Chapter 7

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"Your highness... we are sorry to tell you that Lady Yanna is resting right now. She has still not recovered from the incident the other night and she has been acting strange lately so we apologize." Doctor Han politely said to Matthew.

Doctor Han was saying the truth but at the same time he also prays that his daughter won't wake up for many days. He knew that the pregnancy of her daughter will bring more shame to his family. He must look for a way to send her daughter far away.

Matthew put down his tea on the table and stood up. He walked towards him and look at Doctor Han's family. He felt that Doctor Han is acting strange. He can also feel that he was hiding something.

He looked at Yuhan standing at the door. Kakarating lamang nito.

Inutusan niya itong i-check ang kwarto ng dalaga habang nakikipag-usap siya sa pamilya. Naglakad siya palapit dito habang nananatili pa ring nakaupo at nakayuko ang pamilya Han sa kani-kanilang mga upuan.

"They found out that the Lady is bringing a child. Doctor Han is planning to send her far away." Yuhan whispered at him.

He clenched his jaw. He felt deceived again. His blood started to boil.

Is she bringing my brother's baby? Tanong niya sa sarili.

Simula bata pa lang sila ng kapatid niya ay hindi na sila close nito. They were born with the same father but with a different mother. His mother is an Empress Consort while Andrew's mother is the Royal empress. Alam rin niyang walang gusto ang kapatid niya sa kanya.

Kahit hindi siya nakikipagkompetensiya dito ay ito mismo ang gumagawa ng paraan para makipagkompetensiya siya hanggang sa babaliktarin na siya nito.

Matthew didn't want to be the Crown Prince. Andrew just wanted to kill Ileanna because of the crime he did that may lead to shaming his name.

Malalim na napabuntong-hininga si Matthew.

Bakit ngayon pa ito nangyari gayung nasabihan na niya ang Emperor tungkol sa pagpayag niyang ikasal sa dalaga? Kapag aatras siya ay siguradong hindi din magiging masaya ang ama niya.

His father decided to let her marry Ileanna to save the Crown Prince dignity about the news that he had a relationship with Lady Yanna. Isa din sa mga dahilan na tinanggap niya ang gusto ng ama niya ay para maging proud din ito sa kanya kahit papano. Gusto niyang ipakita sa ama niya na kaya niyang gawin lahat para sa ikakabuti ng angkan nila. Kailangan niyang mag-isip ng paraan.

Hindi niya maiwasang mapangisi ng sarkastiko. Ngayon naiitindihan na niya kung bakit parang may kakaiba sa kinikilos ni Doctor Han.

"Make sure to guard her and follow where they will take her." bulong niya kay Yuhan na agad nitong sinunod, yumuko at umalis.

"I'd like to take a walk outside." Sabi ni Matthew maya-maya habang nasa likod ang mga kamay.

Doctor Han stood up. His family also followed.

"Your highness... let my two daughters accompany you. Maribeth and Geraldine can show you the great places inside our mansion." sabi ni Lady Viola sa mahinhin na boses.

Sumang-ayon naman si Doctor Han sa sinabi ng asawa samantalang umingos lang si Lady Esther kay Lady Viola. Hindi niya ito gusto at alam niyang iba ang pinaplano nito. Alam ni Lady Esther na naiinggit si Lady Viola kay Lady Yanna dahil ito ang napili ng Emperor na ipakasal sa pang-apat na prinsipe.

"No. I'm fine. I want to be alone." Matthew said leaving them.

Lihim na natawa si Lady Esther saka lumabas. Hindi siya pinapayagang dalawin si Lady Yanna sa quarter nito. She is very close with her. She treated Lady Yanna as her own daughter when her mother died. Kaya hindi siya pinapayagang dalawin si Lady Yanna sa kadahilanang baka tulungan niya ang dalaga sa kagustuhan nitong makatakas which is totoo din naman. Dahil palagi niya iyong ginagawa dati. Siya lamang at ang kanyang anak ang tanging mga tao sa pamilyang to na maganda ang pakikitungo sa dalaga.

Matthew walked towards the swimming pool. Iniisip ulit niya ang mga nangyari ng gabing yon. He clearly saw that she died here and her body withered.

But how come did she live again?

Could it be because she drank the sacred nectar?

The nectar is also known to give a longevity life or a second life. In other words, it can make a mortal become immortal.

Ipinilig niya ang ulo at napatingin sa kamay niya nang maramdaman niyang naninigas na naman ito. Tumingin siya sa paligid at hinawakan iyon sa kaliwang kamay niya. He tried to summon his flame power but it was still too weak. His hand froze that quickly ran up to his elbow.

"F*ck!" he cursed while still trying to summon his other power. The more he summon his flame power, the more his hand freezes. He was about to kneel down in pain on the ground when she heard the woman's voice that made his hand automatically turned back to normal.

"Ohh! Hey!"

Lumapit agad si Yanna sa binata. Kakagising lamang niya at nang makitang walang nagbabantay sa kanya ay nagmamadali siyang tumakas sa kanyang kwarto. Hinanap niya agad kung nasaan ang swimming pool at nakita ang lalaking nakita niya kanina sa likod ng pader.

Matthew cleared his throat as he fixed himself.

"I-Ileanna..."

"Teka lang... parang kilala kita."

Huminto si Julia.

Kinakabaha namang lumunok si Matthew at hinintay ang sasabihin ng dalaga. May kutob kasi siyang ang sasabihin nito ay tungkol sa hindi niya pagtulong nito kanina sa likod ng pader.

Julia walked towards him. Tiningnan niya ito mula hanggang paa saka paa hanggang ulo. Nang hindi siya makontento ay hinawakan pa niya ito sa baba at bahagyang pinihit ang mukha ng binata sa kaliwa't kanan.

"Ikaw nga!" masayang bulalas niya.

Kumunot ang noo ni Matthew sa inasta ni Julia habang para itong bata na bahagyang tumalon-talon pero umayos din ng makitang seryoso siya.

"I mean... It was you who helped me the other night."

"Uhmm....y-yeah." naguguluhang sagot ni Matthew.

"Come on... you need to send me back." sabi niya at walang pagdadalawang-isip na hinila ang binata patungo sa swimming pool.

"Hey! Are you crazy?! Why did you do that?!" inis na sigaw ni Matthew nang mabasa silang dalawa.

Hindi siya pinansin ni Julia at nagsimula itong nagpakalunod sa ilalim ng tubig.

She stayed under the water for almost a minute while he was just watching her.

"She must be crazy!" Matthew said at aahon na sana pero pinigilan siya ng dalaga sa kanang kamay niya.

He froze when he felt her warmth ran through his veins. He could feel his flame and ice power in his body turned to normal.

"Ehh? Anong nangyari? Bakit parang walang nangyari?" bulong ni Julia sa sarili saka ibinalik ang sarili sa ilalim ng tubig.

Matthew pulled her up. Hinawakan niya sa magkabilang balikat ang dalaga at tiningnan ang mga namumula nitong mga mata dahil sa tubig.

"What did you do to me?"

"H-ha? I didn't do a-anything... I... just want to go back... But I guess I can't." sabi ni Julia saka inis na umahon sa tubig.

Piniga niya ang dulo ng kanyang damit at nakasimangot na tiningnan ang binata nang umahon din ito sa tubig.

"Lady Yanna! Lady yanna!" tawag ni Ayeng sa pangalan niya sa unahan pagkatapos nitong malaman na wala na siya sa kwarto niya.

Nataranta siya at mabilis na tumakbo pero bumalik din.

"Do you know where is the exit of this place?" she asked him.

Matthew frowned and looked at her strangely.

"You really did hurt your head so bad, don't you?"

"I don't know. I don't remember I hit my head. So could you help me please? I really want to escape from here. I don't want to marry the Fourth Prince. They said he's scary."

Yanna hide behind him while Ayeng is still calling her name from afar.

Matthew froze.

She really don't know me? Tanong niya sa sarili.

"W-why? Why don't you want to marry the Fourth Prince " wala sa sariling natanong ni Matthew sa dalaga.

Hinarap siya ng dalaga at naiinis na nameywang sa harap niya.

"Because I don't know him. I don't even know his name for God's sake. This Ileanna has a very strange and... and chaotic life... I mean how could she be pregnant before marrying the Fourth Prince? It's crazy. I better get out of here." sabi niya saka hinila ang binata at tumakbo.

Wala namang magawang sumunod si Matthew sa kanya at sa halip ay tinulungan pa siyang makalabas.

He lifted his hand right away when his people who guard the carriage outside bowed down to stop them from calling his name. Instead he motioned them to go back home without them.

Tinakpan ni Julia ang bibig habang pinagmamasdan ang piligid, ang mga tao at ang karwahe na nagsimula ng umalis.

"Oh my God! I never thought that I would see it in person. OMG! It's a good thing that we left... I think that's the Fourth Prince's carriage. What do you think? We almost see each other. Oh god!" napapaypay siya sa sarili.

"I heard he is a heartless monster. So scary." Dagdag pa ni Julia na nagpatiim ng bagang ni Matthew.

The people started to look at them.

Ngumiti lang si Matthew sa mga tao. Alam niyang may mga nakakakilala sa kanya. He just wished that no one would call his name.

"Why are they looking at us?"

"M-maybe it's because... we... we are wet?" he tried to convinced her.

"What should we do? I don't have any money and I don't even know where to go." malungkot ang boses na sabi ni Julia saka tumingin sa nakasiradong gate na entrance sa mansion nila.

"But I don't want to go back inside." mahina niyang dagdag.

Napalunok si Matthew habang tinitingnan ang nakakaawang mukha ng dalaga.

Her sad pretty face softened his heart. He's sure that she isn't the Ileanna that he knew.

"Come with me." sabi niya at hinawakan ang kamay ng dalaga.