Lion's Temptation

Chapter 9

Hindi man lang nag-abalang itago ni Cale ang pagka-irita nang pagbuksan siya nito ng pinto. Sa halip na mainis sa harap-harapang pagkadisgusto sa presensya niya nang mga oras na iyon, nakuha pang ngumisi ni Zeon.

Itinulak niya ang katawan ni Cale paalis sa pagkakaharang nito sa pinto. Ayaw yata siya papasukin. And because he is Zech Leon Funtellion, he invites himself inside the house like he owned the place.

“What the h*ll are you doing here? Don’t you have your own house?” hindi man lang itinago nito sa kanya ang iritasyon.

What should he expect from his blood related of a cousin. Cale was raised by the Ivanovich’s, their mortal enemy of a mafia. Well, that was before. The feuds between the two families were settled year ago because of the Sigma itself and of course, to his cousin—the adopted daughter of the Weinstein’s—Jenza.

And yeah, with the help of Cale, he admits.

Hindi niya inintindi ang tono nito. Bagkus, parang hari na naupo siya sa couch na naroroon at nakabukakang sumandal.

“Where’s Jenza?” tanong din niya sa halip na sagutin niya ang tanong nito sa kanya.

“I ask you first. And why the h*ck are you looking for my wife?” banas na sagot nito.

He looks at his cousin, boringly. He never imagined this bastard would be this nagger with him. He vividly remembers when they were still kids—before Maximo Ivanovich gets him and raised him under his possession. They used to play boxing that end up in wrestling. Mas matanda ito ng limang taon sa kanya and he was bigger than him. Palagi siyang talo rito but it was all nothing but a childish play.

       Matanda na sila, at may asawa na ito. He can’t help but to feel envious when he saw how happy Cale was when Jenza started to walk down the isle on their wedding. Happiness and contentment were filled the couple’s eyes. And the time he heard them saying I do in front of the altar, he couldn’t stop to ask himself about the happiness and dreams that were on his hands before. Nasa kamay na niya ang kasiyahan na iyon noon.

He already planned their future. Ngunit dahil sa kagaguhan niya, nakawala ang kasiyahan na iyon.

       ‘If I didn’t mess up and made a big sh*t, will we be also happy like this?’ his exact thought that time.

He tilts his head to erase those what ifs thought he had in mind. Hindi niya sinagot si Cale bagkus ay nakipagtitigan lamang siya rito. Him, glaring at him while he was looking at him boringly.

Naputol lamang iyon nang maramdaman niya ang presensya ni Jenza sa likuran niya. Tumabi ito kay Cale habang nakakunot din ang noo na nakatingin ssa kanya.

He stared back at her blankly…not until he saw what was she’s holding.

“What was that for?” tanong niya na nagsalubong ang mga kilay sa pagtataka. Jenza Weinstein—Ivanovich is holding a samurai. Kumikislap pa ang talim niyon sa bawat pagtama ng liwanag roon.

Jenza shrugged at nakuha pa nitong itaas ang nakakamatay na sandatang iyon at hinaplos. “It was from my mom, the biological one,” she answered. He knows that her real mother is a Japanese. “Sa ngayon, wala pa akong paggagamitan nito. But who knows,” dumako ang mga mata nito sa asawa na nasa tabi lang nito.

“I’ll never cheat,” sagot agad ni Cale.

“I didn’t say anything.” Jenza grunted and glared at him.

“That’s what you will say, inunahan na kita. And I’m trying to be a normal husband here with a jealous wife and all,” sagot nito at bumusangot.

Naihilamos niya ang kanyang mga palad ssa mukha dahil sa usapan ng dalawa sa harap niya. Mali yata ang disisyon niyang pumunta sa bahay ng mga ito.

“I need something from you, Jenza,” putol niya sa mga ito.

Bumalik ang tingin sa kanya ni Jenza matapos bigyan nito ng irap ang asawa. “What is it? And why does Zeon Funtellion were seeking help from me?”

“This is not a help. It was an order!”

This time, siya naman ang inirapan ng babae. “May I remind you that you have no longer a power to order me because I am not in a mafia anymore.” Mataray itong humalukipkip.

Yeah, right! Kailan ba siya masasanay na hindi na nga pala ito mafia reaper. He couldn’t blame himself, lumaki siya na ito ang palagi niyang mata sa mga transaksyon at palaging umaalalay sa kanya.

He heaved a sigh and decided to continue. Wala siyang mapapala kung makikipagtalo pa siya sa babaeng ito. And for sure, gagatongan pa ni Cale.

“I need some information about Arcanum Syndicate. They were messing again. I want them eliminated,” walang paligoy-ligoy na wika niya.

Mabagal na nagsalubong ang kilay ni Jenza nang marinig ang pangalan ng sindikatong iyon na matagal-tagal na rin na wala silang naririnig. Tuluyan na itong sumeryoso at ibinigay kay Cale ang hawak-hawak nitong samurai.

Jenza put her palm on her nape and put the other hand on her waist. “What about them? I saw Mira in the dinner party. And I saw you with her.”

Napangisi siya. Wala talagang nakakalagpas sa paningin ng isang ito.

“Did you finally decided to introduce yourself to her? Hindi ko alam na ganon pala kalakas ang loob mo. You approached her now, huh?!” asar nito.

Umiling siya at nawalan ng emosyon ang mukha. “She was sent by Arcanum.”

Mas sumeryoso ang mukha ni Jenza sa pagkakataong iyon. She guards Mirethea kaya kilala nito ang sindikatong iyon.

“Sa tingin mo ba may alam na si Mira?”

He shook his head. “None, she was still don’t know the f*ck of my existance.”

“O-Okay,” Jenza said but he hints a teasing tone in there. “But you talk to her already at hindi ko na siya nakitang umalis ng gabing iyon. Pati rin ikaw.”

Inilagay nito ang kaliwang kamay sa pisngi at panga nito, nangalumbaba. “Now, I wonder kung nasaan siya.”

Her brows raised up that he answered by grunting. “Kailan ka pa naging tsismosa?”

Nginisian siya ni Jenza ngunit hindi nito sinagot ang tanong niya. “I’ll send the information you need to your email. Consider it done.”

Iyon lang ang gusto niyang marinig dito. Tumayo siya mula sa kinauupuan. “I’ll go now.”

“A simple thanks will do or a simple gratitude for my husband,” sarkastikong anito sa kanya nang akmang tutunguhin niya ang front door ng bahay nito.

Tumigil siya sa paglalakad at hinarap ito. Sakto namanng sumulpot si Cale na umakyat kanina sa second floor ng bahay ng mga ito para itago ang samurai.

“Siya naman ang gagawa, not me.” Nakuha pa nitong magkibit-balikat. “Say your thanks to your cousin.” Inginuso nito ang asawa.

At dahil sanay na yata si Cale sa ugaling iyon ng asawa, aroganteng humalukipkip ito sa harap niya. Kinukunsinte si Jenza.

“I’m waiting,” he said.

Ngunit sa halip na magpasalamat dito gaya ng nararapat. “I’ll say my thanks when the job is done. And f*ck off Cale, I don’t care if you are older than me and we are cousins, I’ll still beat the sh*t out of you.”

Kibit-balikat lamang ang sinagot sa kanya ni Cale.

“Don’t be too harsh on Mira. And invite us in your wedding,” pahabol na wika sa kanya ni Jenza nang muli siyang naglakad patungo sa front door ng bahay. Hindi niya ito pinansin but his mind running about that wedding.

After five years, he caught her again and he doesn’t have a plan to let her go again. Not on his watch. Wala na siyang paki-alam kung kamuhian ulit siya ni Mira. Kinalimutan na siya nito, sapat na iyong parusa sa kanya dahil sa ginawa niya noon.

       ‘Enough is enough, Mirethea. You will be mine again.’