All Chapters of PAID IN SHADOWS: Chapter 11 - Chapter 19

19 Chapters

CHAPTER 11

TWYLA’S POV. “AYOKO. Hindi ko gagawin. . .” The room felt heavy as I faced Tres, tension stretching between us like a taut string. His refusal echoed in my mind. The left corner of my lips rose in a subtle smirk, disbelief tangled with frustration. Minutes of silent contemplation ended with that blunt answer. “Are you sure about that decision? You won’t regret it?” I asked, smiling slightly as I held his gaze steady, challenging him without looking away. He acted as if the weight of the world rested on his answer, swallowing hard as if his life depended on it. Tama ’yan, dapat mong pag-isipan ng 100 times. Dahil isang sagot mo lang na oo, hindi ko na ipipilit pa ang sarili ko. Ayoko ng masyadong pakipot. ‘Tsk, tsk, tsk, Tresandrus Villafahr, you can’t just refuse what I’m offering you,’ I thought to myself, amused yet determined. “Bakit ako?” Tanong niya matapos ang ilang sandaling pag-iisip. Honestly, I was close to losing my patience with all his questions. He had been asking

Last Updated : 2026-02-19

CHAPTER 12

TWYLA’S POV. “TWILIGHT, ayos ka lang ba?” “Twain!”“Twy,” I suddenly turned to my side as I realized those calls were directed at me. The sound of my name finally registered in my ears.“Huh?” I asked, confused, feeling as if I were lost in a daze.“Okay ka lang?” Tanong ni Primo. Nilibot ko ang paningin ko sa lahat ng taong naririto sa loob ng kwarto. Mukhang kanina pa nila ako tinatawag the way they all stared at me. Keshi’s sarcastic laughter echoed quickly, bouncing off the four corners of the room.“Ano’t tila wala ka sa iyong sarili, Twilight? Ano ba ang iniisip mo at tila nasa iba kang mundo?” Keshi said with a sardonic smile curling on his lips.I raised my eyebrows at him. Here we go again, magsisimula na naman ’tong ungas na ’to. “You’re probably thinking about what you and that auction guy did,” he continued, grinning playfully.“Keshi, hindi naman yata tamang bastusin mo siya nang ganyan?” Agad na saway sa kanya ni Primo. “Parang wala kang pinag-aralan kung um

Last Updated : 2026-02-20

CHAPTER 13

TRES’s POV. “TRES, may mga bisita pang dumating,” sabay kaming napatingin ni Sixto sa kapitbahay namin na si Aling Delia. Siya at ang ilan pa naming kapitbahay ang tumutulong sa amin dito sa funerarya. Medyo marami rin kasi ang mga bisita na kakilala namin sa lugar namin. Dahil tunay na mabait at marunong makisama si Nanay, marami siyang mga naging kaibigan. “Sino po?” Tanong ni Sixto. Ngayong araw na ang huling burol ni Nanay, at wala naman kaming ibang inaasahang darating na mga kaanak namin. Sabay-sabay kaming lumingon sa entrada ng memorial hall kung saan nakaburol si Nanay, nang may pumasok doon. Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko nang makilala ko ito. Si Twyla, ang babaeng tumulong sa amin sa maraming bagay kahit hindi naman namin siya ganun ka kilala. “Sila po,” mahina ngunit makahulugang tugon ni Aling Delia, saka bahagyang umurong upang magbigay-daan sa mga bagong bisita. Kasunod ni Twyla ang dalawa pang taong hindi ko agad namukhaan—ang isang lalaki na nasa kanan ay iyon

Last Updated : 2026-02-21

CHAPTER 14

TWYLA’S POV. “Kukunin ba natin ang kasong ito?” Primo asked, leaning back in his chair after Koby finished laying out the details of the new case. The room felt heavier than usual. Not because of the case itself—but because of who it involved. Wala rin dito ngayon ang team ni Keshi dahil nga sa kasong kasalukuyan nilang inaasikaso. Ang balita ko ay hirap na hirap na ang kutong lupa na iyon sa kasong hawak nila. Dapat lang sa kanya ’yon, masyado kasi siyang bida-bida. “Mukhang professional ang mga manlolokong iyon,” I said, folding my arms as I tried to steady the ringing in my ears. Kanina pa nagpapantig ang aking mga tainga dahil sa mga nalaman ko. “Hindi ito ordinaryong kaso. Kailangan natin pagplanuhan ang mga gagawin nating hakbang kung paano natin mapanagot ang taong iyon.” I added. Kanina pa nagdidilim ang paningin ko. Ang kasong ito ay wala namang kinalaman sa mga pagpatay, murder o ano. Tulad nung nakaraan naming kaso, blackmailing ang kasong ito. At hindi lang yun, d

Last Updated : 2026-02-24

CHAPTER 15

TWYLA’S POV. “DID YOU FIND ANYTHING?” I asked Ha Joon as I stepped out of my room. I had just taken a shower and was drying my short, wet hair.Ha Joon averted his gaze when he saw I was only wearing a bathrobe. Gentleman kasi ang gago na ’to. Actually, ilang araw nga siyang tulala dahil nakita niya akong may katabing lalaki noon sa kama. Yun yung araw na may nangyari sa amin ng Tres na iyon. “Still nothing?” I asked, sitting down on the single couch across from him. I crossed my legs, making his ears flush even more.“Y-You should. . . at least get dressed first,” he stammered. Hindi siya makatingin ng diretso sa akin na para bang may kung ano sa katawan ko. “Why? Do I look naked to you?” I teased, but he just looked away, at muling itinuon ang atensyon sa screen ng laptop niya. “I-I saw a suspicious man,” he finally said after a pause.I uncrossed my legs and stood up. I moved closer to sit beside him, peeking at his laptop screen as well.“Who? What’s his job? Connections?

Last Updated : 2026-02-25

CHAPTER 16

TRES’s POV. “HAVE A SEAT, BRO,” alok ng lalaki na siyang nagbukas ng pintuan para sa akin, at iminwestra ang couch sa may kalakihang sala. “Salamat,” nag-aalangang sagot ko. “Twilight’s still in the shower. Matagal maligo ’yon kaya maghintay ka muna,” aniya pa nang makaupo ako, na para bang sanay na siya sa ganoong setup. ‘Twilight? Sino naman ’yon?’“Sandali lang, ikukuha na muna kita ng maiinom,” saad pa nito at iniwan akong mag-isa sa sala.Pinanood ko lang siyang naglakad patungo sa tingin ko ay kusina ng condo na ito. “Oh, you’re already here.”Napalingon ako sa hagdan nang marinig ko ang boses na iyon.Dahan-dahan siyang naglakad pababa ng hagdan, abala sa pagtuyo ng buhok gamit ang tuwalya.Bigla akong napatigil. Pakiramdam ko ay biglang bumabagal ang oras habang naglalakad siya pababa ng hagdan. Parang kusang bumalik sa isip ko ang nangyari sa amin noon—at kasabay nun, parang biglang natuyo ang lalamunan ko. Hindi ko maiwasang mapatitig sa kanya. Nakasuot lang

Last Updated : 2026-03-01

CHAPTER 17

TWYLA’S POV. I DON’T KNOW if I should talk to him or just leave things as they are. I heard everything he and his brother talked about earlier. I can feel how heavy his heart is right now.But even so, I still don’t want to interfere. I don’t want to add to whatever he’s already carrying. And yet, a part of me wants to ease it—if only a little.“Saan po tayo?” he asked, his voice cold and laced with quiet sadness. Kahit naman ako hindi nagustuhan ang mga pinagsasabi ng kapatid niya kanina. Masyado niya yata itong na-spoil kaya nagawa siya nitong sagot-sagutin at batuhin ng masasakit na salita. He clearly didn’t respect him. I’m not the type of person who comforts others with sweet words just to make them feel better. I’d rather do something—something I know might actually help.“To Void’s Edge,” I answered simply.He didn’t respond after that and just started the engine. The silence earlier was bearable, but this one felt different. Heavier.Hindi pa man kami nakakalayo ay nag

Last Updated : 2026-03-02

CHAPTER 18

TWYLA’S POV. “WHAT NOW?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at Gael when I noticed the suggestive way he was looking at me. Hindi naman siya nagsasalita pero pakiramdam ko ang dami niyang sinasabi. “Hahaha, well, well, well, Twyla Solveig! You really don’t know how to keep a secret,” he said.I frowned in confusion.“What are you even talking about?” I asked, my brows furrowed.“Oh well, it’s not that bad anyway. You’re already at the right age, and I’m sure you’re ready to enter married life,” he replied instead of answering me. Malaki rin ang mga ngiti niya na animo’y may maganda sa mga sinabi niya. That only made me frown even more.‘What is he talking about?’I didn’t respond. I walked straight to the couch in the building’s living area and dropped myself onto it. I crossed my legs and leaned back against the cushion.Gael followed and sat on the single couch across from me.“So, what happened?” he asked, and I was already getting annoyed at his tone. Ang kulit ng boses niya na

Last Updated : 2026-03-03

CHAPTER 19

TRES’s POV. “WHAT HAPPENED?” tanong ng lalaking nadatnan ko dito sa condo ni Twyla. Siya rin yung lalaki kaninang umaga. “Mukhang may phobia po yata siya sa elevator. Huminto kasi kanina habang nasa loob kami,” nag-aalangang tugon ko. Bumuntong-hininga siya tumango ng bahagya. “Okay. Thank you for what you did,” aniya pa. Wala naman talaga akong ginawa. Tinulungan ko lang siya, kahit sino naman gagawin yung ginawa ko kanina. Tumingin ako sa kwartong nakasarado ang pintuan, sa kwarto ni Twyla. “Okay na ba siya?” Tanong ko. Mabilis siyang tumango bilang tugon. “Yeah, she’s perfectly fine. Baka maya-maya lang ay magigising na rin siya,” tugon niya at tipid na ngumiti. Hindi ko pa nga rin pala alam ang pangalan niya. Nahihiya rin naman akong itanong ito sa kanya. “Ano ang nangyari?” Sabay kaming napalingon sa may hagdan nang marinig namin iyon. May dumating na dalawang lalaki at parang hingal na hingal sa pagmamadali. Dumiretso sila sa harap ni Primo nang hindi man lamang a

Last Updated : 2026-03-04

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