NOPI Chapter 59
Sephine's POV
"I know your secret"
*BANG
It felt like something exploded inside my head the moment Ed said those words. I stood rooted to the ground clearly having a hard time to breathe and stand straight.
When Ed saw me panicking, he immediately helped me and led me to the closest seat and made me sit there.
"Let's talk somewhere else, wear your male disguise" sabi ni Ed saka niya binigay sa akin ang kalo at face mask na ginamit ko kanina and I absentmindedly took and wore it
Ed prepared the food and medications he brought and delivered it to Charles room and then told him that I will be leaving and Ed will be making sure that I get back safely.
After that, we went out through the emergency exit, the same way we did earlier.
Hindi ko alam kung saan pupunta si Ed pero ang alam ko lang ay kailangan ko siyang sundan kaya naman sumunod lang ako sakanya.
Parking lot.
Pagkadating naman sa parking lot ay may lumapit na black limousine sa amin at lumabas ang driver nito saka nag-bow kay Ed.
"Leave us for a few minutes" utos ni Ed at agad namang sumunod ang driver at pinagbuksan kami ng pinto kaya naman pumasok na kami dun
Pagkapasok ko ay nagulat ako dahil nandun si Violet na mukhang kanina pa naghihintay.
"Before he confronted you, he asked me first just to make sure" agad niyang sinabi kaya naman I pursed my lips and looked at Ed
"How did you find out?" tanong ko kaya naman kinuha niya ang wine glass na may red wine sa harapan niya at kaswal na umupo't uminom bago ako sinagot
"Considering your closeness to the so-called-'ruthless Falcons' and yours and Josephine's name, it's not that hard to find out. I've had my doubts but I eventually found out after a few months. I am after all, your best friend"
Hindi na ako nagsalita at tumingin na sa labas ng bintana.
"The Falcon Family. Fame, power, wealth, you name it all. They have it. Adored and envied by the masses, feared and looked upon by the elites. A family that's ruthless to their enemies but gentle to their very own. Like what the quote 'blood is thicker than water' suggests, the Falcon family cherishes their family members like a treasure that's so rare, they can't bear to even let it be seen by others. It's not a secret that they hide, so everyone in the industry and even the citizens all knew about that simple fact" sabi ko saka ako ngumiti
"Please bring me back home"
"My mom couldn't sleep without me"
"Please, mister? Can't you?"
The mister was silent while listening to me.
Nakatali ako sa isang maliit na upuan at hindi makagalaw. Nakapikit ang mga mata niya at wala kang makikitang ni isang ekspresyon sa mukha niya. Naka-cross ang mga kamay niya sa harapan niya at halatang hindi siya kung sinu-sino lang katulad ko.
He's also rich and powerful.
But the question is.. Why did he take me?
Am I a bad girl?
Did I do something wrong?
"My dad should be looking for me now, mister. Aren't you going to return me to them? I miss them so muc---"
"SHUT UP! SHUT THE HELL UP!" I shivered and closed my eyes when he shouted at me
"SO FCKING NOISY! STOP TALKING ABOUT YOUR DAMN FAMILY OR ELSE, I'LL KILL YOU!"
Pigilan ko man ay hindi ko magawa at agad nang umiyak.
"Fcking family! They better give me everything before its too late!"
Nang minulat ko ang mga mata ko't sinilip siya ay nakita ko nalang ang malalamig niyang matang nakatingin sa akin at papalapit siya sa kung nasan ako.
"I said shut up!"
I froze with alarm.
He raised his hand and..
SLAP.
"Stupid little doll, I'm not mister. I'm your uncle. We have the same blood. And because of this, I'll have mercy on you and let your damn family play hide-and-seek," I sobbed
"H-h-hide and seek?"
Mister smiled so sinister which made me gulp with fear
"That's right. Hide and seek. I will give them a chance to find you. But if they can't, and you die, you can only blame your god damned family for this losing this game"
But remembering that painful memory, the smile on my face immediately disappeared.
"But that's only on the surface," malamig kong sabi at agad na pumikit trying to remember the memories from my hidden past
"On the deepest parts of the roots of the Falcons, there's a secret they never tell anyone. The one they call 'Hero' and 'Most Wisest' out of all the Falcons - my grandfather.. kept many mistresses and kept them inside the very same house. What came out of it, was as expected, a power struggle"
Nang marinig ko ang pag-gasp ni Ed ay minulat ko na ang mga mata ko.
"Dad, being the legitimate son, the eldest, after years of being thrown into the power struggle, eventually had the power in his hands and was given the inheritance, the Falcon Empire"
"But of course, the power struggle didn't ended there. Out of all the illegitimate children and their mother's schemes that can't probably be measured by the fingers of my hands, only one have been successful. A plan-secured perfect abduction that no one ever dared to do in my father's scope of security and control,"
Mukha namang nagiisip pa si Ed ng ilang minuto pero after non ay nanlaki ang mga mata niya't tinignan ako saka tinignan si Violet na ngayo'y nagpipigil na ng luha niya.
Seeing her tears, I bit my lips.
I can't keep on crying anymore.
I need to this.
"A threat to kill everyone on my school on broad daylight with the help of firearms and some cylinder things which I could only think of as bombs, even though I was still a 10-year old child, I was very sensible and calm. I knew what was happening so... I surrendered. The culprit probably knew I would react like a calm and smart Falcon young miss. He understood me very well,"
"I was brought into an abandoned building in an isolated mountainous area in this same province where people would unlikely come. I wasn't tied nor treated with violence nor malicious intent. I was mainly.. kept there for ransom, a product used for a trade, an exchange for the Falcon Empire,"
"After leaving me alone in that place, that man didn't even came back after leaving me there after the call from my grandfather. Why did he leave? It's because grandfather opposed to give the Empire just because of a measly one child. My mom had a heart attack, my dad almost went mad and my brothers.. my brothers didn't even have a wink of sleep"
"Because of what happened, the culprit who originally wanted to return me... wanted me dead. I-I.. I was left all alone, without food to eat and.. without water to drink for a week. It was basically a prison, but without no prisoners... other than myself"
Remembering the pain of not being able to eat or drink, tears began to fall to my cheeks.
Agad naman akong niyakap ni Violet at hinagod sa likod.
"I-I.. I desperately hoped that I would just die so that I don't need to feel anything anymore. I.. Was.. I was just a kid bad then. A month of isolation? How.. How on earth could a sane person survive without getting insane much less a young girl who has been spoiled since childbirth?"
"If it weren't.. If it weren't for those kids who came to play there.. I wouldn't have been saved.. I should have already been dead"
*
Ed's POV
Napapunas na ako ng pisngi ko nang maramdaman kong may tumulong luha dito.
Looking at Sephine crying her heart out, I could tell that she loved the kept things to herself and bottle up all her feelings.
She was crying so hard that even though she still looked beautiful, every person who sees her will feel like their hearts are being broken apart.
Her tears were like the raindrops from the sad clouds and her cries were like a melancholic music that was enough to move even the coldest of hearts.
I still remember when I first met her, she was smiling so beautiful like there was nothing behind it except for pure happiness and joy.
But now, I can tell. The people who acts like this, happy-go-lucky and doesn't seem to have a problem with smiling and laughing.. are actually the ones who are broken to pieces, felt abandoned by the world, felt so helpless and lonely.
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Author's Note: Hi guys! If you liked the revised version of the book, be sure to raise your voices and give me your feedback. And if you saw some mistakes here and there, please do tell me. Feedback is important for further improvement and growth. Please do vote and comment! Thanks for reading guys! Have a blessed day! XOXO~