Leashed

Chapter 20

He’s gone insane. Ohm concluded about his ninong as he gritted his teeth while recalling their conversation over the phone. He couldn’t believe that he’d resort to a gamble where he’d bet his entire wealth just to make his daughter come home; however, what made him angry was that his supposed to be bethrotal to Neoma was utterly elbowed aside for something as outrageous as the marriage game he authored.

Talking to Wile Belmonte, to several others, could be considered a privilege, for his time was meant for those whom he could benefit from, whom he found amusing and, in seldom circumstances, those he considered special to him. Yet Ohm, the eventual king of the Consunji business empire and who was nearly his son-in-law had it not been for Neoma’s rampage at the church, couldn’t accept that even with how repetitive he called his office, he seemed to be disregarded at first.

“Boss,” Hart said as he approached him lying annoyed in a hospital bed, “His secretary has given your call to your ninong.”

He irkedly snatched the phone from his hand and pressed it against his ear. “Nong!”

“Yes, Ohm hijo.” He sensed his amusement on the other line, and he wasn’t in any way glad about it.

“I’ve been trying to call you! What’s—”

“Hijo, allow me to apologize. I just had important matters to take care of.”

Ohm, nonetheless, had a feeling at the back of his head that his ninong was toying with him; he finally realized how his fiancee must have felt having him as her father.

“Anyway, Nong, what’s this ‘Marriage Game’ about?”

When he was shown a replay of his ninong’s broadcasted message, he was peeved, since how could he promise marriage to any bachelor who could take his daughter home when his wedding with Neoma was still hanging?

“It is as you heard it, Ohm.”

This made him grip the phone in his hand roughly. “That’s ridiculous! I should be the only one to be wed to Neoma, then why—?”

“Then where is she now?”

The question startled him.

“You know what, Ohm, if you truly deserve my unica hija, she would have been by your side right now, but what happened? You couldn’t keep her.”

“I—”

“If you think that she really belongs to you, then be the first to bring her home to me.”

His hand was shaking, and the words he heard angered him. “Yes, Ninong, I will.”

“I’ll be looking forward to that, hijo.”

And Ohm tapped the end button to sever the call.

Plak! The device broke on the floor after he smashed it, and he took a deep breath to calm himself. Now that he had decided to be a player of this game, he must emerge as the victor.

He turned to look at his bodyguards who were standing adjacent to him. “What about our search party?”

Hart answered him. “They’ve just reached Dipolog, Boss.”

Sol who took it upon himself to be Neoma’s carriage, carefully placed her on the sofa in the living room of the beach house. He never actually received words of gratitude for it, but he felt very much alive since she needed him to be her eet temporarily.

Owel, behind them, just quietly watched things unfold.

Neoma, meanwhile, didn’t think much about that, since she had come up with a very interesting idea.

“Say,” she said with a smirk, “Why don’t we give our pursuers a hint of where we are?”

The two dogs extremely differed in their reactions. The other one widened his eyes and thought how crazy it was while the other was very excited.