Vows under the Gun

Chapter 6 Caged

ETHEL

Nakaluhod ang mga tuhod ko sa carpet. Nakatitig ako sa mga disenyo nito pero ang nasa isipan ko ay ang mukha ni Elias.

"You know how much I hate putting my name in shame."

Napapikit ako ng mariin nang sabihin iyon ni Pietro. Hindi ko maangat ang ulo ko, nakayuko lamang ako habang siya ay nasa kalayuan. Nakatayo sa kabila ng table niya. Nandito kami sa study office niya rito sa mansion. Habang ako ay nakaluhod sa dulo ng carpet rito sa sala set ng study office niya.

Naikuyom ko ang kamay ko sa carpet ng may diin. I can still remember those fearful night back in the Verona mansion where I get beaten up everytime I made a mistake. Fear started building up in my chest.

"I'm sorry, please d-don't tell my Mom." Pakikiusap ko at hindi ko naitago ang nginig at takot sa boses ko.

Nangilid ang luhako habang nakatitig pa rin sa carpet nang ilang minuto ang tinagal hindi nagsalita si Pietro pero tumambad ang pares ng itim na makintab na sapatos sa paningin ko. He's right infront of me.

Pietro never harmed me. We are not an ordinary married couple. We are like strangers living on the same roof with the excuse of marriage. Ang kasal namin ay para sa alyansa ng Hughs at Verona at wala nang iba.

Hindi ako nag-angat ng tingin nang umupo ito sa harapan ko at naramdam ko ang kamay nito sa baba ko para iangat ang mukha ko.

Marahas kong inangat ang ulo ko at sumalubong sa paningin ko ang malamig at puno ng misteryong tingin ni Pietro.

He never smiles, his eyes never sparks of joy, they're full of malice and intent to kill.

One thing that most matters to him is his family name. He never wants it to be tarnished nor be in shame. He treasures loyalty more than anything else in this world.

"Tell me..." Tumigil ang malalim at baritono nitong boses habang ako ay napapalunok.

"...why did you do this without informing me?" Nag-igting ang panga nito at humigpit ang hawak nito sa panga ko na ikinangiwi ko.

Nagdilim ang tingin nito pero ramdam ko ang pagtitimpi nitong saktan ako.

"G-Gusto kong matulungan ka." Nahihirapang sagot ko pero iyon ang totoo.

Before I found Elias and met him, and before I found out that he's the boss of Navarro, the aim of my mission was to broaden the power of Hughs and Verona. Powerful enouh for them to let me go and forget a peasant like me. After all, they only care about their business and wealth.

Ramdam ko ang pagluwag ng hawak ni Pietro sa panga ko habang nakatitig sa mukha ko.

"I don't need your help. Just be the wife you always had been. Obedient and invisible. After all, you are just like an hostage to me." Madiin ang bawat salita nito nang may karahasab nitong binitawan ang panga ko.

Kumabog ang dibdib ko sa takot. Pietro and I never came eye to eye like that.

Tumayo na ito pero hindi ko tanggap ang sinabi niya. Before I found out about Elias, I was a responsible wife. I always oversee his business whenever he's away and I never heard any appreciation from him.

Tiningala ko siya na ngayon ay nakatingin saakin ng matalim.

"That's unfair." May pag-uudyok na sabi ko and I saw how his jaw tightened once more.

Tumayo ako at hinarap siya.

I don't know where I'm getting the guts to look at him eye to eye like this. He can kill me anytime without a second thought.

Nagsalubong ang kilay niya at mukhang hinihintay ang sasabihin ko.

"Your father is bed ridden. Your siblings are living their own life. Your consigliere is not in the country. I am the one managing and looking out for you business hear for the past 6 months that you were away. Now you're probably wondering why I had the guts to come toe to toe with the Navarro? Well, there's your explanation." I paused.

Nakita ko ang gulat sa mata niya pero mukhang pinigilan niya iyong ipakita.

"I am never your invisible wife. I am never your hostage. You are the invisible one here to me, but I am not sure about the hostage one." Matapang na pagsasalita ko.

"All I know was that your mother was the one entrusted by my grandpa to manage iur businesses here whenever I'm away." Nanliliit ang matang sabi nito.

Umiling ako. "No-"

Naiwang nakabuka ang bibig ko nang bigla nitong dakmain ang leeg ko at sinakal ako. Nahihirapang napaubo ako sa pagasgas ng lalamunan ko dahil sa biglang pagsakal nito saakin.

"Don't forget that your familt was the one who insisted on this marriage. Huwag mong ipamukha saakin ang mga bagay na dapat lang na ginagawa mo. It won't also excuse you from this shame you brought upon me. I am not scared of Helio Navarro, but I have no reason to clash with him. Not with the history of our family with his. So go and just be the invisible wife you've been to me and don't ever make the same mistake again." Puno ng diing sambit nito at binitawan ako ng marahas bago ako iniwan..

Hinabol ang hiningang napaubo-ubo ako. Nangingilid ang luha kong matalim ang tinging sinundan ang likod nito hanggang sa mawala na ito sa paningin ko.

Everything of this makes me sick. But I need to stand firm. Kumuyom ang kamao ko.

I promise that I will never stay like this forever. I will never be at anyone's mercy. Not to Pietro, not to my fake mother, not to Helio Navarro.

Because for me, they're now all the same.

The way Helio pointed his gun at me is just the same as Pietro strangling me. They're ruthless, they're killers.

I guess that Elias will just remain asthe Elias I know 10 years ago, and I'll just keep him in my heart forever. Not the Helio I saw, and there's no way I'll love the same kind of man who made my life miserable for the past 10 years.

It's now kill or be killed.

Pinunasan ko ang luha ko at huminga ng malalim. Hindi ko man inasahan ang resultang ito dahil hindi ko rin inasahan na si Elias ang makikita ko. Pero hindi rito nagtatapos ang lahat.

It may not be Helio, but I can definitely work my way out once I've gained something else from someone else.

I know there's still that Senator that Pietro has been trying to be friends with. I will make my way out to him.

Maingay ang mga takong kong lumabas ng study office. The mansion is huge but I seldom see family members on the same room I walk passed.

It's a mansion nearby sea. We're in Visayas region where there are more water forms than land.

Bumalik ako sa kwarto ko at mabilis na inabot ang telepono.

Huminga ako ng malalim habang sinusubukang tawagan ang mga tauhan ko sa Verona. I know that they're following my Mom's orders but I'd rather trust them than Pietro's men. After all, he made it clear that I am no one for him other than a hostage.

"Find out about Senator Gua's wife. Send me the details right away." Utos ko nang sumagot ang kabilang linya.

I just heard a confirmation response and I ended the call.

Habang nakaupo sa gilid ng kama ay napatingin ako sa full door mirror ng malaki kong cabinet.

I stared at myself. Then I remember how I used to look like 10 years ago.

Lumamlam ang mga mata ko. Ibang-iba ang hitsura ko pero nakilala niya pa rin ako.

He insisted that I was Ethel, and he was right.

Malungkot akong napangiti.

Hindi ko alam kung anong nangyari at bakit gayon ang buhay niya ngayon. But one things is clear. Our fate shall never cross again.

I am now married with his rival mafia group, and knowing that, he should be aware that the past we had is now nothing but memories. We should forget about it.

But damn... he looked way better and hotter now. I've never imagine for him to be like that. He's so manly.

Napapikit ako at napailing. I should get him out of my head.

But I suddenly rememwbr what he said.

He's been looking for me for these past years to take his revenge.

I guess I hurt him that bad to hold his grudge against me for a long time.

Mabuti ngang hindi na muling magtagpo ang landas namin.