Chapter 2

It had already been six months since Karolina Kordova's son was diagnosed with lung cancer. Cancer changed their lives in ways they never expected.

Bilang isang single mother, araw-araw nadudurog ang puso ni Karolina sa tuwing nakikita niyang naghihirap ang kanyang anak. Na-trauma ito sa diagnosis, sa walang katapusang injections, medications, at sa mga pagbabagong nangyari sa kanyang katawan dahil sa paggamot.

Minsan, nilalamon na din ang anak niya ng guilt, wondering why he survived while others didn't.

The hospital room was quiet, maliban sa mahihinang tunog ng mga machines sa tabi ng kama. Outside, may maririnig na footsteps sa hallway, pero sa loob ng silid, parang huminto ang oras para sa kanilang mag-ina.

Tahimik na nakaupo si Karolina sa tabi ng limang taong gulang niyang anak, mahigpit na hawak ang maliit nitong kamay. Ramdam niya kung gaano na ito kapayat at nanghihina, ngunit hindi niya ito kailanman binitiwan. Ayaw niyang maramdaman ng anak niya na nag-iisa siya sa laban na ito.

He looked at her with innocent eyes. “Mama, mabubuhay pa po ba ako ng matagal?”

Biglang sumikip ang dibdib ni Karolina, five years old pa lang siya, pero ganito na agad ang tanong. Hinaplos niya ang pisngi ng anak at hinalikan ito.

“Bakit mo naisip ‘yan, baby?”

“Masakit po kasi tusok ng needle, ayoko na po.” mahina nitong sagot.

Napapikit si Karolina, pinipigilan ang luha. “Alam ko, anak. Pero ginagawa nila ang lahat para gumaling ka.”

Tahimik si Jed bago muling nagsalita. “Gusto ko na po umuwi, miss ko na rin si ate.”

Ngumiti si Karolina kahit mabigat ang dibdib. “Uuwi tayo, pero kailangan muna natin lumaban, okay?”

Jed nodded slowly. “Okay po mama. I’ll fight.”

Pagkalabas ni Karolina sa hospital room, parang nabunutan siya ng tinik sa takot matapos sabihin ng doctor kung gaano kalaki pa ang kailangan nilang bayaran for the next treatments.

She slowly sat down on the cold bench outside the hospital room, her gaze fixed on the billing papers in her trembling hands. Halos maubos na ang lahat ng ipon niya, at kahit magtrabaho siya gabi-gabi sa club, hindi pa rin iyon sasapat para sa lumalaking gastusin ng anak niya.

Just then, her phone suddenly vibrated, breaking her train of thought. "Mommy Beck" flashed on the screen.

She quickly answered the call.

“Darling K,” excited na sabi ni Mommy Beck sa kabilang linya. “May offer ako para sa’yo. Malaking pera ‘to.”

Napakahigpit yung hawak niya sa phone. “Ano’ng kailangan kong gawin?” she asked quietly.

“Hindi puwedeng sa phone,” Mommy Beck replied. “Just come to the club tonight. We’ll talk there.”

Pagkatapos ng tawag, nanatiling nakatitig si Karolina sa screen ng phone niya. Mas lalo niyang hinigpitan ang pagkakahawak dito habang unti-unting bumigat ang pakiramdam ng dibdib niya. The way Mommy Beck had spoken told her everything she needed to know.

This wasn't going to be a normal job.

Again.

Time passed, and before Karolina knew it, it was already four in the afternoon. She knew it was time to get ready. Kung totoo man ang sinabi ni Mommy Beck tungkol sa malaking pera, she couldn't afford to let this opportunity slip away. Wala siyang choice. Buhay ng anak niya ang nakataya.

She took a quick shower, letting the warm water wash away, if only for a moment, the exhaustion clinging to her body. Afterward, she carefully did her makeup, concealing the sleepless nights, stress, and fear beneath flawless skin and dark lashes.

Finally, she slipped into the sexiest dress she owned, a tight black dress that hugged every curve of her body, just short enough to turn heads. She finished the look with her favorite pair of red high heels, silently hoping they would bring her the luck she desperately needed.

Pagdating ni Karolina sa club, agad siyang sinalubong ng malalakas na tugtog, kumikislap na ilaw, at ingay ng mga taong nagsasaya. Ngunit wala siyang oras para magpahinga o huminga man lang.

The moment Mommy Beck saw her, mabilis siyang hinila nito patungo sa isang private room sa second floor.

Pagkasara ng pinto, humarap si Mommy Beck sa kanya at seryosong nag-cross ng mga braso.

"Listen carefully, Karolina," Mommy Beck began, his voice unusually serious. "One of our biggest clients specifically requested you.”

Nakunot ang noo ni Karolina. "Requested me?"

Tumango si Mommy Beck. "He's not just rich. He's one of the most powerful men in the country. Every year, pangalan niya ang laman ng magazines, lagi siyang kasama sa list of the richest governors in Asia."

"Who is he?"

"That's the thing," Mommy Beck said quietly. "Everyone knows his name, but almost no one truly knows him. He's an extremely private man. Bihira siyang magpakita sa public, laging may kasamang bodyguards, at halos walang nakakaalam ng personal niyang buhay.”

Karolina stayed silent, listening carefully.

"He's offering ten million pesos just for you to show up tonight," Mommy Beck continued. "And another ten million for the performance."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Karolina.

"Twenty... million pesos?" halos pabulong niyang sambit, hindi makapaniwala.

Dahan-dahang tumango si Mommy Beck. "Yes." Saglit itong natigilan bago muling nagsalita. "He said he knows you... or maybe he's seen you perform before. I don't know the details."

Tinitigan siya nito nang diretso.

"But he also said that if you agree..." Bumuntong-hininga ito. "...he's willing to double it.”

For a moment, Karolina forgot how to breathe. That amount of money could save Jed. But deep inside, something about the offer felt dangerous.

Nagbago ang ekspresyon ni Karolina. Ilang segundo siyang natahimik, halatang nagdadalawang-isip na siya. Mahigpit niyang hinawakan yung strap ng bag niya habang nakatingin sa sahig, parang kinakabahan yung sariling isip.

Napansin agad iyon ni Mommy Beck. Napabuntong-hininga ito at lumambot ang boses.

“Karolina,” mahinahon niyang sabi. “It’s okay if you want to say no.”

Napatingin si Karolina sa kanya, naguguluhan. “Ha?”

Tumango si Mommy Beck, nakatingin diretso sa kanya. “Kung sa tingin mo delikado, you can decline it. Walang pilitan.”

Sandali siyang huminto, saka mas naging blunt ang tono niya.

“Pero maging honest tayo, kung hindi mo ito tatanggapin, alam mo kung anong ibig sabihin. Yung anak mo… his treatment, his chances… mawawala rin.”

Biglang nanlamig si Karolina.

“Mommy Beck—my God!” she gasped, her voice shaking. “Bakit mo naman sasabihin ‘yan?”

Napailing si Mommy Beck, pero hindi siya umiwas. “I’m just telling you the reality, Darling K. This world is not kind. You know that.”

Tahimik si Karolina, nanginginig ang kamay. Halos maghalo na yung takot at galit sa dibdib niya.

After a long pause, she swallowed hard.

“Okay…I’ll do it,” she said quietly.

Nanlaki ang mata ni Mommy Beck. “Are you sure?”

Tumango si Karolina, kahit mabigat sa loob niya. “I don’t have a choice.”

Unti-unting lumambot ang expression ni Mommy Beck at nilapitan siya, bahagyang hinawakan ang braso niya in reassurance.

"Okay," he said softly. "If that's your decision... I'll make sure your kids are taken care of while you're gone. Hindi ko sila pababayaan. I promise."

Pagkatapos, humakbang siya palayo nang bahagya at tiningnan si Karolina mula ulo hanggang paa, na para bang ibinabalik siya sa realidad ng trabahong naghihintay sa kanya.

"Now," dagdag niya, may bahagyang ngiti, "go pack your hottest outfit, throw your highest heels into your luggage, and do what you do best. Make every second count.”

Mabilis na sinunod ni Karolina si Mommy Beck at nag-impake ng konting gamit at best clothes para sa biglaang biyahe na hindi niya alam ang kahihinatnan. Bago umalis, mahinahon niyang kinausap si Ely na agad nakaintindi, habang si Jed ay si Mommy Beck na ang bahalang magpaliwanag.

Pagkatapos, huminga siya nang malalim, itinago ang bigat sa dibdib, at tuluyang umalis bitbit ang takot, pag-asa, at mga saloobin hindi niya masabi.

A private Range Rover, arranged by the client, picked Karolina up and drove her straight to the airport. Mula roon, she boarded a flight that lasted a little over thirty minutes, followed by a four-hour drive to the island port, and finally an hour-and-a-half boat ride.

Tahimik lang siyang nakaupo sa buong biyahe, nakatanaw sa bintana habang unti-unting nawawala sa tanawin ang mga pamilyar na lugar. Pagod na pagod na siya, ngunit mas mabigat ang kaba sa dibdib niya. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang naghihintay sa kanya, pero kumapit siya sa pag-asang baka sulit ang lahat ng ito. After all, Puerto Rosario was known as an exclusive paradise reserved only for the rich and powerful.

Ngunit sa mismong sandaling tumapak siya sa isla, naglaho ang lahat ng iniisip niya.

May isang taong naghihintay na agad sa kanya. A familiar face. A face she had hoped she would never see again. And a face she could never forget.

“Welcome to Puerto Rosario, Karolina.” a deep voice said, calm yet dangerously familiar.

Nanigas si Karolina. Hindi dahil alam nito ang tunay niyang pangalan, but because she recognized the man standing before her.

The same man from that unforgettable night.

Mabilis na nagsibalikan ang mga alaalang matagal na niyang pilit nilibing. But this time, everything felt different. Mas mabigat. Mas malamig. The tension between them was no longer the same, it carried something darker, something far more dangerous.

Humaplos ang malamig na hangin sa pagitan nila habang tuluyan niyang na-realize ang sitwasyon.

This wasn't a reunion. It was the beginning of something she should've never walked into.

She was about to speak when the man casually raised a hand, signaling someone behind her. And before she could even react, a cloth was suddenly pressed tightly over her nose and mouth.

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya habang pilit siyang nagpupumiglas, pero unti-unting nanghina ang katawan niya. Her vision blurred, and the world around her slowly began to spin.

The last thing she saw was the man watching her in complete silence, his expression calm, a cold, almost deadly smirk playing on his lips.

Then… Everything went dark.