Chapter 5

Mga Sugat na Hindi Nakikita

Seraphina’s POV

Nanginginig ang kamay ko habang hawak pa rin ang envelope. Pumasok ako sa emergency room na parang lumulutang—tulad ng pakiramdam ko nung una kong tinanggap ang trabaho sa bar. Parang wala akong sariling katawan.

Nakita ko agad si Tita, nakaupo sa gilid ng kama habang pinupunasan ang pawisang noo ni Elara. Nakakabit na ang dextrose, at may benda sa braso ng kapatid ko—doon siguro siya tinurukan.

“Ay, salamat sa Diyos at nandito ka na,” halos maluha-luhang bulong ni Tita. “Buti na lang at kasya pa ang perang dala ko pambayad agad sa paunang laboratory…”

“Pasensya ka na po tita hah, nadamay ko pa kayo, hayaan niyo babayaran ko din kayo agad” mahinang wika ko saka nilabas ang envelope na naglalamang pera. Kaagad naman niya akong pinigilan.

“Hindi na anak, tulong ko naman sa inyong magkapatid. Hindi ko naman iyon sinisingil. Saan ka pala kumuha ng ganyang kalaking pera?” nagtataka niyang tanong sa akin.

Hindi ko kayang sabihin kung saan galing ang pera. Kahit gustuhin ko, parang may bara sa lalamunan ko. Napatingin ako kay Elara—maputla, nanlalambot, pero buhay.

Diyos ko, salamat.

“May tumulong po,” maikli kong sagot.

Hindi na siya nag-usisa pa. Pero alam ko—nararamdaman kong alam niyang may hindi tama. Hindi lang niya masabi.

Umupo ako sa tabi ni Elara, hinawakan ang kanyang malamig na kamay. Wala pa siyang malay. Habang tinititigan ko siya, parang dumadagundong ang tanong sa isip ko:

Worth it ba?

Bumalik sa alaala ko ang hininga ni Cayden sa leeg ko. Ang tinig niya. Ang paraan ng pagkakahawak niya sa baywang ko—parang pag-aari niya ako. Hindi ko pa nga siya sinayawan, pero parang wala na akong kontrol sa sarili ko. Kahit mismong katawan ko, nilinlang ako—dahil kahit takot ako, may isang bahagi sa akin na… na curious. Na nadarang.

Seraphina, anong ginagawa mo sa sarili mo?

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Cayden’s POV

The city lights blurred outside the room’s window as I leaned back in my seat, replaying the last few minutes in my head like a curse on repeat.

Her breath. Her trembling fingers. The way her voice cracked when she said, “Parang awa niyo na po…”

Damn it.

I gritted my teeth, running a hand through my hair.

I didn’t mean to touch her. Not like that. I just—lost control.

Why her?

I’ve seen women beg to dance for me. Seen them undress their dignity for less than half of what I offered her. But she… she looked at me like I wasn’t supposed to have her. Like I had no right.

And it drove me insane.

“You know, I did exactly what you told me. Tinawaran ko siya ng ten thousand. Sexy dance lang. No touching. Straightforward offer. And yet—tinanggihan ang offer mo," Janus said while smirking. I just looked at him blankly.

“I didn’t ask for your commentary,” I said in a cold tone.

“Oh, but you want my execution, right? Kasi kung ako ang tatanungin mo, bro, you’re not just playing anymore. You’re… hunting.”

“She needs the money,” I replied.

“She needed it, and still said no. That girl’s got spine. And you? You’re slipping,” Janus said in a serious tone.

“I wanted her to choose.”

“No, you wanted her cornered. Admit it. You sent me, like a damn emissary, thinking she’d fold for ten grand. Pero anong nangyari? She walked.”

I looked at him dangerously. "How the fuck did I corner her? I just opened a way to help her."

“Until last night,” I said in a low voice and closed my eyes because of the lust I still felt when I remembered her neck.

Her neck… damn, it was pure sin wrapped in innocence. Too white, too perfect—like fragile marble just waiting for me to stain it. Every time my eyes fell on that delicate curve, I felt the violent urge to sink my teeth there, to carve a mark so deep she would never forget who owned her.

Her scent—fuck, that scent—wasn’t perfume. No. It was her. Raw, untainted, intoxicating. It clung to me like poison, burning through my veins, addicting me with every breath I stole.

That softness, that vulnerable stretch of skin, mocked me. It whispered, taunted, reminded me that all it would take was one move—one touch, one bite—and she’d be mine, trapped in a chain she’d never escape.

At first, I thought she would just be a toy—a beautiful distraction I could break and discard when I was done. But the moment I breathed her in, the moment I saw that perfect neck… everything changed. She wasn’t a toy. No, I want her as mine. Not for a night. Not for a game. For good.

Seraphina Liam will belong to Cayden Deveraux. And nothing, not even fate itself, will take her away from me.

“Ah. So she finally said yes?” hindi makapaniwala niyang wika sa akin.

“She said yes. Then begged me to stop.”

“You lost control, didn’t you? After all she's pretty and sexy. But I didn’t know that a ruthless billionaire Cayden Deveraux will have an interest in a girl younger than him for fucking seven years. I know how this ends when you get obsessed.” Sabay tagay ng brandy. “And let’s be honest... you’re not after the dance.”

I leaned forward and tapped the screen in front of me. The footage from VIP Room 1 played. Her eyes, those damned pleading eyes, stared back at me. I paused it there.

She thinks I’m the villain. She’s not wrong. But she has no idea what she’s started.

I picked up my phone.

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Seraphina’s POV

Nag-ring ang cellphone ko kinabukasan habang binabantayan ko pa rin si Elara. Number na hindi ko kilala.

Hindi ko agad sinagot, pero ilang segundo lang, may dumating na text.

“Your debt isn’t paid. I want my dance. Tomorrow. Same place.” —C.D.

Nanlamig ako. Hindi ko siya nireplyan. Tumingin ako sa aking kapatid na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa din nagigising. Umuwi na din si Tita upang siya ay makapagpahinga. Ako naman ay naiwan upang bantayan ang aking kapatid.

"Ate," napatingin ako sa aking kapatid na nanghihina pa din.

"Gising ka na pala, Elara. Kumusta ang pakiramdam mo?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Medyo okay na, Ate. Wala na yung sakit. Pasensya ka na, Ate." Agad ko siyang dinaluhan at pinunasan ang luha niya. Umiiyak siya habang nanghihina.

"Shhh, wala kang kasalanan. Hindi mo 'yan ginusto kaya magpagaling ka ha? Magpalakas ka. Pasensya ka na, hindi kita tuloy-tuloy na napapacheck up," naiiyak ko ding wika saka hinawakan ang kanyang pisngi.

"Maraming salamat, Ate." Niyakap ko siya ng marahan.

"Wag kang mag-alala hindi ka iiwan ni ate. Mahal na mahal kita." nakangiti kong wika sa kanya.

Pumatak ang kanyang luha sa aking kamay kaya naman agad ko itong pinatahan.