina kung saan nandoon na rin si Kuya Trace at Ember na mukhang gusto siyang tulungan na maghain. Si Mireia naman na kapapasok lang ay ibinaba sa center island ang kahon na dala niya na sigurado akong dessert bago siya lumapit sa kinaroroonan namin para umupo.
"Hindi pa hulog na hulog si Damian." Nginuso ko si Magnus. "Eh ang isang 'to napana na. Kaso mas speed ang mga Dawson kaya ang kuya ko pa rin ang nagwagi."
Lucienne rolled her eyes with a shake of her head while the other women snickered. "Akala lang ni Sir Magnus 'yon. Taong dilim kaming pareho kaya wala kaming exposure pagdating sa usaping pag-ibig. Nagkataon lang na ang cute ko kaya akala niya in love siya sa akin. It was more like finding me adorable, like how some people treat their beloved pets."
Maging ako ay napatawa sa explanation niya. The way she calls herself "cute" unabashedly amuses me. Kahit noong panahon na hindi pa siya marunong magsuklay ay ibang level na ang confidence niya. Something that I really love about her. Wala kasi siyang pakielam masyado sa ibang tao dahil may sarili siyang mundo.
Napabaling ako kay Magnus nang makita kong tumatango-tango siya na para bang sumasang-ayon siya sa babae. I poked his arm. "Don't you dare agree with her. Para namang hindi kita nakita noon na nakikipagdigmaan sa alak kasi feeling mo kaya mong patumbahin 'yon."
Imbis na sumagot agad ay umabot siya ng tinapay at basta na lang niyang isinubo iyon sa akin. "Stop imagining things and just eat."
Kumagat ako sa tinapay at inalis ko ang malaking parte no'n bago pa ako mabulunan. "I wasn't imagining things."
He didn't say more, and instead he started putting food on my plate.
"So you weren't that deeply in love with her?" tanong ni Belaya kay Magnus.
My husband sighed. He's been around the wives, so he knows that they won't stop pestering him if he doesn't give them an answer.
"Just like Lucienne said, I found her cute. She was always alone, and even though she seems happy, I know that it would have been better if she was with someone," he explained.
"And you wanted to be that someone?"
The question didn't come from any of the women. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling when I saw that it was my brother Thorn who asked. Seloso pa naman ang isang iyan pagdating sa asawa niya.
Sa kabila ng matalim na tingin na ibinibigay sa kaniya ng kapatid ko ay nagkibit-balikat si Magnus. "I did. When you meet someone with a good heart, it isn't that surprising to have some feelings and to want to explore said feelings." When my brother took a seat beside his wife without a word, he turned to Belaya. "To answer your question, I like her. If the feelings I had were love, maybe. I care for her. But to be deeply in love requires more than that, right?"
Nagtaas ng kamay si Mireia na para bang isa siyang butihing estudyante. "Eh bakit ang tagal bago mo sinagot si Luna?"
Inunahan ko si Magnus na sumagot. Baka bigla na lang siyang mag-malfunction at mag-shut down kapag hindi ko pa siya tinulungan. Siguradong nasasagad na ang energy niya na never napuno sa daming tanong sa kaniya.
"I'm a Dawson. Ako ang nagpapaalala sa kaniya ng kabiguan niya." Nang mukhang aalma ang lalaki ay nagpatuloy ako. "He was also very honest with his feelings. There's nothing wrong with that. Ako lang naman ang minamadali siya. If there's one thing you can't force in life, that would be love, but I keep on rushing him."
"And that's okay with you?" Ember asked. "You never hated him for taking so long?"
"It's not his fault that he didn't fall in love with me first." Kumagat ako sa hawak ko na tinapay. "Why would I resent someone for that? Wala namang on and off switch ang puso. Just because we like someone doesn't mean that the feelings will automatically be reciprocated."
Belaya pursed her lips a little. "Pero hindi ka napagod? Some would have given up."
I did give up. At some point, I did.
"I'm a Dawson," I said with a shrug, as if it were enough of an explanation.
Nagtaas ulit ng kamay si Mireia. "Last question." Nang tumango ako ay nagpatuloy siya, "Hindi ka na galit kay Lucienne? Kahit kaunti?"
My gaze went to Lucienne, and she gave me a reassuring smile, as if telling me that it's okay even if I did. "Hindi."
"Why not?" Mireia pressed.
"Because I love her too. Why would I hate her? It wasn't her fault. Wala sa kanilang dalawa ang may kasalanan. Liking Magnus is my choice."
Lumambot ang mukha ni Lucienne at inangat niya ang tasa niya ng kape na parang nakikipag-cheers. "Aww I wuv you too!"
Naiiling na idinikit ko ang tasa ko sa kaniya bago ko pinadaanan ang tingin ang mga babae. "May mga tanong pa ba? Masipag akong sumagot ngayon."
"Napansin ko nga," nakangising sabi ni Belaya. "Getting anything from you before feels like pulling teeth out of their sockets."
Mireia nodded in agreement. "Kaya nga nilubos na namin ngayon."
My brothers, Trace and Axel, approached the table and took their seats as well. Kasunod nila sina Kuya Gun at Kuya Pierce.
"I would rather answer your questions about me and Magnus than to talk about what happened last night."
The atmosphere instantly shifted to something more heavy. Anyone could have cut the tension in the air with a knife.
Itinaas ko ang kamay ko nang makita kong magsasalita sana si Kuya Thorn. "Can we talk about it later? I know everyone wants to know. But I want to eat first without emptying my stomach."
My eldest brother nodded, his face grim. The expressions on the other men's faces weren't any better.
Pinanlakihan ko ng mga mata si Kuya Trace. Siya ang clown namin. Baka hindi pa kaming matunawan lahat kapag hindi nabago ang mood ng paligid.
Malakas na napabuntong-hininga ako nang hindi mabago ang ekspresyon sa mukha niya. He might be our cheerful chihuahua, but he's still my brother. None of them will be at ease that their little sister is the focus of the kind of attention that no one would want on anyone.
"That wasn't the only reason." Lahat kami ay napabaling kay Magnus nang siya ang bumasag sa tensyon sa paligid. "It wasn't just because I was honest with my feelings or that you're a Dawson."
Himala at kusang nagsasalita ang isang 'to ngayon. Kung sa ibang araw ay baka hinayaan niya na lang malipat sa iba ang usapan. Maybe he felt my desperation to change the subject.
"Eh ano? You just didn't find me attractive enough?" Itinuro ko ang mga kapatid ko at pagkatapos ay tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Ayusin mo ang sagot mo. Kapag hindi nagustuhan ng mga kapatid ko ang sagot mo baka matuluyan kang ilibing ng buhay."
"Don't be absurd," he said, ignoring my threat. "You know you're beautiful."
"Alam ko. Gusto ko lang masiguro na alam mo."
I could hear the women snickering. Magnus let out a heavy sigh, as if he were regretting his choice to come here instead of sleeping more.
"You were too young."
Kumunot ang noo ko. "Lucienne was young then as well."
"Lucienne has the soul of a writer. She's a hundred years old at that time."
"Wow," sarkastikong bulalas ni Lucienne. "Salamat, Sir Magnus ha? Alam kong hindi ako nagsusuklay noon pero hindi pa naman ako mukhang lola—"
Tinakpan ni Kuya Thorn ang bibig niya dahilan para mapatigil ang babae sa pagsasalita.
"You were a writer too back then, a journalist, but what makes you different is your childlike wonder. You love discovering new things and trying them out, you like meeting new people, and you are bursting with energy since you're the kind of person that is full of light."
Hindi lang ang mga sister-in-law ko ang nag-te-take advantage sa sitwasyon. Maging ako ay sinusulit ang pagiging madaldal ngayon ni Magnus. Kahit na alam kong napipilitan lang siyang magsalita dahil ayoko pang pag-usapan ang tungkol sa nangyari kagabi.
"And?" I pressed.
"I didn't want to dim your light."
I felt something inside my chest respond to his words. "I—"
"I can't deny that part of the reason I didn't want to get involved with you was the feelings I had before for a different woman. But besides that, I also had too much on my plate at that time, what with the changes happening to Quetzal. As you know, I barely even have the time to sleep more than four hours. I didn't think it was the right moment for me to explore a new relationship. Especially not with you when you could have more than I could offer."
It's the first time I'm hearing this. It wasn't something that I really wanted to talk about after we got married, nor do I think there's a reason to anymore.
The room got filled with silence, but this time it was a different kind. Even though I could feel everyone's eyes on me, I couldn't take my eyes off Magnus.
Bumuntong-hininga siya at tumusok siya ng pagkain mula sa plato ko at pagkatapos niyon ay inumang niya iyon sa bibig ko. "Eat."
I automatically opened my mouth for the piece of food he's offering. I chewed as fast as I could and swallowed it. "Mags—"
"Nope. You need to eat. If you don't start now, I'm going to feed you until you finish everything."
Binigyan ko siya ng matalim na tingin bago ko dinampot ang sarili kong tinidor at nagsimula na akong kumain.
"Lush," tawag ni Belaya sa babae.
"Yes?"
"Isulat mo na ang story ni Luna. Curious na curious na kami," sabi niya at tumango naman si Mireia bilang pagsang-ayon.
Humaba ang nguso ni Lucienne. "Ang tagal ko ng pinipilit iyan. Paunahin ko raw muna si Domino."
Ngumisi si Mireia. "Nasa honeymoon na sina Domino at Tiara. Pwede mo ng simulan ang kay Luna."
When all eyes went back to me again, I rolled my eyes. "Kapag naresolba na ng Dagger ang nangyayari sa akin, then we'll talk."
And with that, silence enveloped the room again.
THE EXPRESSION on the women's faces mirrored each other. Hindi na ako magtataka kung iyon din ang nakita sa akin kagabi nang malaman ko kung ano ang nakita ng mga pulis sa sasakyan ko.
"T-That's... that's like a textbook definition of obsession," Belaya whispered, her face paler than the others.
Belaya had a similar situation. She was stalked for years, and she was almost kidnapped by that jerk.
"Is there a possibility that this could be something else? Like with Circe? A cover up for something more?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Lucienne.
Kung may makakaintindi man ng lubos sa sitwasyon ko ay iyon ang mga asawa ng mga kapatid ko. Iba-iba man ang sitwasyon nila pero halos lahat sila ay maraming hindi magandang pinagdaanan dahil sa mga taong gustong sirain ang katahimikan ng mga buhay nila.
Lucienne's case even made international news because of how gruesome her situation was. Lives were taken because of the man who wanted to turn her life into a nightmare.
Kuya Pierce shook his head. "It's unlikely. The evidence points more towards a stalker than anything else."
"No one will be bold enough to leave his DNA like that than a stalker that is not right in the head," Kuya Axel said through gritted teeth.
"Can you find a match with it?" Magnus asked.
Seven of my brothers combined are terrifying. Lima lang silang nandito ngayon dahil pabalik pa lang mula sa Siargao si Kuya Coal na kumuha agad ng ticket pabalik nang malaman ang nangyari. Kuya Domino would have done the same if I didn't threaten not to speak with him ever again if he cut his honeymoon short because of me.
But right now, the darkness clouding Magnus' face could compete with those of my brothers. Which was surprising because, compared with them, Magnus leads a life that is far from dangerous. He's the owner of a publishing house, for Pete's sake. The only time he imposes a threat is when the books of his writers are about to be rejected.
"We could if he's already in the system. But if he's not, then it wouldn't be easy to catch him," Kuya Thorn answered. "He's probably spooked right now, so he'll be hiding."
Binalingan ako ni Kuya Trace. "Madalas ka bang inaabot ng madaling-araw sa opisina?"
Umiling ako. "Ginagabi ako minsan pero ngayon lang ako ulit inabot ng halos hating-gabi. If I'm right, I think it was past eleven thirty when I left the office. Kadalasan ay ten o'clock na ang pinaka-late ko na uwi."
Noon siguro ay kulang na lang matulog ako sa opisina. But it's been awhile since I pulled an all-nighter.
"Then he probably didn't expect that you'd be there," Kuya Trace noted. "It's a good thing Maven is moving."
"We'll station two Dagger employees with you. Kung hindi kami, you'll have two Blade Points with you," Kuya Thorn declared.
"Bolsters can go, but not without a Blade Point around," Kuya Gun said in agreement.
Their intentions were clear. They didn't want to entrust me with a trainee.
"You'll take my car."
Napalingon ako kay Magnus na siyang nagsalita. "I—"
"It's either you wait for me in my office or I'm picking you up," he continued, not letting me finish my sentence.
"Magnus," I said tersely.
"Magkatabi lang ang kompanya natin. Do we really need to use two cars?"
"Paano kung may kailangan kang puntahan?" tanong ko pabalik.
"Then I'm going to use the car and bring it back."
"Eh kung pagkatapos iyon ng office hours?"
"Then you'll come with me," he answered easily.
Napabuntong-hininga ako. "At kapag may kailangan akong puntahan?"
"Sasama ako."
"Magnus—"
"I'm not taking no for an answer."
Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mga mata. "Magnus Aquillan!"
"Luna Alondra Dawson-Aquillan," he said in his no-nonsense tone. "I have let you win more times than I should have. I gave you everything you asked for. This is not a matter that you'll win over too."
"I'll be with Dagger. They can protect me."
"We're not arguing because of that—"
This time I was the one who cut him off. "I'm in the center of a situation, Mags."
"Hence why I'm suggesting that we stay together."
"You'll be in danger!"
My voice echoed loudly around the room. No one dared to speak, not even one of my family members moved. Alam kong lahat sila ay tahimik lang na nakamasid sa amin ng asawa ko. But Magnus wasn't deterred, as he held my eyes with his, etched with the stubbornness that could contend with mine.
"You know," I whispered. "You know what could happen. You have experienced it before. Ilang beses kang nadala sa ospital noon dahil nadamay ka?"
I heard Lucienne's sudden intake of breath. I feel bad for reminding her, but I want Magnus to understand where I'm coming from.
I fell in love with him at first sight. If he was honest with his feelings, then so was I. Finding out that he got hurt affected me more than I was ready for at that time. I couldn't even bear to visit him in the hospital then.
"Do you understand what you're asking me, LA?" he murmured.
"I—"
"You're asking me to do nothing." His jaw tightened, his eyes showing a hint of concealed anger. "I told you this before. I'm a decent person. Don't force me not to be one."
I bit my lower lip when I felt it tremble, and at the same time, my eyes clouded with unshed tears. I am not a crier. Bilang sa dalawang kamay kung ilang beses akong umiyak sa buong buhay ko. I cry for other people, not for myself.
"I know," I whispered. "I... I wasn't implying anything differently. I know what kind of man you are, Mags."
For a moment, he just held my eyes. I could see so much in his, and yet I couldn't understand even one of them.
He was the one to break the fragile silence. "Sometimes it feels like you don't."
______________________________End of Chapter 6.