CHAPTER 7

“NAPANSIN ninyo? Parang hindi na masiyado umaalis si Sir Rem dito sa mansyon,” bigla ay sabi ni Lera.

Sabay kaming lumingon ni Sheena kay Remmington na nandoon sa sala. Kausap nito si Mics, pero mula rito sa kinatatayuan namin ay wala kaming marinig na kahit ano.

“Baka wala na siyang trabaho sa ibang bansa,” sagot ni Sheena pero umiling agad si Lera.

“Narinig ko kayang nagreklamo si Mics kahapon. Ang rami raw kasing tumatawag kay Sir Rem mula sa ibang bansa. Gusto raw siyang makausap at ma-meet sa personal, pero sinasabi lang ni Sir Rem na marami pa raw siyang gagawin dito. Iyon nga lang ay sinabi sa akin ni Mics na wala naman daw talagang trabaho si Sir Rem dito sa Pilipinas masiyado. Ang pinakahuli ata ay iyong sa pinagawa niyang beach resort sa Pangasinan,” sunod-sunod na sabi ni Lera. Lumingon pa ito kay Remmington bago niya tinitigan ng mariin ang lalaki.

“Hindi kaya ay dahil sa nangyari roon sa nagpapanggap na maid? Naaapektuhan ba si Sir Rem sa mga fake news na kinalat ng babaeng iyon?” Naiwala ko ang tingin kay Remmington at napatingin kay Lera.

“H-Hindi ninyo ba alam?” mahina kong tanong sa mga ito.

“Ang alin? May chismis ba?” si Lera. Umiling ako.

“Nakita ko sa telebisyon noong una, at nakilala ko agad ang babaeng naroon kasi natanong ko si Manang Gina tungkol sa babaeng iyon. The news said that she’s... dead. Cold. Lifeless,” I uttered slowly in a whisper.

Hindi agad nakaimik si Lera. Napakurap-kurap siya sa akin. Umawang ang bibig niya para may sabihin pero agad niya iyong isinarado pabalik.

“Sigurado ka ba, Honey?” tanong sa akin ni Sheena, at marahan akong tumango.

“Yes. I’m very sure. Puwede ninyong makita ang news sa YouTube at F******k. I searched it online and it really happened, Rosey Buenaflor really died. Pero hindi ko naman sinasabi na may kinalaman ito sa amo ninyo, pero baka kaya hindi siya makaalis dahil siya ang sinisisi ng iba sa nangyari although the news said that she died of cardiogenic shock.” Sobrang hina ng boses ko. Hindi ko gustong marinig ng kahit sino ang sasabihin ko.

I can’t create a crack in Remmington Accardi the moment I came here because of his loyal workers. Lahat sila ay gusto siya, pero ganoon naman talaga kapag gusto mong itago ang totoong anyo mo -- ang mas masangsang at pangit na anyo. You will create a beautiful image that could cover that dark image of yours, and everything will look perfect if people won’t try to dig what’s on the inside.

I just realized the moment I started feeling more than what I should feel for Remmington, that he is not what he shows to me. He is not the Remmington that I wanted him to be. Hindi ko siya puwedeng gawan ng imahe na hindi naman talaga siya. It will only disappoint me in the end.

Bago ba lumala lahat ng ito ay kailangan ko ng matapos ang ipinunta ko rito. To do that, I have to create a crack between him and his worker’s relationship. They will create the gap, and make things hard for him. And that is where I will enter the picture.

“G-Ganoon naman pala! Then she probably died due to that! There is nothing for us to worry about then. Sir Rem is... Sir Rem is innocent!” sabi ni Lera kalaunan.

I smiled at her. “Of course, he is. Huwag kang mag-alala, Lera. There is nothing for you to worry about. Wala siyang kinalaman sa nangyari kay Rosey Buenaflor.”

I am finally seeing a crack. Hindi man nila isatinig ay nakikita ko na ang tahimik na pagdududa sa mga mata nila. Mga pagdududang sisira ng onti-onti sa pinagsamahan nila. Kapag nangyari iyon, ay sila na mismo ang maghahanap ng sagot. That will save me time and energy.

What would Remmington Accardi feel after being stabbed in the back by the people whose loyalty he thought is his?

I TIPTOED while walking towards the kitchen. Ilang araw na rin akong nandito sa masyon ni Remmington kaya alam ko na kung kailan ako puwedeng maglakad-lakad sa buong mansyon ng hindi nakikita ng iba. Sa gabi iyon, at kapag wala lamang si Remmington sa mansyon. Everyone is asleep at night, and while Remmington’s away -- I could just find my way to sneak in to the kitchen without his presence. Plus, I already know how to avoid the CCTV around, especially here at the kitchen where every dangerous tools are kept.

Aside from guns, the only thing I could think of to use against Remmington and his bodyguards is knife.

Nang makarating ako sa kusina ay mabilis kong hinanap kung nasaan ang mga kutsilyo. It did not took me long when I found it. Mabilis akong napangiti.

“What are you doing?” The light in the kitchen suddenly turned on. Sa gulat ay napalingon ako sa nagsalita. Dinaga ng kaba ang dibdib ko.

Remmington Accardi once again caught me in the act of stealing some knife in his kitchen.

Unlike before, I didn’t shout because I immediately recognized who owned the voice. But instead of my mouth, it was my chest instead that keeps on being loud with its sudden thumping.

Ang rason kung bakit atat na atat akong tapusin ang trabahong ito ay hindi na dahil sa boyfriend ko. All I wanted is to finished it because I knew that I would be able to betray my family just for this man.

If I seduce him, it might be because I really like him -- and not just for the task they give me. And if I admit that I really do like him, I’d be doomed -- because I can turn my back to anyone even my own family. But the problem is that I don’t really know this man in front of me.

His whole existence is a clouded mystery. Even if he tells me that he felt something for me, I know that I can’t believe it. I can’t but I would, because it is what I wanted to believe in too.

“Don’t you think that this is a deja vu, Hon?” he smiled. It wasn’t a kind one, but a flirty smile. His eyes twinkled as he looked at me from head to toe, and then he whistled.

“Hot...” he added.

And that’s where I realized that I’m actually wearing a see through sleeping wear. Making the cold air around us turn hotter.