Enticing Series 1 (Part 2): Here Comes The Nightmare

Chapter 13

Asper Reign’s POV

Hinayaan ko na muna ang underboss ng Rioghail na gamitin ang conference room. Kasama nila doon si Zaire dahil ito lang ang makakatulong sa kanila para makalabas ng Hexoria nang hindi kinukwestyon ng mga nagbabantay sa border.

Nag-stay din doon si Miracle dahil kailangan niyang malaman kung ano pa ang mga bagay na itinatago ng pamilya niya.

Habang kami naman ni Jyn ay nagtungo sa kwarto ko.

“I still can’t believe on what is happening right now,” sambit ni Jyn nang makaupo sa gilid ng kama ko. “Hindi ko akalain na nabulag ako ng mga taong pinagkatiwalaan ko. Damn it!”

“For now, you can only trust your underbosses,” I said. “They were the only people that became members of Rioghail because of trust.”

Bumaling siya sa akin. “What about Lucky and the rest of the caporegime that I assigned here to become your bodyguard?”

“They already checked out before I brought them here.” Nagtimpla ako ng kape at inilapag iyon sa side table ng kama. “But the second batch that you once planned to assign here was compromised so I had to give some hint that something is going on here for you to send someone else.”

“You have been moving yet I didn’t even notice.” Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at hinila paupo sa tabi niya. “I don’t even know what to say anymore.”

“Masyado mong iniiwas ang atensyon sa akin kaya talagang hindi mo mapapansin ang mga ginagawa ko,” sabi ko. “Besides, I intended to keep you in the dark until I finally gathered all the evidence I needed to prove this case. Hindi naman kasi porket mahal mo ako ay basta ka na lang maniniwala kapag sinabi kong may traydor sa mga taong lubos mong pinagkakatiwalaan.”

Nang sabihin ni Reina na hindi si Hector ang nasa likod ng nangyari sa kanya, agad pumasok sa isip ko na posibleng ang mga tao sa grupo ni Jyn ang muntik pumatay sa kanya kaya nag-focus ako sa pag-alam ng lahat ng impormasyon tungkol sa Rioghail.

With the Rogue’s help, I started studying everything about that mafia. Then, he slowly feeds me present information about what is happening outside that involves the Rioghail.

“Mukhang napabayaan ko nga ang grupo mula nang mawala si Reina.” Bumuntong hininga siya. “And when I thought I was back in the game, it was already too late for me to take everything back to normal.”

Rogue and I have been investigating every member of Rioghail for a couple of months and unfortunately, we still haven’t known the identity of the traitors. They have six years heads up against us.

Nagawa nilang makontrol ang network ng Rioghail at mabura ang lahat ng lead na posibleng magturo sa kanila.

Actually, everything we got all pointed out that every transaction that Rioghail made in the past six years has Jyn’s permission. Kahit ang transaksyon ng grupo sa mga Azaria. Which is very much impossible because Jyn despised that clan.

I don’t know the reason because it goes deeper than their dispute as a government and criminal group. I think Jyn’s hate for them is more personal. Idagdag na din ang ginawa nila para sirain si Rajiv at Miracle na naging dahilan kung bakit hindi natuloy ang kasal ng dalawa at sinundan pa ng pwersahan nilang pagkitil sa sanggol na dinadala noon ni Miracle.

“This is not going to be easy, Cee,” I said. “The world government is looking for someone to blame for what happened to the countries that the Azaria tried to invade. And some of them wanted to put all the blame on you because you are a leader of a criminal group.”

“But they can’t make any move because I am still part of the Avenir royal family.”

I nodded. “Ang sabi ni Zhairy, ang posisyon mo bilang prinsipe ng Avenir ang nag-iisang pananggalang mo laban sa world government.”

“At nagbabadya din iyong mawala sa akin dahil mayroong mga pamilya sa Avenir ang gustong alisin sa akin ang titulo ko bilang prinsipe.”

Muli akong tumango. I guess he already gasped at what was happening right now.

Yumuko siya at ipinatong ang kanyang noo sa balikat ko. “What should I do now, Asper?” His voice cracked as he tightened his grip on my hand. “Alam ko naman na naging mahina na ako mula nang mawala si Reina at ang anak namin. Kaya hindi ko masisisi ang mga tauhan ko kung inisip nila na hindi na ako karapat-dapat na mamuno sa Rioghail. But…”

“It was you who built Rioghail from scratch, Cee.” Hinaplos ko ang buhok niya. “Kung ano ang daan na gusto mong tahakin ng grupo mo, walang kahit sino ang may karapatang kwestyunin iyon. They know that when they became part of Rioghail. It was your ideal that makes this group kaya kung gusto mong maging mahina, walang sinuman sa kanila ang may karapatan na mag-isip na hindi ka karapat-dapat na mamuno dito.”

Iniangat niya ang ulo at diretsong tumingin sa akin.

“It was their fault for forcing you to their ideals,” I added. “So, don’t blame yourself. Blame those people who tarnish the name of Rioghail because of their ideals.”

“Asper…”

“It was your group, Caspian Jyn.” I pointed to his chest. “Yours. And no one else has the right to take what was yours.”

Niyakap niya ako ng mahigpit kaya napasubsob ako sa dibdib niya at naramdaman kong hinahalikan niya ang ibabaw ng ulo ko. “Thank you, Asper. Thank you.”

I smiled. Well, I guess it wakes him up even just a little.

“Don’t thank me yet, Mister.” Kumalas ako ng yakap sa kanya. “We have to fix our problem. But this time, we have to do it together.”

“Is it because my life is in danger?”

I shook my head. “It is just one of the reasons and to be honest, I know you can protect yourself so it is not really necessary for me to bring you here.” Maliban kay Zaire, may ilan pang miyembro ng Chess ang narito upang protektahan siya ng palihim at ang buong pamilya niya.

“Then, what are the other reasons for you forcing me to go here?”

“We only have a handful of people that we can trust,” I said. “Some of them have their own job to do so we can’t afford to divide our force. Kaya naisip ko na mas mabuti kung nasa iisang lugar lang tayo nang sa gayon ay dito natin mai-focus ang lahat ng pwersa natin.”

Tumangu-tango siya. “You are right about that,” he said. “I guess I have to send my family back to Avenir to avoid them getting involved in this mess.”

“Ahm…” I averted my eyes away from him. “About that…”

“Oh, Don’t look away, Asper.” Hinawakan niya ang baba ko at pinilit akong tumingin sa kanya. “You are still hiding something from me? Iyan ang lagi mong ginagawa kapag mayroon kang itinatago sa akin.”

“I…” I sighed and looked at him again. “I actually sent them back to Avenir earlier this morning.”

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. “What?”

“Chess has its own problem back at Avenir, so I thought that it would be better for them to stay there because your parent’s main force resides there,” I said. “Nandoon din ang nakatatanda mong kapatid, hindi ba? Siguradong mas magagawa niyang protektahan sila kaysa nandito sila.” Yumuko ako. “Sorry kung nagdesisyon ako tungkol sa pamilya mo nang hindi na nag-abalang ipaalam sayo.”

Muli niyang hinawakan ang baba ko at iniangat ako ulo ko.

But his reaction is not what I expected. He was smiling, with a hint of relief. “Thank you, baby girl.” He kissed the side of my lips. “Really, thank you. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko kung wala ka sa tabi ko, Asper Reign.”