The Mafioso's Wrath

CHAP 11

There was an eerie silence in the room, only sometimes disturbed by our ragged breaths.

"Tell me, Irrah," I said, my voice piercing like a knife. "Who do you really are?"

Under my stare, she shifted uneasily, her eyes flitting from mine. "I've already told you," she muttered, her voice tinted with a trace of rebellion. "I'm not the woman you're looking for."

I clenched my jaw, frustration bubbling within me. How could she continue to deny the truth when every piece of evidence pointed to her being the one I sought?

"Stop lying to me," malamig na saad ko at basta siyang pinakawalan.

Nanghihina naman siyang napaupo sa sofa habang walang emosyon kong inayos ang sarili ko.

"Nagsasabi ako ng totoo," giit niya at saka ako tinapunan ng tingin.

I scoffed. "You'll get nothing by pretending, little fox. So if I were you, I would confess. Don't push yourself hard to fool me, because it would not work."

Umiwas siya ng tingin, itinaas niya ang kaniyang mga paa at niyakap ang mga tuhod upang itago ang h***d niyang katawan. Hindi siya agad sumagot. Mayamaya pa ay isang buntonghininga ang pinakawalan niya saka muling sinalubong ang mga mata ko.

"I got this tattoo in remembrance of my twin sister," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

I furrowed my brow in confusion, my anger momentarily forgotten. "Who, in their right mind, would choose to honor a deceased person with a tattoo bearing someone's name?"

She offered me a small, sad smile. "Nabuhay ako dahil sa puso ng kakambal ko. Siguro nga, hindi normal ang ginawa ko, pero gusto ko siyang alalahanin araw-araw. Kami ang tipo ng kambal na literal na pinagbiyak na bunga, kaya naman kahit ibang pangalan ang nakalagay sa tattoo niya ay ginaya ko pa rin iyon para lang masabi sa sarili ko na nandito pa siya . . . na nandito lang siya . . . na pwede ko pa siyang makita."

Nakita ko ang pangingilid ng kaniyang mga luha bago siya nag-iwas ng tingin. Ipinatong niya ang kaniyang panga sa ibabaw ng mga tuhod niya at saka tumitig sa kawalan. Isang mapait na ngiti ang kumurba sa mga labi niya.

"Every time I see myself in the mirror . . ." Her voice raw with emotion. "I'm happy, because I see my sister, not me."

Napatiim-bagang ako at palihim na naikuyom ang aking kamao. "I never heard of you before," I said, still sticking to my so-called belief that she's Irrah.

Imbes na sumagot ay marahan niyang ipinikit ang kaniyang mga mata. "Wala na akong magagawa pa kung ayaw mong maniwala," aniya sa mababang tono at pagak na natawa. "Anuman ang totoo, alam ko namang hindi mo ako pakakawalan at desidido ka ng patayin ako."

She's right. Whether she's Irrah or Iyyah, she'll never slip through my fingers. I'll end her life, whether as payment for her betrayal or as an exchange for her sister's grave mistake.

Pinagmasdan ko lang siya. Nanatili pa rin siyang nakapikit habang nakayakap sa sarili.

"I need the crest," I stated nonchalantly.

Namumungay niyang idinilat ang kaniyang mga mata at saka malungkot na ngumiti. "I really don't know about that thing, Thyro . . ."

My jaw was in perfect tension again. I stared at her lips darkly, vividly recalling the way it provocatively whispered my name moments ago. The room seemed to hum with the aftermath of that f*******n utterance, creating an electric atmosphere that hung between us.

"Then find it," I said.

Napaangat naman ang kaniyang ulo para tingnan ako nang maayos. "How? Bukod sa nakakulong ako rito, wala rin akong ideya kung ano ba ang itsura ng hinahanap mo."

"We'll talk again tomorrow."

Walang emosyon kong inilagay ang kamay ko sa bulsa at saka siya tinalikuran. Naglakad ako patungo sa pintuan ngunit bago pa man ako tuluyang makalabas ng silid ay saglit ko siyang nilingon.

"But let me remind you, little fox. The moment I find out that you're lying, I will put three holes right in your head," I muttered, my voice dripping with a deadly combination of menace and authority.

As I stood on the veranda, the smoke from my cigarette twirling lazily in the air, I watched her. Irrah, who was once confined within the four walls of her room, was now reveling in her newfound freedom, splashing around in the pool under the warm daylight. Her laughter echoed faintly, mingling with the gentle waves she created.

Hindi ko pa siya nakakausap, gayunpaman ay sinabihan ko si Claudio na hayaan siyang makalabas. Pinagmasdan ko lang siyang maglangoy pabalik-balik sa bawat dulo ng pool. Hindi alintana ang mga nakakalat na katulong at bantay.

Our eyes met briefly, and I saw a flicker of discomfort in her expression, quickly masked by a hesitant smile. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes. She was trying to bridge the gap between us, to reach out despite the barriers I had erected around myself. But I remained impassive, my gaze cold and unyielding.

Muli akong humipak sa hawak kong sigarilyo bago iyon itinapon kung saan. Tiningnan ko muna ang mga tauhan kong nakakalat sa ibaba bilang babala saka pumasok sa aking opisina. Maaaring binigyan ko siya ng kaunting kalayaan dito sa loob ng mansyon, pero hindi ibig sabihin niyon ay hahayaan ko siyang makatakas sa poder ko.

"Claudio," tawag ko nang makaupo sa swivel chair at kinuha ang isang papeles na nakapatong sa gilid ng aking lamesa.

Mabilis namang bumukas ang pinto at kasunod niyon ang pagpasok niya. "My lord," magalang niyang sambit at bahagyang yumuko.

"Ensure all orders are meticulously handled, verifying completeness prior to dispatching the weapons to Thomas," I ordered coldly.

"Copy, my lord," he said politely.

"How was our transaction with the Russians?" I asked, leaning against my seat to look straight at him.

Nakita ko ang mariin niyang paglunok. "Nagkaroon lang ng kaunting aberya, m-my lord . . ." puno ng pag-iingat niyang saad.

"On whose part?" Umigting ang panga ko.

"Sa kanila, my lord. Sinubukan nilang itakas ang mga armas . . ."

"Did any of them survive?" direktang tanong ko habang tiim ang bagang.

In my world, failing to uphold your word is a grave offense, tantamount to inviting demise. I harbor no forgiveness for those who dare to betray my trust.

Mabilis siyang umiling. "Pinatay po silang lahat ng mga tauhan n'yo, kumpleto at maayos ding naibalik sa planta ang mga b***l," pagpupuno niya ng impormasyon.

Napapikit na lamang ako at sinenyasan siyang umalis.

"Tell Clarita to bring that woman to me after an hour," aniko bago pa man siya tuluyang makalabas ng opisina ko.

"Masusunod, my lord."

It's time to tame that little fox.