THIRD PERSON

Keegan's eyes widened in disbelief as the left side of the mansion erupted in a shower of flames and debris. He instinctively raised a hand to his face, brushing away imaginary ashes.

Wala sa sarili itong napahilamos at nangungunsumeng napatingin kay TK na may hawak-hawak ng notepad at kinakalkula na ang bilyong dolyar na kakailanganin nila sa pagpapaayos ng mansyon.

And then it happened again. A deafening blast roared from the second floor, sending a plume of smoke spiraling into the sky. Muntik na mahimatay si Keegan, mabuti na lang ay nahawakan ni TK ang braso niya. "A-are you okay?"

For a moment, all Keegan could do was stare, his brain struggling to process the absurdity of it all. "The second floor just exploded! Hahaha!" Mangiyak-ngiyak nitong tawa.

TK watched, bewildered, as Keegan sank to the ground, crouched on the grass with his hands tangled in his hair, his body shaking. Was he laughing or crying? It was impossible to tell—maybe both.

"The master's office is on the second floor! Do you have any idea how much that single room costs?!" Marahas itong napatayo habang nanghahamong pinanlisikan ng mata si TK.

Poor TK gulped at the intensity of his stares. He can feel how stressed out he is just by the exasperation of his voice. Pakiramdam niya nga ay kung hindi nito makontrol ang inis niya ay baka siya pa ang pagbuntungan nito ng galit niya.

"That single room alone costs about twenty years of my living expenses, Theodor Klein!" The shift to using his full name rang out like a warning bell. At that moment, TK knew for certain Keegan had reached the end of his rope.

"I'm so done!" Hinubad niya ang black coat niya sabay unbutton ng white long sleeves niya. Every movement is a testament to his frustration.

"I'm tired of babysitting those brats!"His luxurious black Louboutin shoes followed, flung carelessly onto the grass.

He has finally lost it.

"A-are you resigning?" TK stuttered, taken aback as he watched Keegan toss his wallet and work-related cards into the air.

Natatawang napalingon sa kanya si Keegan. "Resigning?" He closed the distance between them and gazed at him with piercing eyes. "Kung mag re-resign ako baka mabaon sa utang ang magpipinsang yan sa rami ng utang!" Hindi niya maiwasang hiyaw.

Kung financial management lang ang pag-uusapan ay kahit si Kage ay walang pakialam doon. It was always him who manages the money and allocates neccesary funds for projects and certain budgets.

And although he was filthy rich, he lived a frugal life. Hindi siya basta-basta gumagastos ng pera sa mga walang kabuluhang bagay. Kaya naman itong pagkasira ng mansyon na mas mahal pa sa buhay niya ay nagbibigay ng labis na irita sa kanya.

"Tara, TK. Paisa nga ako," bugnot niyang ingos na ikinakunot ng noo ng kaharap.

"W-what?"

His eyes widened when Keegan threw a punch on his face. Muntik na siya mabuwal sa kinatatayuan niya kung hindi niya kaagad nabalanse ang sarili niya.

"Yung isa maluho na pintasera, yung isa naman may sayad sa utak at wala sa katinuan! Konting-konti na lang ay masisiraan na rin ako ng bait!" Umamba ulit ito ng suntok pero naiwasan na ito ni TK.

He doesn't understand much, but he felt like Keegan was badmouthing Kage and Leticia—and by far, he's the only one who could do that.

"My Lord!" Napaatras ang lalaking tumawag kay Keegan nang makita kung gaano kabangis ang mukha nito.

"What?!"

"T-the annexe is on fire!" Kaagad na napatingin sa isa pang bahay si Keegan. It was only a two story house, ten meters away from the mansion.

Iling-iling na napasinghal si Keegan. They didn't even spare the annexe! These Salvatores are really beyond help!

"So? What of it?" bugnot niyang anas rito.

"Pardon?" Nanlaki ang mata ng lalaki dahil tila ba wala itong naaalala. "L-lord Roan is still on the annex's basement!" Animo'y taranta nitong paalala.

Keegan gave him a sharp look. "You think I don't know?" Lalo namilog ang mata nito.

"B-but—" Keegan immediately grabbed him by the collar and narrowed his eyes. It was as if one more word from him, and he wouldn't hesitate to wring his neck.

"Do you think any of this would happen if he wasn't a dumbass tolerating a child's impulsive thoughts?" Hindi na ito nakaimik pa. They knew what Roan did, and it was indeed unacceptable.

"If he dies, he should face the consequences of his actions!" Pabalang niya itong binitawan at naglakad na naman palapit kay TK na nag-aalalang nanonood sa mansyon na mukha ng na-demolish.

Paglinga ni TK ay naaninag niya ang kamao ni Keegan na papalapit na naman sa kanya kaya tumakbo na siya palayo upang maiwasan ito. He couldn't even complain if Keegan would throw a punch on him dahil alam niyang inis na inis na rin ito sa amo niyang si Leticia kaya sa kanya nilalabas ang sama ng loob niya.

Meanwhile, inside the chaotic mansion, a classical song, Waltz of the Flowers from the Nutcracker, was playing while Leticia and Lovi were shooting each other to death. Amidst the flying bullets and smoke bombs in the place, it didn't hinder them from trying to kill one another.

"Where are you? I told you, just yield!" Lovi appeared on the side of the fridge, his figure silhouetted against the flickering light while pointing his gun towards the door to the wine cellar.

Leticia gritted her teeth. Wala ng bala ang baril niya pero may hawak siyang frying pan habang nakaabang kay Lovi na buksan ang pinto na pinagtataguan niya.

And when he finally opened the door, mabilis siyang lumusot sa pagitan nga hita ni Lovi at hinampas ito ng frying pan sa batok. He fell on the ground, and she thought that would knock him out, but she was wrong.

Tumakbo na lang siya papuntang living room sa first floor ng bahay upang maghanap ng hidden compartment kung saan may nakatagong baril. Kung bakit ba kasi napakatigas ng bungo ng lalaking yun at ayaw tablan ng frying pan.

She hissed when she felt her wound stung. He managed to land three shots in her body. Two on her shoulders and one on her left thigh. Kumpara naman kay Lovi ay may limang tama ito ng baril. Two from the shoulders, isang daplis sa tagiliran, isa sa braso at hita.

"That bastard!" Nang makakuha siya ng baril na nakatago sa drawer ay kaagad niyang tinaob ang couch at doon nagtago.

Madaling araw na ay wala pa rin kahit na sino sa kanilang dalawa ang may balak na sumuko. She's getting tired of this hide and seek game. Kailangan niya gumawa ng ibang paraan para ma-distract si Lovi.

"Lovi! Pwede ba time out muna?!" malakas niyang sigaw. Sumilip ito sa couch at hindi niya mahagilap kung nasaan ang binata.

"Alas tres na ng madaling araw, oh! Pwede ceasefire muna kahit ten minutes lang? Water break ganon?" Walang sumagot sa kanya kaya naman dahan-dahan na siyang umalis sa pinagtataguan niya.

She went to the kitchen, still alerted to her surroundings, just in case Lovi suddenly appeared. Sa totoo lang ay nauuhaw na rin talaga siya. Nang masigurong hindi niya mahagilap ni anino ni Lovi ay kumuha siyang ng tubig sa friedge at nauuhaw itong nilagok.

She heard the gun clicking, so she quickly pointed her gun to the left. Saktong naroon si Lovi habang pinapanood siyang kalmadong umiinom. She glanced at him for a few seconds and smirked, seeing how his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"Nauuhaw ka rin 'no?" pang-aasar niya habang winawagayway ang bote ng tubig na hawak niya.

He didn't budge and still aimed the nose of the gun in her direction kaya naman naigulong niya na lang ang mata niya. He probably wanted to finish this bet as much as possible, but who would have thought that nobody yielded after five hours of turning the entire mansion into the next attraction for Halloween?

"Look at this mansion," She lifted her head, watching feathers from the pillow and mattress that probably blasted together with their roofless home. "How much do you think it will cost us again?"

Her eyes followed the walls stripped bare and pieces of furniture tossed aside. Even the stairs were wrecked when he tried aiming the bazooka he found in the basement. Hindi rin nakaligtas ang second floor ng bahay na sumabog kanina dahil sa C4 na pinasabog niya kanina. They totally went all out.

And damn, she could only imagine how Keegan and TK must've looked so stressed outside.

"Here." Hinagis niya ang bote ng tubig sa binata sabay sandal sa nagkandalasog-lasog na kitchen counter.

Dahil uhaw na rin ay tinanggap niya na lang ang tubig at ininom ito nang hindi pa rin inaalis ang pagkakatutok ng baril sa gawi ni Leticia. Samantalang si Leticia naman ay pinasidhan lang siya ng tingin na para bang sinusuri nang mabuti ang hitsura niya.

Truth to be told, nothing changed about him so much. Well, his face was just giving a 'badass' vibe. He's giving the obsessive red-flag male lead that would stalk you in your sleep. Character-wise, he had become irritable and twisted. His words also mean something different from his actions. A typical dark romance girlies type.

He was far different from the cousin she used to know, but they could have something in common.

"What do you think of your wife?" Napatigil ito sa pag-inom, as if that mere question caught him off guard.

"My wife?" He snorted. Pinagkunutan siya ng noo ng dalaga.

"Asawa mo pa rin yun! Even if it was Kage who married her!" depensa pa nito.

Rolling his eyes, he moved his lips, pointing to the fridge. Pairap ulit siyang kinuhanan ng tubig ni Leticia at pabato itong binigay sa kanya. "What of her?" aniya bago lumagok ulit ng tubig.

"Aren't you curious why he loves her?" He scoffed.

"Why would I be curious? She's nothing but a weak woman, pitiful and broken." He could still remember the first time he looked at her in the forest. Her eyes scramble with terror and mercy. The eyes of a helpless woman who can't even defend herself.

Leticia crossed her arms and tilted her head. "Kage fell in love with her bravery and independence," matigas niyang wika rito.

"She was strong and confident. She needed no man to solve her problems." Lovi laughed mockingly.

"Strong?" Hindi niya maiwasang matawa dahil hindi iyon ang nakikita niya.

She trembles when a man is near her. Her eyes were covered to protect herself from hallucinations. She cries every night when she wakes up in her nightmares. She walks with her head low and refuses to make any noise as possible.

She calls that strong and confident?

Napahigpit ang hawak ni Leticia sa hawak na baril. "You will fall in love with her, Lovi." kumpyansa pa nitong wika habang nakangisi sa kanya.

Kapagkuwan ay biglang napahinga nang malalim ang binata. Pakiramdam niya ay kinakapos siya ng hininga. Napahawak na lang siya sa leeg niya habang naniningkit matang nakatingin kay Leticia.

"W-what did you—"

"Kage fell in love at her best, and you will fall in love at her weakest, Lovi." And those words rang in his head like a prophecy he could never avoid.

Ang huli na lang niyang naalala ay ang paghampas ni Leticia ng fire extinguisher sa ulo niya bago siya mawalan ng malay.

"Tch," she hissed before stepping on his back with a triumphant smile on her lips.

How stupid, he didn't even remember he's allergic to electrolytes.

Hinawakan niya ang braso nito at parang wala lang hinila-hila ang lupaypay niyang katawan palabas ng kusina sa kabila ng mga tipak ng bato, bubog at mga balang nagkalat sa sahig. And while her dominant hand was pulling his body, the other one held a cigar.

She finally found a solution to make peace with Kage's alter. If both of them had something in common, some things would change. The key figure behind that change is Sachal.

And since she won the bet, Lovi must do whatever she says. She just had to play a matchmaker and watch how their story would unfold. Seeing them falling in love with different versions of themselves would be interesting.

Leticia, you go, girl! 

𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐀 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄
ᴮʸ ᴳᵒˡᵘᶜᵏʸᶜʰᵃʳᵐ