The Empire Series 5: Vanna Lei Shrewd

Chapter 18: Dual Motives

Part of this chapter appeared on The Filipino Wattpad Block Party 2017 by the Wattpad Ambassadors

Habang nag-iimbestiga sina Vanna at Cristina tungkol sa matandang Lee, ipinagpatuloy niya pa rin ang disguise. Araw-araw pa rin siyang pumapasok bilang part time Instructor at tutor. At sa mga araw na iyon, patuloy na siyang sinusuyo ni Clyde. They have dinner dates almost every night. Mas lalo itong naging sweet sa kanya.

Malapit na rin nilang makuha ang lahat ng ebidensyang magtuturo sa matanda bilang salarin sa nangyari sa pamilya ng binata. Their target date of arrest and search on his residence is within the next three days.

Hindi niya alam kung ano ang mararamdaman sa nalalapit na pagtatapos ng assignment niya. May isang bagay pa siyang gustong imbestigahan. Hindi pa kasi niya alam kung sinu-sino ang sumugod sa apartment niya na naka-engkwentro ni Clyde ng gabing iyon.

"Miss Lacy, may bago yatang student," a girl said flipping her hair when Vanna Lei entered the room. Oras na ng klase niya sa University.

Napakunot-noo siya.

The students' eyes flew to the man seated at the back. He's grinning ear to ear. Sumingkit lalo ang mga mata ng binata.

She immediately stepped towards him.

"What are you doing here?" She whispered glaring. Alam niyang susunduin siya nito pero mamaya pa sana.

"I was supposed to fetch you but I came an hour early. Can I sit in your class while waiting?" he asked teasing. Kung puwede lang niya itong hilahin at tadyakan palabas gagawin niya. This is so embarrassing. Some students started teasing and mumbling things while glancing at them.

The man stood up and smiled devilishly. His tiny dimples showed.

"If you don't like me to sit in your class, I'll kiss you in front of your students," he whispered in her ear. She even had goosebumps at the touch of his hot breath on her skin.

Natatawa itong bumalik sa pagkakaupo nang makita ang reaksyon niya. Bahagya siyang napahiya pero hindi na lang siya nagsalita.

Kung patikimin niya ito ng flying kick, mahihimatay kaya? She smiled inwardly at her own thoughts.

She felt the urged to hold and press the back of his neck at patulugin na lang ito pero pinigilan niya ang sarili. She's an instructor here, not agent Star. She needs to act normal.

She went in front and started discussing about philosophy. Tumahimik naman ang lahat. It's a good thing, he's not staring at her while she was talking. Nakatungo lang ito o kung hindi naman ay sa bintana nakatingin. Nakatuon naman ang pansin niya sa estudyante pero pinapakiramdaman niya ang lahat ng galaw ng binata.

Alam niyang sinadya nito ang maunang pumasok sa klase niya. Hindi niya sigurado kung masisiyahan ba siya o maaasiwa sa ginagawa nitong panunuyo sa kanya. He's been like that after that night when he almost kiss her.

She shook her head and tried to concentrate on her lecture.

"Are you familiar with Platonic Realism?" she asked the class. The students shrugged their head. She saw him glancing at her. Bahagya itong ngumiti nang magtama ang mga mata nila. Her heart beats a little faster so she immediately averted her gaze and continued discussing.

"Plato opposes the belief that to see is to believe. The platonic realism in layman's language tells us that for instance when you think of a chair and you see this chair here." Humawak siya sa upuan ng isang estudyante sa harap.

"This chair that you are seeing here in front is not actually the reality," she added. Everybody looked at her. So she went on discussing.

"This chair is not the reality per se but only a manifestation of reality. It is just a second hand reality because the reality is that chair lurking in your mind," she explained. She looked around the silent room. Others are engrossed, some seem not to get what she meant.