A Deal with the Devil

CHAPTER 1

"Alkina, iha. Mag-iingat ka doon," naiiyak na sabi ng matandang babae habang mahigpit itong nakakapit sa aking mga braso. Nanunubig ang aking mga mata habang pinipilit ang aking sarili na ngumiti sa matanda.

"Manang Lilia, ma mi-miss ko po k-kayo..." My voice broke after I said those words. Pinilit ko ang aking sarili na hindi umiyak sa harap nito. I bit my lips hard and looked at the woman.

"Ako din, iha. Mag-iingat ka palagi, kung maging mahirap man. Huwag kang magdadalawang isip na bumalik dito," may diin na sabi nito. Marahan akong tumango sa kaniya.

Simula noong ako'y mag-isa na lang at naghihirap, si Manang, na dati naming kasambahay lang ang nagpasyang tumulong sa akin. Lahat ng aming mga tauhan noon ay nasilaw sa pera at tuluyan na nga kaming tinalikuran.

In those painful days, I will be always grateful towards Manang. When we lost everything and didn't even have a single cent with us, she didn't hesitate to help us.

After we lost everything, my Mother suddenly died and my Father got prisoned. Everything happened so fast that I think we were being punished.

Those days still hunts me. Well, they are already part of my life. I guess wounds will fade, but scars will remain and will always remind me of those painful days.

Marahan kong pinahid ang luhang tumulo sa aking pisngi at marahan itong nginitian. Tumango lang ito at ngumiti. Tumalikod na ako sa kaniya at sumalubong sa aking paningin ang aking kaibigan.

"Lexie, let's go..." I mumbled softly to my friend who has been silently watching us. She nodded her head at nagpa-alam na kay Manang. Dahan-dahan kaming naglakad pa punta sa kotse niya.

Lexie is my childhood friend. She's been secretly helping me since she will be in trouble if her Tita found out. Kagaya ko ay mag-isa na lang din si Lexie. Sa kaniyang Tita ito nakatira ngayon.

Hindi kagaya ng iba, ang Tita ni Lexie ay hindi mabait sa kaniya. Lexie's Aunt is the sister of her dead Father, pero hindi ata nito gusto na nakatira si Lexie sa kanila. Ana also, I don't know why but her Aunt seems to hate our family. Simula noong nalaman nito na magkaibigan kami ni Lexie, pinagbantaan niya ito na palalayasin kapag pinagtuloy niya ang aming pagkakaibigan.

But fortunately, Lexie treasured our friendship more than anyone else. I even cried when she said to me that it's fine even if her Aunt would throw her away, she just wants to help me and stay.

"Ma m-miss ka namin ate Narine..." naiiyak ng wika ng batang si Popoy. I looked at the 7-year-old boy and patted his head softly. Ngumiti ako nang marahan at hinawakan ang dalawang balikat nito.

"Ako din, ma mi miss ko kayong lahat," naiiyak na sabi ko habang pinagmamasdan ang mga apo ni Manang Lilia.

In the past years that I have been here, napalapit na ako sa mga ito. Sumikip ang aking dibdib habang pinagmamasdan sila.

Popoy, the youngest is crying silently. Marlo, isang apo ni Manang Lilia ay hindi makatingin sa akin at si Ally, na sampung taong gulang na babae ay umiiyak habang nakayakap kay Manang.

Nanubig ang aking mga mata habang pinagmamasdan ang pangalawa ko ng pamilya. They helped and welcomed me with wide arms. I promise to repay their kindness someday.

"Hali nga kayo, payakap si Ate Narine," naiiyak na sabi ko habang isa-isa ko silang niyakap.

"Ikaw, Popoy ha. Huwag kang maging pasaway," mahinang sabi ko habang yakap-yakap ang pinakabunso. Humiwalay ito sa pagkakayakap sa akin at tumango. Napangiti na lang ako at niyakap naman si Marlo na hindi makatingin sa akin.

"At Ikaw din Marlo, alagaan mong mabuti si Popoy. Huwag na kayong mag-away," nakangiti kong sabi sa kaniya. Tumingin ito sa akin at doon ko nakita ang namumula nitong mga mata. My heart ache at that sight.

"O-opo..." Mas lalo itong umiyak pagkatapos ko itong mayakap. Tumayo ako at lumapit kay Ally na kanina pa rin umiiyak.

"Ally..." marahan kong tawag sa babae. Lumingon ito sa akin sabay hiwalay sa pagkakayakap kay Manang. Mabilis niya akong niyakap nang mahigpit.

"A-ate, h-huwag k-ka n-ng u-umalis p-please..." she muttered sobbing. Halos hindi ko na maintindihan ang sinabi nito dahil sa kaniyang pag-iyak. Mas lalong sumakit ang aking puso dahil do'n.

"Shh, huwag ka ng umiyak..." pagpapatahan ko sa umiiyak na bata. Umiling-iling ito at mas hinigpitan ang pagkakayakap sa akin. I sighed in pain. Of course, nasasaktan din ako. Ayoko ring umalis, but I have to.

"A-ally, iha. Hali ka na, aalis na si Ate Narine mo..." marahang tawag ni Manang Lilia kay Ally sabay hila dito. Humiwalay si Ally sa akin sabay tago ng kaniyang mukha sa tiyan ni Aling Lilia.

Tumayo ako at pinagpagan ang aking damit. Ngumiti ako kay Manang sabay kuha sa aking bag at mga gamit.

"Alis na po ako, Manang," nakangiti kong pagpapaalam sa matanda kahit sobrang sakit na ng aking puso. Tumango lang ito at ngumiti.

"Huwag mong kakalimutan mga sinabi ko iha. Mag-iingat ka doon," may diin na sabi nito sa akin. Tumango ako, nakangiti.

Noong nalaman nito ang mga plano ko, muntik na itong hinimatay. Pagkatapos noon ay isang araw niya akong pinagsabihan at pinaalahanan.

I smiled warmly. She treats me like her own relatives. I don't have any cousins. My father and mother are both unica ijo and ija.

That's why I don't have any cousins. Yung mga relatives naman ng Mama at Papa ko ay nasa malayo. Hindi ko rin naman sila nakilala kaya hindi ako makahingi ng tulong.

"Are you okay?" nag-aalalang tanong ni ni Lexie nang makapasok na kami sa kaniyang kotse. Napalingon ako sa kaniya at marahang tumango. Ngumiti ito at hinawakan ang aking kamay.

"Are you sure about this Narine? Baka mapahamak ka." Nag-aalala ang mukha niya habang nakatingin sa akin. I smiled softly at her to show that it's alright.

"It's okay. I need to do this," marahan kong sabi sa kaibigan. She sighed and nodded her head. Napangiti na lang ako.

"Basta, mag-iingat ka okay?" Nakangiti akong tumango sa kaniya. She alsi smiled and started the engine. I leaned my back at the backrest and look outside.

Lexie worries a lot. She is worried about my plan. Even though she's against the idea of taking revenge, she didn't say anything and just support me.

I need to do this. It's been 8 years since the last time I saw their faces. I was still 17 at that time when they abused our family. Sa panahong iyon ay wala akong nagawa kung hindi tingnan lang ang kanilang mga ginawa.

Well, what can I do? I was helpless at that time. I'm underage and didn't know about anything. I was naive and innocent. Even though we lost everything, my parents love for me didn't change. I'm grateful that my parents didn't abandoned nor sell me to some arrange marriage when we don't have anything left.

Noong namatay si Mom, at nakulong si Dad, si Manang Lilia at Lexie lang ang mga taong tumulong sa akin. Sinama ako ni Manang sa kaniyang probinsya at para doon magtago.

I, no we suffered a lot, that's why I'm going to get my sweetest revenge on them. Those faces, I can't wait to see them crawling beneath me.

Sure ako na nagsasaya ang mga iyon sa kayaman na hindi nila pinaghirapan. That wealth and properties are my parent's hard work. Dugo't pawis ang ibunuhos nila makamit lang iyon.

I can't just let them live happily forever. Kailangan din nilang maranasan ang paghihirap at sakit na naranasan ng aking pamilya.

Napatingin ako sa harap ng kalsada nang bigla na lang huminto ang sasakyan. We're going to the richest city in the country. Napatingin ako sa malaking billboard.

I gulped and my heart pounded when I saw the picture of the man who's going to be the key to my revenge.

The powerful and influential bachelor in town, Alexander Bryle Wynknight.

His black hair that seems darker than the night sky is neatly combed. His thick eyebrows and long eyelashes seem beautiful than any other being. His pointed nose and cherry-like lips were tempting. What a godlike beauty.

His eyes were like those of an autumn sky. He is smirking at the camera but he feels different. Napalunok na lang ako bigla. Why does his smile felt so intimidating?

Alexander Bryle Wynknight, the famous bachelor. At the age of 20, he's already known. He founded his company at a young age, and now, he is 30 years.

Can I do this?

Napatanong na lang ako sa aking sarili habang pinagmamasdan ang billboard. That man is smiling, but his eyes aren't. Alexander is well known for his achievements, but aside from that, there are also rumors about him.

Every time you see him in public, he's always wearing a smile. A smile that deceives a lot of people. People always see him as a kind person but little did they know, he's the devil himself.

He is heartless, cold, and very arrogant. I knew about this because of Lexie. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako. Kahit kinakabahan ay pinipilit ko parin ang sarili na magpakatatag.

I need this man for my plan. I can't let myself be intimidated by this. I'm going to make a deal with the devil, I hope this works.