Kevin said that the bartender from the pub had called him.

"Salamat sa paghatid kay, Andie. Puwede ka nang umalis," anito nang masilip nito si Andie sa mismong kuwarto nito, natutulog.

"I won't leave until I can talk to her," mariin niyang sabi.

Kevin scoffed. "What game are you playing, Lavigne? Andie doesn't need you."

He balled his fist. "That's not for you to decide."

"You wanna bet on it?" hamon nito sa kanya.

Umigting na ang panga niya. Kevin's presence is infuriating! He wanted to punch the asshole right there and then.

"I will take your silence as a yes." Kevin huffed and looked at him straight in the eye. "Andie  knows how I feel for her. Alam niyang mahal ko siya. And she seems okay with it. In fact, we're spending the weekend in Valencia as a couple. We have plans. She'd met me there and I'll ask her to marry me."

Para siyang nabingi sa sinabi nito. Tangina. Ano raw? "T-that's against the rules!" 

Kevin grinned. "Not if I asked Chief about it. He seems fine with it. Ayaw mo no'n, malalaman mo agad kung may hihintayin ka pa ba talaga kay Andie o wala na?"

Nanggigil na siya. "Chief gave his word to me! I was willing to wait!"

Kevin chuckled. "People change and so are their priorities."

Hindi na siya nakatiis, pinitserahan na niya ito. "You're an asshole, Sarmiento!"

"You can call me names but the fact that you're a loser doesn't change. Don't blame me for not playing your cards well, Lavigne. Sinaktan mo siya at alam kong alam mo 'yan."

"Chief had given me no choice!" he said in between gritted teeth.

"You could've chosen to leave the program but you chose to stay."

What the f*ck is the asshole was saying? Hinigpitan niya ang pagkamal sa damit nito.

"Hindi mo ba naisip na kapag umalis ka sa agency, puwede na Sana kayo? Wala nang magbabawal sa inyo? You won't be bound by the damn rules anymore." Hindi siya umimik. Pain sliced through his chest. "Tama si Chief, hindi ang isang kagaya mo ang kailangan ni Andie."

He would've wrung Kevin's neck but he chose not to. The insult shook him-- causing a deep pain in his chest. He chose to let Kevin go bago pa niya ito masaktan. Tulog pa si Andie at ayaw niyang magising ito dahil lang sa binubugbog niya ang tarantadong bestfriend nito.

He was breathing heavily, pinupuno ng galit at kalituhan ang dibdib niya.

"You're lying. Chief is a man of his word," aniya maya-maya.

"He is. But you also have to remember, Andie and I are his ward. He'd always protect our best interest." Kevin heaved a deep sigh and straighten his back. "Sige, pagbibigyan kita. I will let you talk to Andie today. I trust that you won't put me and Chief in a bad light. We are still her family after all." Nagsimula na itong maglakad patungo sa pinto. "I'd ask Andie to marry me tomorrow. If she agrees, you better stay away from her... forever."

That day sinubukan niyang sabihin ang lahat kay Andie. But his value for his word took the better of him. He wanted to talk to Chief, verify what Kevin said to him. Dahil kung sasabihin lang ni Chief na kumakalas na ito sa usapan nila, he was willing to lose everything just to have Andrea. Pero hindi niya nakausap si Chief. Kung sadyang ayaw siyang kausapin, hindi niya alam.

So he made a move. Kinausap niya si Farah, ang anak ng amo niya. He talked her into going to Valencia and have a weekend there too. Buti pumayag ito. Ang plano niya, kausapin ulit si Andie. But when he saw Andie and Kevin by the shore cuddling and holding each other's hands, he went drinking with Carlo.

Tangina. Gulong-gulo siya noon e. Hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin niya. Next thing he knew, nagkamalay siya sa mismong kuwarto ni Andie.

Nag-usap sila. Pero hindi pa rin niya magawang ipagtapat dito ang lahat. Dahil kahit sana gusto niya, pamilya pa rin nito sina Chief at Kevin. Telling Andie what they've done to him would just hurt her all the more.

So he kept his piece, hard as it was.

He pleaded her not to go with Kevin. Pero dahil wala siyang maibigay na rason, wala siyang nagawa. That day, he watched Andie go with Kevin as they sailed through the Mediterranean Sea. Pagbalik nito, may suot na itong singsing.

He had endured many pains in his life. But no one has prepared him from the pain of seeing the love of his life agree to marry someone else.

Isang yakap at pakiusap, iyon lang ang nagawa niya para piligan si Andie.

Gusto niyang lumaban. Kaya pa niyang lumaban. Pero paano niya sasabihin kay Andie ang lahat nang hindi ito masasaktan? Paano siya magpapaliwanag nang hindi sinasabi rito ang mga ginawa ni Chief? Ni Kevin?

That weekend in Valencia was a nightmare. He planned of confronting Chief right after his work in Spain. Kaya lang, they were ambushed in one of their routinary work-home trips in Morocco and Carlo was injured.

The psycho willingly caught one bullet for their boss. It scared the living shit out of him. He can't lose Andie and his bestfriend at the same time!

Luckily, the psycho survived. Buti na lang din. Both of them were forced to have a leave and lay low in Switzerland. Nanatili pa sila doon ni Carlo ng ilang linggo bago napilitang umuwi sa Pilipinas si Carlo. At siya naman, tumulak pa-Maryland to confront Chief.

That day he was ready. Should Chief ask him to leave the agency, he was ready. Should his Dad reject him as his son because of his actions, he was ready. And should life become harder for him, he was so damn ready. He was ready to give up everything just to have Andie in his life.

Because he knew, for all the things that he had done wrong, falling in love with Andrea was the only thing that he had done right.

"Sinabi ni Kevin sa akin na nagpaalam siya sa inyo tungkol sa nararamdaman niya kay Andrea. He told me you were fine with it. You were unfair, Sir." His words tasted bitter in his mouth. "Was it because he was your ward too? Anong pinagkaiba namin ni Kevin, Sir? He's a protector and so am I. We are both bound by the rules. Your rules in The Organzation."

"Do not question my authority nor my decisions, Lavigne. Wala ka sa lugar," ani Chief bago ito tumayo sa swivel chair nito at lumapit sa bintana at tumanaw sa labas.

"Then where's is the honor in your word, Sir?"

"My honor is found on the things that I am doing right. And making sure that Kevin and Andrea stick together is what is right."

"That's bullshit!" singhal niya.

Humarap ito sa kanya, madilim ang mukha. "Stand down, protector. I am warning you. I am still the Chief."

Kumuyom na ang mga palad niya. He's angry. No, he was livid. He wanted to charge at the older man in front of him, his boss. But he restrained himself.

"Can you at least allow me to talk to Andrea?" malumanay na sabi niya maya-maya.

"No."

He took a couple of restrained breaths. "You disappoint me, Sir. You were not the good man my father had talked about."

"Being good has many faces, son."

"And being a liar is one them?"

Nangunot ang noo nito, tumalim din ang mga mata. Marahan itong umiling. "You can say what you want to say. But no, my decision won't change."

"But Sir--"

"I'm warning you! I will terminate you Lavigne, kung ipipilit mo ang gusto mo!" Chief roared. He even pounded his knuckles on his office table. Sandali silang nagsukatan ng tingin. Ito ang unang kumalma at umiwas ng tingin. "Andie has decided. It was her choice. You can't do anything about it. You were never meant to be, Lavigne."

Tangina. 'Yon na naman. Ang mga salitang 'yon na naman. 

"You don't know that," aniya.

"I raised her as my own. I know what's best for her."

Best. And he is not the best for Andie, is that it?

The words slashed through his heart, sending ripples of pain throughout his chest. 'Yon na ba 'yong hangganan ng laban niya para kay Andie? Akala niya nag-uumpisa pa lang siya, 'yon pala patapos na nang hindi alam.

Pakiramdam niya nagago siya.

Oo. Mukhang nagago nga siya.

"Sinabihan ninyo ako noon, na hindi dapat malaman ni Andrea ang tungkol sa nararamdaman ko sa kanya. Sir, nagtiis ako. Ginawa ko ang sinabi ninyo kahit na alam kong magiging kumplikado. Dahil alam ko, kung mayroon mang isang taong pinakamahalaga ang opinyon tungkol sa amin, ikaw 'yon. Andrea adores you like a father. Making you proud is her purpose why she entered the agency. I kept everything you did, Sir. I stayed true to my promise, on what you wanted. I did my part. Every single thing you told me. You told me to wait for 10 years and I am willing to do that. Kahit na hindi ako sigurado. Kahit na wala akong pinanghahawakan. Bakit ngayon malalaman kong ipapakasal niyo na siya sa iba? Where's my fair chance on that?"

"Nothing is fair in this world, son. A sacrifice is always needed to move things forward."

The last words of Chief echoed in his ears. That would be 2 days ago. But Chief's words still affect him so much. And when will he recover from the pain, that, he's not sure. 

Mabilis niyang tinungga ang laman na alak ng hawak niyang baso. Muli, gumuhit ang pait niyon sa kanyang lalamunan. Lumipad ang tingin niya patungo sa lawn ng bahay na kinaroroonan niya. Safe house iyon ng agency.  Doon siya tumuloy dahil wala rin naman siyang mapuntahan na iba. Hindi siya puwedeng umuwi ng Pilipinas. Fighting with his Dad is the least thing he wanted right now.

Isa pa, mas malapit ang Zurich pabalik sa Morocco. Mas madali siyang makakahagilap ng flights doon pagbalik niya sa trabaho sa susunod na linggo.

One of the doors of the house creaked open. Tumingala siya. Nakita niya ang kasama niya sa bahay na pababa ng hagdan.

"Downing another glass of brandy, Lavigne? Mukhang malalim ang iniisip mo a. Ilang araw na rin 'yan," ani Will Johnson sa kanya, bahagya pang hinawi patalikod ang blonde na buhok nito. The Filipino-American protector was dressed casually. Mukhang lalabas ito.

Will Johnson is the son of a rich businessman in Detroit, or so he heard from Carlo. His psycho of a bestfriend did his magic again and searched everything about the man when he joined them there in the safe house about 2 weeks ago. Kaya lang, kung bakit nito mas piniling maging protector, hindi niya alam. Kaedaran nila ito subalit nauna ito sa kanila na pumasok sa agency. Dati rin daw itong miyembro ng US Marines but was personally recruited by Chief.

Tipid siyang ngumiti. "Pampalipas-oras lang."

"But I'm going out. You wanna come?"

Marahan siyang umiling. "I think I'm good here."

Tumango-tango ito bago tuluyang naglakad patungo sa front door. When the door shut again, he heaved a deep sigh. Now he's all alone again... with his thoughts.

He grabbed the bottle of brandy and poured a generous amount of it on his glass. Ibinababa niya sa bar counter ang bote ng brandy nang muli niyang marinig ang pagbukas-sara ng pinto.

May nakalimutan siguro si Will, naisip niya.

"Forgot something?" tanong niya nang hindi nililingon ang kausap.

"D-Dax?" said the soft familiar voice on his back.

Agad siyang napalingon. He saw Andie standing by the door, her eyes brimming with tears while looking at him. Agad siyang napatayo sa stool. Confusion washed over him. 

"A-Andrea?" bulong niya. His chest tightened when he saw her tears fell.

What is going on? How did Andie find him? But more importantly, why is she crying?

She sobbed and nibbled her lower lip. As if unsure of what to do. Yumuko na ito.

"Are you okay, Andrea?" aniya, sinubukang humakbang palapit dito. Mabilis itong umiling bago nag-angat ng tingin.

Binitiwan nito ang hawak nitong bag bago siya tinakbo at niyakap. He enveloped her in his arms, reveling in the warmth he was only wishing to have a couple of minutes ago.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm s-sorry," she said in between sobs. Humigpit ang yakap nito sa kanya. Marahan naman niyang hinagod ang likod nito.

"For what, mon cherie?"

"A-alam ko na... ang... ang ginawa ni C-Chief."

He froze.###

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