KISSES & BEYOND (The Damned Series #1)

Kabanata 9

MONTEFRIO Marketing Corporation is a manufacturer of of one of the most famous food brands in the country. At the age of 22, the one and only heir of the Montefrio family, Caelian, was forced to inherit his family business after both of his parents died from an accident.

Caelian has been managing and unceasingly advancing his company's name in the business industry for seven years now. He could not remember the last time that he didn't even think about the company for once. Looking back, the company has always been the top of his list, the top of his priorities, the top of his life.

Kaya hindi niya mawari kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay naririto pa rin ito sa ospital at hindi makaalis. Kung bakit hindi niya magawang iwan ang babaeng hindi niya naman kaano-ano at ganoong kakilala. Kung bakit mas pinipili niya ito ngayon sa halip na ang kaniyang trabaho at kompanya.

He remembered what the doctor has told him this morning. Magiging napakalaking eskandalo nga kapag lumabas ito sa publiko. Hindi lang basta ang pangalan niya ang masisira kundi pati na ang kompaniyang pinaghirapan niya at ng mga magulang niya.

But when he lied and admitted on forcing Thana to have s*x with him this morning, hindi sumagi sa isip niya ang kompanya o kung ano mang maaaring idulot ng pag-amin niyang iyon. All that he had in mind was Thana. And what's even more baffling about it is that he didn't regret doing it.

Napamasahe ito ng sentido habang hawak-hawak ang telepono niyang nakatutok sa kaniyang tenga. Mas lalo namang sumasakit ang ulo niya sa naririnig sa kabilang linya.

"I've been trying to contact you since this morning, Cael!" Louis, one of his closest friends and at the same time his business partner, spatted from the other line.

"We've worked hard and waited for a long time just to have them invest with us. We were about to make that happen today. Today, Cael! And you didn't show up to that very important meeting!"

Louis' voice vibrated inside his head. He is becoming annoyed as his headache is getting worse. But he knows too that he is the one at fault and that he deserves the blame and all the scoldings that Louis has in store for him.

"Just where the f**k were you all day?! What the f**k were you doing instead of coming here or checking your phone, huh?!"

Napatanaw ito sa malaking bintana sa dulo ng pasilyong kinaroroonan niya. It was only after sunrise when he arrived here with Thana, and now the sun is about to set. He hasn't eaten anything from morning. But if there's anything that he wanted to do, it would only be to see Thana.

"I'm at the hospital," he finally says.

"What?! Were you in an accident?! What the f**k happe‒"

"I'm fine. I'll talk to you later or tomorrow. I'll call you back."

Hindi na ito naghintay pa ng sagot ng kaibigan at binaba na ang telepono. He continues massaging his temple, thinking it could help in his headache. He hasn't drunk even a drop of water nor a spoon of a proper meal.

Mula kaninang umaga ay naghihintay lamang ito sa labas ng kwarto ni Thana. Sinigurado kasi ng doktora na hindi ito makakalapit sa dalaga. Nagpalagay pa ito ng isang gwardiya para magbantay sa labas ng kwarto ng dalaga, upang siguraduhin din na hinding-hindi makakapasok si Caelian sa loob.

Only the nurses and the doctor could enter. Gayunpaman, hindi ito nagpumilit. He would wait until they allow him, he could wait until Thana is finally okay and can be discharged. After all, he is the only place and person that Thana can go home to right now. Ayaw niyang lumabas ng kwartong ito si Thana at hindi siya makita.

"I'll tell the nurse to give you some Tylenol later."

Agad itong napaangat ng tingin matapos marinig ang pamilyar na boses ng doctor.

"Dr. Mendrez," wika ng ginang habang inaabot ang kamay sa kaniya. "I'm sorry, we didn't have a proper introduction this morning."

Naguguluhan man sa biglang pag-iba ng pakikitungo sa kaniya ng doktor ay dinaluhan niya pa rin ang kamay nito.

"Caelian. Caelian Montefrio."

"I know. We all know." She beamed. Iminuwestra niya ang upuan para maupo sila.

Caelian couldn't wait anymore to know Thana's condition. Pero mas pinili nito ang hintaying magsalita ang doktora. He just felt like there's something that she wants to tell him.

"I'm sorry about this morning," paninimula niya. Both of them stared at the white wall in front of them.

"You know, you have quite a reputation among women so..."

Hindi man dugtungan pa iyon ng doktora, nakuha na agad ni Caelian ang ibig sabihin nito. He is not offended. After all, he made that reputation for himself.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Doc. I did something terrible, something that I shouldn't have."

Napansin ni Caelian ang pagbaling sa kaniya ng ginang. Napatingin din siya rito, sinalubong ang tila nanunukat na titig nito.

"You have quite a bad reputation but you're unsurprisingly a good man." Humagikgik ang ginang pagkatapos na siya namang nagpataka sa kaniya.

"Sinabi ni Thana sakin ang totoong nangyari."

Caelian looked straight at her, suddenly becoming worried that the doctor now knows the secret that he wanted to keep. Pero ang pagngiti ng doktora ay tila nagpalagay sa kaniya na magiging ligtas at mananatili ang sikretong iyon sa pagitan nilang dalawa.

"Do you want to see her?"

He glanced at the door outside of Thana's room and just noticed that the guard is now gone. Tumayo na ang doktora at nagpatiuna sa paglakad papunta sa pinto. He didn't hesitate anymore and quickly rose from the seat.

"Hinahanap ka niya mula pa kaninang umaga. I'm sorry, hinusgahan kita kaagad, pinagbawalan pa kitang makita siya at ang makapasok."

His headache quickly subsided the moment he saw her face. She is in the bed and sound asleep. It doesn't matter. He might have liked this better, because this way, he could stare at her longer, as much as he wants.

"Fortunately, it's not a serious injury. She didn't need any stitches," Dr. Mendrez tells him.

That rosy hue is now back on Thana's face and lips. Ngayon, alam niyang maayos na ito, hindi na kagaya nitong umaga na maputla.

Thana looks like a sleeping princess on her bed. He suddenly became afraid of coming closer. Hindi niya alam ang gagawin. Natatakot ito na kahit na sa simpleng paghawak niya lamang dito ay masaktan ang dalaga.

He worriedly glances at the doctor, as if asking for rescue.

"I don't know how I could take care of her. What should I do, Doc?"

Saglit na nagulat ang ginang sa tinanong nito at kalaunan ay napangiti. She went at the side of the bed, just close enough for her to reach Thana's head and caress it.

"Ang sabi niya, hindi ito ang unang beses na nangyari ito sa kaniya. During the first time, she thought she would die of the pain. During the second time, she wished she should've just died during the first time."

Caelian quickly felt a sudden thrust of anger inside his chest. Naghimutok ang mga ugat niya sa braso dahil sa pakuyom. He could only clench his fist tighter. The only thought he had was that it was only right that he killed her mother, and he would never regret doing it.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mendrez could only sympathize with her in silence. It has been a really painful and terrible life for such a young woman. Dr. Mendrez has a daughter, herself. At ang malamang may isang ina na makakayang gawin iyon sa sarili niyang anak, she can't help but become furious, she wanted to punish her mother and take back the life that she took away from Thana. But she is just her doctor, what is she even capable of doing other than treating her?

The beeping of her pager was the only thing that pulled her back to reality. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ito matapos makita ang nakalagay sa pager.

"She already knows what to do, she can take care of herself. You just need to be there for her."

Inayos niya pa muna ang kumot ng dalaga bago ito nag-umpisa nang maglakad papalayo.

"Maiwan ko na muna kayong dalawa. Just call the nurses if you need anything."

Hindi umimik si Caelian, hindi pa rin inaalis ang tingin sa dalaga. Dr. Mendrez could see from his expression that there's a lot of things going on inside his mind. But she refused to meddle with it. Napangiti na lamang ito. She saw the Caelian who is different from what the public knows, and that was enough for her to leave Thana in his hands.

Only when he heard the doorknob being twisted did he finally speak.

"How old is she, Doc?"

Gulat namang napalingon ulit ang ginang sa kaniya. "You don't know?"

Nanatiling nakatalikod sa kaniya si Caelian, hindi sumagot. Dr. Mendrez figured out that she was right. Walang sinabi sa kaniya si Thana kung ano man ang koneksyon nito kay Caelian o kung paano sila nagkakilala. All she knows is that Caelian wasn't trying to hurt Thana in any way.

"She's 20," tugon nito.

Other than being surprised, Caelian was relieved. If she turned out to be really a minor, he'd send himself in the jail, himself. Masyado niya nang napagsamantalahan ang dalaga sa isipan niya. Every time he sees her, although it's hard for him to just even get close to her, all he could think about was sensual stuff. If he could, he would strip her clothes off right at this very moment regardless of the doctor watching. But that's only if he could. Right now, he is powerless. Lifting a finger is even too hard for him to do when it comes to this girl, Thana.

A warm smile unconsciously crept on his face.

"If she was younger than that, what would you do?" the doctor asked him.

Nasagot niya na sa isipan ang katanungang iyon. Siya mismo ang magpaparusa sa sarili. Even if he is a beast when it comes to s*x and a certified jerk when it comes to women, never in his life had he ever wished nor wanted to f**k around with kids. Mabuti na lang at hindi isang menor de edad ang babaeng ito.

"Find her a good home, I guess?"

Bahagyang napangisi ang doktora. "Is your home not good?"

He has every good thing for Thana and he can have every thing that she will ask for. But he also knew that he is not the kind of person that Thana should be around with. Because he knew himself that... he is a dangerous man.

He let out a bitter smile. "I can't be her parent."

"Then you're lucky she's older."

He was confused with the doctor's quick response. Nilingon niya ito ngunit ang pagkindat lamang ang ginanti sa kaniya ng ginang.

She was about to leave again but stopped, and turned to him once more.

"Nasaan nga pala ang magulang niya?"

Caelian felt a thump of anguish at the back of his head. Napatagis ang bagang nito.

"Did she ask about them?"

Umiling ang doktora. "I'm just curious."

Para itago ang namumuo na namang galit sa mukha niya ay binalik niyang muli kay Thana ang tingin.

"I don't have any idea of their whereabouts too," he lied.

Ang walang kaalam-alam na doktor ay napatango-tango lamang.

"I don't know what happened and how you ended up being together, but I believe that it's for the better. That it's best for her to be with you," was her final say before finally leaving them alone.

There was only silence on Caelian's side. Ang banayad na paghinga ni Thana ay nagpapalagay sa kaniya. Halos hindi niya na dama ang pagsakit ng ulo. Nakita niya ang balingkinitang mga daliri nitong sumisilip sa ilalim ng kumot. He wanted to hold them, to feel them. But he doubted if that would the right thing to do.

Sa huli ay napabuntong-hininga na lang ito.

"I wonder if that's true..." bulong nito matapos marinig ang pagsarado na ng pinto sa kaniyang likuran.