Tempting Trigger

BONUS CHAPTER

"Red, no!" Malakas na sigaw ni Chiara ang pumuno sa library. "Hindi ako papayag na hindi makulong ang walang pusong mga taong iyon!"

"Pero tita, ang korte po ng Estados Unidos ang nagpasya na maaaring mag-pyansa sila Mr. Verkins-"

"Do I look like I care, Kade?" She cocked her brow and turned into Red. "Red Santa de Leones, do something! The annulment is still not granted so I'm still your wife and I'm ordering you, Red. Set those people behind cold bars. If not, kill them."

"Tita Chi, you can't do that." Namamanghang sabi ni Kade.

"Says who?" Binalingan niya ang pamangkin. "I am Chiara Paula Dela Paz-De Salvo Santa de Leones, there's nothing I can't do."

Napahugot ng malalim na paghinga si Kade bago lingunin ang tyuhin na nanatiling nakamasid sa asawa nito.

"You'll send them to jail, Red Franco. Matapos ay iuuwi ko ng Pilipinas sa mga magulang niya si Trigger and I'll be the one who'll talk to my old man." Utos ni Chi sa hindi mababaling tinig.

Doon bumukas ang pinto ng library at iniluwa si Trigger na nakasemento ang kaliwang braso at iika-ikang nag-lalakad. Agad na nilapitan ito ni Kade at tinulungan, but he flinched to the touch of his fingers.

"Tita Chi, hindi po ako uuwi." Matigas nitong sabi kay Chiara. "Ayoko po na malaman ng mga magulang ko ang nangyari sakin."

"Trigger, hindi pwede. Magulang ako, alam ko ang maaaring maramdaman ng mga magulang mo kung malalaman nila ang kalagayan mo."

"That's exactly what I don't wanna happen, Tita Chi. My mom is weak, I don't wanna worry her. Besides I'm alive there's nothing to worry about anyway." Pinakampante nitong sagot. "I don't wanna go back to the Philippines until I finished the deal I made with your father."

"Forget about the deal, Trigger. I can't let you die in here!"

"I wont. As long as Thalia is inside my heart, I'll never gonna die." Naupo ito sa mahabang sofa, doon naman ito pinakatitigan ng mag-asawang Santa de Leones.

"I hate my dad, Red." She sighed.

"This is Brandon De Salvo's way of protecting her women." Red smirked. "This reminds me so much of us decades ago."

"Oh shut up!" She rolled her eyes ceiling ward. "Trigger, I just can't let you---"

"Tita Chi, please? Wala pong kasalanan si Senior Brad, hindi niya po ginusto ang nangyari--"

"Pero ng dahil sakanya ay nangyari ang nangyari." She walked towards him and kneeled in front of him, leveling their faces. "Trigger..." Hindi niya naiwasan ang hindi mapaluha habang pinag-mamasdan ang putok na labi nito at puro pasa na mukha. "What have they done to you..."

"Mahal ko po si Thalia, if this is the only way for me to prove how much I love her and that my intentions are pure. Then so be it. Handa po akong harapin lahat, para kay Taling." He whispered. "I'll live and I'll die for her. Nakikiusap po ako, don't send me back to my parents. I have to continue this battle for Thalia."

"Oh God..." Inabot niya ang kamay nito, napahagulgol siya nang pumiksi ito. "Hindi Trigger, hindi kita sasaktan. Wag kang matatakot sakin."

"Tita, please don't let me lose my battle." He begged.

Nang gabing iyon ay nag-usap muli ang mag-asawa. Hindi matahimik si Chiara sa nadatnan niyang kalagayan ni Trigger sa rancho ng mga De Salvo sa Colorado. Lalong hindi siya matahimik nang malaman na pinayagan ng korte na makapag-pyansa ang mga gumawa noon sa binata.

"Red, I know you can do something about it. Kung kinakailangan kong bilhin ang batas para sa katarungan ng nangyari kay Trigger, I will." She said. "Trigger loves my niece so much that he's more than willing to sacrifice his own life just to have her. I love Thalia as my own, Red. Alam kong masasaktan siya sa oras na malaman niya ang nangyari kay Trigger."

"I already talked to Senator Brown, I'm ordering him to do everything to make the Verkins pay." Tahimik na sabi nito bago siya lapitan at yakapin mula sa likuran. "Chi, believe me or not I treat your family as my family. Thalia is like a daughter to me, but baby what we can do is guide Trigger about his actions. They don't need us to interfere."

"But Red, kailangan malaman ng mga magulang niya ang nangyari--"

"At kailangan na si Trigger ang mag-sabi sakanila noon. Do you think it would help if his parents will know about what happened?" He kissed the top of her head. "Chi, Trigger needs guidance. And I know we both can give that to him."

Huminga siya ng malalim. Tumatakbo sa isip niya ang pakiusap ni Trigger na huwag ipaalam sa mga magulang nito, lalong lalo na kay Thalia ang nangyari at pinagdaanan nito.

Trigger doesn't wanna go back to the Philippines, he wanted to stay in the ranch and work his ass out till he finished college and meet Brandon De Salvo's standard of a man.

Doon tumunog ang telepono ni Chiara. She picked it up when she saw that it was her dad.

"Chi, he doesn't wanna go back here. He's a man of his words." Sabi nito sa kabilang linya. "Kinausap ko siyang bumalik na rito sa Pilipinas, Chiara I didn't know it will happen."

"Bakit ba kasi ang hilig niyong makialam, dad?! Bakit ba hindi niyo hayaan ang mga tao sa paligid niyo na gumalaw sa kung paanong paraan nila gusto! Ba-"

"Chiara, I love Thalia. I love her just as much as I love you. I don't want her to have anything that less than what she deserves--"

"Pero dad, muntik ikamatay ni Trigger-"

"Hindi ko alam. Had I know, sa tingin mo ba wala akong gagawin?" Mariin nitong sabi. "Chiara Paula, you should know me better than that."

"Pumunta ka rito, do something about it." Chiara ended the call and faced her husband. "Tama ka, Red. I should let Trigger decide, give him the freedom that sick people deprived him."

Ngumiti si Red bago halikan ang tungki ng kaniyang ilong. "I'll send someone to keep him safe here, about those people who tortured him don't worry they'll have the fair punishment they deserved. Trigger is quite strong to be staying..."

"True love conquers everything..."