CHAPTER 2

HE TOOK A DEEP BREATH as he gazed at a tall building where his ex-girlfriend, Danica Leona Sarmiento, a model for one of the most famous fashion companies and one of the most beautiful women in the Philippines, lives.

Her appearance is very popular in the eyes of the people, which drives men crazy, and Clev is one of them.

Clev rang the doorbell and tilted his head. He intentionally wore formal clothes because he wanted to invite Danica on a date, and he also wanted to apologize for what he had done.

He is now wearing a button-down white long-sleeve pair with black slacks and black shoes. He put gel on his hair, which makes it stay on the side.

Pagkabukas ni Danica sa kanyang pinto, bumusangot ito bigla at akmang isasarado niya ulit ang pinto nang biglang isangga ni Clev ang kanyang braso kasabay ang paghawak niya sa kamay ni Danica.

"Please, Danica, let's talk. Let's clear up this mess that we made, babe. I don't want to lose you, so please give me a chance," he pleads with her, biting his lips nervously. Danica crossed her arms as she looked at Clev in his attire.

Tinaasan lang siya ng kilay ni Danica. Nagmamakaawa ang mga mata ni Clev at nangunguso na niya ang kanyang bibig.

Pagdating talaga sa taong mahal niya, nag-iiba ang ekpresyon ng mukha niya.

"Sorry, but I don't love you anymore. We broke up already, please lang 'wag ka nang mangulit," sagot ni Danica at umirap. Isasara na niya ulit sana ang kanyang pinto nang pigilan siya kaagad ni Clev. "Ano ba? Ang kulit mo! Akala ko ba matalino ka?! Bakit parang hindi mo ako naiintindihan?!"

"Agad-agad? Danica naman! I know that your mind was just full of mess at sobrang naguguluhan ka. I can forget what you did, and I can forgive you. Sana gan'on din ang gawin mo. Magkaroon tayo ng kapatawaran sa isa't isa," he calmly said. You can see in Del-Vago's eyes his pleading, which he never did to anyone other than his family and his lover. You can even see in his eyes how much he loves the woman in front of him.

He pulled out a rose from behind him and presented it to Danica. "If you accept this, it means you will be my girlfriend again. I love you."

Danica just stared at the rose for a few seconds, then slammed the door shut. The rose fell to the floor as his tears fell, and he felt hopeless.

"Sobrang laki ba ng kasalanan ko? Wala ba talagang kapatawaran ang nagawa ko? Hindi ko naman sinasadya, and she made a mistake too! Bakit parang ako yung luging-lugi?" he questioned himself while he was wiping out his tears.

From that day on, he never forgot the rejection that happened, and until a few months later, he still remembers how he and Danica spent time together, he admits that he still really loves his ex-girlfriend until now. He can't forget her.

Every day, he could not avoid smoking and drinking alcohol because of what happened between them. It hurts him to lose a loved one, but it hurts even more to lose an entire family.

Nasali pa si Danica sa mga umiwan sa kanya kaya nararamdaman niya ang pighati na halos gusto na lang niyang issued ang sarili niya sa pamilya niya.

In the living room of his house in the middle of the woods, as he sat, his blue eyes seemed to blaze as he wiped the knives he would use for his plan.

He decided that now he would start taking revenge. As long as he waited for this day to arrive, he did not miss a day of rehearsal.

His opponents believe that the Del-Vago family was quiet because they had slaughtered the whole family.

Nevertheless, his opponents thought that there was no obstacle for them and their plans, but they were mistaken because they did not figure out that Clev had planned everything and that they didn't know there was still a remnant in the family they had overthrown.

Binigyan kasi niya ang sarili niya ng panahon para makapag-ensayo. Hindi niya hahayaan na maliitin na lang siya at gawing tanga.

He is now with his five buddies, who are now grim. They adopted that kind of expression from their leader, Prince Clever Del-Vago. He stood up and gestured his hands to his friends one by one.

"Bossing! Nakakatakot ka naman!" Gulat na sabi ni Rudy habang nakahawak pa sa dibdib niya. Rudy Bernard Agoncillo is a 25-year-old man who is good at tracking vehicles and putting video and audio recorders anywhere surreptitiously. He can also hack any account.

"We will just support you," Philip commented with a thumbs up. Philip Ace Mariano, twenty-seven years old, has been Clev and Ivo's best friend since primary school. He is just a simple man, and what his other friends can do, he can do too.

One of his skills is spying on opponents, but his friends don't know he's spying because he wants to help secretly. That man is not showy. Likewise, he is good at taking information and making voice recordings without anyone knowing.

"Be a killer for a while, dude," Ivo responded. Ivo Syd Lim, twenty-seven years old, is the same age as Philip and Clev. Both men became his best friends when they were still in primary school, so the three of them have been considered brothers since childhood.

What Clev can do, Ivo can do, too, but Ivo is not very showy with his talent because he doesn't want to be exposed. Silent but deadly is a good definition for him.

"Killer, pangit pakinggan. Murderer na lang." Nathan gagged. Nathaniel Salcedo, a twenty-six-year-old, was a martial artist who trained Clev how to fight manually.

He is a humorous person, but when he gets serious, you would rather hide than face him.

"Stupid," komento ni Clev sa sinabi ni Nathan habang napapa-iling.

"Maka-stupid naman!"

"What do you want? Tanga lang?" pabalang na sagot nito.

"Pogi!" Kasabay ang pagkagat ng labi niya. Nagbuntong-hininga lang si Clev. Sanay na sanay na siya sa ganyang ugali ni Nathan kaya hinahayaan na lang niya ito.

"For the revenge! "Joseph raised his hand as he exclaimed. Joshua Caleb Gonzales, twenty-four years old, is the youngest among them. Like Nathan, he is a comedian and funny.

He is Rudy's childhood friend; he knows how to hack accounts and trace transportation like him. He enjoys poking fun at his friends, so sometimes he can pick them up, but he is afraid of Clev, so he is not able to tease him.

Siya lang naman ang kinakatakutan niya, wala ng iba.

After they left the house, they simultaneously boarded the van and went to Miyamazu Bar, which is often frequented by mafias and gangsters.

When they arrived, some moved away from them because of the frigid atmosphere that spread inside the bar. The Mafia and gangsters respected him because of his popularity, strength, and ability to fight various challenges.

Aside from admiring his talent, they also admired his appearance. Besides his beautiful physique, his face was also very handsome, and his skin was dazzling white. His hard arms and muscles were also prominently displayed, adding to his coolness.

They were at the same table, and in a few minutes at the bar, they had two bottles, which they immediately consumed. Clev was stopped from pouring alcohol when five men suddenly approached them with baseball bats, small shovels, guns, and a rock.

Kaya lang naman napatigil sa pagbuhos si Clev dahil nagbato sila ng maliliit na bato sa table nila.

They looked arrogant when they got close to the spot of six people. Clev turned impassive and he threw only a haughty stare at the person in front carrying a baseball bat.

"T*ngina! Kala mo naman kung sinong mga bida ang dumaan at nanahimik ang mga tao. Mukha namang weak ang mga 'to, tingnan niyo sa itsura pa lang oh!" Pang-aasar ng lalaking nasa harapan, nagsitawanan naman ng malakas ang mga kasama niya habang ang nanonood sa kanila ay nagbubulungan lang.

"Who are they?"

"I don't know, but I assume they are newbies here."

"Kaya naman pala. Mali ang binangga nila."

"Manood na lang tayo. Masaya 'to."

"Let's see what Del-Vago will do to them."

The five exchanged glances while Clev went the other way, prioritizing his own goals over the attention seekers.

"Aba-aba, ang yabang nung nasa gitna. Feeling bad boy mukha namang totoy!"

The second time, the five men laughed out loud again. The people inside the bar just shook their heads in disbelief. Other men are excited, knowing that the respected mafia boss is already burning up.

He slowly turned to them.

A smirk grew on his lips. He likes it more when he is teased, especially by those people that he isn't close with. He wants more tease.

'Pikunin niyo pa ako.'

Those words came out of his mind.

"Kung totoy 'yan, malamang hindi pa tuli 'yan!" Pang-aasar pa ng may hawak na shovel. Hindi sila tumigil sa paghalakhak nila, may kasama pang palakpak.

"Oh, bakit ang tahimik niyo? Akala ko pa naman malalakas, takot lang naman pala. Sa susunod na maghari-hari kayo rito ay bubugbogin na namin kayo! Mga tarantado-Arck!"

"Holy sh*t."

"What the f*ck?!"

"W-Why...why the hell?"

Clev stood up and approached the man who was laughing at him. He grabbed it by the nape of his neck. Now that the man in front of him could not speak because of the bottle that Clev had stuck in his mouth, a lot of blood gushed out and spread on his face as his eyes narrowed.

"Get to know the ones you are colliding with before you protest your arrogance. What have you gained? You will die doing nothing but cleanly." Clev threw the man on the floor that he had stabbed in the mouth. When the man falls, he loses his life.

"It satisfies me," he whispered.

"Woah, sabi na sa inyo 'wag niyong asarin 'yan," paghalakhak ni Nathan na nananahimik kani-kanina lang. "Ako lang may karapatang mang-asar diyan!"

"That's my bossing."

"Napapala ng mga madadaldal." His pals looked like enjoyed what they saw.

Nanginginig ang mga kasama ng lalaki at napaatras sa takot. Tumabi sila sa isang sulok habang iniiwasan ang pagsulyap kay Clev.

Inutusan niya sina Rudy at Josh na patayin ang mga mayayabang na naghamon sa kanila at sinabihan ang iba pa niyang mga kaibigan na lumabas ng bar. Tutal nakalunok na siya ng ilang bote ng beer. Isang lagok lang mula sa kanya ang bote na ginamit niya kanina para saksakin ang lalaki kanina.

"So, what's the plan?" Ivo asked.

"Sandoval, Miller, Dinoro, Linga, and Mercado, get their daughters. They are just in the same location. I will wait for you on the Sta. Jimenez in the middle of the forest." Hindi na naghintay ng sagot si Clev at tinalikuran na silang lima.

"Luh! Ang bastos, pucha!" Malakas na sigaw ni Ivo sa kanya ngunit hindi na niya lang ito pinansin.

Maglalakad lamang siya dahil gusto niyang mag-isip para sa plano niya ngayon. Imbis na makaramdam siya ng awa sa gagawin niya, mas natutuwa pa siya dahil gusto na niyang makita kung ano ba ang magiging reaksyon ng kanilang mga ama kapag mga anak nila ang pinaglaruan niya?

While walking, he met three people with guns in each hand. They veered to look at Del-Vago, but he shrugged them off and he just kept sauntering. A lot of gangsters here in Sta. Jimenez, hindi malayong mapapaaway siya.

"Hoy hoy hoy!" Lumapit ang isang lalaking sobrang dami ng tattoo sa kanyang dalawang braso habang nakaduro kay Clev, "ikaw, sino ka ha? Bakit ngayon lang kita nakita? Ang yabang mong tingnan ah."

Hindi siya pinansin ni Clev at pinagpatuloy niya lang ang paglalakad papunta sa gubat. Bigla siyang hinarangan ng tatlo. "Akala mo kung sino ka, ha? Boys, alam niyo na. Hawakan niyo nang mabigyan nating leksyon ang isang bastos na katulad niyan."

The two big men scoffed as they came close to hold him with both hands, but they were not close yet, the other flew away and hit his head against the wall, a sudden crack appeared on his head and blood flowed. The two men in front of him were stunned. They recoil because of what they saw.

"P-Paanong..."

Ngumisi ng malademonyo si Clev at inatake sila. Hinawakan niya ang ulo ng may tattoo na lalaki at mabilis na binale iyon, matalim ang tingin niya sa isa pa. Nakatakas ang kasama ng may tattoo kay Clev, ngunit hindi niya namalayan na may itinatago pa palang baril si Clev. Mabilis siyang nagpaputok ng ilang beses sa likod ng lalaki na agad namang bumagsak sa kalsada.

Hinipan ni Clev ang dulo ng kanyang sandata bago siya bumalik sa normal habang umaadya at umakto na parang walang nangyari. Binalik niya ang tingin sa tatlong lalaki na ngayon ay pare-parehas na walang buhay.

"Haharang-harang, nag-iisip ang tao, eh."

He has already reached Sta. Jimenez forest and he deferred a few more minutes before his friends arrived who were dragging women. They brought out a young woman with blonde hair, and it looked like she hadn't finished getting dressed because she was still wearing less fabric.

"Let me go!"

"Who's that?" tanong ni Clev habang sinisipat niya ang babae. "Oh, daughter of Mercado." Si Mercado ay isa sa mga kaaway niya na miyembro rin ng Underground of Knights, isa ring kasabwat sa pagpatay sa kapatid niya na babae na si Princess Claire.

"Do you want to feel some enjoyment, baby?" Sinabunutan ni Clev ang buhok ng babae at sininghot ito sa kanyang leeg pataas sa kanyang pisngi.

"Kuya, kinalmot ako niyan, turuan mo nga ng leksyon," pagsumbong ni Josh habang nakanguso.

"Ano bang kailangan niyo?! Bitawan niyo ako!"

Hindi man lang pinansin ng anim ang pag-sigaw ng babae. Humarap Clev kay Nathan.

"Nathan, make sure no one will know about this. Watch outside," utos ni nito sa kanya. Isinandal ni Clev ang babae sa isang puno at sinakal niya ito. "Woman, blame your father if I kill you," he started his aggressive touches.

Gusto niyang magdusa sila at gusto niyang lipulin sila sa mundo. Lalong uminit ang ulo ni Clev dahil nakikita niya si Mercado sa anak niya.

Hinampas niya ito sa tiyan kaya halos lumuwa ang dalawang mata ng dalaga. "T-Tama na...ano bang nagawa ko sa 'yo?! Hindi naman kita kilala para saktan mo ako!"

No other words came out of Clev's mouth and all he could do was smile as he slowly tortured the girl.

"Watch this, Mercado. You'll enjoy the show like what you have watched before while Miller sexually harassed my sister."