THEMARIE heaved a deep sigh when the private plane she was on landed on the airport of Tuscany. Nakauwi na rin siya sa wakas. Nakarating na sa bansa kung saan siya nakatira at lumaki. Malayo kay Shun. Malayo sa lalaking mahal niya, pero tinakbuhan niya.
She was guilty for leaving him like that. Sigurado siyang marami itong katanungan at hinahanap siya nito. Ipinagdarasal niya na sana, makalimutan siya ng lalaki. Sana mapatawad siya nito sa lahat ng kasinungalingang sinabi niya.
Malakas siyang bumuntong-hininga nang ianunsiyo ng piloto na puwede na siyang lumabas ng eroplano. Maingat ang bawat hakbang niya dahil sumasakit pa rin ang tama niya ng bala sa likod.
Ngumiti si Themarie nang makita si Terron sa waiting area ng airport. He was wearing a cap and a large aviator sunglasses to cover his handsome face, just like her who was wearing the same thing to cover her face. Siguradong kung walang takip ang mukha ng lalaki, nasisiguro niyang napapalibutan na ito ngayon ng media.
Tumuon ang tingin ni Themarie sa hawak nito na puting placard na may nakasulat na, “Welcome home, fianc é e.” She felt happy to see Terron. Agad siyang yumakap dito nang makalapit.
He hugged her back. “I missed you, baby,” bulong nito malapit sa tainga niya.
Themarie felt her heart clench. Shun called her baby. “Please, don’t call me that.”
Mahinang tumawa si Terron saka siya pinakawalan. Ngumiti ito sa kanya. “Why don’t you like that endearment?” nakataas ang dalawang kilay nitong tanong. “Is there anything I should know about?”
She sighed and confessed. Terron was not just her fiancé but also one of her closest friends. “I just don’t want to remember him.”
Nawala ang ngiti sa mga labi ng lalaki. “Who’s the lucky guy? May I know his name?”
“Shun.” Themarie bit her lips. “Shun Kim.”
Tinapik-tapik ni Terron ang balikat niya saka inakbayan. “Things will work out just fine, cara . It will, I promise.”
Pilit siyang ngumiti. “I hope so, Ron.” Ron ang palayaw ni Terron sa mga malalapit dito, kasama na siya. “I just left Shun. I’m pretty sure he hates me right now for leaving him like that. But that’s the only thing I could do for him. I will just hurt him even more if I stay.” Her eyes watered. “I miss him already.”
“Everything will be fine.”
“Hope so.”
Hinaplos ni Terron ang likod niya bago inalalayan papunta sa parking lot ng airport. Then, he guided her towards the limousine waiting for them. Nang makita ni Themarie ang driver, nginitian niya ito.
“Hello, Mr. Cougan,” sabi niya. “How are you?”
Mr. Cougan was Terron’s personal butler. Hindi lang ito magaling sa trabaho, matalik din itong kaibigan ni Terron. And he was a good friend of her as well.
“I’m fine, Lady Themarie,” pormal na sagot ni Mr. Cougan. Pinagbuksan sila nito ng pinto ng sasakyan.
Sumakay siya sa sasakyan. Sumunod sa kanya si Terron. Nang kumportable na silang nakaupo, narinig niya ang boses ni Mr. Cougan mula sa driver’s seat.
“Where to, Lord Terron?”
Terron leaned back on the leather seat. “To Vitale Castle.”
“Yes, my lord,” sagot ni ni Mr. Cougan. Pinatakbo na nito ang sasakyan.
Inihilig ni Themarie ang ulo sa balikat ni Terron habang nasa isip pa rin si Shun.
“Do you think Papa will listen to me if I talk to him and explain what I’m feeling?”
“I don’t know, cara .” Hinaplos ng lalaki ang likod niya. “But you have to try to find out. I’m not saying this because I don’t want this wedding more than you do. But if you really like this guy, Shun Kim, and you wanna be with him so much, then I suggest you fight for him. You’re a strong woman, cara, you can do it.”
Themarie smiled. Thanks to Terron for making her feel better. They had been good friends since they were kids, until their parents dropped the bomb and announced their engagement without even consulting the two of them. Wala siyang masabi sa lalaki. Mabait ito at maaasahan kaya alam niyang magiging maayos ang pagsasama nila kahit arrange marriage ang nangyari.
Of course, until my heart fell for that handsome man, Shun Kim.
Bumuntong-hininga si Themarie saka ipinikit ang mga mata habang nasa isip si Shun. Naaalala niya ang masasayang alaala nila ng lalaki. Hindi niya alam na nakatulugan niya ang pag-iisip kay Shun hanggang sa gisingin siya ni Terron. Nakaparada ang limousine sa harap ng palasyo ng ama niya.
“We’re here,” sabi ni Terron.
Huminga siya nang malalim saka pilit na ngumiti. “Welcome to hell.”
Sabay silang lumabas ng sasakyan. Nang makita siya ng security guards sa labas ng malapad at malaking pinto ng palasyo, yumukod ang mga ito sa kanya at kay Terron bago sila pinagbuksan ng pinto.
Themarie took a deep breath before stepping inside the palace—her home.
“Chill. Your father doesn’t breathe fire, cara, ” biro ni Terron saka siya inakbayan.
Ngumiti lang siya saka naglakad papunta sa library ng kanyang ama. Alam niyang naroon ito ngayon at hinihintay ang kanyang pagdating. Tumigil si Themarie sa labas ng isang malaking pinto at kumatok.
“Come in,” a faint voice said behind the door.
Binuksan ni Terron ang pinto para sa kanya. Siya muna ang pinapasok bago ito sumunod.
“Papa.” Huminga siya nang malalim at hinintay na magtaas ng tingin ang ama mula sa binabasang libro.
“Themarie,” sagot nito nang mag-angat ng tingin at makita siya. “How’s your flight?”
“Fine,” simpleng sagot niya. She didn’t want to elaborate.
Napunta ang tingin ng ama niya kay Terron. “I’m glad you fetched her from the airport. When is the wedding, I may ask? The whole town of Tuscany is waiting.”
Nanlamig ang kamay ni Themarie. Her most dreaded day.
“The wedding will be two months from today.” Hinawakan ni Terron ang kamay niya at pinisil iyon. “That’s why I’m giving Themarie her freedom to do everything she wants in those two months.”
Bahagya siyang nagulat sa sinabi ni Terron.
Her freedom for two months? Totoo ba iyon?
Kalayaan niya…
Napangiti nang mapait si Themarie. Nang gustuhin niyang maging agent, siyempre, inilihim niya iyon sa ama. But his father had eyes here and there. He found out and he was furious. At dahil hindi siya nagpapigil, nagkaroon sila ng kasunduan. Hahayaan siya nitong gawin ang gusto niya, pero sa oras na dumating ang ika-twenty-eight niyang kaarawan, magpapakasal siya sa lalaking napili ng kanyang ama. And that was Lord Terron Dashwood, her childhood friend. His family was one of the most powerful families in Florence. And her freedom would end in two months on her wedding day.
No mission. No Shun Kim. For good.
Bumalik ang tingin ni Themarie sa ama nang maramdaman ang matiim nitong titig. “Yes, Papa?”
Her father sighed. “Freedom for two months then. You can go to missions and do stuff that you want. And then, you two will get wed. And you, my daughter, will be the future Duchess of Tuscany.”
Kinagat ni Themarie ang ibabang labi saka pinilit ang sariling tumango. Did she have a freaking choice? It was her duty, her responsibility as her father put it.
“You may leave,” sabi ng ama niya na agad naman nilang ginawa.
Parehas silang huminga nang malalim at mahinang tumawa nang makalabas na. His father was a very intimidating man. Terron was always intimidated by him. Siya naman, medyo takot sa ama. Iba kasi ito kapag galit.
Inakbayan siya ni Terron. “Sadly, I have to go back to Florence, cara . My mamma is surely looking for me.”
Tumango siya at pinasalamatan ito. “Thank you for… everything.”
“Anytime.” Niyakap siya nito saka hinalikan sa noo. “Two months freedom, Thems. Do whatever you want. I will back you up,” sabi nito na para bang may gustong ipagawa sa kanya na hindi masabi.
“Thanks again.”
Kahit dalawang buwan lang siyang malaya, ayos lang kay Themarie. It was still freedom. She would take it and enjoy it up to the last freaking day.
Nagpaalam na si Terron at umalis ng palasyo nila. Siya naman, nagpunta sa kuwarto niya at napangiti na lang nang makitang maayos na nakalagay sa study table ang mga gadget niya at mga pag-aaring baril.
Napunta ang tingin ni Themarie sa isang pintong nakakonekta sa kanyang kuwarto nang lumabas mula roon ang nanny niya mula noong bata pa siya.
“Nanny Lydea.” Lumapit siya rito at niyakap nang mahigpit. “I missed you.”
“Me, too, Lady Themarie. Now…” Tinapik-tapik nito ang likod niya. “I’ve already prepared you a bath.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, bambina . I’ll prepare your food right away.”
“Thank you, Nanny,” nakangiting sabi niya saka pumasok sa nilabasang pinto ni Nanny Lydea. Nakangiti siyang humiga sa bathtub. Ulo lang niya ang nakalabas sa tubig. Nakasandal siya sa gilid ng bathtub na puno ng bula.
Relaxing feeling seeped through Themarie as she closed her eyes.
Biglang pumasok sa isip niya si Shun. Ano kaya ang ginagawa nito ngayon? Was he thinking about her?
Was he looking for me?
SHUN was tracking the call registry of Themarie’s last phone call to him. Pero pagkalipas ng ilang minuto, biglang nawala ang frequency na tina-track niya. It just disappeared like magic. Like someone cut the line dead.
“Fuck!”
Susuntukin na sana ni Shun ang screen ng laptop nang maalalang iyon na ang huli niyang laptop. He already destroyed them all except this one in front of him.
It had been one hell of an awful week since Them left him. Since she ran away from him. At sa loob ng isang linggong iyon, hindi siya tumigil sa paghahanap dito. He looked everywhere for her. Every database present except for the forbidden ones.
Bumuga siya ng marahas na hininga at napatitig sa kawalan.
Did Themarie run away from him because she already had a fiancé? Maybe because he was just a plaything to her?
But I was her first. She gave herself to me! Just me!
Sasabog na ang ulo niya sa pag-iisip, pero wala namang makuhang kasagutan. Pero hindi siya susuko. Hindi niya hahayaang mawala sa kanya si Themarie. That woman owed him a huge fucking explanation. And he would get it, one way or another.
Shun narrowed his eyes on his laptop’s screen. Napakaimposibleng biglang mawala ang isang tao. Napakaimposible na walang pagkakakilanlan si Themarie. He believed that someone deleted her data. And if a person’s data was hard to find or had been kept or deleted, it was either she was a very important person, an agent or someone in hiding.
Minasahe ni Shun ang balikat at batok bago nag-umpisang pasukin ang dalawang malalaking government data base. The USA secret database and England’s Privy Data. It was very dangerous. He could go to prison if they caught him, but he didn’t give a fuck anymore. Mahahanap niya si Themarie, by hook or by crook.
As he hacked the two most classified databases in the world, napamura siya nang makita ang patong-patong na firewall na sagabal sa impormasyong hinahanap. He had to get rid of them. Fast.
Fuck! His time was ticking!
Mabilis ang bawat galaw ng daliri ni Shun habang tumitipa sa keyboard ng laptop. It was a battle between him and databases security protection wall. It wasn’t easy but finally, he was in. Isang minuto lang ang mayroon siya para mahanap si Themarie at para hindi siya mahuli. After one minute, they would know his location if he didn’t withdraw from their database.
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Tumunog ang cell phone niya. Nang makitang mensahe iyon galing sa head niya, mabilis niya iyong binasa.
Hellion,
New mission.
A syndicate member named Romano X is running rampart around Florence, Pisa and Tuscany. Find out the name of their leader, their members, activities and their hideout. You will be working with another agency, the IIEA, who has been tracking down this syndicate for a while now. Our agents in Italy are all busy with their own mission, so I choose you to do this task since you’re free. Book a ticket to Tuscany and Agent Winslow will fetch you in the airport. I will expect a full report of this mission a week from now.
-LORD VANDRECK
Bumuga nang marahas si Shun at mabilis na isinara ang laptop nang hindi man lang tinitingnan kung lumabas ang pangalan na hinahanap. And it did.
Themarie Alfonso Vitale. Daughter of Duke Von Per Vitale of Tuscany and Lady Tanya Alfonso Vitale (deceased). Engaged to be married to Terron Dashwood, son of Lord Ferreo Dashwood of Florence.
THEMARIE forced her eyes to open when her phone beeped. Inabot niya iyon. Napamura siya nang makitang madaling-araw na. Pero dahil galing iyon sa boss niya, pinilit niya ang mga mata na basahin ang mensahe.
Thems,
A mission for you.
Meet your partner in Greco Condominium in Tuscany, 40th floor, room 409 at exactly 12:00 noon on the second of November. We will be working with another secret agency with this one so cooperate. We need all the help we can get.
-Boss
Bumuga siya nang marahas saka bumangon. It was already four in the morning. She might as well get some exercise or jog around the palace before she did whatever she wanted with her life. She only had one month and three weeks of freedom. Susulitin niya iyon.