I glanced at Archer's office when it suddenly opened. Nakita kong sumulyap siya sa bakanteng lamesa ni Shea.

"Where's Shea?" He asked.

Hindi ko ba nasabi kanina? "She called me, hindi raw makakapasok, pinapasabi nga pala. Nakalimutan kong sabihin sa'yo."

He slowly nodded his head as he turned his whole attention to me. "Early lunch?" Aya niya ng may ngisi sa mga labi.

Bigla na lang pumasok sa isip ko ang nangyari kagabi. Matapos niya akong ipakilala ay isa-isa naman niyang ipinakilala ang pamilya. The dinner went fine for me, especially when his mother pulled me into a hug while whispering thank you and some things I didn't expect. She told me to call her mom or tita, kung saan daw ako komportable. The way she told me that, it was like she's expecting Archer to marry me. Tila ba ibinibigay na sa akin ang anak. She expressed how grateful she is when she saw Archer entering the restaurant with a woman, which is me.

Tita said, Archer promised that he won't bring anyone in their family dinner except for the one he'll marry. Last night, Tita also confirmed that I am the only one that Archer brought to their family dinner. Kahit ang mga malalapit na kaibigan ay hindi niya dinala dahil sa pangakong ang pakakasalan lang ang hahayaang dumalo.

The dinner went well until a familiar woman came inside the restaurant. Imagine the horror in my face when I saw Adella, the one whom I thought one of Archer's collection, walking at the entrance of the restaurant.

Tila naglaho ang lahat ng aking ilusyon nang makita siya ngunit agad ding bumalik at muling naglaro sa aking isipan nang ipakilala ito na Archer bilang pinsan niya. Adella's father is the Fonacier's eldest, iyon ang lalaking nakaupo sa kabilang dulo ng lamesa.

"Where's the bouquet?" Nawala ang aking iniisip nang makitang sinisipat ni Archer ang aking table.

I glanced at the floor and bit my lower lip. "I-I put it down. Puno kasi 'yung table ko, sorry."

Until now, he's giving me bouquet everyday. I thought he'll stop when I agreed to become his girlfriend. Bahagya ko pang nakumpirma iyon kanina nang pagpasok ay wala akong nakitang bulaklak sa aking table. Wala pang isang minuto nang dumating ako ay lumabas si Archer ng kanyang opisina at personal na ibinigay ang bouquet. That was the first time that he personally gave it. Noon ay lagi niya lang iniiwan sa aking lamesa ngunit ngayon ay gusto raw niyang personal na ibigay iyon.

He shook his head, bahagyang napakunot ang noo nang marinig na humingi ako ng pasensya. "Its okay. Akala ko lang tinapon mo."

I chuckled as I faced him. "Why would I? Of course I won't," sambit ko habang bahagya pang naiiling.

"So, early lunch?" I watched him as wiggled his brows, bahagya pang natatawa sa kanyang ginagawa.

"You still a meeting."

"That can wait."

Naputol ang aming usapan nang bumukas ang elevator. Agad akong pumormal at tumayo upang harapin ang dumating sa pagaakalang iyon na ang kameeting ni Archer.

A very familiar woman walked towards us. Bahagya itong may ngiti sa mga labi. She's wearing a black ensemble and a leather jacket.

Nangatal ang aking tuhod kasabay ng pamimilog ng aking mga mata. I felt like I'll fell on the ground if I'm not holding at the edge of my table. Sa itsura ko, alam kong para akong nakakita ng multo nang tuluyan siyang makalapit sa akin. Tila ba nakaharap ako sa salamin ilang taon ang nakaraan.

"Babe, you alright?"

Agad kong tinanguan si Archer at bahagyang hinilot ang sentido. "Nahilo lang..." I trailed off. Iniwas ko ang aking tingin bago nagpatuloy. "Sa pagkakatayo siguro." 

"Archer," the woman called but Archer's attention is still with me.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, don't worry." I even gave him a smile to assure him.

"Archer," muling tawag ng babae habang nakangiti.

I felt my heart ramming my ribcage as I stared at her. Bahagya ko pang naiiling ang ulo. This woman is fake! Who the fuck are you?

"Dellany," Archer called and I can't help but gasped when I heard her name. Napatingin sa akin si Archer ngunit agad ko siyang nginitian.

"What brings you here?" Muling baling niya sa kausap.

I looked at the woman and she smiled at me when our eyes met. You fake! Dellany wouldn't give her smile to a stranger. Bahagya ko siyang nginitiaan pabalik kahit na alam kong nagaalab na ang aking mga mata.

"She's my girlfriend, Dellany."

Sa sobrang okupado ng isip, hindi ko nasundan kung bakit iyon sinabi ni Arch.

The woman's lips parted a bit. "Oh! I'm Dellany Mallari," she muttered as she extended her hand for a handshake.

Kanina pa gustong lumaglag ng aking panga at doon na nga nangyari nang marinig ang buong pangalan niya. My brow automatically rose. Agad kong binawi iyon nang matauhan.

"Auriese Gallardo," I muttered as I accepted her hand. Agad kong binawi ang kamay at bumaling kay Archer na ngayon ay nakatingin sa akin.

"We'll just talk inside my office. Give me five minutes, Babe. We'll have our early lunch." Archer arms hand crawled in my waist as he leaned forward and kissed my forehead. Ngunit sa ginawa niyang iyon ay hindi ko magawang ngumiti kaya naman tumango na lamang ako

Nang nawala sila sa aking paningin ay nangangatal akong napaupo habang ang tingin ay nasa kawalan.

Why do they have to talk in private? Of course, Auriese they'll talk about Cosmos! Hindi maubos ang mga mura sa aking isipan habang nagmamadaling inayos ko ang aking mga gamit. Nanginginig ang aking mga kamay habang ginagawa iyon at hindi nakakatulong ang mabilis na pagtibok ng aking puso.

I run towards the elevator while carrying my things in my hand. Ilang ulit ko pang pinindot ang button na para bang bibilis ang pagbukas noon kapag ginawa ko iyon.

Nang mubukas ay agad akong pumasok roon. I stayed at the corner while tapping the tip of my heels on the floor. I felt like that was the longest elevator ride I've even rode.

Agad akong nagtungo sa aking sasakyan at muntik nang magkandarapa sa pagmamadaling makaalis.

I hurriedly opened Prestin's unit. I saw my son seating at the sofa. Habang si Melissa ay nasa tabi nito.

"Ma'am."

"Mommy!" I heard my son calling but my mind's already clouded.

Agad akong nagtungo sa walk-in closet at pinagbubuksan ang mga drawer doon. I stopped and let my chest heaved up and down as I saw a familiar black rectangular box. Marahan kong isinara ang drawer habang nananatili sa box ang aking tingin.

Inilabas ko iyon at napasalampak sa sahig. I felt my hands shaking as I opened it. Mariin akong napapikit nang sumagi sa aking isipan ang pamilyar na mukha ng bisita ni Archer.

I rose and placed the box at the table near the whole body mirror. I heaved a deep sighed, trying to calm my racing heartbeat. Nang natantong imposibleng kumalma iyon ay napabuntong hininga na lamang ako.

Looking at the mirror, I started tying my hair in a neat low bun. I glanced at the box and grabbed the ash gray false hair. Lumadlad iyon at tumambad sa aking ang kulay lila at kulot na dulo noon.

I started attaching it to my hair. Matapos ay nagmistulang natural ko iyong buhok. Face prosthetics caught my attention. It was molded on a glass face inside the glass box, kasama ang mga gamit na dati kong araw-araw na kinailangan. I fixed my make up to make it looks like I'm tan.

I sarcastically shook my head when I remember how I effortly went to a beach for a week, years ago just to get tanned.

I slowly removed the prosthetics from the glass and immediately transfer it to my face. Hinayaan kong unti-unting dumikit iyon sa akin mukha. Matapos tuluyang lumapat ay muli kong inayos iyon at at pinatungan ng manipis na make up upang maging mukhang natural na mukha. I put a light shade of lipstick to hide my perfectly shaped lips.

I opened the drawer of the table and I immediately saw four pairs of contact lens. Muli akong napailing, ngayon ay bahagyang tumaas ang gilid ng labi. I don't know why I'm buying a pair of it every year. Like I'm hoping to wear it again even I'm not fond of wearing one.

Kinuha ko ang pinakabago, bago iyon maingat na inilagay sa aking mga mata.

I stared at the mirror. I can't see any trace of Priscilla Gallardo, all I can see the reflection of the woman at Archer's office awhile ago. The prosthetics looks natural on my face. Naglaho ang nagmamatapang kong anyo at tila napalitan iyon ng maamong mukha.

The amber contact lens perfectly suited the face. I let the ash gray hair cascade down my back. Ang maalon at kulay lilang dulo noon ay nararamdaman ko malapit sa aking baywang. Even the two small moles resting at the right temple of my prosthetics, looks the same from the woman awhile ago. Her tanned body under her black ensemble perfected her facade.

I don't if I'm right but don't tell me she undergoes a plastic surgery? Is she that desperate? Manggaya ng mukha ng iba para ano?

Napangiwi ako sa sariling naisip. You fool, ang sarili mo ba ang tinutukoy mo?

I rolled my eyes.

Whoever she is, she orchestrated her plan very well. But I wonder if she has
a tattoo, a semicolon tattoo lying in the middle of the shaft of an arrow, guess she doesn't have one.

Wala sa sariling napangisi ako sa naisip.

What the hell is her motive, them?

But I'm sure that Creed and Archer's looking for a capo who went missing four years ago. Sigurado ako sa kung sino ang hinahanap nila. At ako 'yon. Now who's that fucking woman who looks exactly like my prosthetics? And she'll tell to my face that she's Dellany Mallari? Damn, its me! I mean, Dellany's not existing but its me! Its my prosthetics!

Creed said he have a lead, posible kayang iyong kung sinong babae na 'yon ang tinutukoy niya? Kaya ngayong nahanap na ay tumigil na sila sa paghahanap?

You fool! Of course they'll stop. Dahil akala niya ay iyon nga si Dellany.

Whatever her motive is, I'm sure that's to lure the Cosmos. At kung kaninong tauhan siya, may hinala na ako. Alin lang sa dalawa, Amherst o Rozelli.

I was in front of the mirror when Prestin suddenly barged inside the walk-in closet. I don't even know why he's still here.

"Umuwi ka raw? Bakit-- What the fuck, Auriese!"

I rolled my eyes as I turned to him. His eyes are now larger than usual.

"Why are you--" Mariin siyang napapikit at tuluyang pumasok bago isinara ang walk-in closet.

"Ano na naman naiisip mo?" Eksehaderong tanong niya habang papalapit sa akin. Huminto siya nang wala ng isang metro ang layo niya sa akin. "Baka makita ka ni Rye na ganyan!"

"Cosmos already found Dellany."

He blinked. Bumaling sita sa ibang direksyon ngunit agad ring bumaling sa akin. "What the fuck? How did they found you?" He even shook his head.

I frowned. "The hell are you talking?"

"You said they found you--"

"Hindi 'yon ang sinabi ko." Agad kong putol sa mga salita niya.

"But you said they found Dellany," he muttered using a matter-of-fact tone as he tilted his head.

"There's a woman who went in Archer's office awhile ago who looks just like me..." I trailed off as I shut my eyes closed. "I mean Dellany. She even introduced herself as Dellany Mallari."

Fuck, no one know how much I want to scream in her face that I'm Dellany Mallari. That bitch! Kung hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ay ako pa ang mapapahamak.

"What... the fuck," my brother cursed softly. Mataman siyang nakatitig sa akin at tila ba inaanalisa ang aking iniisip.

"I need to get her," sambit ko na agad na tinutulan ni Prestin. Of course, he's against it.

"Stop what you're thinking. Just let Cosmos believe that she's really the capo that they're looking," may pinalidad na sambit ni Prestin. Mababa ngunit mariin ang bawat salita.

Matapos niya 'kong talikuran ay napailing na lamang ako. I can't. I won't just let Cosmos believe that that woman is really Dark. Ako 'yon. I'm Dellany Mallari, one of the Cosmos' capo. I am Dark, ako lang at wala ng iba.

I hurriedly removed the prosthetics on my face, pati na rin ang contact lens at false hair.

Whoever that woman is, I won't let her continue her doings.

__________