Chapter 6

Hindi makagalaw si Karolina.

Parang nanigas ang buong katawan niya habang palipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa dalawang lalaking nasa kusina. Pareho silang nakatayo na parang sanay na sanay mag dala ng takot. Same face. Same eyes. Same broad shoulders that looked too dangerous for any room. Kung hindi dahil sa magkaibang expression nila, iisipin niyang nababaliw na siya.

One looked cold enough to kill someone without blinking. The other looked entertained, like he was watching a movie only he understood.

Pareho silang may mukha na imposibleng hindi titigan. Sharp jawlines, dark eyes, lips that always looked one second away from smirking. Their beauty wasn’t gentle. It was the kind that made people nervous. The kind that came with violence.

Michele Morrone.

Iyon agad ang pumasok sa isip ni Karolina. Pareho nilang dala ang aura ng paborito niyang actor. Tall, intimidating, expensive-looking. The type of men who didn’t need to speak just to own a room. Pero iba ito. Because Michele Morrone only existed on screens.

These men were real.

And somehow, that made them worse.

Parang sumikip lalo ang dibdib ni Karolina habang unti-unti niyang niyayakap ang sarili niya. Oversized shirt lang ang suot niya at manipis na underwear sa ilalim noon. Bigla niyang naramdaman kung gaano siya ka-exposed sa harap ng dalawang lalaking ito.

Walang nagsasalita.

The silence dragged painfully between them until the man beside the counter finally leaned back and gave her a small grin.

“Relax,” he said calmly, almost amused. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Stop talking to her.” Malamig ang boses ni Alejandro mula sa doorway.

Hindi sumagot agad ang lalaki. He only chuckled softly, then slid both hands inside his pockets like he didn’t care about the tension slowly filling the kitchen.

Karolina swallowed hard.

“W-What is happening?” she whispered. “Who are you?”

Her voice sounded embarrassingly small.

For a moment, walang sumagot. Then the stranger tilted his head slightly, studying her face like he was trying to figure out something interesting.

“I’m Aldous,” he finally said. “Alejandro’s twin brother.”

Nanlaki ang mata ni Karolina.

Twin.

Biglang nag-click lahat sa isip niya. The way they moved, even the way they looked at her. Magkamukhang-magkamukha sila to the point na parang imposibleng paghiwalayin kung hindi mo talaga sila tititigan nang mabuti. Pareho ng mata, parehong amoy, parehong boses, parehong aura na kayang magpahinto ng tibok ng puso niya. Pakiramdam ni Karolina siya lang ang mahihirapan sa sitwasyon na ’to. Siya lang ang mababaliw kakaisip, and somehow, that terrified her more than it should.

“Alejandro never told you about me?” Aldous asked, clearly entertained.

“She doesn’t need to know anything about you,” Alejandro answered sharply.

The tension immediately turned heavier.

Parang may matagal nang galit na tahimik na nakaupo sa pagitan nilang magkapatid. Hindi iyon simpleng inis. It looked personal. Deep. Rotten.

Karolina slowly looked between them, trying to understand what the hell was happening. Pero mas lalo lang gumulo ang isip niya.

Aldous laughed softly under his breath.

“You married her without telling her the truth?” he asked Alejandro. “That’s cruel, even for you.”

Karolina’s stomach dropped.

Truth? Anong truth?

“What truth?” mabilis niyang tanong, this time looking directly at Alejandro.

Pero agad dumilim ang mukha nito. “Enough.”

“NO,” Aldous replied calmly. “I think she deserves to know—”

“Fine.” Alejandro suddenly cut him off. His voice turned dangerously sharp. “I’ll give you my private island in Singapore. Just get the fuck out of here and leave her alone.”

Napakurap si Karolina. Private island? Ganun lang? As if normal lang mag-offer ng isla kapalit ng katahimikan.

Ngumiti nang malaki si Aldous, obviously amused by the desperation hidden underneath Alejandro’s anger. Mabagal siyang lumapit sa kapatid nito saka tinapik ang balikat nito.

“You really know what I want,” he murmured.

Alejandro shoved his hand away immediately. “Get out.”

Pero bago tuluyang umatras si Aldous, bumaling muna ito kay Karolina. Slowly. Deliberately. His eyes traveled down her body in a way that instantly made her uncomfortable. Oversized shirt. Bare legs. Messy hair. Para siyang hinuhubaran gamit lang tingin.

The smirk on his lips darkened.

“Leave. Now,” Alejandro warned again, colder this time.

Pero lalo lang lumawak ang ngiti ni Aldous. Then he looked straight into Karolina’s eyes. “Ask him,” sabi nito bakas ang nakakainsultong ngiti sa labi, “what really happened to the last woman who tried to leave Puerto Rosario.”

And then he walked away.

Nang mawala ang tunog ng footsteps nito, biglang bumigat ang buong bahay. The silence no longer felt quiet. It felt threatening. Karolina’s chest tightened painfully. Her thoughts started spinning too fast.

Last woman? Tried to leave? What the hell did that mean?

“What the hell was he talking about?” she demanded, instinctively backing away from Alejandro.

Pero bago pa siya makalayo— BAM. Napasigaw siya nang tumama ang kamao ni Alejandro diretso sa tiyan niya. The pain exploded instantly. Parang nawalan ng hangin ang buong katawan niya. Napayuko siya agad habang napapahawak sa tiyan, hirap huminga. Tears burned her eyes almost immediately.

“Tanga ka ba?” Alejandro snapped, grabbing her arm harshly. “Bakit ang tigas-tigas ng ulo mo?! I fucking told you to stay in that fucking room!”

His chest rose and fell heavily. Galit na galit siya. Hindi na iyon simpleng inis. It looked like rage mixed with panic.

“Do you even realize what just happened?” he said sharply, jaw tight with anger. “That bastard almost got you. Almost fucked you.”

Natigilan si Karolina. He was right. Masyado siyang na-focus sa katotohanang may kakambal si Alejandro that she completely forgot what almost happened a few moments ago. The way his twin touched her, the way he cornered her kung hindi pa dumating si Alejandro, baka may nangyari na sa kanila. And that thought alone made her stomach twist in fear and disgust.

“But no,” he continued bitterly. “You just had to wander around this place.” He laughed once, humorless. “You act like you’ll die without a cock between your thighs for five fucking minutes dahil hindi ka makapirme sa kwarto!”

Parang tumigil ang mundo ni Karolina. Hindi dahil sa sakit. Kundi dahil sa paraan ng pagsasalita nito sa kanya. Her eyes slowly lifted to him, full of disbelief. And suddenly, something inside her cracked. The shouting, the fear, the helplessness.

Biglang bumalik lahat. The dark apartment, the smell of alcohol, the sound of broken glass, the same terrifying look in a man’s eyes before he hurt her. Her ex. The father of her first child. The man who used to apologize after every bruise and then hurt her again the next day.

The memories hit her so hard she almost felt sick.

Napapikit si Karolina habang nanginginig ang buong katawan niya. She hated this feeling. Hated how quickly fear could drag her back into a version of herself she worked so hard to bury.

And when she finally forced herself to look at Alejandro again, saglit siyang natigilan. Because for one second—just one— may dumaan na guilt sa mukha nito. Parang may parte sa kanya na gustong umatras. Parang may parte sa kanya na alam niyang mali ang ginawa niya.

Pero mabilis din iyong nawala. Coldness returned instantly. Lumapit ulit ito kay Karolina saka mahigpit na hinawakan ang baba nito, forcing her to look directly at him.

“Look at me.”

Karolina flinched immediately.

His grip tightened slightly.

“You listen to me carefully,” he said angrily. And somehow, that was worse than shouting. “Whatever my brother told you, forget it.”

“FUCK YOU!”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!”

Napasinghap si Karolina sa lakas ng boses nito. The entire room fell silent again. Pero this time, mas nakakatakot na ang katahimikan. Slowly, Alejandro rested his forehead against hers. At mas lalo iyong nagpanginig kay Karolina.

Because he wasn’t screaming anymore. He was calm. And calm Alejandro was far more terrifying.

“Just do what I told you,” he whispered. “Or else.”

Karolina swallowed hard. Nanginginig pa rin siya pero may natitirang galit sa dibdib niya. Natitirang pride.

“Or else what?” she asked shakily.

Alejandro went still, parang lumamig lalo ang paligid. Then he leaned closer, enough for her to feel his breath against her skin.

“Or else,” he said softly, “you’ll end up exactly where she did.”

Karolina’s breath caught. Nanlamig ang buong katawan niya. Did he kill her? Oh my God.

“And then,” he continued calmly, “you start asking what happens to your son.”

Parang huminto ang tibok ng puso ni Karolina. Her son. The moment her child was mentioned, pure terror finally replaced every ounce of defiance left in her body.

His grip tightened slightly against her chin. “And I don’t stop there,” he added casually, like he was discussing weather instead of threatening lives. “I’ll do the same with your daughter too.”

The words shattered something inside her. Hindi na siya makagalaw, hindi siya makapagsalita. Her knees suddenly felt weak as horror slowly crawled through every part of her body. Hindi niya kayang isipin ang mga anak niya sa bibig ng lalaking ito. Hindi niya kayang isipin na kaya nitong gawin ang mga bagay na iyon.

Inalis ni Alejandro ang hawak sa baba niya pero hindi nabawasan ang takot niya. Mas lalo lang sumikip ang paligid. He took a slow breath before looking at her again, this time like he was trying very hard to control himself.

“Don’t provoke me, Karolina,” he said quietly. Humakbang siya palapit. Every movement felt heavy. “For fuck’s sake, just do what I told you.” His jaw tightened. “Kapag nasa ganito kang sitwasyon,” he continued, voice lower now, “where I’m already holding everything by the neck… this is not a discussion anymore.” He paused. “That’s survival.”

Tumitig lang si Karolina sa kanya. She wanted to scream. Wanted to hit him. Wanted to run. Pero hindi niya magawa. Because deep down, alam niyang kaya ng binata gawin lahat ng sinasabi niya.

“And if you’re smart enough,” Alejandro continued, “you don’t fight me. You don’t question me. You don’t test me.” at mas lumapit ito sa kanya hanggang halos wala nang space sa pagitan nila.

“Just obey me, Karolina.” The way he said her name made her stomach twist painfully. “Because if you don’t,” he continued softly, “you stop being someone I’m trying to warn, and you become a problem I need to remove.”

The words stayed hanging heavily between them. Hindi makapaniwala si Karolina na may taong kayang magsalita nang ganoon kapayapa habang nananakot.

Huminto si Alejandro saglit. His eyes stayed unreadable. Dark. Empty. Parang walang kahit anong emosyon ang pwedeng makapasok doon.

“And Karolina,” he whispered, “sa mundo ko, problems don’t get second chances.” He tilted his head slightly while watching her reaction, almost like he was studying how much fear she could still survive. “You’re lucky I gave you even one,” he continued quietly. “Because you’re…” saglit siyang huminto, jaw tightening slightly, “special to me.”

The words should’ve sounded comforting.

But they didn’t.

Not from him.

Never from him.

Then his expression turned colder again.

“But a third?” A faint smile appeared on his lips, humorless and terrifying. “Huwag mong subukan.”

His gaze locked onto hers completely.

“I will rip everything you think you are apart,” he said slowly. “And make sure nothing of you is left standing.”

Karolina felt tears sliding silently down her cheeks, but she didn’t even bother wiping them anymore.

“And I won’t even need to look back.”

Then just like that, Alejandro turned away from her.

No apology.

No softness.

Nothing.

He simply walked out of the kitchen, leaving Karolina frozen in the same spot, shaking so badly she could barely breathe.

The silence he left behind felt heavier than the punch. Heavier than the threats. Heavier than fear itself. And for the first time since arriving in Puerto Rosario, Karolina truly understood one thing.

She was trapped.