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Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Doctor's Secret Baby: Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

110 Kabanata

Chapter 71

ADRIAN’S POVThe Grand Ballroom of the Sterling Estate smelled of betrayal. It was a cloying, suffocating mixture of expensive Lily of the Valley, the metallic scent of chilled champagne, and the heavy, musky aroma of aged cigars. To the world, this was the social event of the decade—the union of the Valderrama and Sterling empires. To me, it was a funeral where I was both the corpse and the mourner.I stood in front of the massive gilded mirror in the dressing room, adjusting the collar of my bespoke Tom Ford tuxedo. The fabric felt like sandpaper against my skin, a black shroud that marked my transition from a man to a puppet.Liana.Her name was the only thing keeping my heart beating. I could almost feel the phantom touch of her hand on my chest, the way she used to smell of vanilla and the warm Batangas sun. That memory was my only sanctuary, a secret garden I kept locked away from the vultures waiting outside that door."You look like a king, Adrian. But you breathe like a

Chapter 72

ADRIAN’S POVThe Council Chamber was a tomb of silence, save for the rhythmic ticking of a grandfather clock that sounded like a judge’s gavel. The air was stagnant, smelling of old parchment, expensive beeswax, and the faint, metallic scent of the Elders’ greed. It was a room where lives were traded like commodities, and today, I was the one holding the ledger.I sat perfectly still, my back against the cold leather of the high-backed chair. My fingers lightly traced the rim of my crystal glass. The water inside was clear, reflecting the dim golden light of the chandeliers, but to me, it looked like the tears of everyone these men had crushed to stay in power.Not yet, I told myself. Patience, Adrian. A quick death is a mercy. They don't deserve mercy. They deserve to watch their empires turn to dust while they are still breathing."The merger integration is sixty percent complete," Elder Faustus announced, his voice a dry rasp that sounded like dead leaves skittering on pavemen

Chapter 73

ADRIAN’S POVThe aftermath of Elder Faustus’s arrest hung over the Valderrama estate like a toxic fog. Even the grand foyer, with its towering marble columns and scent of beeswax and lilies, felt contaminated. I could smell the sharp, metallic tang of anxiety coming from the guards as I walked past them. They knew the foundation was cracking, but they didn't know which pillar would be the next to crumble.I retreated to the library, my favorite sanctuary of shadows. The room smelled of old leather-bound books, stale brandy, and the faint, earthy scent of woodsmoke from the fireplace. It was a masculine, heavy atmosphere—a place where men throughout history had planned wars. And I was no different.I sat at my desk, the surface of the polished oak feeling cool against my palms. I closed my eyes, letting my internal monologue drown out the distant sound of the city.Faustus is gone. The treasurer has fallen, and with him, the Council’s immediate liquid assets are frozen in litigati

Chapter 74

ADRIAN’S POVThe penthouse smelled of expensive victory and underlying rot. After the "disappearance" of Elder Magnus, the remaining Council members had ordered a celebration—a grim, forced dinner to show the world that the Sterling-Valderrama alliance was unshaken. But as I stood by the bar, pouring myself a glass of vintage Bourbon, the scent of the oak-aged spirit was overshadowed by the heavy, metallic tang of my own adrenaline.Two pillars were gone. Faustus and Magnus. The Council was bleeding, and they didn't even know I was the one holding the blade."You're being too quiet, Adrian. Even for a man who just helped 'save' an empire," Catherine Sterling said.I didn't turn. I could hear the rustle of her heavy silk gown, a sound like a predator stalking through dry grass. The scent of her Jasmine perfume hit me—cloying, artificial, and suffocating. She stepped into my space, her reflection in the darkened window appearing like a ghost haunting my shoulder."I'm tired, Cathe

Chapter 75

ADRIAN’S POVThe night air of London was a cold, damp shroud that smelled of wet slate and coal smoke. Inside the private vault-room of Elder Helga, however, the atmosphere was different. It smelled of heavy ozone, velvet dust, and the cloying, bitter scent of almond-scented hand cream that she obsessively applied.I stood in the corner, my hands tucked into the pockets of my charcoal wool coat. I remained a shadow, watching as Helga opened her latest acquisition—a necklace of raw, uncut emeralds that seemed to glow with a sickly, green light under the halogen lamps.Look at them, Helga, I thought, my internal monologue a low, predatory growl. Each stone is a drop of blood from a village you helped erase. You think your beauty is preserved by these gems, but all I see is the rot of the graves you dug to get them."Aren't they divine, Adrian?" Helga asked, her voice trembling with a mixture of greed and the paranoia that had gripped the Council since Magnus’s "retirement." She hel

Chapter 76

THIRD PERSON POVAng hangin sa baybayin ng Batangas nang gabing iyon ay tila may dalang babala. Ang dating payapang amoy ng maalat na dagat at tuyong dahon ay nalamon ng masangsang at nakakaalarmang amoy ng nasusunog na electronics at aviation fuel. Sa loob ng command center ng mansyon, ang tunog ng mga mabilis na pagtipa sa keyboard at ang mahinang ugong ng mga cooling fans ay tila isang kumpas ng papalapit na gulo.Sa gitna ng silid, nakatayo si Zia Villarreal. Ang kaniyang postura ay kasing tuwid ng isang talim, ngunit ang kaniyang mga mata ay nagpapakita ng isang uri ng poot na bihirang makita. Hawak niya ang isang tablet kung saan ang mga graph ng kaniyang shipping empire ay bumubagsak na tila mga dugong tumutulo sa screen. Ang amoy ng kaniyang cloying jasmine perfume ay humahalo sa amoy ng matapang na espresso na nakapatong sa mesa—isang kombinasyon na nagpapakita ng kaniyang pagod at determinasyon."Hindi ito simpleng hacking," ang malamig na boses ni Zia ang bumasag sa kata

Chapter 77

THIRD PERSON POV Ang gabi sa Batangas ay binalot ng isang klase ng katahimikan na nakakabingi. Wala na ang ugong ng mga helicopter nina Zia at Cyprian. Ang tanging natira ay ang malakas na bugso ng hangin na humahampas sa mga puno ng niyog at ang amoy ng paparating na ulan na humahalo sa amoy ng basang damo at kalawang.Sa malawak na shooting range sa likod ng mansyon, tanging ang mga floodlights ang nagbibigay ng matalim at maputlang liwanag. Nakatayo si Rocco, ang King ng Underworld mercenaries, habang nakasandal sa isang tactical jeep. Ang amoy ng matapang na tabako at gun oil ay tila bahagi na ng kaniyang pagkatao. Sa tabi niya ay si Vane, ang tahimik ngunit nakamamatay na strategist, na kasalukuyang nag-a-assemble ng isang sniper rifle nang nakapiring ang mga mata. Ang tunog ng pagkasa ng metal sa metal ay tila isang ritwal sa gitna ng kadiliman."Huwag mong ituring na pabor ito, Liana," ang baritono at malamig na boses ni Rocco ang bumasag sa hangin. "Narito kami hindi para

Chapter 78

THIRD PERSON POV Ang madaling araw sa Batangas ay hindi nagdala ng liwanag, kundi isang makapal na fog na smelling of damp earth and rotting vegetation. Ang mansyon ay tila isang dambuhalang rebulto sa gitna ng kadiliman. Sa loob ng malawak na training hall na dati ay isang engrandeng ballroom, ang lahat ng mamahaling gamit ay tinakpan ng itim na tela. Ang amoy ng wax at polish ay napalitan ng masangsang na amoy ng bakal at rubbing alcohol.Nakatayo si Liana sa gitna ng silid, ang kaniyang hininga ay bumubuo ng manipis na hamog sa bawat paglabas nito. Ang kaniyang mga kamay, na dati ay sanay sa paghawak ng scalpel para magdugtong ng buhay, ay ngayon ay mahigpit na nakakuyom sa hawakan ng isang tactical karambit at isang combat knife. Ang amoy ng langis na ginamit sa paghasa ng mga patalim ay nanunuot sa kaniyang sistema, tila ba ito ang bagong pabango na kailangang masanay ng kaniyang balat."Ang baril ay maingay. Ang baril ay para sa mga duwag na ayaw makita ang takot sa mata ng

Chapter 79

THIRD PERSON POV Ang silid-aklatan ng mansyon ay binalot ng isang artipisyal na lamig. Patay ang lahat ng air conditioning unit, ngunit ang atmospera ay tila nagyeyelo. Ang amoy ng lumang libro, alikabok, at ang matamis na bango ng vanilla candles ay humahalo sa masangsang na amoy ng rubbing alcohol na ginagamit ni Liana sa kaniyang mga sugat mula sa nakaraang training.Sa gitna ng silid, may isang upuan kung saan nakatali ang isang "dummy" na tila tao, ngunit ang tunay na biktima rito ay ang katinuan ni Liana. Nakaupo si Vane sa harap niya, ang kaniyang mga mata ay tila dalawang butas ng kawalan—walang emosyon, walang kislap. Si Rocco naman ay nakasandal sa pinto, nilalaro ang kaniyang lighter na naglalabas ng tunog na click-clack, click-clack, humahalo sa amoy ng matapang na tabako."Ang katawan ay madaling pagalingin, Liana," simula ni Vane. Ang kaniyang boses ay parang isang bulong mula sa ilalim ng lupa. "Pero ang isip? Kapag nabasag mo ang katinuan ng isang tao, pagmamay-ari

Chapter 80

THIRD PERSON POV Ang gabi ay tila isang dambuhalang hayop na nag-aabang sa dilim. Isang malakas na bagyo ang kasalukuyang bumubugbog sa probinsya ng Batangas. Ang tunog ng malakas na kulog ay tila boses ng mga Elders na nagagalit, habang ang kidlat ay nagbibigay ng panandaliang liwanag sa paligid ng mansyon—isang liwanag na nagpapakita ng mga aninong mabilis na gumagalaw sa gitna ng ulan.Sa loob ng control room, nakatayo si Rocco at Vane. Ang amoy ng basang jacket, matapang na kape, at ang init ng mga monitors ay nanunuot sa paligid. Ang kanilang mga mukha ay seryoso, walang bakas ng pagbibiro."Alas-dose ng madaling araw," ang malamig na boses ni Vane ang bumasag sa katahimikan. Ang kaniyang mga daliri ay mabilis na nag-a-activate ng 'Blackout Protocol'. "Liana, ang labindalawang tauhan ko ay kasalukuyan nang pumasok sa perimeter. Sila ay mga elite mercenaries. Hindi sila titigil hangga't hindi ka nila nahahuli o hangga't hindi mo sila napapatumba. Ang baril mo ay may rubber bul

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