Wrath's Sin

II

Chapter 2

Broken Cycle

Present Time

“DON’T worry, ang nakikita ko lang naman na problema mo ay mabilis ang t***k ng puso mo. We just have to slow that until it achieves the normal heart rate.”

Wrath was somehow glad when he finally sees his patient smile. Ikwinento kasi nito kanina na mayro’n siyang mataas na blood pressure dahilan upang hindi siya makasakay ulit sa barko. Now that they found out that it was his heart rate all along, he cried because he wasn’t all aware of it. Pinakalma naman muna ni Wrath ito bago niya kinausap.

It wasn’t the first time that Wrath encountered patients like him. Dahil isa siyang cardio, natuto siyang pakalmahin at kuwentuhan ang mag pasyente nila upang hindi sila ma-stress masyado.

That is probably his last patient for today. He glanced upon his watch and he’s got few more minutes before his out.

Although the tragedy that happened to his family is over a year ago, Wrath doesn’t feel that affected because he was used to leaving out his self of the matters at Fiore.

Pero nakakapanibago pa rin na hindi na niya nakikita ngayon ang kanyang dalawang kapatid.

They may share a complicated relationship but it is still impossible to think that their family is now gone.

Rage went on his own and probably hid somewhere after proving innocence that he was just threatened to help his father handle their drug business and after his Mother was accidentally killed by his own father. Pain, the oldest one who laid punishment to their evil father is nowhere to be found. All he knows is that Pain is the one who killed their father and exploited the drug business which compromised the ownership of Fiore.

Wrath has still ownership of the Fiore since he’s not aware of the drugs matters but he’s trying sell his ownership by now. Fiore is now managed my Pain’s wife who was a victim of Fiore’s illegal demolishing team. He also agrees that Fiore is now in good hands and he wants nothing of it.

Sa kasagsagan ng mga kaganapang iyon ay pinalayo ni Wrath ang kanyang Mommy upang hindi madawit sa problema nito.

Kung kailan lang ay nirerespeto ng lahat ang apilyido nila, ngayon ay kinamumuhian na ng lahat.

But Wrath is still grateful that some of his colleague remained the same even if he is still a Dela Viego.

Wrath took his coat and went outside his office and heads straight to the Nurse Station to inform he is leaving.

“Mukhang maaga tayo ngayon, Doc ah…” ani ni Nurse Jem.

“Yes. As you see…wala naman akong masyadong pasyente na, e,” sabat turo ni Wrath sa folder na listahan ng mga magpapacheck-up sa kanya. Kung dati ay napakarami niyang pasyente ngayon ay kakaunti na lang.

Naapektuhan din ang kanyang trabaho sa eskandalo ng kaniyang pamilya. At first it was hard to accept it but he’s able to finally have a normal and lie-low life after that and he’s getting used to it.

“Ah, I’ll be out on my next schedule. Aalis kasi ako bukas, pupunta ako ng Cebu. Baka hindi pa ako makakauwi nang araw na iyan,” paalam naman nito.

“Sige, Doc. I’ll contact nalang ‘yung mga patients mong may schedule that day…”

***

PAGKAUWI ni Wrath sa kanyang bahay ay una niyang napansin ang gate na bukas. He is sure that he’s the only one coming here aside from his housekeeper but today is her day off. So ibig sabihin ay walang papasok sa kanyang bahay ngayon.

Dahan-dahan siyang pumasok at naglakad papunta sa front door ngunit naka-lock naman ito.

“Wrath…”

Agad na tumalikod si Wrath at nakaambang na susuntokin sana kung sino man ang tumawag sa kanya sa likuran ngunit napahinto ito nang makita niya si Rage.

Tinignan niya ito mula ulo hanggang paa at parang may gumulpi sa kanya.

“Why are you here?”

“Ah…ano…wala kasi akong matakbuhan kanina,” napakamot sa ulo naman ito.

Wrath helped Rage on his wounds and right after that, he gave him food. It felt like he’s been starved for days and he ate his one week stock of meet in the fridge.

Napapailing lang naman si Wrath habang pinapanood ito at umiinom ng kanyang beer.

“Wala ka bang trabaho? Bumalik ka nalang sa kompanya, may ari-arian ka pa naman eh. Huwag ka na kasing ma-pride, Rage…” bilin naman ni Wrath sa kanya dahilan kung bakit napahinto ito sa pagsubo ng kanin.

“May trabaho ako, nangongontrata ako ngayon!” anito.

“Bakit ka nagulpi?”

“May mga humahabol lang sa akin na parang myembro ng mga Yakuza ng Fiore na sinesante ko…nalaman yata nilang wala na ako sa Fiore…” napabuntong hininga ito at bakas sa mukha niyang problemado ito.

“I believe there is someone whose best in taking care of that job,” nagkatinginan naman si Rage at Wrath.

“No. I won’t ask help from Pain besides nobody knows where he is!” inis nitong saad.

“Have you seen a Mafia who reveals where they are?” pinagtaasan naman ng kilay ni Wrath si Rage at napatahimik na lang ito.

“I know I was fool to challenge him…but I regret being Dad’s favorite!”

Hindi na umimik si Wrath. He doesn’t even want to imagine how painful he is feeling now that he’s all alone and his mother was killed by his own father. It’s the same thing that Pain felt all these years.

“I’ll wire some money in your bank,” tumikhim naman si Wrath.

“No! I can—”

“Use it to pay for someone who can protect you at least,” mahinahong sabi pa nito. “Our family business was drugs and don’t expect you’d have ordinary enemies coming after you…” paalala pa nito.

“Since you were involved in Dad’s stuffs, you’re obviously the next target of his enemies so watch out…”

Parang napatulala lang naman si Rage sa mga sinasabi ni Wrath sa kanya.

He was on top of the world before…now he’s on its ruins.

Samantala ay napatingin sila sa pintuan sa sala nang ito’y bumukas. Wrath’s Nanny came in with a kid.

“Ah!” napahampas si Rage sa mesa nang makita niya nag batang babaeng nakatayo lang doon.

“Ito na pala ‘yung anak mo ano?” napahawak pa sa bibig si Rage. Napailing si Wrath sa reaksyon ni Rage. Hindi rin niya masisi ito dahil ngayon lang niya ito nakita.

Wrath hid the truth to everyone that he has a kid. He was able to do that over the years until Pain was able to exploit him.

During their competition of the rightful inheritor of Fiore, he was defeated by Pain who found out his secret. Isang dahilan bakit itinago ni Wrath na mayroon siyang anak ay dahil ayaw niyang mabahiran ng hindi magandang impresyon ang kanyang imahe sa mga board directors isa pa, hindi niya alam kung kaninong babae ang sanggol na iniwan sa harapan ng kanyang bahay sampung taon ang makalipas.

Wrath couldn’t throw away a baby, especially when he wasn’t sure of everything. Few years after taking the baby, a DNA result was able to confirm that it was indeed his baby.

“I’m home, Wrath…” aniya ng bata at umupo sa sofa. Ngumiti naman ang Nanny at tahimik na itong lumabas.

Because Wrath couldn’t take care of Adara, she enrolled him in a Daycare center where she could play all day after school.

“…and she doesn’t call you Dad?” hindi makapaniwalang sabi naman ni Rage.

“Nope. I told her not to,” ang sabi naman nito at saka tumayo. Sinindian ni Wrath ang TV para sa kanya habang nag-aalis ito ng sapatos at ng kanyang bag.

***

TODAY is Wrath’s flight to Cebu. Naisipan n’yang magbakasyon muna saglit kahit ilang araw lang doon at pinaunlakan ang imbitasyon ng kaibigan niyang ngayon ay ikakasal na. They are on the same age and he couldn’t help being teased of his plans to get marry because he’s already on that stage where he’d want to have his own family. Ngunit ni nobya nga ay wala pa siya ngayon.

Wrath had past normal relationships but they just lasted for few months and Wrath would usually find another one. But after the tragedy that happened to his family, he lost count of the time how long he is single but that doesn’t bother him a bit.

He got his seat on the first class and is currently enjoying watching whatever movie on his screen.

Lumingon si Wrath sa bandang kanan niya dahil dito niya nakita kanina ang server ng wine at magpapa-refill sana siya nang makita niya ang isang babae nakakuyom ang kamao sa kanyang dibdib habang nakapikit. Tagaktak din ang pawis nito at pansin niyang mabibigat ang paghinga nito.

He hunched that this woman is having a hard time in breathing or she’s not just used in riding airplanes.

Bago pa magmulat ng mata ang babae ay binaling ni Wrath ang atensyon niya sa kanyang screen at nanood na lamang.

Pagkaraan ng ilang pang minuto at tuluyang natuon ang atensyon ni Wrath sa panonood dahil paborito niya ang genre ng palabas.

When he felt he needs to go to the restroom, he stood up and that is when he heard something that fell on the floor.

Paglingon niya ay nakita niya sa sahig ang babaeng nakita niya sa kabilang upuan kanina na nakahandusay na sa sahig. Kaagad naman niyang nilapitan ng stewardess at sinubukang gisingin pero mukhang nawalan ng malay ang babae.

***