5. STILL 1

NOVEMBER

I am rewatching the news clips that were given to me by Regal. Na-d******d niya na mga videos about the rape case accusation of Chloe a year ago kay Trace.

Three weeks ago ay nasa isla kami ng Foedus. Zeno used his connection para makapunta kami roon and we did. The aura of Trace Dimagiba is magnificent. He has the devil-may-care attitude but is undeniably a total package. Dangerously handsome. Filthy gorgeous.

I even remember how the talk went into some exclusive meeting between him and Zeno… and that talk… Well, damn them both!

******

"Hi!" I said while walking to get near the man they said who owns the hotel and the head of Foedus. I know his looks from the pics and vids I had seen and watched. His photos and videos didn’t do him justice. Kung guwapo siya roon ay mas lalo na sa personal.

I know na pinsan siya ni Althea. Now I understand why Althea is so pretty kahit magulo ang buhok niya kadalasan ngayong Delphi na siya. Mukhang nasa lahi nila ang tamad mag-ayos ng buhok.

“Who are you?” tanong ni Trace sa akin nang makalapit ako sa kaniya. Sasabihin ko sana ang pangalan ko pero inunahan na ako ni Zeno.

“She’s my sister, Trace. November Scotto.” I shrugged my shoulders as Trace glanced at me.

Then Zeno and Trace talked. The man was asking how Zeno and I got to the island. We used Zeno’s new chopper of course, but it wasn't what Trace wanted to know I realized. Hindi kasi iyon ang point ng tanong. The island is secluded, that was what Trace meant. Paano kami nakapasok sa isla na mahigpit ang seguridad.

Nilibot ko ang tingin sa buong lobby ng hotel na Deversorium ang name. The hotel’s name is not easy to remember for some, but my high IQ makes everything simple for me. I know where the hotel got its name. Deversorium means ‘inn’ or ‘lodging house.’ An old Latin word. The rare word was obsolete now. It was commonly used until the Augustan Age.

Ibinalik ko ang tingin kay Trace Dimagiba. I heard he is the genius behind one of those beautiful commercial complexes in Dubai, Paris, Geneva, and other countries. And this island, Agrianthropos, was all designed by him. Amazing… Chloe is such a lucky woman to have an alpha guy like this man that falls selflessly in love with her.

Selfless… I pouted. That’s why I don’t want to fall in love. Nakakasira ng sistema. Nakakasira ng focus.

“And what is this meeting all about?” Trace's eyes were set on me. Nakatingin siya sa akin this time.

I smiled at him. He might be intimidating for some but not for me; I used to grow up with domineering men like him.

"Who, actually. I am looking for someone and heard he is a member of your Foedus," I directly stated my reason for coming while straightly staring at him.

“Who?”

"Cool…" I giggled. "Nite Alberona. I know him and want to meet him… Again."

Trace went still. He puffed out some air heavily. Napakamot pa sa kilay.

"Where is he?" I asked as I was anticipating seeing Nite within the day.

Trace didn’t say anything, but I saw how he squinted his eyes like he was telling me he had no business to talk about if Nite was the one I was looking for. But… why? I thought Nite is working for him?

“Hell,” Trace said that word and walked to pass me by.

My brows crossed. I thought Trace would help me, but he seemed occupied with something… kinda… nonsense.

“Thanks for visiting but I am busy. Pwede na kayong umalis ng kapatid mo,” sabi pa ni Trace kay Zeno at iniwan na kami.

“And I thought he would help me, dear brother?” I asked Zeno.

“Stay here,” Zeno left me and followed Trace.

Hindi na rin ako sumunod at nakita ko na nag-usap nga sila hanggang nilingon nila ako. They are talking about me.

“Do you know a man named Nite Alberona?” tanong ko sa babaeng kasama kong lumapit kay Trace kanina.

“No,” she monosyllabically answered me.

“What’s your name? I saw the two with you earlier that look like you. Cute. Are you triplets?”

“Yes, we're triplets. My name is Leviticus.”

I smiled at that. “Nice name. I love it!”

May sasabihin pa sana ako nang hilahin na ako ni Zeno na hindi ko napansin na nakalapit na pala. “Follow us,” Zeno said and of course I did. Paano naman akong hindi makakasunod sa kaniya kung hila-hila na niya ako?

“Hey, what did your friend say? Will he help me find Nite?”

“Yes.”

“Gee… you’re so cool, Zeno.”

"You owe me bigtime."

"I always do."

******

Katok sa pinto ang nagpabalik sa isip ko sa kasalukuyan. Agad na bumukas din iyon at nakangiting Regal ang lumapit sa akin. May mga dala-dala siyang folders.

“Miss Novee…”

“Yes, what’s that?”

“Ito na mga inutos mo sa akin.”

“Patingin.”

Inabot naman niya ang isang folder muna. Agad kong binuklat at binasa ang mga nakasulat doon. Mabuti at hard copy binigay niya sa akin na files. Ayaw na ayaw kong magbasa through soft copies.

“Christine de Vuero,” basa ko sa pangalan ng babae na nasa file. "Hmm…"

I shrugged. The woman is pretty. Wala akong pakialam sa kaniya, but I felt I needed to know more about her, kaya nagpahanap ako ng records niya sa mga socmed kay Regal. After I learned that Nite was considered a traitor in Foedus after what he did with Trace, I also learned from Chloe na si Nite ang nagbigay sa kaniya kay Gunner na batang inampon ni Chloe. Anak daw kasi ni Trace ang bata kay Christine.

“And what is this?” tanong ko pero mas kausap ko naman ang sarili ko. “A death certificate of Christine. I thought—” I cut my own words as faking facts appeared in my mind.

“And here is the file of Nite Zech Alberona, Miss Novee.” Another folder was given to me by Regal.

Agad kong binuklat iyon. I smirked at the pictures I saw first, collaged in one file.

“Sweet…” sabi ko habang tinititigan ang mga pictures ni Nite kasama si Christine. “They looked good together before. Such an itch that this woman needed Trace Dimagiba to scratch it for her.”

“Ano po iyon, Miss Novee?” tanong ni Regal sa akin na nakakunot ang noo pero may ngiti sa mga labi.

Natawa ako nang mahina. She’s older than me but has a young outlook in life. As she likes fairy tales and believes in those craps, of course ay hindi mage-gets ni Regal ang mga sinasabi ko.

“Nothing. I just wondered bakit sila naghiwalay. Itong si Nite at Christine…”

“Ahh… sabi sa nabasa ko ay natagpuang patay si Christine at… at—” Bigla itong tumigil sa pagsasalita. Napakamot. “Kung… kung patay na si Christine de Vuero ay sino ang… ang—”

“No need to overthink, Regal. Thank you for this and you can go back to your cubicle. Uuwi ako nang maaga ngayon at nasa baba na rin si Berto.”

“Okay, Miss Novee.”

“You can go home early today,” naalala kong sabihin. “Birthday mo bukas, ‘di ba?”

“Yes, Miss Novee.”

“Tara at ihatid na pala kita pauwi. Huwag ka na pumasok bukas and don’t worry at hindi ka mababawasan sa sahod. Ako na bahala.”

“Hala… thank you, Miss Novee.”

“Let’s go. Take your things at hintayin kita.”

“Ahm, Miss Novee. Hindi ko pa kasi nagawa ang pinapagawa mo kaya tapusin ko muna. Nahihiya akong tumanggi na sumabay sa ‘yo pero kung hindi ako papasok bukas ay lalong madi-delay ang mga papers.”

“Oh… gano’n ba?”

“Yes, Miss Novee. OT lang naman ako hanggang eight or nine.”

“Well…” I shrugged. “If it’s okay with you ay sige. Mauna na ako. If may kailangan pa ako pirmahan ay babalik na lang ako rito. Need ko lang makauwi at may importanteng pag-uusapan kami ni Zeno.”

Agad naman ang pagsilay ng ngiting punong-puno ng kilig sa mga mata ni Regal. Mabanggit lang si Zeno ay parang nakarating na sa alapaap.

“Sige, Miss Novee. Ingat sa pagda-drive.”

“Ingat din sa pag-uwi, Regal.”

Dumiretso na ako alis after that talk I had with my P.A. Sa lobby ng AFSLink ay agad kong nakita si Berto na sinalubong ako.

“Where to, Miss Novee?” tanong niya habang lumalakad kasunod ko.

“Where is Zeno and why are you here with me?” tanong ko naman sa kaniya.

“Boss Zeno said he wanted to be alone with Miss Delphi so he sent me here.”

“Lovesick pups," I commented. Zeno is cheesy. Eww.

"Where are we going from here, Miss Novee?" ulit na tanong ni Berto.

"Just follow me. And make sure you won’t lose track of me.” Sumakay na ako sa kotse at agad na minaniobrang makaalis ng parking lot.

Malayo na ako sa MOA complex nang mapansin ko ang isang sasakyan na sumusunod sa akin. Nasa gitna namin ni Berto. My eyes narrowed. Mukhang hindi ko gusto ang nararamdaman ko. I continue driving while calling Berto.

“Miss Novee…” Berto answered my call.

“The car between us.”

“Kanina pa nga ‘yan, Miss Novee. Basta huwag kang hihinto. Nasa likod mo lang a—”

I heard a crashing sound. The hell? “Berto? What happened?”

I heard the groans of Berto, and then he told me not to stop driving. Nawala si Berto sa linya.

I grinned as adrenaline of danger succumbed to me. Mukhang matutuwa ako sa hapong ito. I hit the break and pulled over. Nakiramdam ako. Kung ako ang pakay ay another kidnap for ransom na naman. Kung ambush ay papaputukan nila ang sasakyan ko.

I waited for the next move but lifted my left brow boringly and irritatedly, for there was nothing to worry about.

"Okay, so here is another stupid kidnapping again," I rhymed.

Binuksan ko ang pinto ng driver's seat. at bumaba ako. Kung gusto nila akong i-ambush ay dapat binangga na nila ang sasakyan ko o pinaputukan. They want me alive, obviously. Lumakad ako papunta sa kotse ni Berto na nakita kong tumaob. I hope he is fine.

I continued walking at nagsimula na rin ang mga taong palibutan ang sasakyan ni Berto. Marami na ang nakikiusisa at tinatantiya ko naman ang paligid.

Then a man pulled my arm. “Come with me,” sabi niya at hinila na ako para sumunod sa kaniya.

So here is my kidnapper showing at last. Dinala niya ako sa sasakyan niya. A big bike.

Big bike? For real? Kidnapper na naka-big bike mangidnap? Bobo ba ito?

Inikot ko ang braso kong hawak niya so he could lose his grip on me, but he grabbed my waist and pulled me against his body.

I raised my arms as I felt the coldness of the gun's muzzle poking on my jaw. Thinking paano makakawala when…

“You’re taller now, kid. But definitely, still, the brat you are.”

Napakunot-noo ako. What is he saying? I ended up staring into his eyes. The man has golden brown eyes. I can’t see his face clearly because of his face mask. But…

But his golden brown eyes… golden brown like…

“Nite?” I asked with a frown.

“Yes. And nice meeting you again, baby girl.”