Ayden came home late. He felt so all alone in his new mansion. Kakabili lang niya last month, at para bang pareho lang ang feeling niya kahit saan man siya magpunta o anong bahay siya tutuloy. Nothing seemed change. He was still living in isolation.
Empty.
Whatever he did to move forward, he ended up looking back from his dark past. Some bittersweet memories were just there on his mind and heart, they never fade. He tried but it was like too much to bear for. After all these days, his dark past hunted him. He still ached for her loss.
He still missed her. And every single day living without her made his life emptier. A shallow future to go on…
Narinig niyang tumunog ang cellphone niya. He hated using techno gadgets yet he needed these things to survive. Afterall, he was living in the modern world as a merely human and not a Demigod.
He picked up the phone and tried his voice to stay calm as he could. “Hello?”
“So how’s the meet up huh? I told you she’s too much to handle. Everything I planned for her ended up in nowhere. She needs to fall inlove by the end of this month. It’s a critical month. It’s a special season wherein Gorgons should fall inlove or else, that girl will be loveless for eternity. At dahil siya ang kahuli-huling descendant ni Medusa at dala-dala pa ang kapangyarihan ni Poseidon sa katawan niya, she needs to fall. And it’s your duty to do it.”It was the talkative Cupid. Isang salita pa lang ang nasasabi niya, madami na ang isinatsat. Sobrang hyper ang Diyos na ‘to. Kabaliktaran sa kanyang ugali.
“Before you forgot, I’m just a slave and it’s not my duty at all to make pair for anyone. Second, why didn’t you tell me that she’s not a human? A gorgon princess! And third, why are you calling me when you can teleport yourself?” Okay. Madami din siyang tanong sa sarili kung bakit siya pa ang napili ng isang ‘to para sa trabahong ganito. Nakakinis para kay Ayden na isipin na pinaglihiman siya ni Cupid. Kung alam lang niyang hindi ordinary ang ipapagawa sa kanya, eh di sana, sa umpisa pa lang tinanggihan na niya ang trabaho.
“She’s a human, Ayden. Half-human to be precise. Her father is a mortal. And yeah, sorry to tell you you’re stuck with the heiress yourself.” Narinig a niyang tumawa bigla si Cupid. Halatang hindi nag-iisa. May kasama sa kabilang linya ng phone.“I’m with my wife that’s why I can’t see you in person. Manonood kami ng sine.”
Ang isang Greek God ay nanonood ng sine ngayon kasama ang asawa niya. Geeez. Alam kaya ng mga taong ang mga immortal na nasa libro ay malayang nakikisalamuha sa lahat?“Pwede iba na lang ipatrabaho mo sa ‘kin?”
“At bakit?”, rinig ni Ayden ang mabigat at seryosong tono ng boses ni Cupid.
I don’t like her seeing with another man. I don’t like seeing myself pairing him with another man.“I don’t think I have the ability to do that. Besides, you have my powers remember?” Hindi alam ni Ayden kung bakit nagkakaganito siya sa isang babaeng kanina lang niya nakilala. His mind was confused.
“Nonsense. You protected her even without powers. Besides I want you to be with her.” May punto nga naman ang isang ‘to. Kahit wala na siyang powers, nandun pa din ang skills niyang makipaglaban. Hindi ibig sabihin ay wala na ang kapangyarihan ay para na siyang inutil. Pero gusto niyang magkaroon ng palusot para iwasan ang trabahong ito. Ang mapainlove ang prinsesa. He maybe a slave but Cupid gave him a free will to do his own.
“Ang tigas ng ulo mo Cupid”, seryoso na din si Ayden. At alam ‘yun ni Cupid. Twenty years na din siyang naninilbihan sa Diyos na ‘to. Pero kailangan ding malaman ni Cupid kung ano ang nasa isipan niya. “Hindi niya kailangan ang mainlove. She needs protection. Hindi mo nakita kanina ang nangyayari. They all want her dead. At baka nakakalimutan mong isa siyang heiress! For God’s Sake Cupid. Hindi siya ordinaryng taong basta-basta na alang ipapares sa iba kasi kailangan niyang mainlove.”
Tumahimik si Cupid sa kabilang linya. “I trust you Ayden as a friend.”
Cupid never treated him as a slave but as a friend. After all, he surrendered himself to this God years ago. “Still, I want to refuse this job.”
Narinig pa niyang nagbuntong hininga si Cupid bago nagsalita. First time nagkakaganito and Diyos ng Pag-ibig. Hindi din niya maintindihan kung bakit. “Make her fall and you will have your freedom. You have my word.”
The call ended.
Hindi makapaniwala sa huling sinabi ni Cupid sa kanya. Ganun nab a ka-importante ang babaeng ‘yun para ibigay na lang ni Cupid ang kalayaan niya?
Fate would be his key to his freedom.
…………………………………………….
Walang matinong tulog, pinilit ni Fate na bumangon sa kama. Sa sobrang ingay ng alarm clock niya, natetempt siyang itapon ito sa basurahan. Marami ang nangyari kagabi. Pero hindi ibig sabihin ‘nun, hindi na siya mamumuhay ng normal.
Isang Heiress ni Poseidon, namumuhay ng ordinary. Hinahabol ng kapwa Gorgons at pilit itinatakwil ng mga kauri ni Poseidon. They all hated her because she was the Heiress.
Poseidon’s other sons and daughters saw her as a treat while the living Gorgons thought that her life would be their cure to Athena’s curse. What a life. What a damn life for her.
All she ever wished… is to live life as simply as she could…
And everyone human being really believed that Medusa was a sinner that’s why she ended up being a monster.
If only they knew…
Pilit na inaalis ni Fate ang mga ganung bagay sa isipan. She needed to focus on her job. At dahil parehong wala na ang kanyang mga magulang, walang magawa si Fate kundi kumayod ng todo para mabuhay. She had enough money to sustain herself and yet, she wanted to make a name for herself.
Mabilis na bumangon si Fate sa kama nang maalalang may isang importanteng meeting na gaganapin mamaya. May mahalagang announcement sa office at kailangan niyang umattend dun para hindi mabwisit sa kanya ang Head ng Department nila.
Nakasanayan na ni Fate na pumasok ng maaga, thirty minutes before time. Never pa siyang na-late, at ‘yun ay isa sa nagustuhan ng mga employer niya sa kanya.
Nakarating si Fate sa office ng maaga, halatang wala pang tao ang nandun. Sa office na din siya kumakain ng agahan. Nakasanayan na din siguro since wala naman siyang kasabay sa bahay na kumakain ng almusal. Maliban na lang kung dun sa condo niya makikitulog si Sunshine.
But as always, Sunshine was late.
From the third floor of the building, she was staring the sun slowly rising in the east. It felt warm for her. She loved the beauty of the sunrise rather than solitary sunset. Sunrise meant a chance of living while sunset made her feel hopeless…
When she lowered her gaze to the parking lot, she saw Jake who was flirting with her secretary.
Jake was her first love or so she taught. He had this charming aura that made every woman wanted to be with her. He had this tanned skin that matched with his dark clean-cut hair. His dark brown eyes added to his manly appeal. He wore fashioned suits and walked like a super model.
Yet he had this arrogant attitude and a childish behavior that Fate disliked. She taught Jake was inlove with her after giving her a bouquet of her favorite peach roses almost every day. And telling her some sweet lies, she thought those were for real. She never thought that she was slowly falling into the trap.
Jake was just playing her all along.
Love was for fools.
Akala niya talaga mahal siya ni Jake pero hindi. Pinaibig lang siya para makuha ang gusto niya.
To be his prize.
Na nililigawan lang siya dahil sa isang pustahan.
Too bad for him ‘cause she’d found out his plan for her before she completely surrendered her everything. Ang masakit lang, dinurog ni Jake ang puso niya. Dinurog nang paulit-ulit. Sa tuwing naiisip ni Fate na pakitang tao lang ang ginawa ni Jake para mahulog ang loob niya at nagpahulog naman siya, naiinis si Fate sa sarili.
Sa sobrang galit ng nararamdaman niya, hindi niya namalayang nakatingala si Jake sa kanya. He smiled wickedly at her. Isang ngiting nagsasabing, kaya niya makuha ang gusto niya, at siya, ay walang kwenta lang para sa kanya. Na kayang iwan basta-basta.
You bastard! Go to hell!
Tumalikod si Fate at naglakad palayo sa bintana. Naninikip ang dibdib niya sa mga nakikita. He needed fresh air.
Kuyom ang mga palad habang naglalakad palabas ng office papuntang Rest Room. At dun, hinayaan niya ang mga luha niyang pumatak. Kahit ngayon lang, gusto niyang umiyak. Isang beses man lang, ilabas niya ang buong sama ng loob sa mundo.
How can I let myself fall for someone like him?
She looked herself in the mirror. She wiped her tears.
All she ever wanted was a love meant for her. A love so pure, he would accept her no matter what.
I guessed miracle didn’t exist. And dreams for her, were just a plain dreams which made her stupid... Nothing more…
……………………………………..
Wala sa katinuan si Fate nang mag-umpisa ang meeting. Nandun na ang lahat, including Jake who was watching her every move. Ramdam niya ang mga titig ni Jake sa kanya, pero ayaw niyang tingnan ang walang kwentang lalaking ito. Ramdam ni Fate ang inis ni Jake sa sarili sa pagkatalo.
She won the game he played for her.
At ‘yun ay isang bagay na kinaiinisan ni Jake hanggang ngayon.
He didn’t win her heart.
His prize.
“Let us proceed to the meeting shall we?” Pag-uumpisa ng kanilang President ng Company. He was in his late fifties and yet he stood infront of them with power and respect. Nandun na silang lahat. Wala silang idea kung para saan ang meeting na ‘to.
Their company profit is accelerating and paunti-unti na ring nakikilala ang kanilang company sa kanilang business. Kaya nagtataka sila kung para saan ang meeting na ‘to.
‘I know everyone is confused right now”, muling pagsasalita ng Presidente. “But this meeting is indeed important. Bibisita dito ang may-ari ng kompanyang ito at baka manatili sa Main Office ng ilang araw.” Nagtinginan ang lahat. Never pa nilang nakilala ang may-ari ng kompanyang ito. Madalas sinasabi, nasa ibang bansa kasi balak nitong mag-expand ng business. Bago lang ang may-ari ng kompanya. Kakabili lang nito last month. “Mr. Clyde Hunter, will be here too.”
Nagtinginan ang lahat. Kanya-kanya silang tsismis.
Madami pang sinabi ang Presidente nila pero para bang walang naririnig si Fate. Blanko pa din ang isip niya dahil apektado siya kay Jake. Ayaw lang niyang ipahalata at baka mag-bunyi pa ang isang ‘yun.
Maya-maya pa, isang lalaking nasa mid-thirties ang pumasok sa Conference Room. Hindi nila ‘yun kilala pero halatang seryoso ang bulungan nilang dalawa sa Presidente.
Isang tango lang ang binigay niya sabay umalis na din ang lalaki.
“Mr. Hunter is already here”, pag-announce pa.
Tumahimik ang lahat. Kanya-kanyang ayos ng upo. Natawa bigla si Fate, parang mga estudante lang na takot sa pagdating ng terror ng teacher.
Bumukas ang pintuan.
Nagtinginan silang lahat. Pigil ang hininga habang pinapakinggan ang tunog ng sapatos ng taong papasok sa Conference Room.
Parang maling tao ang iniluwa ng pinto. Akala nila Si Mr. Hunter ay isang matandang lalaking nakasimangot at over stressed na sa work at nangangalbo na ang ulo sa sobrang dami ng problema. Yung tipong taong napakaterror tingnan kahit anong oras, pwedeng pagtanggal ng employedo kung hindi niya trip.
Pero hindi.
Pinagmasdan ni Fate ang isang lalaking not more than twenty-five ang edad. He wore a business suite, a black sport coat matched with his tailored slacks, perfectly fitted to him. He wore a white shirt and a silk tie. He looked so professional with his aura. And she was amazed how broad his shoulders were, how tall he was just standing there.
Napanganga siya ng wala sa oras. Mas gwapo pa siya tingnan kaysa sa hulinh kita nilang dalawa. Biglang namula ang kanyang pisngi. Pigil ang emosyon habang pinagmamasdan ang lalaking nasa pintuan.
How could this be?
She remembered his dark eyes like a night itself under his long dark eyelashes. He had the most perfect nose she’d ever seen. She never forgot s his handsome face the night her eyes laid upon him. Her heart started beating rapidly when his dark eyes met hers.
And for that one second, she saw his eyes sparkling for her.
Pero parang guni-guni lang yata ‘yun.
Balik na naman sa kanyang seryosong aura habang naglalakad sa harapan nilang lahat.
Nakatingin si Fate kay Jake na nakasimangot na para bang iritang-irita habang pinagmamasdan ang kanilang Boss sabay sulyap sa kanya.
Mukhang hindi yata guni-guni ang isang segundong ‘yun.
She smiled.
“Good morning everyone. I’m Clyde Ayden Hunter.”
Fate was silent. She couldn’t believe this moment. Her other world, she was the heiress… the princess of the Gorgons. And yet he woke up into this reality wherein a handsome guy who introduced himself as a slave of Cupid was indeed her drop dead gorgeous employer.
Mr. Clyde Ayden Hunter.