Novels by xxxR_RUIZxxx

CHAPTER 10 : Ang Pagod na Hindi NakikitaMay mga sugat na hindi dumudugo. May mga sugat na walang pasa at mayroon ding mga sugat na hindi nakikita ng mata... pero sapat para ubusin ang lakas ng isang tao.Mula nang mangyari ang insidente kahapon ay hindi na naging pareho si Maeve.-Martes.Alas-siete pa lamang ng umaga ag tahimik siyang nakaupo sa loob ng jeep, katabi niya si Bea hindi tulad ng dati na wala ang paborito niyang mga biro, wala ang walang tigil niyang reklamo tungkol sa quiz, wala rin ang masayahing boses na palaging nagbibigay-buhay sa biyahe nila.Nakatingin lang siya sa labas ng bintana, tahimik na nagmamasid, paminsan-minsan naman ay napapapitlag siya kapag may biglang dumaraang motorsiklo.O kapag may lalaking napapatingin sa kanya.Napansin iyon ni Bea."Maeve..." Mahina nitong tawag. "Lumiban ka na lang kaya ngayon?"Bahagyang ngumiti si Maeve."Hindi pwede. May laboratory, may attendance baka bumagsak ako."Napabuntong-hininga si Bea."Kahit kailan talaga grades

CHAPTER 9 : Ang Unang Taong Gusto Niyang ProtektahanMay mga taong sanay mabuhay sa gitna ng panganib. Mga taong araw-araw ay may kaaway, mga taong lumaki sa mundong ang bawat ngiti ay maaaring pagtataksil.Isa roon si Keiv.Bata pa lamang siya...Alam na niyang hindi lahat ng gustong makipagkamay ay kaibigan, hindi lahat ng nakangiti ay mabuti ang intensyon at hindi lahat ng laban ay napapanalo sa pamamagitan ng pera pero sa unang pagkakataon ay hindi ang sarili niya ang inaalala niya, hindi ang ama niya, hindi ang Spenser Global Holdings.Kundi...Si Maeve Villanueva.Isang babaeng walang alam sa mga negosyong pinag-aagawan ng mga bilyonaryo, walang alam sa politika ng mga malalaking kumpanya at lalong walang alam na may mga taong kaya siyang gamitin bilang pain.Tahimik na nakatayo si Keiv sa harap ng bintana. Hindi pa rin nawawala ang itim na SUV na nakaparada sa tapat ng condominium. Nakatingin pa rin doon ang lalaking naka-itim na amerikana.Hindi man lang ito umaalis.Para bang

CHAPTER 8Ang Maling Kama at ang Unang BantaMay mga digmaang nagsisimula sa isang bala, may mga digmaang nagsisimula sa isang pirma at mayroon ding mga digmaang nagsisimula sa isang pangalan.Spenser.Isa itong apelyidong iginagalang ng marami ngunit...Kinasusuklaman din ng iba.Makati City 2:14 A.M.Sa pinakataas na palapag ng isang gusaling hindi man lamang nakasulat ang pangalan sa labas...Tahimik na umiikot ang usok ng tabako sa loob ng isang malawak na conference room.Nakapatay ang kalahati ng ilaw.Tanging ang mahinang liwanag mula sa malaking LED screen ang nagbibigay ng anyo sa limang lalaking nakaupo sa paligid ng mesa.Sa gitna ng screen...Makikita ang logo ng Spenser Global Holdings. Kasunod ang larawan ni Cevin Klein Spenser at sa tabi nito ang larawan ni Clarence Keiv Spenser.Tahimik ang lahat.Hanggang sa may isang lalaking nakaupo sa pinakadulo ng mesa ang nagsalita."Thirty years..." Mababa ang boses nito. "Thirty years na tayong nilalamangan ng mga Spenser." Unt

CHAPTER 7Ang Young Master sa Hallway at ang Libong PamasaheKinabukasan...Maagang nagising si Maeve.May klase na ulit.Matapos ang mahabang holiday, ramdam na naman ang pagmamadali ng bawat estudyante.Habang inaayos niya ang laman ng backpack—laptop, notebook, ballpen, tumbler, wallet, at isang maliit na lunch box na siya mismo ang naghanda...May narinig siyang malakas na boses mula sa hallway."Sir! Excuse me!""Sandali lang po!"Napakunot-noo siya."Aga-aga, may delivery?"Pagbukas niya ng pinto...Sakto ring bumukas ang pinto ni Keiv.Pareho silang napatingin sa labas.Tatlong lalaking nakasuot ng mamahaling itim na amerikana ang nakatayo sa tapat ng unit.May dalang malalaking kahon.May garment bags.May dalawang paper bag na may logo ng isang luxury boutique.At ang isa ay may hawak pang tablet.Pagkakita nila kay Keiv...Sabay-sabay silang yumuko."Good morning, Young Master."Nanigas si Keiv.Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Maeve."...Young...""Master?"Biglang natahimik ang buo

CHAPTER 6 Kare-Kare Treaty "Yung niluluto mo." Saglit siyang napatingin sa kawali at pagkatapos ay tumingin siyang muli kay Keiv. "Teka..." Naningkit ang mga mata niya. "Huwag mong sabihing—" "Gusto kong tikman." Katahimikan ang namutawi sa kanilang dalawa, napakatahimik hanggang sa... "Pfft! HAHAHAHA!!!" Tawang-tawa si Maeve hindi lang ito simpleng tawa kundi iyong tipong napahawak pa siya sa doorknob. "Ikaw?" Tumango lang si Keiv. "Ikaw na feeling CEO?" "..." "Ikaw na hindi marunong ngumiti?" "..." "Ikaw na kanina lang, sosyal na sosyal ang kinakain mong fast food?" Napabuntong-hininga si Keiv. "Hindi masarap." "Ha?" "Tatlong kagat pa lang..." Bahagya siyang napangiwi. "Nagsisi na ako." Hindi napigilan ni Maeve ang muling pagtawa. "HAHAHAHA!! Grabe..." Napailing siya. "Ang mahal-mahal ng inorder mo tapos gusto mong manghingi ng ulam?" "Hindi ako manghihingi." "Edi?" "Titikim." "Magkaiba ba iyon?" "...Konti." Napailing si Maeve. "Bak

CHAPTER 5 : Ang Kusinera ng Unit 512 at ang Lalaking Nabiktima ng Kare-KareHindi lahat ng problema ay nalulutas sa isang usapan pero ang problema nina Maeve at Keiv...Nagsimula muna sa isang landlord."Ha?"Halos sabay na napataas ang boses nina Maeve at Keiv habang nakatingin sa nasa limampung taong gulang na landlord na bagong dating sa Unit 512.Napakamot ito sa batok habang hawak ang isang makapal na folder."Naku... pasensya na kayo. May naging pagkakamali kasi sa booking.""Ano'ng ibig sabihin ng pagkakamali?" kunot-noong tanong ni Maeve. Binuksan ng landlord ang folder."Pareho kayong may valid contract.""...""...""Paano nangyari iyon?""May dati kasi akong assistant. Dalawang beses niyang na-encode ang unit tapos pareho niyang na-confirm."Napahawak si Maeve sa noo."Sir... iisa lang ang unit.""Oo nga.""E bakit dalawa kaming may susi?"Napakamot ulit ang matanda."Iyon nga ang problema."Napabuntong-hininga si Keiv."So?""So..."Ngumiti nang pilit ang landlord."Fully

CHAPTER 10: The Exhaustion No One Can SeeSome wounds don't bleed. Some wounds leave no bruises and some wounds cannot be seen by the eyes... yet they are enough to drain every bit of a person's strength.Ever since yesterday's incident... Maeve had not been the same.-Tuesday.It was only seven in the morning, and she sat quietly inside the jeepney beside Bea. Unlike before, there were no favorite jokes. No endless complaints about quizzes. No cheerful voice that always brought life to their commute.She simply stared out the window in silence.Every now and then, she flinched whenever a motorcycle suddenly passed by. Or whenever a man happened to look at her.Bea noticed."Maeve..."she called softly."Why don't you skip school today?"Maeve forced a small smile."I can't.""I have a laboratory class.""And attendance.""I might fail."Bea let out a sigh."You really think about your grades no matter what.""I'm a scholar,"Maeve answered quietly."I don't have the luxury of lettin

CHAPTER 9 : The First Person He Wanted to ProtectSome people grow up surrounded by danger. People who live every day with enemies. People raised in a world where every smile could be a betrayal.Keiv was one of them.Ever since he was a child...He had already learned that not everyone who offered a handshake was a friend, not everyone who smiled had good intentions, and not every battle could be won with money.But for the first time...It wasn't himself he was worried about, not his father, not Spenser Global Holdings.It was...Maeve.A girl who knew nothing about the billion-dollar business wars fought by the country's wealthiest families. Nothing about corporate politics and certainly nothing about the fact that there were people willing to use her as bait.Keiv stood silently in front of the window. The black SUV was still parked across the condominium the man in the black suit was still there.He hadn't left.It was as if he wanted to send a message..."We're watching you."Ke

CHAPTER 8The Wrong Bed and the First ThreatSome wars begin with a single bullet. Some begin with a signature. And some... begin with a surname.Spenser.It was a surname respected by many...But also hated by others.Makati City – 2:14 A.M.At the top floor of a building with no name displayed outside...Cigarette smoke drifted quietly through a spacious conference room.Half of the lights were turned off.Only the faint glow from a massive LED screen illuminated the five men seated around the table.At the center of the screen...Was the logo of Spenser Global Holdings.Then came the photo of Cevin Klein Spenser.Beside it...The photo of Clarence Keiv Spenser.Silence filled the room.Until the man seated at the far end of the table finally spoke."Thirty years..."His voice was low."We've been losing to the Spensers for thirty years."Slowly, he closed the folder in front of him."In every project... every bidding... every business...""They always win."He stood up and walked t

CHAPTER 7 : The Young Master in the Hallway and the Thousand-Peso Fare"...Young... Master?"The entire hallway suddenly fell silent.Even the neighbor from the opposite unit peeked outside."Hey... Is he some kind of celebrity?"Keiv closed his eyes.Dad... are you serious?He took a deep breath before forcing a smile."Oh...""Uncle Ben!"The man in the suit blinked."...Yes, sir?""You came pretty early."The older man immediately understood the situation."Ah...""That's right.""Uncle?"Maeve whispered.Keiv smiled."He's my... uncle's cousin."The older man awkwardly forced a smile."Ah...""Yes.""We're relatives."Maeve looked at the three men."All of you?""Yes, ma'am."One of them answered."Our family is very close."Maeve blinked."You all wear suits?""It's a family tradition."Keiv nearly choked."Exactly!"The older man nodded."Family tradition.""We just... like dressing formally."Maeve shook her head."Weird."She was half convinced.Half doubtful.Then she looked

CHAPTER 6Kare-Kare Treaty"What you're cooking..."He glanced briefly at the pan before looking back at Keiv."Wait..." She narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me—""I want to taste it."Silence settled between them.Complete silence.Then..."Pfft! HAHAHAHA!!!"Maeve burst into laughter. Not just an ordinary laugh—it was the kind that made her grab the doorknob to keep herself from falling over."You?" Keiv simply nodded."You, the guy who acts like a CEO?""...""You, who doesn't even know how to smile?""...""You, who was eating your fancy fast food just a while ago?"Keiv let out a quiet sigh."It doesn't taste good.""Huh?""After just three bites..." He grimaced slightly. "I already regretted it."Maeve couldn't stop herself from laughing again."HAHAHAHA!! Seriously..." She shook her head. "You spent so much on your order, and now you want someone else's food?""I'm not asking for any.""Then?""I just want to taste it.""Isn't that the same thing?""...A little."Maeve shook her

CHAPTER 5The Cook of Unit 512 and the Man Who Fell Victim to Kare-Kare"Not every problem can be solved with a single conversation.But Maeve and Keiv's problem... Started with a landlord."~ ● ~"Huh?"Maeve and Keiv almost shouted in unison as they stared at the landlord, a man in his fifties who had just arrived at Unit 512.He awkwardly scratched the back of his head while holding a thick folder."Oh dear... I'm really sorry. There was a mistake with the booking.""What do you mean by a mistake?" Maeve asked with a frown.The landlord opened the folder."You both have valid contracts.""...""...""How did that even happen?""I had a former assistant. He accidentally encoded the same unit twice... and confirmed both bookings."Maeve pressed a hand against her forehead."Sir... there's only one unit.""I know.""Then why do both of us have keys?"The old man scratched his head again."That's exactly the problem."Keiv let out a quiet sigh."So?""So..."The landlord forced a smil