Novels by Jyestha Writes

I turned to the voice of a middle-aged man. True enough, a man with visible minimal white hairs stood there, holding a clipboard in a perfectly stilled angle. Seminar staff. His smile widened when I looked at him.“Yeah,” I answered smoothly. If he’s a staff from this place, then he’s innocent. Since we heard the threat on the bus, that clears him from suspicion. “Red hair. About this tall.” I gestured vaguely. When I glanced at the staff, he wasn’t meeting my eyes. Instead, his gaze was fixed just behind me. Curious, I turned to look.“I think that’s who you’re looking for,” he said softly, pointing out Isabella.We both saw her walking towards our direction. One hand was tucked casually into her pocket, her posture relaxed enough to fool anyone who didn’t know her. To everyone else, she probably looked like a participant who’d stepped away for air.“Yeah,” I muttered, more to myself than the staff. “That’s her.”The man nodded, satisfied, then excused himself with a polite smile, a

Everything about this seminar felt oddly harmless. If it wasn’t for the voice we heard at the bus, I wouldn’t guess that we’d still need to work as mafia and assassins.I stood near the refreshment table with a glass of fresh fruit juice in my hand. Everyone was busy mingling and exchanging business cards like some kind of adult collection. “Hey,” a man in a neat and ironed suit approached me. “Not much of a party talker?” he continued, glancing at the glass on my hand that remained untouched. I took a slow sip of the juice. “I talk when there’s something worth saying. Wouldn’t want to waste energy for the long week.”He laughed a little louder than necessary. “Fair enough. These things can get exhausting. It’s a clever choice to save it when needed.”I learned that his name was June Watson. A fresh graduate who’s still oblivious to the fact that him boosting his overtime and piles of work isn’t exactly something I aspire to have. It was obvious that whoever his superiors were, the

The week ended but it still feels like chaos was still present. Isabella stood beside me, close enough that I could feel the warmth of her even through my coat. We were waiting in line at the bus terminal where our shuttle will fetch us to go to the venue of the seminar. Everyone around us looked painfully normal, and we tried to look the same.“This would have taken me ten minutes if I used my private jet…” Isabella murmured under her breath, seemingly making sure that I was the only one who heard her.“And the chance to cover up your humble and responsible manager image?” I shot back. She grimaced and turned her back against me, making me chuckle for a little bit. I let my gaze drift across the busy terminal. We know no one here. Two representatives from each company in town had been invited to a private resort near the seaside for this so-called seminar. For most employees, this would be a coveted opportunity and a one-week paid break they would dream of. It was a perfect escape

By the time she got back, she was already holding a medical kit in her arms. She saw me in the same position as she left a while ago. The pain on my back is starting to take a toll on me. Her eyes narrowed and made me straighten my back. “Sit.”I blinked, looking at her with full disbelief. How dare she command me with just a word?“I’m not a dog.”“I know, dogs are a lot more charming and cooperative.” She rebutted. She knelt behind me and the next thing I knew, my shirt was torn by her dagger.“What the—” I groaned as she pressed an alcohol pad to the raw skin along my lower back. The cold sting made every muscle tighten. She noticed that. She worked quietly yet, annoyingly gentle whenever the pain made me flinch.“You know how to treat wounds?” I asked out of curiosity. “Adam.” She straightforwardly answered. “I learned because I had to patch him up all the time.”Before I could respond, the handler approached with Daisy still in his arms. “Done quarreling, love birds?”“We are no

I woke up to a light snickering from above. For a moment, I was disoriented, unsure if I was dreaming or if the noise was real. My eyes fluttered open gradually as the soft sound echoed from my place. It took a second for my brain to register where I was, why my neck hurt like hell, and why something warm was pressed against my shoulder.Isabella.My arm had somehow wrapped around her waist while hers was at my chest without permission from either of us. Close call. If Isabella woke up before I even had the chance to open my eyes fully, I’d be done for.The snickering came again.I blinked upward.A familiar silhouette leaned casually over the edge of the hole, one hand holding a phone towards our direction, and another carrying Daisy.“Ki!” Daisy’s little voice called.“Well, good morning.” the handler greeted in amusement, hiding his phone in his pocket. “Hope you don’t mind us sticking around… or above.”I groaned and showed him my middle finger. “Fvck you.”“F-fak?” Daisy echoed.

“So, were you and Adam close?”Both Isabella and I were sitting on the ground, dust clinging to our clothes, and the face of defeat sitting across our faces. We tried stacking debris and soils, digging the walls as stairs, using me as a ladder, but all ended up as failures. Isabella rested her forearms on her knees, her crimson hair sticking to her cheek where sweat and dirt mixed. She isn’t the type of assassin who would sit still, not even for a second. But here she was, curled on the dirt as she’d finally run out of reasons to keep pretending she wasn’t exhausted.Her finger played on the dirt, scribbling random shapes. “Close?” she repeated. “I don’t think that’s the right term.”I waited. Isabella carefully chooses her words before answering. It’s part of why she made it as both a manager and an assassin. And if I rushed her, she’d probably rush a dagger straight at my face.“We weren’t the type of siblings who hugged or said ‘I love you’ every hour.” A humorless breath left her

Ang gabing iyon ay hindi tungkol sa malalaking party o magarbo na selebrasyon sa labas. Pagkauwi namin sa mansyon, isang simpleng dinner lang ang pinahanda ko kay Manang Evy. Para sa ‘kin, ito na ang pinakamagarbong selebrasyon sa buong mundo dahil kasama ko lahat ng mga mahal ko sa buhay.“So, Eloisa, ngayong graduate ka na, ano nang sunod mong plano?” untag ni Mama habang inaabutan ako ng paborito kong dessert na buko pandan. Huminga ako nang malalim at ngumiti. “Focus muna ako sa Board Exams, Ma. Gusto kong maging licensed Psychometrician. Ayaw kong masayang 'yung paghihirap natin, lalo na 'yung pagbuhat sa akin nina Drake sa thesis. Baka sa susunod na linggo na po muna ako mag simula mag-review.”“Narinig mo ‘yon, Easton ha?” Singit ni Grandpa at matalas ang tingin kay Easton na nakaupo sa tabi ko. “Ayoko pang maging lolo sa tuhod. Huwag mo munang pakikialaman ang apo ko.” “Dad naman, bakit pakiramdam mo ay ayaw mo pa akong mag asawa?” nakangusong wika ni Easton. “Hindi ba dapat

Pagbaba ko ng stage bitbit ang aking diploma, sinalubong agad ako ng malalakas na hiyaw na mas maingay pa sa palakpak ng buong batch.“We are so proud of you, Eloise. You survived the war.” Agad na lumapit si Trisha sa ‘kin at niyakap ako nang mahigpit. “And you did it with grace,” dagdag ni Krisha na nag-abot sa akin ng isang boquet ng paborito kong bulaklak.Napaiyak na naman ako, pero sa pagkakataong ito, dahil ito sa saya. Sila ang mga kaibigang hindi bumitaw sa akin noong panahong halos lahat ay nakatalikod. Sila ang nakipag-away para sa akin sa mga hallway ng university at sila ang naging takbuhan ko tuwing gabi kapag hindi ko na kaya ang pressure.“Group hug!” aya ni Drake, kaya kaagad kaming nagkumpulan sa gitna. Nagreklamo pa kami nang sabay-sabay dahil talagang pilit kaming isinisiksik ni Drake sa kaniyang dambuhalang yakap.“Huy, Drake! Maawa ka naman sa buhok ko, kakapa-plantsa ko lang nito!” reklamo ni Trisha habang pilit na kumakawala, pero tumatawa rin naman.“Gaga ka,

“Aalis ka na ba talaga? Hindi mo man lang ba ako hihintayin makapagtapos?” Nakatayo si Arissa sa tapat ng check-in counter, bitbit ang kaniyang mga maleta. Hindi na namin tinago pa sa publiko ang katotohanan. Naglabas ng statement si Arissa tungkol sa pagkansela ng kasal nila ni Easton at suporta na iniaabot niya sa amin. Hinarap niya ako nang may bahagyang pagngisi, iyong tipong nang-aasar pa rin kahit papaalis na. “Eloisa, kailangan ko ring mag-level up. Boring na rito sa Manila, lahat ng hot na guys ay taken na o kaya naman ay kadugo mo,” biro niya kaya kanina pa hindi matuloy-tuloy ang luha ko.Tumingin siya kay Easton at tinapik ito sa balikat. “Hoy, Easton. Alagaan mo ‘yang girlfriend mo, ‘di hamak na mas grabe ang dinadanas nito kaysa sa ‘yo. Alam mong crush kita dahil matalino at gwapo ka, pero iba ang tingin niyan sa ‘yo. Huwag na huwag mo siyang pababayaan, kundi babalik ako rito para bawiin ang shares ko sa kumpanya.”Natawa nang bahagya si Easton, bakas ang pasasalamat s

Habang mabilis na kumakalat ang balita sa social media at malamang sa West Crestfall University, tanging isang lugar lang ang alam naming kailangan naming puntahan kaya hindi na kami nagpalipas pa ng ilang araw ay umalis na kami ng Manila.Kinabukasan lang pagtapos ng Gala ay kumalat na lahat ng ebidensya na hawak ni Blair tungkol sa relasyon nami ni Easton. It was just a bunch of blurred photos of us eating dinner outside and going for a walk kaya hati ang opinyon ng mga tao. Pero hindi ‘yon ang importante sa ‘min. Mas importante ang iisipin ng taong pupuntahan namin ngayon.“Grandpa.”Pagbaba namin ng sasakyan, sinalubong kami ng malamig na simoy ng hangin at ang amoy ng lupa ng probinsya. Taliwas sa magulong ingay ng Manila, dito ay tanging huni lamang ng mga kuliglig ang maririnig. Si Grandpa ay nakaupo lang sa kubo habang nakamasid sa paligid. Sa taas ng kaniyang lamesa ay nakalagay ang tablet na ginagamit niya sa trabaho noon. Alam ko ang nakabukas doon. Alam ko kung anong bali

Sa isang iglap, namatay ang lahat ng ilaw sa ballroom maliban sa dambuhalang projector screen sa gitna ng entablado. Isang nakabibinging katahimikan ang bumalot sa paligid, ang mga tao ay may kaniya-kaniyang binubulong sa kanilang mga katabi bago pa umalingawngaw ang isang pamilyar na boses sa screen.Si Blair. “Eloisa Concepcion must be eliminated at all costs. Siguraduhin niyo na walang matitira kahit abo ni Eloisa. I want her gone before the gala starts.”Nanlaki ang mga mata ng mga bisita. Ang ilang investors ay napaatras palayo kay Blair habang ang mga flash ng camera ay sunod-sunod na nag-flash sa mukha mismo ni Blair na ngayo’y hindi mapinta. Napakapit si Blair sa braso ni Papa, pero maging ang sarili kong ama ay dahan-dahang bumitaw sa kaniya, ang mukha ay puno ng pandidiri at takot.“That’s… that’s not true! Everything’s fabricated!” Blair tried to defend herself. Hinawakan niya ang kaniyang tiyan at hinimas. “Buntis ako. Hindi ko na maiisip ang ganoong bagay dahil ang iniis

Huminga ako nang malalim habang tinitingnan ang sarili ko sa huling pagkakataon bago kami makarating sa venue. I was wearing a black silk gown that hugged my curves perfectly, paired with the diamonds Easton gave me. Nag abala pa si Arissa na tumawag ng hairstylist at makeup artist para ayusan ako. “Hindi ka na ba talaga sasama sa ‘min?” tanong ko kay Arissa na nasa harapan ng sasakyan habang magkatabi naman kami ni Easton dito sa likod.Umiling siya habang nakatingin sa akin mula sa rearview mirror. “This is your moment. Hindi na ako bababa at baka magtaka pa sila kung bakit hindi kami magkasama ni Easton. Mas magiging epektibo ang pagsabog sa loob kung wala ang ‘fiancée’ na nakabuntot sa kaniya. Go out there and claim what’s yours.”Huminga ako nang malalim. Naramdaman ko ang mainit na palad ni Easton na humawak sa aking kamay. Suot niya ang kaniyang tuxedo na lalong nagpadagdag sa kaniyang kisig. “Ready, baby?” Ang ngiti niya ay punong puno ng lambing at determinasyon. "Ready,"