LOGINNANG lumapag ang chopper sa pribadong hangar na pag-aari ng mga Chan ay naroon na naghihintay ang dalawang itim na SUV. Ang isa ay naglalaman ng ilang tauhan nila na naatasang sumundo kay Hyacinth, habang ang isa pang sasakyan ay ang mga elite bodyguard ni Varo.“Please update me, Cinth. Our coordination is crucial in this operation,” ani Varo habang kapa sila nakatayo malapit sa dawalang sasakyan.Tumango si Hyacinth. “Sure. We’re going now.”“Be careful, Cinth.”Tipid na ngumiti si Hyacinth. “Watch out as hell break loose.”Magkasabay na pumasok ang dalawa sa kanya-kanya nilang mga sundo at sabay na lumiko ng sasakyang sa magkaibang dereksyon.Tahimik si Hyacinth sa loob ng sasakyan habang katabi niya si Oliver. Ito ang nagbibigay utos sa mga tauhan nila para maiwasan ang posibleng aksidente sa daan.Inabot sila ng halos dalawang oras bago narating ang main base nila sa bansa.Agad na sinalubong si Hyacinth ng mga matataas na opisyal ng kanilang private army at nagbigay-galang sa ka
NAGMADALING lumabas si Hyacinth sa silid na kinaroroonan ni Varo matapos ang kanilang naging pag-uusap. Nakita niya sina Yuen at Oliver sa labas na wari ay naghihintay sa kanya.Sumabay si Yuen sa kanyang paglalakad. Nagkunwari itong nag-alis ng bara sa lalamunan pero hindi rin nito magawang magsalita.“What’s the matter, Yuen?” Hindi nakatiis si Hyacinth na magtanong.“Kayo na ulit?” Tila nananantiyang tanong nito. Para itong kinikilig na hindi na bagay sa edad.Awtomatikong nagsalubong ang kilay niya. “No.”Nawala ang ngiti sa labi ni Yuen at biglang nalaglag ang balikat.“Ay, sayang naman. Akala ko nagkasundo na kayo.” Nagbuga ng hangin si Yuen bago nagpatuloy, “alam mo ba, Cinth. Malala ang pinagdaanan namin bago nakapunta rito. Baka isipin mo pinapadrinuhan ko si bossing. But it’s true, he is determined to have you back.”Tumigil si Hyacinth sa paglalakad at hinarap ito. “Nangongonsensya ka ba, Yuen?”“Of course not! Sa totoo lang, galit na galit ‘yan siya sa’yo dati kasi nga ini
MAG-ISANG naglakad si Ren patungo sa restaurant na napag-usapan nila ni Sashi. It was in the outskirts of the city in the Philippines. He took a more than five hour flight from Beijing just to meet her.Ren genuinely wanted to see her, because after all, he considered her as a family. Baka sa pagkakataong ito ay maintindihan niya ang naging desisyon nitong talikuran sila.And maybe, he could give her another chance despite her betrayal.Ren gazed at his wristwatch to check the time. Medyo maaga pa iyon, kaya minabuti niyang aralin ang paligid. Meeting Sashi was reckless, and the risk might cost him his life. Pero sarili niyang desisyon iyon kaya wala siyang pagsisisihan kahit ano man ang kahihinatnan ng pakikipagkita niyang ito.Nang pumasok siya sa loob ng mamahaling restaurant, agad niyang nakita si Sashi sa hindi kalayuan. As expected, she looked dashing as ever. Ren could still remember that Sashi used to be the sunshine in the squad.“Ren Gege!” Kumaway ito sa kanya habang malawa
REN had just finished checking the bid documents when his phone rang. Rumehistro ang hindi pamilyar na numero sa kanyang screen. Normally, he wouldn’t answer. But since it was his private number, Ren thought it might be an emergency coming from any member of the squad.“Yes?” ani Ren.“Ren Gege…” bungad ng isang pamilyar na tinig ng babae sa kabilang linya.Bahagyang napahigpit ang hawak ni Ren sa cellphone. He looked deadly calm yet alert.“Speaking, may I know who’s on the line?” Ren pretended he wasn’t aware just to make sure. Pero sa buong squad, iisang tao lang ang tumatawag sa kanya ng ganoon.Si Sashi.“Ren Gege, it’s me… the Shadow Countess.”“Sashi…” Ren murmured and he added, “what do you want?”“I’m glad you’re still using your old number. Otherwise, I wouldn&rs
AWTOMATIKONG kumunot ang noo ni Hyacinth. Then her eyes narrowed.“Afraid to what?” Hyacinth met her piercing gaze.“That you’d fall for me for real.” May paghamon sa timber ng boses nito.“Not gonna happen,” aniya sa siguradong tono, kahit kabaligtaran iyon ng kanyang saloobin.“Why don’t you give me sixty-six days to prove myself? Since number six in Chinese is associated with things going smoothly without obstacles. I’m very positive about it.” Varo was unstoppable as if he was not giving her space to maneuver.She scoffed. “Hindi ka rin makulit ‘no? Even if I give you six thousand days, it’s still a no.”“I can’t believe the mighty huntress queen is afraid to take a risk.” Varo chuckled.“I know what you’re up to, Mr. Lao. You clearly know the stakes of associating with me,” seryosong sambit ni Hyacinth. “Bakit mo ipinipilit?”Varo stood straight and let out a sigh. “Because I always fight for someone I love.”Hyacinth stared at him in disbelief. “You what?! You love me? You love
ILANG ulit na ikinurap ni Varo ang mata na nagpabalik sa kanya sa kasalukuyan.“I also had it rough, Cinth. It’s a miracle I survived into adulthood considering everything I’ve been through…”Habang marahang napailing si Hyacinth matapos makinig sa mahabang kuwento ng kabataan ni Varo.“I know you and Yuen are very close. He’s very loyal to you, but it doesn’t have to do with me, does it?” wika niya.Although she sympathized with him, she wouldn’t change her mind regarding his proposal of marriage alliance. Dahil para sa kanya, mas mabuti na ang ganito. They’d remain civil to each other. Because after all, they belonged to the same organization. Hanggang doon na lang iyon.“Will you not reconsider? Believe me, I’m not scheming this time,” pakiusap nito.“Yes, we’re the same, raised from different kinds of hell. I sincerely apologized to what happened between us three years ago. Pero hanggang doon na lang talaga iyon,” aniya sa mababang tono.Varo looked defeated as he slowly nodded hi
NAGTIPON ang buong squad sa loob ng conference room ng private residence ng mga Chan sa Beijing tatlong araw matapos mailagay sa huling hantungan si Xiaoyu. Everyone agreed to put her in their family ancestral shrine. Mula sa Hong Kong, inilipat iyon sa Beijing dahil nakompromiso ang kanilang base
“SNIPERS, ready!” Utos ni Carlito mula sa kanyang earpiece. Kasalukuyan siyang nakaposisyon sa loob ng living room para siguruhing walang makakapasok sa loob ng bahay mula sa ground floor.Habang si Rouyun ay naroon nakadapa sa roof deck gamit ng kanyang sniper rifle.Nagsimulang magpalitan ng puto
HAWAK ni Rouyun ang kanyang binoculars na may night vision habang naroon siya sa balkonahe ng ikalawang palapag. He was on night patrol to check the vicinity of the house.Alessia’s private residence was a hundred meters away from the housing community of the subdivision. Malawak ang nakapaligid na
WALANG kibo si Alessia habang tahimik na nakikiramdam dahil sa naging takbo ng naging usapan nila ni Caio. They were walking on the shore to return to the mansion after strolling aimlessly on the island. Kapwa lang sila nakikiramdam sa isa’t isa. At least, they were talking civilly. Isa na iyong ac







