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Chapter 9

Author: Lessly Wince
last update publish date: 2026-05-19 21:25:46

The courier arrived at exactly 10:14 a.m.

The Valencia household was as noisy as usual. The television played loudly in the living room, some morning program filling the house with voices and canned laughter, while Sofia sat comfortably on the couch in her pajamas, one leg tucked beneath her as she laughed over the phone. Every now and then, she glanced toward the television without really watching it, too absorbed in whatever story she was telling.

Ryn wasn't home.

She was still at the bar, bu
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  • His Contracted Obsession   Chapter 12

    I took a day off, hindi dahil gusto kong magpahinga, kundi dahil nagrereklamo na sila na wala nang masuot.Tambak na ang mga labahin. Isa't kalahating linggo nang nakatumpok sa isang sulok ng bahay, at alam kong wala akong aasahang maglalaba ni isa sa kanila. Si Sofia, hindi marunong magkuskos dahil mas importante sa kanya ang cellphone niya. Si Mama naman, lumaking anak-mayaman kaya hindi kailanman natutong gumawa ng mga gawaing bahay. At ang asawa niya? Wala namang ibang ginawa kundi sirain ang atay sa kakainom. Kahit ang pagdala man lang sa laundry shop, walang gustong gumawa.Ako pa rin.Dala ko ang tatlong malalaking bag na puno ng maruruming damit habang palabas ng bahay. Mabigat ang bawat isa, amoy pawis at detergent na matagal nang nakababad sa tela. Halos hindi na rin maisara nang maayos ang gate namin, kaya kinailangan ko pa itong hilahin nang ilang beses bago tuluyang makalabas.Hindi pa ako nakakalayo nang may tumawag sa akin."Ryn, tama?"Napalingon ako.Si Aling Delia. N

  • His Contracted Obsession   Chapter 11

    Hindi ko na tinanong kung anong celebration ang meron sa labas.Pagpasok ko pa lang sa gate, sinalubong na ako ng malalakas na tawanan. Kumalat sa paligid ang amoy ng pancit, may mga softdrinks na nakalagay sa ibabaw ng mesa, at sa gitna nito ay isang maliit na cake na may asul na icing na malinaw na nakasulat:“Congrats Sofia.”Huminto sandali ang mga paa ko.Hindi dahil nagtataka ako kung bakit may celebration. Wala akong lakas para magtanong, at sa totoo lang, wala rin akong pakialam. Pagod ako mula sa bar. Ang tanging gusto ko lang ay makapasok sa kwarto ko, mahiga, at makatulog nang ilang oras bago muling harapin ang panibagong araw.Pero habang naglalakad ako papunta sa loob ng bahay, hindi ko naiwasang marinig ang mga bulungan ng mga kapitbahay.“Ayun si Ryn, yung pang-gabi…”“Sayang, ang ganda niya sana…”“Ganyan talaga pag…”Hindi ko sila pinansin.Hindi ako huminto. Hindi rin ako lumingon para tingnan kung sino ang nagsasalita. Mabilis kong tinahak ang daan papunta sa kwarto

  • His Contracted Obsession   Chapter 10

    Sofia was loud about it.Loud enough that there was no way anyone in the neighborhood could miss the news.The Valencia house was too small for a proper celebration, but that had never stopped Hiraya from inviting people over whenever there was something worth showing off. By late afternoon, three plastic chairs had been placed outside, along with a small table covered with bottles of soft drinks, a tray of pancit, and a little cake with blue icing that read:CONGRATS, SOFIA!A few neighbors had come, mostly mothers from the nearby houses, each bringing their own stories, opinions, and gossip along with them.At the corner of the small yard, Sofia was surrounded by girls and boys her age. Her phone was in one hand, while the other held up the thick black envelope with the silver seal as though it were a trophy.“Full-ride daw!” she announced, laughing. “Ako lang nakakuha sa batch namin!”The girls around her immediately reacted with impressed murmurs.“Grabe!”“Wow, Sofia!”“Saan ka n

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    The courier arrived at exactly 10:14 a.m.The Valencia household was as noisy as usual. The television played loudly in the living room, some morning program filling the house with voices and canned laughter, while Sofia sat comfortably on the couch in her pajamas, one leg tucked beneath her as she laughed over the phone. Every now and then, she glanced toward the television without really watching it, too absorbed in whatever story she was telling.Ryn wasn't home.She was still at the bar, busy with the morning inventory and checking the supplies before the lunch crowd arrived. She had probably already forgotten about the conversation she had with Raj earlier, or at least was trying to. The scholarship he had mentioned was still somewhere in the back of her mind, but she had more immediate things to worry about—work, money, and making sure she had enough to bring home.Several miles away, none of that mattered to the person standing outside their gate.A black van stopped in front o

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    “Ryn!”Kayle immediately hugged me the moment she saw me in the locker room. “Are you okay na ba? I heard what happened on Wednesday. I'm sorry!” Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko, her eyes filled with concern.“No. That wasn't your fault.” I dismissed her apology and turned toward the mirror to fix my uniform. Today, I was assigned as a barista after Raj requested to replace me from serving the customers on the first floor. I used to work as a bartender, but when the manager urged me to serve on the floor, Raj—who was still a newbie back then—took over my old position.“Are you sure?” Kayle asked, still looking worried. There was something about the way she was looking at me that felt slightly off, but I shrugged it away and gave her a small smile. “I'm fine.” Work started soon after, and from the moment I stepped behind the counter, that strange feeling of being watched refused to leave. I kept looking around whenever I had the chance, but there was nothing unusual—only the usual custome

  • His Contracted Obsession   Chapter 7

    Habang natutulog ang dalagang si Ryn, nag-uusap sina Aling Martha at Lucien sa gilid ng kama nito. Sa ilalim ng puting ilaw na nagmumula sa kisame, tahimik na bumabalot sa silid ang mga anino ng dalawang nakatayo sa tabi ng kama.Kalalabas lamang ng private doctor na sumuri kay Ryn. Iniwan nito ang mga gamot na kailangan ng dalaga at isang tahimik na hatol bago tuluyang umalis.The doctor had explained that trauma had caused her to lose consciousness.It had started with suffocation—not the physical kind, but the kind that came when panic took over the body. There had been air in her lungs, yet somehow, it felt as though none of it could reach her. Her thoughts had raced uncontrollably, circling the same fears again and again until they became impossible to escape.They were alone.Just the two of them.Inside his house, surrounded by unfamiliar walls, closed doors, and long hallways that seemed to stretch farther the more she tried to make sense of them. Her thoughts had carried her

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