Betrayal 2: A Devil's Wrath

NINOY Aquino International Airport. A man in his late twenty's comes out in brown stylish jacket, dark jeans and a pair of dark suede shoes. He annoyingly takes off his Rayban sunglasses and looks for his driver. The warm climate of this country never fails to irate him.

"Sir Devon, dito po!" he heard a familiar voice and looks for it.

"Sir!" And he found it.

"Andoy, what took you so long?" he asked in his usual baritone voice.

"Sorry po Sir Devon, alam naman ninyo kung gaano ang traffic dito sa Maynila. Dalawang oras po akong naipit sa traffic," he explains while helps him carry his single meduim size brown bag.

He tried his best to calm himself down. He follows him to where the car is. The parking lot is so crowded it annoys the life of him. When he got inside the car, he asked Andoy to put the aircon into the highest level. It at least helps a little bit to cool his exasperation.

"Wake me up when we get to the mansion, please."

"Sige po, Sir Devon." He obediently answered.

The mansion has kept its grand beauty. A truly significance of how wealthy his family is. He walks through the large entryway, both heavy doors made of red oak woods making a creak sound when they open and close.

The modern interior of the living room welcomes him, together with Yaya Milen who's been in the mansion before he was born. She smiles at him.

She still wears the same white uniform inside a plain navy blue apron. Her hair is tied up in a bun, using pins to hold them in place. The flaws on her face are the proofs that it's been years since he left Philippines. She even wears eyeglasses now.

"Yaya, you're still as beautiful as the last time I was here. How long has it been?" he gave her an embrace and its still as warm as far as he remembered.

"Pitong taon kang namalagi sa Amerika, iho. Lalo kang gumwapo." Pinisil nito ang kaniyang pisngi.

Malutong na tawa ang pinakawalan niya at saka yumakap ng mahigpit sa yaya na hindi na iba ang turing niya. For him, she is family and not just a helper; she was and still is a big part of his life.

"Lalo kang naging lalaking tingnan. Panigurado, marami kang babaeng pinapaiyak niyan," biro nito na may halong panernermon.

"Oh, Yaya Milen, I miss you..." and he hugs her again.

"Welcome home, Devon." She replied with a big smile.

"Yaya, a favor please?" he kissed her on the forehead.

"Ano iyon?"

He released the sigh he's been holding in. He looks at the wall where his parents' portraits are hanging side by side. "Please take those portraits down, and every picture in each corner of this mansion, I don't want to see them, hmm?" Paglalambing niya.

Nagulat man, hindi naman ito nagtanong, sa halip ay ngumiti uli at sinabing gagawin nito. Nagpasalamat siya at nagpaaalam na pagkatapos. Umakyat siya sa kuwarto sa second floor, kung saan ay isa sa limang silid na naroroon.

The wind blowing inside coming from the open window is so fresh and light. Living here always reminds him of his childhood, a happy childhood that did not last for long.

Inihiga niya ang sarili sa malaking kama, naramdaman ang pagod at jetlag from the fifteen long hour's flight. At bago pa niya namalayan, nakatulog siya.