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

Chapter 21

Asper Reign’s POV

Sa aming lahat, si Aasiyah ang nakakasaksi kung paano gipitin ng mga Azaria ang pamilya namin para lang mapapayag si Daddy na ipakasal ang isa sa mga anak niya sa angkan nila.

Kaya alam niyang ganito din ang naging tactic ng mga iyon noong ako ang pinipilit nilang ikasal sa angkan nila.

Dad had to agree before because he was thinking of our family. Ito lang din ang nakita niyang paraan para mabawasan ang pressure sa akin dahil sa foundation, maging ang tangka sa buhay ko.

At dahil sa kinalabasan ng desisyon niyang iyon, nangako siya na hindi na muling magpapapilit sa anumang agreement na gustong pasukin ng mga Azaria kahit pa takutin siya ng mga ito sa maraming paraan at dahilan.

Pero ngayon, si Aasiyah na mismo ang nagdesisyon na tanggapin iyon.

I tried to convince her not to do it but she had already made up her mind. She realized upon handling the operation of our foundation that we have the obligation to think about what is best for the people of this kingdom.

I guess her views about public service changed when she started handling everything in our foundation.

“Asper Reign Dahlia!”

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang makita si Hector na matalim na nakatingin sa akin habang tinatahak ang pagitan namin.

Sakto kasing paglabas ko ng mansion ay siyang pagdating ng van na laging gamit ni Miracle tuwing pumupunta siya dito at nang tumigil ito ay si Hector ang unang bumaba.

Kasunod niya ang kapatid na umiiling-iling pa habang sapo ang noo.

“What the hell happened?” tanong ni Hector nang tuluyan siyang makalapit sa akin. Nakapa-mewang pa siya habang nakataas ang kilay sa akin.

“What the hell are you talking about?” balik ko sa kanya. “As you can see, kakagising ko lang kaya hindi ko alam kung ano ang sinasabi mo!”

“Your sister…” Lumapit na din si Miracle sa amin. Katabi niya ay ang bunso nilang kapatid na si Clea na minsan ko na ding nakaharap noon pero hindi ko nakakausap.

I slightly bowed my head to Clea and turned my attention to Miracle. “I have two sisters so please state her name.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes on me. “Obviously, it was Aasiyah,” sabi niya tsaka itinuro si Hector. “Tingin mo ba ay susugod ang lalaking ito dito kung si Kezia ang involve sa sitwasyon ngayon?”

“Oh.” Tumangu-tango ako at napakamot ng ulo. “That makes sense.”

Bumuntong hininga siya muli. “Mukhang wala ka pa sa wisyo.”

“Well, I have a lot of things that I need to think about, so I slept late last night,” I said. “Anyway, come in. Sa loob na natin pag-usapan kung ano ang sadya niyo dito.”

Nauna na akong pumasok sa kanila at agad naman silang sumunod sa akin.

“Am I safe here?” Hector asked behind me. “Hindi naman siguro ako papatayin ng boyfriend mo kapag nakita niya ako dito, hindi ba?”

“Just distance yourself to my girlfriend and I will not do anything to you,” malamig na sambit ni Jyn na ngayon ay nakatayo na sa ibaba ng hagdan.

Natigilan si Hector at mabilis na nagtago sa likod ng mga kapatid.

Habang si Jyn naman ay agad akong sinalubong pagkuwa’y hinalikan ang noo ko. “Good morning.”

I smiled. “Good morning,” I greeted back. “Let’s go to the dining room. Mukhang importante ang sadya ng magkakapatid na iyan.”

Tumango lang siya at nagpatianod na sa akin ngunit ilang beses pa niyang tinapunan ng masamang tingin si Hector hanggang makarating kami sa dining area.

Tulad ng inaasahan ko ay naroon na din ang mga kaibigan at tauhan ni Jyn at lahat sila ay naging alertong tumayo nang makita si Hector.

If looks can kill, Hector is probably dead right now.

“The issue about this man has already been resolved so please relax yourself and don’t do anything harsh, okay?” I said.

Hindi nagsalita ang mga ito pero nanatiling masama ang tingin nila kay Hector. At ilang sandali pa ay kinuha nila ang mga pinggan nilang naglalaman ng pagkain nila ay sabay-sabay pang umalis.

Napailing na lang ako at iginiya sa mga bakanteng upuan ang magkakapatid.

At agad naghanda sina Manang Judith ng makakain namin.

“So?” I started. “Ano ba ang sadya niyo dito?”

“Mukhang hindi pa nakakarating ang ginawa ng kapatid mo kagabi sa palasyo,” naiiling na sambit ni Hector na ikinakunot ng noo ko.

“She went to the palace last night?”

Tumango sila.

“We were having an important meeting with our parents by that time when she requested an audience with our parents,” ani Miracle. “She let us stay to hear their conversation and she then said that our clan has been pressuring your family into entering another marriage contract, but this time, she is the one involved.”

Napasapo ako ng ulo.

Alam kong napag-usapan na namin ito ni Aasiyah kasama ang pamilya namin. Bagaman nag-aalala kaming lahat at wala na din naman kaming nagawa para pigilan ang gusto niyang mangyari ay nagtiwala na lang kami sa kanya.

Pero hindi ko inaasahan na siya pa mismo ang pupunta sa palasyo at magpaparating ng bagay na ito sa hari.

“From your reaction, it seems like you were aware of this,” ani Clea.

“Well, I won’t deny that but we were still discussing that issue yesterday,” sagot ko. “Hindi ko akalain na kikilos agad si Aasiyah.”

“Siguro ay dahil nagiging aggressive na ang mga elders,” sabi ni Miracle. “May nakarating na balita sa akin na may ilang empleyado sa opisina ng Daddy mo ang nasangkot sa ilang aksidente sa loob lang ng isang araw.” Bumuntong hininga siya. “And there have been rumors floating around the palace that your father is planning a rebellion against our parents that is why they are talking about branding him as a traitor to the crown.”

Aasiyah said yesterday that she will handle the Azaria Clan. She only asked for our trust and support rather than meddle because she knows that we’re also handling our own issues.

So I guess she decided to intervene immediately before the ministers that sided with Cloven and the elders of the Azaria Clan did something against our family.

She made a deal directly with the King and Queen of this country.

“I can’t believe she suddenly agreed to enter an arranged marriage with our clan,” mahinang sambit ni Hector. “Eh siya nga itong galit na galit sa akin noong pinipilit kitang pakasalan ako.”

“Well, iba na kasi ang sitwasyon ngayon,” sabi ko. “Your clan is desperate to get some powerful allies that will shield them against the foreign law that might prosecute them for the invasion that they did. And that desperation is dangerous for our clan since we have been their target even before.”

“Kaya isinangkalang na ni Aasiyah ang sarili niya?”

Tumango ako at bumuntong hininga. “Well, according to her, she was not interested in anyone other than serving the people of this land so it doesn’t really matter to her who might become her husband as long as he will treat her right.”

“That is why she set that condition,” sabi ni Miracle. “Since she was being pushed by our clan, she intended to hold the power of the queen and use it to do what she wants for the kingdom. Kaya madiin niyang iginiit na papakasalan lang niya kung sino man kina Cloven at Hector ang maging tagapagmana ng trono.”

“She said something about using the people who want to use her,” I said. “So, it is a win-win situation for her.” I grinned.

Now that I realized it, hindi na talaga bata si Aasiyah. She is taking a responsibility that I don’t have the courage to shoulder back then. She is already a grown woman with a strong personality.

I looked at Hector. “So? What are you going to do?”

Kumunot ang noo niya.

“You were trying to gain back your title as the crown prince of this kingdom because of Aasiyah, right?” sabi ko. “You want to protect her against your clan. Pero siya na mismo ang nagdesisyon nito.”

“You once said that you don’t plan to pursue the woman that you love,” Miracle added. “Does it mean, you will let—”

“No f*****g way!” marahas niyang sambit. “Oo, sinabi kong walang problema sa akin kung mag-asawa man siya ng iba. Mahal ko siya at hindi ako manghihimasok sa mga bagay na ikakasiya niya. But I also said that it is a different matter if she will marry Cloven because that bastard will never protect her. Heck! He doesn't even know how to make his first wife happy so why would I give up now?”

“You will fight until the end, become the crown prince, and marry Aasiyah Dahlia?” Clea asked. “Are you sure about that? You love her but she doesn't love you. She will just use you for her to do what she wants.”

“It doesn’t matter,” mabilis niyang sambit. “Kung ang pagpapakasal lang niya sa akin ang magiging paraan para magawa niya ang mga gusto niya, then so be it! I will become the crown prince again and inherit the throne as soon as possible to make her the queen of this land.”

Bakas pa din ang pagkabigla sa mga mukha nila Clea at Miracle. Well, siguro ay hindi pa din sila makapaniwala na magiging ganito kalaki ang pagbabago ni Hector dahil sa isang Dahlia gayong isang Dahlia din ang naging dahilan kung bakit higit siyang naging masama noon.

“Besides, hindi na lang si Aasiyah ang kailangan kong protektahan,” mahinahon na niyang dagdag. “Miracle’s position in the palace has been shaken because of her relationship with Rajiv. They have been threatening her to end that relationship. Kahit ang proteksyon ni Clea mula sa emperor ng Reveni ay pilit nilang inaalis.”

Kumunot ang noo ko. “They are weakening your side,” I said. “Why?”