To Love and Avenge

Chapter 49

I'd be d*mn dead if it wasn’t for Allen and Shiela, who had just come to pull Daven from top of me. Then Candy came to meddle with us all.

Despite being beaten up, my initial instinct was to look for Ale, hoping that she was still around so she would hear what Candy had to say.

But, she was already far gone. So she couldn’t hear it anymore, but even so, she wouldn’t listen anyway. It's typical for her that you can not sit still to listen to such dramas.

Now, there is one thing that I am sure of. She will never talk unless she is ready, nor am I going to see her again easily because, for her, there is no room for such a mistake. She held grudges and she’s hard to forgive. All I can do now is to hope that what I thought was all wrong.

Daven and Allen walked away and were followed by Sheila, who later stared at me like she was saying that I owe her an explanation... For me, I was left with Candy in devastation.

As expected, when I went home, Alle wasn’t there.

I tried to call her as many times as possible and even sent her a message. But to no avail, she didn’t respond to any of it.

While I sat on the couch still waiting for her call, which was impossible. My phone started buzzing. I was hoping that it was Ale demanding me to explain myself, but because, of course, of the ring tone, I already knew that it wasn’t her. Even if so, she would never demand it.

“Hello?” I answered without looking at the screen.

“What the hell was that Dauis?” Greeted by a sneering woman from the other line. I know she’s been holding herself a while ago, but I know she called angrily at me.

“Shiela, you know very well our nature of work, right?” I started to explain lazily. I was so tired and drained from exhaustion. But here I am dealing with an angry woman who was trying to protect my wife from me.

“Nature of work, do you even call that work Dauis? Spare me with your d*mn excuses.”

“Then what do you think I was doing?”

“You tell me Dauis, I already don't know. You’re her husband but you are hurting her, while me, I am her best friend who was trying to help her mend yet doing cover-ups for you!”

“She was my colleague.”

“Oh really, then tell that to my a**! She shouted, making me jerk at the pain it caused in my ears. Then, she dropped the call.

Days passed and then became weeks. I never stopped looking at her. But I was unlucky. While Allen and Daven were too looking for her.

I became unsettled and restless because of all those times. I must not fail.

Candy, on the other hand, was musing happily at the turnout of the event, as she thought that she would have my full attention now that Ale was nowhere to be found.

“Allen, dude, will you speak to me?” I pleaded.

“What now, Dauis? Are you happy? Ale was hiding from us all again, but we couldn’t tell dad and you know very well why?”

“I’m sorry, it wasn’t my intention. Believe me, Candy is just my business partner from one of my bars, as she explained to you.”

“Make sure to bring her back to us, Dauis, or else, God forbid.” He warned and ended the call immediately.

I know that they are all angry at me. I am, too, but I hope that someday it will still not be too late, they will eventually understand me.

I hope Ale does.

Everything falls according to my plans, but what torments me now is my guilt. Guilt that I caused this implication not just for Ale but everyone around her.

I sat on the couch to start drowning myself in alcohol again as my phone buzzed.

“Yes?”

“Dauis, we still have no clue about your wife’s location. Her last data recording was in the city park, but that was it,” the man reported. My temper started to lose the moment I heard him.

When did these men become so incompetent? I had hired them and they were with me for a long time because I trusted their abilities, but now, they have only proved that I was all along wrong.

“Then don't stop, turn the world upside down if it’s necessary to find her,” I shouted at him and ended the call, then dialed Xander’s number.

“Any news?” he asked immediately.

“That’s why I called,” I said as I sighed heavily.

“You’re f****d up dude,” he exclaimed.

“I know. You don't have to remind me of that,” I said to him impatiently.

“Your woman is one heck of a kind. She's done this to you for the second time now. You see, The mighty Duis Suarez was crazily looking for his woman. Where’s the old Dauis we know?” he laughingly mocks at my situation, which only ignites my anger.

“Are you going to help or not?” I barked.

“Hey, easy. Of course, only if you tell me what happened.”

So then, I told him everything, including how I mistreated her. Skipping was the part with candy.

“Do you love her?” he asked seriously.

“Why?”

“Don’t answer me with a question, will you, do you or not?”

“What do you think?”

“That’s a no then.” he later answered his own question.

He hung up the phone and promised to help look for Ale. But for some reason, I feel something mysterious over Xander’s behavior towards Ale sometimes. His stern looks told me so. Yet, I always disregarded it all. He has nothing to do about it anyway.

I doubt if he already knew the truth.

I frown at myself when I remember when I first met Candy. That was when I first established my bar in partnership with Allen. I was having a vacation at that time, since I was based abroad, together with my parents.

She was so drunk at that time that she could barely stand on her own. While I, watching her from afar, started to admire the beauty that she possesses. Very innocent and pure, eyes that look very expressive.

How can a very beautiful lady drink at this time in the bar alone? I thought to myself as I slowly took my drink while looking at her intently.

Then, she turned in my direction and smiled at me. Her eyes, yet they smiled at me, but the sadness that they contain cannot be concealed by her sweet smile. It was shouting and it was very noticeable even from a distance.

I was at that time looking for Ale, but it saddened me to find out that she was out abroad too. Ale was my favorite target of my bullying, but she wasn’t there. The last time I saw her was when we migrated to Canada. That was the first time I saw her grinning at me sarcastically.

And now, back to Candy, she stood up while her gaze was fixed on mine. Walking slowly in my direction, trying to balance herself, stabilizing it to prevent it from falling.

“Hey, handsome, do you mind if I sit opposite you?” She seductively asked my permission.

“Sure I won't mind,” I responded quickly.

“You’ve been staring at me…” She said, purposely hanging her sentence while raising her brows at me.

“Why is that? Let’s see… Uhm, maybe you look familiar?”

“I doubt that. It’s my first time here in the Philippines.”

“That answers your tone then,” I said and smiled warmly at her.

Looking at her this near, there is one thing I realized. Her eyes, features, her lips- the way they smiled, were like an old version of Ale’s, only that Ale never broke a smile. She always wears this wry smile or a futile look.

“So, what are you doing here then? Have a good vacation?” I asked again.

“I hope I can have that privilege in my life.” She said, which quickly changed her mood. From having this seductive smile to this gloomy look.

“...” silence. I want her to continue.

“I came here looking for revenge!” They took my parents and that baby from my mom’s tummy and then she took away my brother.” she said angrily.

I jerked at the anger in her voice. Too resentful.

“How so?” I asked, unable to contain the mystery in it.

“My dad and mom were out there doing business, my mom was pregnant when they were killed. Now, my brother has come here for revenge but, unfortunately, ended his life too, leaving me alone in this life. So right now, I came here to make them all pay.” she paused for a moment as she gulped her drink directly from its bottle, then slammed it on the table. Wiping her mouth angrily, she continued.

“This Alforque family, they must all pay.”

all my thoughts flew away when the door suddenly flung open.