CHAPTER FIVE

Maagang nagising si Katya kaya maaga siyang nakapaglinis ng paligid. She began humming as she did the chores. Ngunit nang ibabalik niya na sana ang walis, she spotted someone in the garden. It was Silas.

Pinilit ni Katya na hindi na lamang pansinin ang lalaki at nagpatuloy sa paglakad.

Eh, ano naman kung siya 'yon?

Ngunit sa pagbalik niya ay nakita niya rin ulit ito sa dating pwesto. Naroon ito sa hardin at tila doon na nagpalipas ng gabi. Mahamog pa rin ang paligid ngunit tila hindi nito alintana ang lamig. Hindi na kinaya ng kuryusidad ni Katya ang nakita at agad itong lumapit upang silipin.

Doon niya nakita nang maayos si Silas. Although sitting, he was dead asleep. Nakatingala lang ito at bahagyang nakaawang ang mga labi. May mga beer ding nakakalat sa mesa. Mukhang nagpalipas ito ng gabi sa pag-iinom.

Agad na sinalo ni Katya ang dahon na mahuhulog sana sa mukha ng lalaki. Takot siya na baka magising ito sa mahimbing na pagkakatulog at siya pa ang masisi. Hinarang din ni Katya ang sarili sa sikat ng araw upang hindi masilawan ang mukha ng lalaki.

Takte, ba't ko ba ginagawa 'to?! Bayad ba ako? And he's a very dangerous person pa of all people! May hazard pay ba ako 'pag ginawa ko 'to? Wala 'di ba? Oh sinong tanga? Syempre ako, alangan naman itong natutulog sa harap ko. Ugh.

Ngunit kahit ilang beses pang makipagtalo si Katya sa sarili niya, mas pinili niya pa rin na manatli. Napatitig na lamang siya sa mukha ni Silas. Bakas sa mukha nito ang maitim na kulay sa ibaba ng mga mata niya. Halatang walang maayos na tulog.

Hindi niya naman malalaman na binantayan ko siya, 'di ba?

Hindi tuloy maiwasang pagmasdan ni Katya ang mukha ni Silas. Tila nagagayuma siya sa ganda ng mukha ng lalaki. The more she stared, the more it became attractively detailed. Words won't suffice to describe his beauty. Tunay nga ang balita na mas maganda ang features nito kumpara kay Markus. It is so charismatic and appealing. Walang kapintasan.

Agad na napailing si Katya at pinagsasampal ang sarili. How can she drool over some man's beauty kung may Markus na siya! Isang kataksilan!

No! Baliw ka na, Katya. Mas pogi pa rin si Markus saka mas mabait! Markus is a simple and God-fearing man, while this man is a Mafia Boss. Only crazy people lang ang pipiliing maging mafia!

Ngunit bigla ring natamaan si Katya sa naisip. May point din kasi sa buhay niya na hiniling niyang maging hidden assassin na nagpapanggap na ordinary student.

Umiling siya. Fantasy lang naman 'yon. Impluwensiya lang ng libro.

Ah basta!

"Si Markus mabait, ito parang baliw," mahinang usal niya, akala niya ay siya lamang ang nakakarinig. But no. Someone is already aware of what she is doing.

"Katya!"

Nabalisa agad si Katya nang marinig ang bulyaw ng mayordoma. Ngunit kung aalis siya, masisinagan ang mukha ni Silas. Sa pagmamadali at pagkabalisa, naitahob na lamang ni Katya ang nag-iisang panyo na dala niya at pansamantalang itinakip sa mukha ni Silas.

Matapos noon ay agad na siyang kumaripas ng takbo papunta sa pagpupulong ng mga empleyado. Huli na nang ma-realize niya na ang ipinantakip niyang panyo ay ang huling regalo ng yumao niyang lola, with the big, engraved initials of her name—K.L.

Sa kabilang banda, agad na inalis ni Silas ang panyo sa kaniyang mukha at hindi mawala ang napakalaking ngiti sa mga labi niya. Napatakip na lamang si Silas ng mukha niya. He was freaking happy because of that one maid.

And he was awake the whole time. Gising na siya simula pa lang noong paglapit ng babae, hanggang sa pagsalo nito ng dahon na mahuhulog sa kaniyang mukha. And he did not even flinch just to perfect his act the entire time.

Actually, he could just dismiss her if he wanted to, but Silas chose not to. Ramdam niya pa naman ang effort nito na hindi siya magising.

So Silas just continued pretending. And sometimes, he slightly opened his eyes to peek at her when she was not looking and was murmuring something. Nasilip niya rin kung paano sampal-sampalin nito ang sarili and making weird faces.

Iyon ang naging pinakamahirap na parte para kay Silas—to bury his impending laughter at the deepest part of his throat, and he did it with all his best. Halos maubos ang lakas niya makapagpigil lamang. That was even harder than being chased by guns.

'Si Markus mabait, ito baliw.'

Hindi napigilang mapahalakhak sa tawa si Silas nang maalala ang sinabi ng babae. It was so innocent, that's why it became even funnier.

"Did you hear that, Hudson? She called me crazy!" natatawang wika ni Silas sa kaniyang kanang-kamay na ngayon ay lumapit na.

Hudson did witness it, too, since unang-una pa lang ay naroon na siya at nagmamasid. After all, he couldn't just leave his master unconscious outside. He just had to position himself somewhere far since Silas was too sensitive to any presence. Hindi ito makaidlip when someone was near him. Except that one, steamy night.

Tinitigan ni Silas ang panyong iniwan ng babae. He stared at the engraved initials on it. Ngumisi siya.

K.L. huh?

"But Master... you have to go back to Manila as soon as possible. Something urgent is happening in the company and inside the mafia. You can't leave your position vacant too long—"

"I know what I am doing, Hudson. Just handle it like before." Nag-iba ang timpla ng mukha ni Silas sa sinambit ni Hudson.

His right-hand man was correct, though. Originally, dalawang araw lamang ang balak niya rito sa probinsya. But it had already been four days. Lagpas na sa plano niya.

Masyado na ba siyang nawiwili sa lugar na ito?

"I can handle it only for one to two weeks, Master. Hindi ko na kakayanin kung lumagpas ka pa rito. The higher-ups might get suspicious of you..."

"What would they be suspicious about?" As if naman may iba siyang ginagawa behind their backs.

Natameme naman si Hudson nang ilang sandali.

"I advise you, Master, that you should cut that unnecessary feelings toward that maid. You know, an open heart is just an exposed target. Right now, the higher ups might bow because they fear you, but never mistake a dormant snakes for loyal hounds, Master. They aren't actually tamed, they are just waiting for you to blink and show your back," sinsero ngunit malalim na payo ng kanang-kamay niya.

"Tch. I am aware. And don't overthink, Hudson. I just find her interesting. No romantic feelings involved. As if I would love someone as clumsy as her."

"And I'm not only pertaining to that funny maid. The one you spent the night with, too."

Natigilan si Silas at naalalang muli ang babaeng nakasipi niya. "It's just curiosity, Hudson. Walang malisya. I can just abandon her if I get bored."

"I wish you could say that in the future."

"Hell yah."

Hindi na nakipagtalo pa si Hudson sa kaniyang amo at palihim na hiniling na sana ay mali siya sa kaniyang hinala. It would be such a disaster if an unexpected variable came into Silas's life and ruined the balance. He is already a perfect leader—feared and respected by everyone, even his own clan.

But even Silas, who denied the allegations, started doubting himself. But he was sure that it was just a simple interest. That's all.

Nabasag ang tensyon ng dalawa nang dumating si Markus. Sa likod nito, nakita niya ang babaeng nakayuko lamang at tila nahihiyang tumingala. Nahulaan na niya agad ang pakay ng dalawa.

"Silas, this is the girl I am talking about," wika ni Markus at itinuro ang kasamang babae. "Please, greet my brother."

The girl, despite being embarrassed, took a step closer and looked at him. Silas's brows furrowed. The girl really had the same description as he remembered. As if those qualities were really meant for her. She really looked innocent, too.

Finally, the girl I spent my night with is already within my grasp...

Silas's lips slightly rose up. "What is your name?"

The girl bit her lips. "M-my name?"

Silas found her voice kinda familiar. She looked so small, too, and so pale...

But something's lacking...

"Yes, your name." Silas uttered.

The girl blushed and smiled sweetly. But she then took a step closer again—making sure that Silas would see her whole face and catch her scent.

"The name of this lowly maid is Raquel, Sir."