Business? What kind of business is he talking about? I thought we were just going to talk about what happened to me. That was what my father told me—that was why he had the Pakhan called over here.
I looked at my father beside me. I was getting intimidated by the men around me. Parang gusto ko na lang tumakbo palabas doon. I realized that walking in was a terrible mistake on my part.
I wanted to look at Devlin. But he was behind me. I didn't want anyone to notice something that might put Devlin in a bad situation. I don't know, but I think these men are smart.
So, I just looked at my father. But I noticed that something was different about him too. He was... serious. Para pa ngang ibang tao ang katabi ko.
Hindi ko na tuloy napigilang lumingon sa likod ko. I was trembling deep inside, and I wanted to calm down pero hindi ko magawa. Not when the Pakhan and Nikolaj were staring so hard at me as if I was some kind of specimen!
Devlin looked back at me. There still wasn't any emotion on his face. I should've gotten used to this. But there was something different about him now. Hindi ko alam kung ano. Maybe he was looking at me coldly, even colder than before. It was as if he was someone I had never met.
I looked away from him. I was hoping that I could at least calm down if I looked at Devlin. Pero mas lalo lang akong natakot at kinabahan. Because right now, I felt like I had been thrown into a den of... monsters that wouldn't hesitate to hurt me if I made a mistake.
"Yeliz..."
I looked at Serj. Muntik ko pang mahigit ang paghinga ko nang masalubong agad ang tingin n'ya.Nikolaj was standing behind him, and it didn't help that he was staring at me with... malicious glint in his eyes. Na para bang gustong-gusto n'ya akong saktan but he was just waiting for Serj's orders.
But then, I saw Nikolaj's gaze shift behind me. He looked at Devlin. I saw how his lips stretched for an evil grin before he laughed. A mocking laugh. Para bang inaasar n'ya si Devlin. Sinuklay pa ang buhok gamit ang daliri habang tumatawa.
He looked... insane. He was the only one laughing in that room, and there wasn't anything funny to laugh about.
But then... his laugh didn't sound like it was out of happiness. As a matter of fact, he looked like he was out of his mind.
"Silence, Nikolaj," Serj said. Mariin ang pagkakasabi n'ya. As if he needed to do that because Nikolaj wouldn't follow him otherwise.
Nikolaj bit his lower lip. His laugh turned into a chuckle. Gumagalaw pa ang mga balikat sa pagpipigil ng tawa.
Shit... Ganito ba talaga sila? I don't want to stay here anymore.
"I apologize for that..." Serj said. "Nikolaj just has a... peculiar taste and a different sense of humor compared to normal people."
So, he's saying that he is not normal.
"Hey..." natatawang sabi ni Nikolaj. "I'm just honored to be in the presence of the one and only Aslanov's princess."
"Shut up, Ozerov," Serj said.
Nikolaj raised both of his hands.
"Alright, alright... my bad." He looked at me. Yumukod pa s'ya. "Apologies, princess."
Serj exhaled harshly. Parang nauubusan na ng pasensya sa kasama.
"Anyway... we should get down to business." Serj looked at me. "Your father told me that something happened to you yesterday. Will you do me a favor by telling me what happened?"
I looked at my dad. He nodded at me, urging me to tell Serj what happened.
"Uhm..." Napalunok ako. All eyes were on me, and it wasn't doing anything good with my nerves. "I went out of the university and rode a cab that was waiting outside the gate."
