Chapter 51
“WOULD your sister give me a job even I am still under the police watch?” Maria asked Connor as she handed him the phone. “I badly need work now. Sara’s running out of medicines.”
Connor raised from the couch beside Sara and walked towards her. “I’m sure she will. She trusted me,” he said and gave her an assuring smile. “But, if she didn’t I’ll take care of Sara’s needs—”
“No, no,” Maria cut off with a shake of her head. “You know that I won’t let you do that.”
“And, you also knew that I won’t just let Sara run out of medicines,” he said and squeezed her arm. “Sara is like my child, Maria. I won’t let anything bad happen to her as long as I know that I can help.”
Maria smiled at him. “Thanks, Connor. I just hope your sister would let me work even just for a short period of time.”
Connor looked at him intently and Maria felt shy in front of him. He reached her face and caressed her cheek gently. “If I have known you earlier, you wouldn’t be experiencing this, Maria.”
Maria lowered her head, but Connor held her face still. “Connor…”
“I will do anything to help you get out of this, Maria,” he promised. “Then, we can start over again.”
She looked away from him. Maria knew that it will never happen. All she wanted to do now is to get her daughter out of this mess and secure her safety. She has to make sure that no one will touch Sara while she does her job. Maria was aware that the people around her knew that Sara is her weakness. Euclid and his undercover team knew it. And, the man behind this trouble she’s with, Maria knew that he won’t hesitate to use her daughter against her.
Maria turned away from Connor. “Do you want coffee?” she asked as she walked towards the kitchen. “I haven’t made a breakfast—”
“Maria,” Connor caught her arm and pulled her to his arms. “I’m here for you, remember that.”
Maria nodded her forehead and wrapped her arms around him. She also needed Connor to get that job from the restaurant, but her conscience won’t take it to use him in her plans. Connor is a good man. He’d done nothing but to take care of her daughter. She shut her eyes and hugged him tightly. A warm hug from a man that accepts her with all her miseries is what she wanted to feel right now. Maria wanted to feel loved despite all those negative things that forcefully unfolded from her. She wanted to at least have a person that accepts her with or without the mask of her sins.
Maria buried her face to Connor’s chest as she remembered how this mission of hers started. She was sold by her mother to their island governor, and when he got lost a lot of money in gambling, he used her as a payment for the human trafficking syndicate that brought her to Olongapo. They forced her to dance naked and spend nights with different men until she met the founder of the Decagon. And, Magdalene was born.
Everything was planned. The bus driver… Meeting Demi… And, to be a part of Doppy’s club. Maria used her body to execute her plans. She doesn’t care now if she’s covered with unforgivable sins, because why would she be bothered? No one was there to help her.
“Maria, I love you…” Connor murmured from the top of her head. “Let me prove my love to you.”
Maria looked up at him. She was about to speak when she saw from the corner of her eyes that Euclid was standing outside their window and peeking at them. Maria didn’t glance at Euclid, she looked at Connor and smiled at him.
“Thank you, Connor,” she replied and tiptoed to kiss his lips.
Connor was shocked at first, but when she remained still, his hands started to wrap against her tightly and kissed her back with passion. Maria did not close her eyes, that’s why she saw when Euclid disappeared from the window and anticipated that the door would open suddenly.
Sara jumped from the couch when Euclid barged in, pushing the door open with force. His tall and sculpted figure stepped inside their small house with heavy footsteps and scowled look in his eyes.
Maria pulled free from Connor and walked towards Euclid. “Don’t do that again. You startled Sara—”
“Cut this off, Maria,” Euclid said and grabbed her arm. “I’m tired of your games.”
“Agent Euclid, Sara is looking at us,” Connor warned calmly.
“Is that concern you?” he smirked. “Sara was just around while you flirt with each other.” His jaw clenched as he darted his gaze to her. “Right, Maria?”
Maria can see in his eyes the pain that he felt. “Euclid—”
“Stop calling me, Euclid!” he hissed. “Is this really what you wanted, Maria?”
“Uncle Euclid, don’t hurt my mommy!” Sara ran towards them and hit Euclid’s leg with her teddy bear. “Don’t hurt her! You’re bad! I hate you!”
Euclid stared at her eyes as he let go of her arm. “I guess, you’re right, Maria…” he said, pain is evident in his face. “I don’t know who you are now…”
Maria swallowed hard as she watched Euclid walk out of their house. It hurts her to see him like this, but she doesn’t have a choice. Euclid needed to be out of her way or else his life would be in danger.
“Maria…” Connor touched her back. “I know I don’t have the right to ask you this, but…”
Maria took Sara in her arms. “You’re right of what you’re thinking, Connor,” she said and smiled at him bitterly. “Euclid and I had a relationship before.”
A crease formed between Connor’s thick brows. “Then, how come that—”
“It’s a long story,” she cut off and brought Sara to the couch.
“I have all the time to listen, Maria,” Connor insisted. “I wanted to know you and understand you.”
Maria sighed. She looked at Sara, who was has fallen asleep in her shoulder. “To tell you honestly, I really don’t know how or why our paths crossed again in this kind of situation.”
***
