Chapter 35: Who?

I GRITTED my teeth as if it could lessen the pain that I'm feeling. I'm heavily panting, gasping for air. It feels like I'm suffocating, and something was stuck in my lungs. I felt dizzy, but I ignored it.

Relliana's face was painted with concern while helping me to put pressure on my wound.

"Hubby! I think. . . something was wrong with Jey. Look at her," panic was in her voice.

Napatitig ako kay Relliana, anong ibig niyang sabihin? What's wrong with me? Napabaling ako kay Romanov ng lumapit 'to sa 'kin.

He gently removed Relliana's hand from my shoulder and cursed when he saw it. "Fuck! We need to get her in the hospital!"

After Romanov said that, gunfire slowed down and stopped altogether. Smokes are everywhere, as we heard a footstep heading towards the mansion.

Romanov covered us and held his gun tightly, but when he recognized who was trying to get inside the mansion, he put down his weapon.

Agad na bumungad papasok si Agon, bitbit si Levin. I scanned them to see if they have wounds, pero wala akong makitang kahit ano. Tila nabunutan ng tinik ang dibdib ko.

Sumunod si Raji, Nick, at Ardeen na may kakaunting mga dumi sa damit at talsik ng dugo ang damit.

When Agon and I met our gazes, lumukob sa mukha nito ang pag-aalala at humahangos na dinaluhan ako.

"What the fuck happened here, Romanov?!" galit na tanong nito.

Hinawakan ko ang braso ni Agon. "They protected me. Don't blame them."

"I think they withdraw. Something is wrong, why did they just leave like that?" puna ni Raji, nag-iisip ng maaring dahilan. He shot his eyes at me.

"Enough with that. Let's prioritize Jeykcil first. I think she was poisoned. The bullets in her flesh right now have poison that could kill her!" naiinis na usal ni Relliana.

Without a warning, Agon lifted me into a bridal position.

"Let's go," urgency was in his voice.

I felt dizzy with the slightest movement that's why I closed my eyes. Parang nawala bigla ang sakit ng katawan ko ng maramdaman ang init ni Agon. His warmth brings comfort.

"Hang in there, baby. This will be quick," he whispered like a lullaby. "Raj, drive us," aniya na may pagmamadali sa boses.

I closed my eyes when my surroundings started to get blurry. My breathing was getting heavier, and my whole body felt numb.

"Baby, don't close your eyes. We're getting there. Hang on," he whispered again sweetly.

Napangiti ako dahil ramdam ko na talaga ang emosyon ni Agon. He was getting more vocal and far from that cold, ruthless mafia boss. Well, he was still ruthless, but not in me anymore.

He was now gentle, and the emotions that he hides from me show now within him.

"Why are you smiling?" nagtatakang aniya.

"I'm. . .I'm just h-happ. . .y" inaantok na ani ko at tuluyan ng hinila ng antok.

○••○••○••○

NAPAMULAT ako ng maramdamang may kumukurot sa ilong ko pero muli akong napapikit sa masakit sa matang liwanag na nanggagaling sa bombilya ng puting kisame.

Ilang ulit pa akong napakurap bago tuluyang namulat ang mata ng masanay sa liwanag. Una kong kinilala ang hindi pamilyar na kwarto, mukhang nasa hospital nga talaga ako.

"She's awake," I heard Nick's voice. "She's awake!"

Bigla niyang pinihit ang isang confetti at sumabog 'yon sa loob ng kwartong 'to.

Nakakuha siya nang masamang tingin kina Agon at Raji at nag-peace sign lang 'to.

Mga kalokohan talaga ng isang 'to.

Nang magtagpo ang mga mata namin ni Raji ay nginitian ako nito at ng kay Agon naman ay agad akong nilapitan.

"Do you feel anything? Na saan ang masakit?" alalang aniya.

"I'm okay, and I don't feel any pain." Napangiti ako.

Tinawag nila ang doctor to check me. Agon requested to send me home since this place is really dangerous. Pwede kaming salakayin ulit sa hospital na 'to at mas kawawa ang mga taong madadamay.

If we stay here any longer, innocent people in this hospital will be the casualties. Hindi ako papayag na ganoon ang mangyayari sa walang kamuwang-muwang na tao sa mundong kinabibilangan namin.

Biglang sumagi sa isip ko sina Romanove at Relliana.

"Is Relliana and Romanov okay?" I asked with concern.

"They're good. No need to worry. Alalahanin mo ang kalagayan mo," Agon answered

Napasimangot ako bigla. Okay naman na ako sabi gn doctor, kailangan na lang ang paghilom ng sugat ko at wala ng iba pa.

"Be careful, Nick!" inis na sabi ni Agon nang inagaw ni Nick ang wheelchair sa kaibigan kung saan ako nakaupo.

Hindi naman ako baldado pero kung makaasta silang apat daig pa 'yong putol-putol 'yong katawan ko sa kakaalalay nilang lahat.

"Hey! Kitang may bato!" inis na saway ni Ardeen at tinapik ang kamay ni Nick. Napairap ako ng magtalo na silang dalawa.

"Stop what you are doing right now, or else I'll make you run and shoot you again!" nagpipigil sa inis na ani Raji. Siya bigla ang nagtulak ng wheelchair ko.

I want to protest, but Raji and Agon glared at me. Pinagtulungan pa ako ng dalawa. Nakaiinis!

Si Agon ang naghatid sa 'kin sa kwarto ko.

"Get some enough rest, you need that. Huwag pairalin ang katigasan ng ulo," he said, scooping me up effortlessly and putting me on my bed.

His scent soothes my system the moment I smell him when he lifts me. Noong una ay inis na inis ako sa matapang niyang amoy pero ngayon ay parang gusto kong singhutin 'to hanggang sa pagsawaan ko.

I hated to admit it, but his scent comforted me the most and made me sleepy.

"I'm fine already, look-aw!" Napangiwi ako ng pilit kong iangat ang braso kung saan ako tinamaan sa balikat.

"You're not fine. You almost got yourself killed yesterday." Pinitik niya ang noo ko nang mahina. Agon sat at the edge of my bed.

Gusto ko sanang magsalita pa pero nandoon na naman nakapinta ang pag-aalala niya sa mukha niya. May kung anong sa loob ko ang sumipa.

We do the deed, he claimed me, but I want to hear it clearly in his mouth. I want to hear something.

I looked at him closely, his prominent features softened in the dimly lit lighting of my room. His emotionless face was now painted of emotions compared to him a long time ago. I opened my lips again, but I closed it, I was hesitant for a time, but finally letting the words come out of my mouth.

I touched his face, tracing his jawline. "What do you feel about me, Agon? Please. . .tell me what you feel about me? After doing it, do. . . do you love me?"

"What kind of question is that?" He averted my gaze.

"You're always cold. Bakit? Bakit mo tinatago ang emosyong pwede mo namang ipakita? Bakit mo kinakahon ang mga bagay-bagay at pilit na tinatago?"

"You have no idea."

Sa pagkakataong 'to, sinalubong ni Agon ang tingin ko.

"Then tell me!"

My eyes widened when he sealed me with his lips. It was a brief moment but feels forever and brought a series of emotions within me.

"You make me lose control whenever I see you. You become a weakness to me. I can't even explain how you made my system go crazy."

I blinked, surprised for his honesty. I thought he would deny it or avoid my question.

"Hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang ginawa mo sa 'kin. No, wala kang ginawa sa 'kin, it's just my heart. You captured my heart without doing anything."

I felt my cheeks heated as my heart beat faster. I remembered what I signed before he announced that we are married in the mafia world.

"Our marriage-"

"Totoo 'yon. You signed legal papers. We are married, truly."

Mas lalong kumabog ang dibdib ko, Agon is my real husband? Not just by papers or agreement? Oh, God!

Parang gusto ko na lang magpatama ng ilang ulit sa bala kung ganito lang naman pala ang kahihinatnan. I will welcome the bullets and poisons with open arms!

Kinuha niya bigla ang bulaklak na nasa vase, isang maliit na daisy. He formed it into a ring.

"I didn't have time to buy you a ring when you signed the papers, I'm really sorry," nahihiyang aniya at kinuha ang kamay ko. "I know this is late and this is not an expensive ring, but let this be a sign of our new beginning. A sign that a Del Vecho owns you."

I didn't speak for a moment, staring at my ring finger. I know this isn't much, but I felt like I was on cloud nine. Maingat kong hinaplos ang bulaklak na nasa palasingsingan ko at ngitian si Agon.

This man really knows how to make my heart skip a thousand beats.

"This is beautiful," I said softly. "And I'm always yours forever." I kissed him deeply.

"I want to give you something more, a ring that will not wither through time, but we will get there. Iyan lang muna sa ngayon."