His First Obsession

Chapter 18: Someone's Spying?

Dale's POV

As I took my seat here in the pool chair, I can't help but observe the group of people that were busy managing Althea's photoshoot from this distance. Nahagip ng aking paningin ang isang babaeng naka itim na pencil skirt, tucked in fitted beige polo shirt and a white flat sandals.

She's tall, had black short hair, and white skin that complements her outfit for today.

Not too simple, yet not too extravagant. Just perfect.

Did I just say perfect?

"Bella! Miss A is looking for you!" the lady with a pair of eyeglasses called her. She hurriedly put the things that she brought and follow the lady wearing an eyeglass without any question.

Hmm, obedient. I like it.

Nang mawala na siya sa aking paningin, biglang may tumapik sa aking balikat kaya napalingon ako sa kung sino man ang gumawa non.

"Seb, kanina pa ako nagsasalita rito," Ivan said with a crease on his forehead. "Nakikinig ka ba talaga sa'kin?" he continued and raise an eyebrow at me.

I took my shades and look at him straight into his eyes. "I'm busy," I said in a plain tone. Halos umirap naman siya sa tugon ko.

"Busy my ass, wala ka namang ginagawa."

"I'm observing," I said and wear my sunglasses again and rest my back on the chair. I saw Van at the peripheral view of my eye scratching his head in annoyance. I smirked at what I just witnessed.

Ngayon, alam mo na ang pakiramdam ng magsalita sa taong hindi nakikinig. That's one of his traits that I didn't like about him.

"You're enjoying the view too much," dinig kong sambit ni Van sa gilid kaya napatingin ulit ako sa kanya. Nakahiga na rin siya sa pool chair kagaya ko habang inuunan ang isang braso.

Ininguso niya ang pool na may mga babaeng naliligo at panay ang tingin sa aming direksyon.

Tss.

"It's not the view that I wanted," I said and turn my gaze back to where the photoshoot is held. She came back to the tent kaya kitang-kita ko na siya mula dito sa distansya ko.

Last night, it's not really my intention to break the barrier between the two of us. I somewhat felt guilty for kissing her in an instant and did those nasty things on her body, but it doesn't change the fact that she's enjoying it too, maybe not as much I did but still, I can feel it the way she responded last night.

At dahil naudlot 'yon kagabi, I'm starting to crave for more.

"I knew it, you're into Althea's consultant. Kanina pa kita napapansin simula pa nong kumain siya sa table natin. You're starting to get visible, huh. Mukhang iba na 'yan Sebastian ah," Van said and laugh a little.

"Oh shut up, you knew I'm not interested in any serious relationship."

"Bato-bato sa langit, ang matamaan huwag magalit," ngumisi ng pagkaloko ang isa habang nakatingin sa'kin.

Great! Here we go again.

Umiling nalang ako atsaka itinuon ang aking paningin sa ibang direksyon. If I'm going to explain myself, he'll just mock me and call me for being so 'defensive'. So it would be better if I shut my mouth and remain calm.

This is pure lust, I'm just lusting over Bella's body. Nothing more to mention.

Napabuga ako ng hangin atsaka tuluyang tumayo mula sa pagkakahiga. Napatingin naman sa'kin si Van at taka akong tinignan.

I removed my shades and gave him my serious face, he eventually got the idea so he automatically stood up and walk with me back to our hotel room.

"Call Althea and let her know that we're leaving," I said in a calm tone.

"I will," he said without looking at me.

Kanina ko pa 'to nararamdaman, and I'm pretty sure Van also felt it. Someone is spying on us, I don't know who or how many of them are here in this place, but one thing is for sure. Whoever he, she, or they might be, it's not making any move to do harm against us, maybe for now.

"Akala ko hindi mo nararamdaman kaya binalewala ko na lang din," Van uttered as we're waiting for the elevator to open.

"Sa tingin mo, may kinalaman kaya 'to kay Meire?" He's pertaining to my younger sister. Franchesca Meire Sieberg o mas kinilala bilang Rose Meredith Mercalli, ay naging mainit sa mata ng mga kalaban namin noon.

She's our Queen in Ekdikisi Mafia, her own mafia organization, it was built due to her eagerness to commit the justice that she wants for her foster parents-- whom later on she knew as her own abductors.

At dahil hindi lang iisang mafia ang nakaharap namin noon, we are somewhat popular in the Underground World; a world where illegal crimes are normal.

"I don't think so, Van. If Meire was really their target in the first place, why are they spying on me and not her?" Napaisip naman si Van sa gilid, nasa loob na kami ng elevator.

"I got their interest that's why they were observing me from afar, but I wonder why," I said and maintain a calm face while putting both of my hands inside my pockets.

It's been a while since that last time I got involved in a serious matter in the Underground World. After Meire's wedding, we haven't been exposing our guns to an opponent. During those times, I felt like I am just a normal individual.

"Hindi kaya dahil nalaman nila na ikaw ang susunod na yapak sa iyong ama? Your father's influence and power in the underground was excessive and indeed fascinating that captivates other organization's interest," seryosong sambit ni Van sa gilid.

The Sieberg's Mafia Org ranked 1 in the underground world a few decades ago. Whenever a specific mafia org or any individual on the battlefield saw an eagle with a double arrow emblem, they will certainly run out for their lives. At dahil diyan, marami ang may gustong ipabagsak ang aking ama.

My father, Maxus Sieberg, is known as The Predator, he hunts his prey using his claws and arrows that I inherit. Bata pa lang ako, maaga na akong inimulat ni Dad sa mundo niya, he trained me like there's no tomorrow and he had no room for failures.

The moment my mother died and my sister was abducted, his world turned upside-down. Napabayaan na niya ang lahat, his businesses, the mafia, himself, and even me. He almost forgot that he had a son.

All the hard works and sufferings that I experienced in his hands led me to become a better individual. I somewhat thank him for being too tough and merciless at me, in that way I managed to help myself without seeking others.

"That's probably one of the reasons Van, but whatever it is, I don't give a damn about it. Hinding-hindi ko sila aatrasan," I said and clenched my jaw.

It seems like they are looking forward to the new Predator in the Underground World.

In this normal world, I'm a doctor who saves lives but in the world where I grew up, I was known for killing people.

How ironic wasn't it? I save and take life at the same time...

Bella's POV

Sa wakas! Natapos din namin ang photoshoot. Dahil maganda ang araw ngayon, mas napabilis kami sa kung ano man ang dapat gawin. We didn't expect that in less than 3 hours ay mamatapos kaagad kami.

Althea is very professional, she really knows what she's doing. Hindi nahirapan si Rijanyl sa pagkuha sa kanya ng litrato dahil siya mismo, alam na alam kung saang angle ang talagang babagay sa kanya.

"Good job team! As we finished our job today, may all of you rest well throughout this day," sambit nong baklang manager ng production team. Siya 'yong inutusan ako kahapon na tumulong sa kanila.

Kanina niya pa lang nalaman na ako ang consultant ni Althea, kaya panay ang sorry siya sa'kin, halos lumuhod na nga siya. Napatawad ko naman kaagad, hindi rin naman kasi niya kasalanan. Tsaka, yung ilan nga din ngayon lang nila nalaman na may consultant ang boss nila kung hindi lang ako pinakilala ni Althea sa buong team.

Naghiyawan naman ang lahat sa sinabi nung manager atsaka isa-isang bumalik sa kanilang mga hotel room para magpahinga bago kami tuluyang umalis sa Paraiso de Villamor.

Nilapitan ko si Althea ng makitang malungkot siya habang may kinakausap sa phone.

"Is everything fine?" I asked after she dropped the call.

Kaagad naman siyang napaligon sa'kin atsaka ngumiti ng pilit. "Yeah, of course," she said. Napabuntong hininga ako atsaka hinaplos ang kanyang buhok.

"You're not a good liar," ani ko na ikinanguso niya.

"Kasi naman bigla nalang akong tinawagan ni Van kanina, tapos sabi niya nakaalis na raw sila ng resort," she crossed her arms while pouting. This childish side of her is definitely cute.

May kung ano naman akong naramdaman ng sabihin niya 'yon. Hindi ako nanghihinayang, subalit mas napanatag ang loob ko sa sinabi niya. At last, that Dale finally left.

I don't need to see his face again here.

*****

Nang makabalik na kaming lahat sa mga kwarto namin, biglang tumunog ang phone ko. Dali-dali ko naman 'yong kinuha atsaka sinagot ng makita ko ang caller.

Beatrice is calling...

"Hello?" bungad ko sa kanya.

[Ate! Kumusta ka na diyan? Baka masyado mo nang pinipilit ang sarili mo sa trabaho ha? Magagalit talaga kami ni Papa sa'yo,] ani niya. Hindi ko naman maiwasang mapangiti sa sinabi niya.

"Okay lang ako dito huwag kayong mag-alala, mamaya makakauwi na rin ako diyan."

[Buti naman po kung ganon,] tugon niya. Paniguradong nakangiti rin 'to sa kabilang linya.

[Ate mo ba 'yan? Akin na ng makausap ko rin.] Dinig na dinig ko ang boses ni papa. Hearing their voices from the other line makes me feel calm. Nakakagaan lang sa pakiramdam ng malaman kong okay lang sila.

[Bella, anak,] mas lumawak ang ngiti ko ng marinig ko si Papa.

"Pa," tugon ko.

[Kumusta ka na diyan? Kailan ka ba uuwi?] Napatawa ako ng mahina sa sinabi niya.

"Okay lang po ako rito. Makakauwi na rin ako ngayon, mamaya nandiyan na ako sa bahay. Kayo po diyan? Kumusta kayo?"

[Nako, wag kang mag-alala sa'min, okay na okay kami ni Bea rito. Diba anak?--Opo ate! Okay na okay kami, miss na miss ka na rin namin kaya dapat ngayon makauwi ka na haaa?] sigaw naman ni Bea sa kabilang linya.

[Oh diba? Okay na okay kami rito,] sabi ni papa na may halong tawa.

"Mabuti naman po kung ganon," nakangiti ko pa ring sambit.

[Ah siya nga pala anak, pumunta rito ang mama mo kahapon.] Nawala na lang bigla ang ngiti na sumisilay sa aking labi ng marinig ko ang sinabi ni papa.

"Ano na naman po ang kailangan niya?"

[Iniimbita niya tayo sa isang maliit na salo-salo. Wala akong sinabi sa kanya na pupunta tayo o hindi dahil gusto muna kitang kausapin tungkol dito.] Napabuga ako ng hangin at muntikan ng mapairap.

Ano na naman ang nasa utak niya para imbitahan kami? Ilang beses na kaming inimbitahan ni mama sa mga salo-salo nila pero kaagad ko 'yon tinatanggihan. Para saan pa? Para ipaglandakan niya sa'min kung gaano na siya kataas ngayon? At kami na tunay niyang mga pamilya ay lugmok na lugmok na iniwan niya?

Ang kapal naman ng mukha niya...

[Nak? Nandiyan ka pa ba?]

"O-Opo, pasensya na po may iniisip lang." Narinig kong bumuntong hininga si papa sa kabilang linya. Hindi ko naman maiwasang malungkot dahil alam kong gustong-gustong makita ni papa si mama kahit na minsan lang.

Ramdam na ramdam ko pa rin na mahal na mahal niya si mama sa kabila ng biglaang pag-iwan niya sa'min limang taon na ang nakakalipas.

[Pasensya ka na Bella, dapat noong pumunta siya rito ay tinanggihan ko na kaagad.]

"Pag-iisipan ko po muna, pa. Kailan po ba magaganap ang salo-salo?"

[Ngayong katapusan daw ng buwan.] Napatango-tango ako sa sinabi niya. That's 3 weeks from now.

"Sige po," tugon ko sa kanya.

[Oh siya, maghihintay na lang kami rito sa pag-uwi mo ha? Mag-iingat ka anak.] Napangiti ako atsaka nagpasalamat sa kanya.

[Bye ate!] pagpapaalam ni Bea sa kabilang linya.

Pagkatapos ng tawag namin, kaagad ko 'yon ibinaba atsaka umupo sa kama.

Naalala ko na naman ang sinabi ni mama sa'kin noon tungkol kay Lucas at sa babae ne'to. To be honest, I should thank her for giving that information to me. Dahil kung hindi, baka hanggang ngayon naging kabit pa rin ako at tuluyang umaasa na ako ang babaeng papakasalan niya.

Maybe it's time for me to loosen up a bit and slowly accept her again despite what she did to us. Pero alam kong hinding-hindi ko malilimutan ang pag-iwan niya sa'min, habambuhay na 'yon nakatatak sa pagkatao ko.