Bewitching the Tempter

Chapter 31: Don't Believe

Nanatili ang kanyang madilim na ekspresyon habang nakatingin sa akin pagkatapos kong banggitin ang pangalan na iyon. He didn't even seem fazed at all, malayo sa ekspresyon na ipinakita niya nang tawagin akong Klio.

He then looked at Dane beside me. "Your son?" He asked with his grim yet gentle expression.

Napalunok ako.

"Y-Yes." I answered and I don't know why I immediately looked away after that.

"Oh, another round of questioning?"

I immediately turned my back when I heard that voice at agad akong nakahinga nang maluwag no'ng makita si Denver, kahit na marami rin akong tanong sa kanya dahil sa mga bagay na nalaman ngayong araw. That can wait, I guess. For now, I just need to survive it first.

"Daddy!" Dane held his hand.

Denver looked at me and I immediately knew what he meant by that.

Now that Alaric's here, we need to take Astraea away dahil hindi niya pwedeng makita ang anak ko. Alam kong baka hindi rin niya makilala ang anak but then, I just can't risk it.

"I'll just take Dane to the car. Habol nalang ako, love." Denver smiled and kissed my forehead before turning his back.

Tumango ako at sinubukang tapangan ang sarili bago muling hinarap si Alaric.

It was a mind-wrecking moment. His gaze was piercing through me the whole time he was questioning, mabuti na lamang ay nagawa kong sagutin ang lahat nang kalmado at 'di nawawalan ng composure. The training I had with Denver really paid off, but then it still wouldn't change what I am feeling inside.

Things became smoother when Denver came back, mas lalo ring lumakas ang loob ko dahil doon.

While Alaric remained looking at us with his dark yet unreadable gaze.

"Attorney Denver Aranjuez. I didn't know you have a family already." He suddenly uttered when the interview was about to end.

Denver smiled and equalled his mysterious gaze. "Well, yeah. I got married years ago."

Alaric raised a brow. "Sa ibang bansa?"

Denver sighed calmly. "Yeah, sa ibang bansa."

Tumango-tango siya at muli akong tinapunan ng tingin.

"Congratulations. You have a beautiful wife." Aniya at ngumisi bago tumayo. "Thank you for your cooperation. This is a big help." He uttered before walking away.

Agad naman akong nakahinga nang maluwag no'ng mawala siya sa paningin ko. But when I looked at Denver, I remembered another thing I should do.

"Alam mo na bang matagal na akong patay?" I asked without tearing my gaze off him.

Kumunot ang kanyang noo.

I sighed. "11 years ago, during that accident. You know what happened, right?"

He sighed and closed his eyes a bit.

"I'm sorry. Hindi ko lang sinabi kasi I find it irrelevant already, baka mas lalo ka lang ma-bother."

I shook my head. "But I still deserve to know that, tungkol pa rin naman 'yon sa akin e. Ang sakit lang kasing malaman sa ibang tao." I paused and looked at him, trying to look at his eyes. "And about the Villamors, did you also know about what happened to them?"

Alam ko naman e na para makasimula ng bagong buhay ay kailangan huwag nang balikan ang nakaraan. Alam ko rin naman na hindi maganda ang trato nila sa akin, but then... I think I still deserve to know what happened.