"Auxen. Beware of him."

That's what Gabriel told me before he completely disappeared and vanished into thin air. It was clearly a warning to me, but I didn't give it much thought.

"I wasn't planning to confide this to anyone." Sandro broke the silence between us. "But I'm currently stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. I don't know what to do. I need to get this out of my chest." problemado niyang sabi.

Wala sa sariling napatitig ako sa litratong laman ng envelop. My eyes couldn't believe it. This man... He made a complete fool out of me. Ang tanga-tanga ko!

Auxen...

I was so stupid to think that his name's actually Yvonne. Isa akong malaking inutil dahil inisip kong iyon talaga ang pangalan niya. The name was feminine, for heaven's sake! Of course he'd use a fake name to remain anonymous and to play safe. Sino ba namang kabit ang magpapahuli?

"I decided to test my luck and tried to contact Shana Moya, one of the five persons of interest in this case. Mapalad naman ako dahil mukhang hindi pa siya nakakausap ng totoong may sala," paliwanag sa akin ni Sandro. "She was cooperative. Moya told me the series of events that night. She happened to be the first one who left the party.

"Upon arriving in the parking lot, she was just about to enter her car when she overheard a heated conversation of a man and a woman. According to her, they seemed to be a couple arguing."

I remained quiet on my seat and earnestly listened to him, trying to imagine the scene exactly as it is in my mind.

"Tinanong ko siya kung sinong nakita niya. Well, she did take a peek out of curiosity. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to see the woman's face. Nakatalikod kasi ito mula sa pwesto niya."

Napalunok muna siya bago tumuloy sa pagsasalita.

"But Moya assured me that she clearly remembers the face of the man, because he was... Well, aside from being good-looking, he was extremely mad. What made his image vivid to Moya's memory was the rage written on his face. Galit na galit daw ito sa kausap niya. She felt afraid while eavesdropping, so she hurried and drove off."

I was astonished by the story.

"I hired an artist to sketch the man's face based on Moya's description. I needed not to delve anymore since I know who he is. I just know him too well." Sandro grunted in frustration.

"Is that him on the photo?" kinakabahan kong tanong.

"Yes. Auxen Sylvensen, my employer's brother."

My chest pounded at his confirmation. I clenched my fists, feeling resentful towards that depraved moron.

Yvonne or Auxen, whoever you are... I will make sure you pay for this. How dare you deceive me and cheat on your brother?

Hindi ko mapigilan ang pag-usbong ng galit sa dibdib ko. I admit, he planted an indescribable fear on me. The first time we met, I already sensed the imminent danger from him, and everything about him seemed so sinister.

Pero hindi ko naisip na magkapatid sila ni Atticus.

At iyon ang dahilan kung bakit mas nangingibabaw na sa akin ang galit kaysa sa takot. Hindi ko alam kung paano niya nasisikmurang lokohin ang kapatid niya.

"Is he declared as one of the persons of interest?"

Sandro shook his head. "A suspect right off the bat. Allow me to enlighten you why. This is the most crucial part."

Napapikit ako. Parang may ideya na ako.

"Before leaving the parking lot, Moya took the risk and looked at the rear mirror. She saw Stellar with them."

Pinaglaruan ko ang mga kamay ko.

"Malakas ang paninindigan niyang si Stellar talaga ang nakita niyang lumapit kina Auxen. Meaning to say, those two were the last people who engaged with Stellar. If we base it on our client's statement, he's telling the truth. Patay na si Stellar nang madatnan niya ito, at hindi siya ang huling kasama nito. We already have Shana Moya as a witness to prove that."

I was rendered speechless. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko kaya napayuko na lang ako. This is just too much to digest.

"Another point. Aster's theory about the weapon might be correct. I find it suspicious. Aside from our client's, no other fingerprints were found on the knife. Malinis na malinis pa ito at tila hindi pa nagagamit kahit kailan.

"If the knife really belonged to him, how come the only fingerprints found were the ones of that night? There were nothing from the past few months, weeks or even days, at least. Malakas ang kutob ko na pinalitan ito ng bago, Gaia."

I nervously bit my nails. "Alam na ba ito ni Aster?"

"Not yet. Ikaw pa lang ang nasasabihan ko."

Napapikit naman ako. Gabriel, where the hell are you? Kung kailan kita kailangan, tsaka ka naman nawawala.

"This will destroy him, Gaia. I don't know how to tell Atticus." Sandro said softly. "I may not be the nicest, but I've been working under Atticus for so long. He's my dear friend. I don't want to hurt him."

For a moment, both of us were silent. I gave him the peace that he badly needed. Alam kong nahihirapan si Sandro na magdesisyon sa sitwasyon niya.

"Soon, I will have the courage to tell him all of this. But not today. Definitely not tomorrow. Soon, that is." bulong niya.

We shared a consonance... To keep this a secret from my fiancè for now. I know it's unfair, but none of us were ready to take the initiative and tell Atticus. It was too difficult.

Your brother killed me, Atticus.

Napabuntong hininga ako sa aking naisip. Kanina pa umuwi si Sandro. I've been waiting for an hour pero wala parin si Atticus. Alas-onse na ng gabi, hindi rin naman ako makatulog dahil sa dami ng nalaman ko.

That night, I must have heard their conversation and stepped in, so Auxen killed me to keep their dirty secret safe.

"No. It doesn't make sense." I whispered to myself.

In the first place, why would I step in?

Natulala naman ako sa naisip ko.

Why would I interrupt their tete-a-tete? I didn't know them. Napadaan lang ako. Tinakbuhan ko si Conan dahil hindi matanggap ng konsensya ko na nakipagtalik ako sa kanya kahit na may mahal akong iba.

My mouth froze in utter confusion.

If I heard Auxen and Gaia arguing, why would I interrupt their conversation? Anong pakialam ko sa kanila? Hindi ko naman sila kilala, kaya bakit ako makikisali sa usapan nila? Why would I step the line that strangers normally don't bother to touch? 

Then it suddenly crossed my mind that maybe... I wasn't a stranger to them at all.

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