✓ | REBIRTH OF THE REBEL [Book Two]

CHAPTER 24

[ C H A P T E R 24 ]

LATISHA VALENTINE

A lot of them are hiding something from me. Hindi naman bago na maraming mga sekreto ang pilit tinatago ng lahat, pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi ako mapakali. It always feels like I have no choice but to submit to their options. Ayoko, hindi maari na iba ang magdesisyon sa buhay ko.

This second life is my escape, and I don't want anyone dictating what I want to do with it. Of course, I understand what Wince proposed, and it was also what Roshan wished for me to do. But not now, I know for sure there could be something that can be used other than accepting the fact that I might lose a child.

"Nature is always a nice escape for the suffocating presence of humans." Napako ang aking tingin sa kanan ng marinig ko ang Lord na nagsalita. He was wearing simple clothes while both hands were on his back, and his head was lifted as his gaze went straight to the blue ocean above.

Nasa garden kasi ako ngayon dahil wala naman akong ibang magagawa bukod sa mag-amend ng mga dokumento, matulog, maglaro kay Annika, at tumunganga.

"Your husband left with his butler, I think they are going town after town convincing every villager to vote for me," he added. He glanced at me for a while before moving his stare at the tree. "Fifty percent of the voting is for the nation, while the rest is the decision of the Imperial Court. I don't know if I will win this time, Madame."

"You have to trust my husband," I uttered. Nasa kanya na ang paningin ko at hindi sa kamay kong nagbuburda. "The Duke will do everything in this power to help you win this election year," I added.

"How sure are you?" Napoleon asked. Walang bakas na pagdududa ang boses niya kaya nagtaka ako kung bakit niya natanong ito.

"Because Roshan is influential," I simply replied with the truth. "He may have been a jerk in the past, but he has a very reliable determination. If someone believes in him, he can do everything."

Napoleon smiled and suddenly sat on the chair beside me. Hindi niya talaga ako tinanong kung pwede ba kahit alam niya naman na isa akong Dukesa. I always wonder why people keep on forgetting my status just because I speak casually to them.

"You must have known me from him, didn't you?" he suddenly asked. Nakipagtitigan ako saglit bago ako umiwas ng tingin. He put his hands on the table and leaned a bit closer to my side. "Alam mo ba kung ano ang ginawa ko dati dahilan kung bakit ang pa-plastik ng mga Knights sa akin?"

"No," I replied. "But whatever it is, it is part of the past."

Napoleon let out a laugh right after. He thinks what I said was funny, but I didn't oppose him and just let my ears bleed with his annoying voice.

"I almost killed Roshan," he suddenly confessed. He leaned on the back of the chair and rested his body comfortably while never breaking our gaze. "I let him protect her, but he didn't uphold such a promise," he added.

"Hindi mo rin natupad ang pangako, kaya patas kayo ng pinagdaanan," sambit ko. There was firmness in my voice, for I wanted to protect Roshan from him. "He blamed himself for the mishap that both of you did. I may not know what you thought about it, but he has suffered since her death."

Napoleon scoffed. "She didn't die of childbirth," he uttered.

Hindi na ako nagulat, dahil matagal ko na din alam 'yan. Umiwas lamang ako ng tingin para ipahiwatig sa kanya na alam ko ang nangyari, kaya nang mapansin niya ang aking pagtahimik, bigla siyang tumawa.

"Looks like you are fully aware," he continued. "The Empire wants to conceal a very degrading truth, but instead of killing the mother and the child, it was only the mother who died. They can't kill a newborn for it will bring destruction to the Empire as per its belief."