Prologue

Padabog kong nilagay ang mga maleta ko sa gilid ng kwarto. May dalawa pang mga malalaking box na puno ng kung anong mga appliances, at ang isa ay puno ng mga gadgets na ako mismo ang gumawa.

Hindi naman gan'on kalaki ang bahay na nakita kong pwede kong tuluyan sa mga susunod na buwan. Sakto lang ito para lang talaga sa 'kin at... sa bisita ko na rin.

It's been a week of constantly thinking on whether or not should I take my father's offer or not. But now, I guess I'm hella doing it. With no regrets, hopefully.

Sinuyod ng mga mata ko ang kabuoan ng maliit kong silid, at pinag-isipan nang mabuti ang pwedeng gawin para maging maganda at maayos ito. Mamaya ko na sisimulan ang kabilang kwarto, kung saan ko papatuluyin ang bisita ko.

I smirked at the idea of living with someone that is just a few years older than me, pero ako pa ang maatasang magiging tagapag-alaga niya. With my friends' description about him, that guy can't still be called a man. Bantay-bata ang peg ko sa buong limang buwan ko sa trabahong 'to.

Pawisan ang spaghetti strap kong pang-itaas nang matapos na ako sa pag-ayos sa aking silid. Maayos na ang lahat ng gamit, at halos lahat ng mga damit at iba pang mga furniture ko ay nakapwesto na nga sa kung saan ko ito gusto.

Agad akong napahiga sa kama kong hindi ko pa nilagyan ng bedsheet, at nagpahinga muna ng ilang sandali. Hindi pa nga akong nag-iisang araw mula sa pagdating ko rito, puro pag-aayos pa ang ginawa ko.

I'm not complaining, though. I have to finish this job fast, if I still want to be acknowledged as my father's daughter. As the heiress of the great Venge Intellegence Org., being an agent with the ability to finish a task done before the assigned deadline is a must. I should be a good example to my fellow agents. And I also can't decline my father's request. So, because this job is already assigned to me, even with months to finish it, I will always strive to do it fast, but correctly, too.

Ang mga unang araw ko sa Negros ay ginawa kong mga araw para linisin ang buong bahay na tutuluyan ko para sa misyong ito. Ngayon, makalipas ang tatlong araw, kompleto na ang lahat ng mga gamit sa bahay at nasa mga lugar na ito kung saan ko ito gustong ilagay.

Ayos na talaga ang lahat. Ang bisita ko na lang ang kulang.

I smirked at the idea of my soon visitor. Ewan. Hindi ko naman talaga yata siya pwedeng tawagin na visitor lang. Siguro mas maganda ang... housemate.

Mas lalo lang akong napangisi sa naisip ko. Sa gilid ng kwarto ko, kung saan may nakalagay na maliit na study table, nakalagay ang isang maliit na papel na ang tanging laman lang ay isang pangalan ng tao.

Sidapa Aiden Delgado.

Napangisi ulit ako sa pagkadugyot ng pangalan niya. Sure ba talagang galing sa mayamang angkan 'tong g*gong 'to? Ang dugyot ng pangalan. Apelyido niya lang ang nakakapagpaganda sa pangalan niya.

Delgados are one of the most richest families in the country. Just, not that known. Not that famous to be acknowledge by the crowd, even to certain business tycoons and politicians. Sadyang masyadong nagpaka-lowkey ang pamilyang 'to sa mga nagdaang taon. Kahit na mayaman nga, ayaw talagang maging center of attraction.

People who knows them even concluded that they might be richer than the President of the country. Pero nitong nakaraan lang sila sumikat. Nang mamatay ang Mr. at Mrs. Delgado, at ang kanilang natatanging anak na lang ang natira.

It was like they were a new giant mushroom in the middle of a desert. Bigla na lang sumulpot sa hindi inaasahang lugar at pagkakataon. Even when like I said, the majority of the people of this country doesn't know them, they became attentive to their son's life once the death of his parents reached the townsfolks.

Lahat nakiususyo, lahat gustong makaalam ng chismis. But our agency knew all along their secret cup of tea, that is yet to be spilled by their heiress... which is me!

Okay, maybe not spilled. Just... taken away from their hands. 

My excitement can extend up to the farthest side of heavens. Talagang walang makakatibag sa excitement ko para dito sa mission ko. Kapag nagkataon, then I will be the luckiest agent alive for having the gem of rarity in my hands.

It looks like a simple job at first, though. Finding a rare gem in this country that is mostly filled with just nature and other nonsense pollutions the government can't even try to act on, is indeed an easy job. Pwede lang din naman akong maghanap na lang sa mismong bansa kung saan mayaman sa diyamanteng ito.

But the gem I'm looking for is not just any normal tanzanite gem. As rare as that gem is, diamonds still cost much higher. The agency's not looking for the financial value of the gem, but rather in something more than that.

Patuloy akong nakangising nakatitig sa papel na hawak ko. And that gem can only be in the hands of this boy. And I sure am getting it from him, no matter what it takes.

Sa sumunod na araw ay maaga akong naghanda para sa plano. Ngayon ko siya kukunin sa kanila. At dahil may sasakyan naman ako at pinili ko naman ang bahay na tinutuluyan ko ngayon na medyo malayo nga ang distansya mula sa pinakamalapit na kapitbahay, I am already set for this day. Ang housemate ko na lang ang kulang at mamaya'y tatalbog-talbog na ako sa saya.

"You're already on your way there?" Tanong ng kaibigan kong si Stephan sa 'kin sa kabilang linya.

I'm now casually holding my phone while driving, like I'm just having a normal business day, and will not be facing something expectedly hard yet enjoyable journey ahead. Can't blame me, though. I'm just really excited for this!

"Hm-hmm," I hummed as a response to him.

I heard him sigh. "Seph, just be careful out there, okay? Actually, hindi na ako mapakali simula n'ong umalis ka para sa misyon mo. The job sounds easy but we both now it's not. Please take care of yourself there always, alright?"

I playfully rolled my eyes. "Of course, I will. I need to hang up now. Better take care of yourself, too! And stop worrying about me, you moron! I'll be fine!"

"Alright, alright. Whatever you say."

I immediately ended the call. Not long after, my car is now parked in front of the large gate of the beautiful Delgado Mansion, not even caring to hide somewhere far, or care even a bit for nearby guards probably surrounding the place.

Lumabas ako sa Aston Martin ko at agad na inilagay ang parehong kamay sa mga bulsa ng aking pantalon. I looked up to see the large 'Casa Delgado' print at the very top of their gates, forming like an arch of jaw-dropping art. Talagang malalaman agad na mayamang angkan nga ang nakatira dito.

The letters on the arch is in deep gold, in an elegant cursive lettering, with a dirty white background paint. My brows furrowed when I saw a set of small letters at its bottom part, na hindi ko na mabasa dahil sa liit nito. Assuming that it was just their family's emblem, in which I still have yet to find out because of my sudden curiosity, I just shrugged and directly made my way to the large gate.

Talagang wala sa plano na patago akong pumuslit sa mansion nila. The only plan I made was to enter the place, knock off some people if necessary, find the golden boy, then get him home with me. 'Yon lang. I know it can't be that hard. I've handled worst missions before, getting this boy out will only be as easy as pie.

As expected, there were some guards. But with my trained skills I easily knocked them all off. Walang natira. Bali-baling buto lang naman ang binigay ko. Heck I care if these men will be finding their now only boss after I take him with me. Alam ko naman kung saan 'yon dadalhin. Sisiguraduhin ko naman na walang makakaalam kung 'asan siya pagkatapos nito.

Because I don't want to hassle myself, nagtago na lang ako sa ibang mga guwardiya na nakabantay sa mismong mansion. Napatumba ko na iyong mga nasa bulwagan, kaya wala na akong problema sa pagpasok.

Ilang kwarto ang sinuyod ko, iniilagan ang mga may bantay na mga silid. But then my feet went to the room with the most guards on its entrance, and that's when I smirked.

Finally. Target locked.

All of the other rooms in the mansion only have one guard each, so this probably is the room of my target.

I let a small blow to set aside that strand of hair that was blocking my view from my target destination. And after a few seconds of constant loud and heavy breathings, I finally attacked the three guards.

Kahit na may mga armas, ginamit ko ang mga iyon para patumbahin silang lahat. And in a span of less than eight minutes, they're all knocked out now. Like I said, my skills have been trained for years, and it all started at a young age. Kaya kahit na tatlo ang mga napatumba ko, malinis at tahimik ang bawat atake ko kaya hanggang ngayon ay walang sumusugod dito para resbakan ang mga kasamahan nila.

To cause a stir of thrill and drama, pinindot ko pa talaga ang maliit na doorbell sa gilid ng pintuan ng kwarto para kunwari ay tinatawag siya. I giggled at what I've done, and smiled even wider when I heard his voice in the small speaker on the side.

"What is it?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa lalim ng boses niya. Yeah, I did expect that he will sound childish, like what my co-agents told me. Pero bakit sa boses niya pa lang, parang mali naman yata sila?

Please take note that I haven't seen this boy even once. Yes, they've been featured in countless news avenues, pero talagang shy type 'tong lalaking 'to at talagang ayaw na makita ang pagmumukha niya sa tv o kahit sa diyaryo lang. Papa probably saw this boy once or twice, but didn't bother to tell me his features.

Ano ba talaga kasing mukhang meron 'to at bakit masyadong confidential? Pangit nga yata 'to.

But I've seen pictures of his parents and they both look like a common rich couple- elegant and both good-looking.

Baka naman ampon lang naman 'tong isang 'to? Bakit naman kasi hindi ipapakita o ikakahiya ang mukha kung hindi naman pangit?

I sighed before answering him. "Can I enter? Laro tayo!" I said that in a playful tone.

I did not hear a response from him for a few seconds. But then suddenly, I heard a half-hearted laugh on the other line.

"Who are you, Miss?" His deep voice echoed again in the small speaker.

Atat nang matapos ang araw ko, hindi na ako nagpaliguy-liguy pa. I did not answer him again and instead barged into the room suddenly. I expected that there might still be a lock inside, pero wala naman pala. Kaya madali naman akong nakapasok.

And when I finally am inside the room, I immediately stopped on my steps once I came face to face with the infamous Delgado heir. 

And I swear, when I said that my world stopped, it literally did.

Halos mapamura ako ng isang daang mga mura nang makita ko kung sino ang nasa lamesa na makikita agad pagkapasok sa opisinang 'yon. Halos masabunutan ko na rin ang sarili ko. Badtrip! Akala ko pangit talaga! Pero bakit... ganito naman pala kagwapo?

He looks innocent, with his light skin and not-so-muscular figure, and head full of middle length hair that is now partly covering his forehead, and the doe-eyed features of his face. But with the smirk on his lips, I immediately concluded that he's maybe dangerous. And this is not how I exactly pictured our first encounter would be.

"Can I ask you again?" He asked again seriously, but now with hidden amusement in his eyes.

"Who are you, Miss?"

I swallowed hard. And in that moment, I knew that this mission... won't be going the way it should be.