Blood Between Us

CHAPTER 24

ETHER’S CONDO. EARLY MORNING.

There was no ceremony to grief. Just the the hum of the alarm at five a.m., the cold floor under her feet, the mechanical movements of survival.

Kahit na malungkot, kailangang magpatuloy ni Esther sa buhay.

The collapse that took her parents life was still under investigation.

Napatingin si Esther sa kaniyang tabi at nakita niyang wala na si Ciaran. Siguro nasa kusina na ito.

Esther got up from bed and went to the bathroom. She rinsed her faced and brushed her teeth. This was her daily routine. Not dramatic. Just… heavy, like walking-soaked clothes under the sun. She would dress in silence, grab her bag and walk to the studio.

She worked.

She still draw.

And still led the small team who respected her enough not to mention the news of her parents and the collapse.

At kapag naman uuwi siya, same routine again. Eat, shower, and sleep.

Then repeat the following day.

But except for him.

Ciaran.

Hindi ito umalis sa tabi niya. Though they have works on their own, but Ciaran always made her feel that she was not alone.

Sometimes, she will wake up groceries already stocked in her fridge.

Minsan nakaupo lamang sila sa sofa, kaniya-kaniyang mundo, hindi sila nag-uusap pero ramdam ni Esther na naroon si Ciaran para sa kaniya. And that mattered more than anything—his presence.

A presence that she needs in times of her sorrow.

Esther took a deep breath and went to the kitchen. Nakita niya si Ciaran sa harap ng kalan at nagluluto. She couldn’t help but to stare at Ciaran while he is cooking. Wala kasi itong suot na pang-itaas kaya naman nakabalandra sa harapan niya ang katawan nito.

Napailing si Esther dahil may pumasok na malikot na imahinasyon sa kaniyang isipan.

“Staring is rude, sweetheart,” Ciaran said looking over his shoulder.

Nag-iwas naman ng tingin si Esther saka naglakad palapit kay Ciaran. Niyakap niya ito mula sa likuran. “You’re mine,” she whispered. “I can stare at you for as long as I want.”

That made Ciaran smile. He turned off the stove and face Esther. Hinawakan niya ito sa beywang saka hinalikan sa labi.

Esther closed her eyes and responds to Ciaran’s kiss. Napaatras siya habang naghahalikan silang dalawa. And when they reached the edge of the counter, Ciaran lift her and made her sit on the counter as he stood between her thigh.

Hindi mapigilan si Esther ang mahinang matawa. “Ciaran…”

“Esther,” he said softly.

“Hmm?” Esther’s breathed.

“You’re killing me in that nightgown.”

Natawa ng mahina si Esther. “Lagi naman akong nagsusuot nito.”

“I know,” Ciaran’s hand slid to Esther’s neck. His thumb brushed the edge of her collarbone. “And it’s driving me insane.”

Ciaran’s lips kiss Esther’s jaw, down to her neck and her shoulder.

Esther was wearing nightgown where her shoulders exposed, kaya naman madali lang para kay Ciaran na halikan ang balat niya.

“Ran…”

“I miss you, sweetheart,” Ciaran whispered as he continued kissing Esther’s skin and lifting the hem of her nightgown while his hand was caressing her thighs.

Esther knew what Ciaran’s meant by saying he missed her. Miss na rin naman niya ito. She was in grief these past few days and neglected Ciaran.

“Ahmm…bed…” Esther whispered in between her moan.

Ciaran leaned back. “No need, sweetheart. We can do it here.”

“Is it comfortable?” Esther asked.

Ngumisi si Ciaran. “Then let’s make it comfortable.” Aniya saka ibinaba ang strap ng suot ni Esther na nightgown.

Napahawak naman si Esther sa gilid ng counter nang maramdaman niya ang paghawak ni Ciaran sa pribadong parte ng katawan niya.

Esther moaned as she let Ciaran touched her, kissed her and owned her.

But their steamy session didn’t end up in the kitchen, nasundan pa ito sa banyo at sa kwarto.

Ciaran was chuckling while eating breakfast while Esther was glaring at him.

“Don’t glare at me, sweetheart. Remember, you gave in too.”

“Iyon na nga, eh. Hindi tuloy ako nakapasok sa studio.”

“Gusto mo ulitin natin?” tanong ni Ciaran.

Inirapan ni Esther si Ciaran. “Tumigil ka. Ayaw ko na.”

“Sweetheart…” tawag ni Ciaran sa malambing na boses.

“No. A BIG NO!” Sabi ni Esther saka nagpatuloy sa pagkain. “Kumain na tayo. Late na late na late na tayo sa trabaho.”

Ciaran chuckled.

As they continued eating, Ciaran received a call.

“Lucien?”

“Kuya, the board was expecting you this afternoon.”

Ciaran rolled his eyes. “Paano kung hindi ako pupunta?” aniya.

“Mom will nag you again. Your…” tumikhim si Lucien, “—fiancée and her father are coming.”

“Lucien,” napabuga ng hangin si Ciaran, “wala akong fiancée. Isa pang banggit mo, i-hold ko ang Black Card mo.”

Lucien groaned. “Eh, ‘yon ang sabi ni Mommy. But don’t worry, Kuya, support ako sa inyo ni Esther.”

“Ate.” Ciaran corrected.

“Kuya, magkaedad lang yata kami ni Esther ‘no,” sabi ni Lucien saka pinatay ang tawag.

Napailing na lamang si Ciaran saka ibinaba ang cellphone sa lamesa. He groaned. “Another bored meeting.”

“Bored meeting? Hindi board meeting?” tanong ni Esther.

Ciaran frustratingly sighed. “The boards were only nag and nag. Kaya minsan nakakatamad ang pumunta, eh.”

Ngumiti si Esther. Mabuti na lang at wala siyang hinaharap na ganun sa buhay niya. She doesn’t want to talk with people who’s only in their mind was ‘profit margin’ and ‘legacy.’

Later that day, Ciaran and Esther parted ways. Ciaran went to the Vireaux Global while Esther went to her studio.

MIRA was staring at the screen of her laptop when she heard someone knocked on her door. Napatingin siya sa pinto at nagtaka kung sino ang pupunta sa kaniya.

She looked at the wall clock and it was already six in the evening. Hindi pa siya nakakaluto ng dinner niya. Well, hindi naman talaga siya nagluluto dahil hindi naman siya marunong, hanggang prito at instant noodles like ang kaya niyang lutuin. Before Esther met Ciaran, lagi siya sa condo ng kaibigan niya at doon nakikikain pero syempre iba na ngayon dahil may kasintahan na si Esther. Ayaw naman niyang maging third wheel kung sakali man.

She took her phone from the table and was about to order her dinner when the someone knocked again.

Alam niyang hindi si Esther ang pupunta sa kaniya dahil hindi kahit kumatok man ito, agad rin itong papasok.

Mira groaned as she stood and walked towards her door. Sumilip siya sa peephole at nakita niya si Lucien. Nagulat pa siya nang malamang ito ang kumakatok.

“Ano naman kaya ang ginagawa niya rito?” nagtatakang saad ni Mira saka binuksan ang pinto.

Lucien smiled and waved his hand. “Hi, beautiful.”

Mira gave Lucien a deadpan look. “Alam kong maganda ako. Pero anong ginagawa mo rito?” tanong niya saka pasimpleng pinagmasdan ang binata. Nakaformal suit pa rin ito pero hindi na nito suot ang necktie at coat. Nakatupi na rin ang suot nitong long sleeve hanggang siko.

“Hindi mo ba ako papasukin?”

Mira step aside. “Pasok ka.”

“I brought dinner. Magluluto sana ako pero wala akong energy.” Sabi ni Lucien habang papasok sa loob ng condo ni Mira.

Bumaba naman ang tingin ni Mira sa hawak ni Lucien na brown paper bag. “Mag-o-order sana ako.”

“Hindi ka talaga nagluluto?”

“Minsan. But you know me. I’m a Goddess of code. My hands were for keyboard, not for cooking.” Sabi ni Mira saka naglakad patungo sa lamesa.

Lucien followed Mira. “Bakit parang mukha kang problemado? May problema ka ba?” tanong niya.

Mira sighed. Umupo siya sa harapan ng laptop. “I keep thinking about it,” she muttered, scrolling through headlines for the third time that week. “The timeline doesn’t feel right.”

“You mean the collapse?” Lucien asked. Kumuha siya ng pinggan sa lalagyan at hinanda ang lamesa na para bang nakatira siya doon.

Tumango si Mira. “The materials for the upper floors were delayed two weeks before the collapse. Esther’s parents were supervising, but they weren’t even supposed to be on-site that day.”

Lucien leaned forward, intrigued now. “Why were they?”

Kinuha ni Mira ang printout na nasa upuan saka ibinigay ito kay Lucien. “Last-minute inspection. Unscheduled. No one even signed off on it official. And the subcontractor? Suddenly unreachable.”

Lucien scanned the page in silence. “Sanchez Height redevelopment…” he muttered.

“I thought maybe I was being paranoid,” Mira added. “But now? I’m starting to think someone made sure they’d be there.”

Natahimik si Lucien. “Who’s the company that handled the foundation analysis?”

“Polaris Firm,” tugon ni Mira. “Filed under a name that popped up in other shady contracts. I traced it back to an account with connections to—guess who?”

“Who?” tanong ni Lucien. Nawala na sa isipan niya ang paghahanda ng hapunan nila ni Mira.

Mira sighed. “You won’t believe it.”

“Try me.”

“Vireaux Global.”

Natigilan si Lucien.

“Vireaux Global was the primary developer, but I cannot track the contract for this project. I don’t know what happened,” Mira said. “This was for Esther. She just lost her parents. She’s trying so hard to survive.”

Lucien looked at the printout in his hands. “This is not my brother,” he said. “I’m not defending him just because he was my brother.” Kung tama ang pagkakaalala ni Lucien, ito ang project na hindi pinirmahan ng kapatid niya dahil sa may nakita itong mali sa disensyo.

“What do you mean?” tanong ni Mira.

“Bukod sa amin ni Kuya, may isa pang tao na pwedeng gumawa ng impossible sa Vireaux Global kahit walang kontrata.” Nag-igting ang panga ni Lucien. “My mother.”

Mira stilled. “The chairwoman?”

Lucien nodded. “But she doesn’t do accidents. Everything she touches is strategic.”

“Lucien, your mother won’t do accidents. But someone will for her.”

Kumuyom ang kamay ni Lucien. May ideya na siya kung sino pero ayaw niyang mag-conclude ng walang ebidensiya.

“Shall we tell them?” Mira asked.

“No,” mabilis na sabi ni Lucien. “Hindi ngayon. Wala pa tayong matibay na ebidensiya, Mira.”

“Fine, but not matter who it was. Kailangang managot.”

Lucien nodded quietly. But a fear was brewing in his heart. Hindi impossible na walang kinalaman ang ina niya sa nangyari lalo na at ayaw ng kaniyang ina kay Esther. His mother would do anything to break Ciaran and Esther.

“We find out the truth.” Lucien said.

Mira blinked. “Just like that?”

Lucien smiled bitterly. “I was raised on secrets, Mira. It’s about time I break a few.”