Babysitting The Retired Assassin | COA #1

CHAPTER 19: Sisters to Enemy

"Have you found her?" tanong ni Evie kay Aiken.

Ilang araw matapos tanggapin ang marriage proposal ni Kade, mas naging aktibo si Evie sa paghahanap sa kapatid niyang si Elly. She knew she'd told Kade there would be no more secrets and nothing from her old job ever again. Still, she wanted to close the last chapter she had opened before she could fully honor that promise. It felt like something she needed to settle for her own peace.

She wanted to confront Elly herself, once and for all. Ever since Kade was hospitalized, she never stopped searching for her. Aiken had been by her side the whole time. Hangga't hindi niya natatapos ang laban na ito, hindi siya magkakaroon ng kapayapaan. Magpapakasal na siya sa loob ng ilang buwan; ayaw niyang malagay sa panganib si Kade o ang magiging anak nila dahil kay Elly.

"Not yet, Evie," sagot ni Aiken. "Still no tracks of her. Huling namataan ang kapatid mo sa condo unit ng BlackFang member na si Prime. Even her gang members are searching for her."

"Bakit?"

"Maybe they're planning to kill her. I can't say for sure. But from what I found out, she disobeyed an order." Aiken exhaled sharply. "Why not let her own group take care of it? She's as good as dead anyway."

"I-I can't," Evie replied, her fist clenched tight. "I want to make sure she stops—before she gets to us first."

"Evie," seryosong saad ni Aiken, "hindi magugustuhan ni Kade kapag nalaman niya 'to. I know him for a very long time. Ayaw niyang pinaglilihiman siya at ayaw niya ng patalikod na panlilinlang. Masaya ako para sa inyo, pero sa ngayon... mas makakabuti kung mag-focus ka na lang sa paghahanda ng kasal n'yo."

"No!" mariing tugon ni Evie. "I'm doing this for the both of us, Aiken. Kailangan nating mahanap ang babaeng 'yon bago pa maging trahedya ang kasal namin ni Kade. I can't let her ruin everything."

Napabuntong-hininga na lang si Aiken. Mukhang hindi na niya mababago ang isip ng kaibigan. Desidido si Evie—gusto na nitong tapusin si Elly.

"Fine. I'll add more people to help look for your sister," Aiken agreed. "But promise me that after this... you'll walk away from killing, Evie."

Evie took a deep breath. Making a promise was easy—but keeping it was a completely different story.

"I promise," sagot niya. "At ipangako mo rin sa akin na hindi makakarating kay Kade ang plano natin. Hindi niya pwedeng malaman 'to, Aiken."

She'd promised Kade—no more secrets, no more assassin stuff. She couldn't bear the thought of her fiancé hating her.

"Don't worry," Aiken said with a grin, "I may have a crush on you, but I'm not about to ruin your engagement." He added jokingly, "I'll get going, Moon. Besides, Kade's probably looking for you already. That guy's always dying to be around you. If he finds out we were together, I might never see daylight again."

Mahinang natawa si Evie sa biro ng kaibigan. Tama si Aiken—baliw na baliw nga sa kanya si Kade, at sobrang seloso pagdating kay Aiken. Ilang beses na niyang sinigurado kay Kade na siya lang ang mahal nito, pero kapag pumasok sa eksena ang kaibigan niyang ito, doon lumalabas ang pagiging sobra nitong possessive.

Akala mo ay laging maagawan.

"Okay. Salamat, Aiken."

"No problem."

DUMAAN muna si Evie sa mall para bumili ng pasalubong para kay Kade. She hates sweets, kaya nagpasya siyang bumili ng french fries at burgers. Natatakam din siya sa street foods kaya dumaan pa siya sa grocery para bumili ng mga puwede niyang lutuin.

Habang pumipili sa frozen section, naagaw ng isang bata ang atensyon niya. Umiiyak ito, nakasalampak sa sahig malapit sa kanya. Kung hindi siya nagkakamali, mga seven to nine years old ang batang babae.