TGIWS: Phoenix Ryler Velasquez's POV (Complete)

Part 27

Part 27

Darius was still holding a baby, iniwan ko siyang mag-isa habang nag-aalaga ng bata. Kanina pa rin ako naghihintay ng message galing sa private investigator ko, hindi kasi ako mapakali kanina noong may nakita ako sa isang website. Same Rinaldi name with Darlene.

I'm so confused. My phone vibrated. I saw Marlon's message.

From: Marlon
Phoenix, wala akong masyadong mahanap pero may nakita naman ako. Mahalaga ang girlfriend mo kay Serine Rinaldi. I don't know the reason, but I will find out.

Mas lalo akong naguluhan. I replied. Pinatay ko rin naman agad.

Nasa likod ako ni Darlene, nakaupo siya sa monobloc chair at kanina ko pa siya kinakausap, but she was too busy to notice me. 

I rested my chin on her right shoulder. I tilted my head to sniff her hair, then kissed her cheeks. Binaba ko ang kamay ko sa baywang niya.

"Ang clingy boyfriend mo naman, Nix. Hindi naman aalis si Darlene sa 'yo." Gianna chuckled.

"Wala pa silang label."

I rolled my eyes secretly after hearing that. Nagtagal pa sila bago tumayo si Darlene. Nakikipag-usap kasi siya kina Sister.

"Darlene, get your baby," Darius said.

"Akin na." Kinuha ni Darlene si Ellice. "Uuwi na tayo."

I looked at my rolex. It's already six. We've done a lot and some of them are tired. Kinuha ko na ang bag ni Darlene habang naghihintay.

Everyone went outside, naglinis naman na kanina kaya aalis nalang. Sumunod ako sa kanila dahil ako nalang pala ang naiwan. They were outside, saying goodbye to these kids.

Natuon ang tingin ko sa ibang direksyon dahil may napapansin ako. I scoffed. I saw Astra, one of the members of Scythe Society, ang half-sister ni Tita Serine.

Trevor looked at her too. "The fuck..." he whispered.

"Let her, aalis rin 'yan." Tumingin ako kay Darlene na hinahalikan ang baby sa pisngi.

Nagpapaalam pa siya sa lahat. Ganoon rin ang iba. Hinihintay lang namin silang matapos. Si Darlene, hindi magawang iwanan ang baby. The baby wants her. But sadly, we can't adopt her.  

Habang abala ang iba ay pinapakiramdaman ko ang gagawin ni Astra, she was holding a gun. And I know she will do something later or maybe now.

Dumiretso kami sa parking lot para na rin makauwi na. This is too tiring. Nilingon ko si Darlene at may iniisip siya na kung ano habang diretso lang ang tingin. Is she alright? I think she's still thinking about what Alissa said or about Lara.

"Gusto ko naman magsaya!"

Nag-aya sila sa Rax. Pumayag naman ang lahat. Tsk, alak ba naman ang nagtatawag sa kanila. Nanatili kami sa parking lot para magphinga. I was standing while they were sitting on the gather, bumaba ang tingin ko sa hawak ni Darlene. She was still holding the flowers.

May tinitingnan siya kaya nilingon ko ang aking likod. She saw Astra. "You saw her, too." 

She looked at me. Halatang gulat siya sa sinabi ko, hindi inaasahan na alam kong nandito si Astra.

"Alam mo?" She asked.

"Yeah. Kanina ko pa siya napapansin diyan. She's looking at you and I think she has plans to kill you here," sagot ko. "Hindi niya lang magawa kasi marami kang kasama."

"Bakit hindi ka man lang nagsasalita."

"It's so obvious. Her presence is obvious. She didn't know how to hide. Basta-basta na lang siya kumikilos, hindi malabong mamatay ang babaeng 'yan." Totoo naman, hindi siya marunong.