13
2009 Words
Chapter 13:
"Wait, Gabriel! I’m tired—and it’s scorching hot!" I complained, finally collapsing onto the grass. Imagine being made to run laps at 9 AM in the middle of a field under this heat, without even having breakfast. That’s what Gabriel had me doing today.
“You're complaining about the heat after waking up at 9 AM? Didn’t I tell you to be here by five?” Gabriel snapped.
I pouted and muttered that I got home at dawn and must’ve fallen into a deep sleep.
“Then don’t complain. It’s your own fault. Practice continues. Run,” he ordered coldly.
I immediately got up, mostly because Gabriel was giving me that piercing look again. I resumed running while muttering about how annoying he was.
So, there I was, still running under the sweltering sun. When Gabriel finally said the words "Break time," I practically collapsed onto the grass face-first. This time, I didn’t even try to sit up—I was completely drained. But unlike before, my body wasn’t sore all over. I was just... exhausted. Bone-deep exhausted.
Moments later, I felt Gabriel approaching. I squinted up at him.
He chuckled softly and handed me a bottle of water. I forced myself to sit up and accepted it.
“Tomorrow, I’ll start teaching you a few moves you can use. The day after that, I’ll get the blueprints and some intel about the hotel from the office. Then we’ll start planning how you’ll get close to Sir Aron.”
I drank the water, trying to recall what little Gabriel had already told me about Aron Nicastro.
“Speaking of Sir Aron... how am I supposed to get his attention? I have zero experience.”
Gabriel raised an eyebrow at me. I admitted, a little embarrassed, that I’d never even had a boyfriend. I couldn’t think of a single way to seduce someone like Aron.
Gabriel covered his face with a hand. “We’re dead,” he muttered under his breath.
He explained that apart from Aron’s regular flings, no one else could even get close to him. The man was always heavily guarded—and the only ones allowed near him were women.
I laid back on the grass, defeated. “Do you really think this will work? I’m not even beautiful... or sexy,” I murmured.
Gabriel had shown me some CCTV footage of Aron leaving a hotel with four stunning women. His standards were sky-high. Would he even notice someone like me?
“I can do this! Flirty beats pretty—fighting!” I declared, trying to lift my own spirits.
I heard Gabriel choke on his drink. I glanced at him, standing there awkwardly waving a hand.
“That didn’t sound good... but you’re right,” he said with a smirk. “If you’re not pretty, then you better win with performance. Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to someone who’ll help. She’ll give you a makeover and train you how to act for the mission.”
I sat up. “What kind of act are we talking about?”
Before he could answer, I slipped. The crystal cup I was holding fell from my hands—for the fifth time today.
We were in an all-white training room, and I was alone. Suddenly, a group of holograms appeared. All of them stared directly at me, making me freeze in place. I turned away quickly and placed the cup back on the table.
“Hilda, that’s the eighth time. What are you doing?”
The glass door slid open, and Fiona walked in, arms crossed. Gabriel followed, raising an eyebrow at the sight of me.
“I’ve failed eight times already,” I admitted flatly. “I think I don’t have the confidence for this.”
Fiona stood in front of me, crossing her arms. “This isn’t about your flaws, Hilda. Don’t forget why you’re here. This is your last chance. If you fail this mission, Padrino will kill you himself.”
I dropped to the floor, overwhelmed. “I can’t do it,” I said, my voice shaking. “I’d rather walk across a wire than attend that kind of party. At least a tightrope can be practiced. But this? I don’t know how to pretend. I can’t stand straight. I can’t sit like they do. I can’t even hold a damn glass without shaking!”
I was near tears. The thought of people staring at me—gazing into my soul—made my stomach churn.
Suddenly, memories of my family flashed before me. How they belittled me. How they looked at me like I was nothing.
Gabriel let out a sigh. “Let’s pause training. You need to relax. No more practice for today and tomorrow.”
“But Gabriel,” Fiona protested, “we’re running out of time.”
I heard her curse before storming out of the room.
I understood her frustration. We’d accomplished so much already, and this was the only part I couldn’t master. I looked down at my hands—still trembling.
“Step outside for now,” Gabriel said gently, tapping my shoulder. “You always give your all during training. But this time... I think it’s not practice that you need.”
“What should I do?” I asked.
His expression softened. “Eat something. Rest.”
So here I was now, just as Gabriel advised, sitting behind the building under the shade of a tree, staring up at the sky.
If he asked me what I’d been doing these past days, I don’t think I’d be able to answer. It’s easier to walk through a field of needles than attend those social gatherings.
I never thought I’d reach a point in life where I’d cry over not being able to walk, sit, or even hold a glass properly.
Even the way I looked at people or held a teacup—I had to study those things. Fiona’s voice still echoed in my dreams.
I let out a deep sigh and leaned forward, resting my arms on my knees. My body was so drained that even my fingertips wouldn’t move.
That’s when I noticed it—tears silently rolling down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away.
No. I couldn’t afford to complain. I had to be strong. I had no one else to rely on but myself.
---
Gabriel stood with his arms crossed, leaning against a post, quietly watching Hilda cry beneath the tree. She sat there alone, sobbing softly into her hands.
“You know, your soft heart is really irritating sometimes,” Fiona muttered, appearing beside him. “We’ve got two or three days left to prepare her, and here you are—wasting her time. Let me remind you, you helped her because you said you wanted to protect that girl. But if she fails this mission, she won’t just die by Aron’s hands—it’ll be Padrino who kills her.”
“I know,” Gabriel replied.
Fiona clenched her fist. “Then stop opposing me every time I push her. Every time you see her crying, you tell her to stop the training. She won’t survive out there if you keep coddling her.”
Gabriel looked away, then said, “Hilda’s family owns the largest land in the Bicol province. They have expansive farmlands and multiple businesses outside the region.”
Fiona blinked. “And yet... she doesn’t know what a donut tastes like, can’t tell the difference between wine and juice... and she has untreated ADHD.”
“No father in his right mind would use his daughter to pay off a debt,” Gabriel muttered.
“If you keep doing this, you’ll just break her down further. Reality check—her life is in danger. Whether it’s from Sir Aron or Padrino, it doesn’t matter. This mission has to succeed,” Fiona said firmly.
They weren’t helping Hilda for any reward. They were doing everything they could—because she was their responsibility.
Suddenly, both Gabriel and Fiona fell silent. A man had approached Hilda.
Gabriel stood straighter. Fiona instinctively reached for the blade hidden in her boot, but Gabriel held out a hand, stopping her.
Hilda looked up at the man, and from the look on her face, Gabriel guessed she recognized him.
“Which department is that guy from?” Fiona asked, frowning.
Neither of them had sensed his presence. That alone made them suspicious.
“That might be Art. Hilda mentioned him before—the driver I hired from outside the city. Since Padrino forbade us from assigning anyone from here to accompany her on this mission, I had to find someone external.”
It was strange, but Gabriel was starting to feel like this mission had been designed to kill Hilda.
He looked back at the man now talking to her. Still, he couldn’t believe Padrino would send her on a suicide mission without reason. That man always had a plan. Always.
If what Padrino said was true—that Hilda could control Aron and bring him back to the city—then they had to do everything they could to help her succeed.
“I feel so stupid,” Hilda whispered to Art, tears streaking down her cheeks.
Art had appeared out of nowhere and asked why she was crying.
“I can’t even hold a damn teacup properly. I didn’t realize that holding a teacup the right way could mean life or death,” she said, sniffling. Fiona had told her that if she failed this part, she’d immediately draw suspicion—everyone at the party would be a VIP.
Art didn’t speak at first. He simply stood there, listening to her ramble.
“When I was young, I got lost in the forest. I fell into a patch of quicksand. Half my body sank. I couldn’t escape. I saw a vine hanging nearby, but I knew I’d sink before I could reach it. Then I saw a snake. It was hanging from a branch, trying to bite me. I grabbed the snake and let it bite me. The venom was strong enough to kill me in two minutes,” Art said calmly.
Hilda stared at him, wide-eyed.
“I used the snake to pull myself out. Then I removed the poison. My body went numb for four days, but I survived.”
He sat down in front of her.
“Don’t give in to your weakness. Take every opportunity. Risk everything. Because as long as you’re alive... the fight continues.”
Something inside Hilda stirred. She wiped her cheeks and looked at him—Art, her mysterious guardian angel who always appeared when she needed help the most.
“I hate you,” she muttered. “You always pop out of nowhere. And now you’ve seen me looking like this. It’s embarrassing.” She pulled at her dress like a pouting child.
Art wanted to tell her she looked just like that when she walked out of the building, but he stayed silent.
She looked like a mess—probably tripped over some stairs again. And she was wearing heels, of all things. He glanced at her ankle, which she was now rubbing.
She was clearly starting to feel the pain.
“I’m leaving. I just need to get something,” Art said, standing up.
Hilda looked at him. Before she could say anything, he turned and walked away.
Her shoulders drooped. She wanted to talk to him a bit more. She hadn’t seen him in days. It was kind of unfair—whenever she looked for him, he was nowhere to be found. But Art? He always knew where to find her.
Just like that time in the abandoned building when he saved her.
And now? She was sure there were no cameras here, and yet he still found her.
“Does he have superpowers or something? Can he turn invisible? Or maybe he has an antenna that tracks my location or reads my emotions?”
- Writer
