THE CULPRIT'S VERDICT

The dazzling light from the beam of light briefly blinded my eyes. As my iris adjusted, I saw the face of my boss whom I didn't expect to see. "Mr. Ryle," I mumbled as I recognize his face. "You're here."

"I am. You're safe now."

"How did you-,"

"I saw you being dragged inside the van, but I was too slow to save you on time. I'm sorry. How are you? Did they hurt you?"

"I'm okay. Thank you for saving me." Despite working hard, trying to strengthen myself, I realized it was still not enough to defeat my foe. It was quite frustrating that I couldn't win nor escape on my own. When in fact, it was my fight, my only fight.

He noticed something on my face, and said worriedly, "You have a bruise."

"It's nothing, sir. I'm okay"

"Come, I'll bring you to the hospital."

"No, sir. It doesn't hurt," I lied.

"Okay, let's just put some ice pack on your face. Come with me," he invited and guided me to stand but I lost my balance due to the weakness I was feeling.

He turned his back on me and offered a piggyback ride. "But si-"

"No, buts!" he said and I was left with no choice but to do as he had said. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he pulled my legs to his waist. As he elevated us, another man stood in front of us. I became anxious all of a sudden. "Max-, are you okay?" sir Val asked. I just nodded.

"Did you catch them?" Ryle inquired.

"No. I lost them in the underpass,"

"There are CCTVs around. We'll have it check later, it might give us a hint of their whereabouts."

So, they both came to save me? "T-thank you, sir Ryle and sir Val. I owe you this one."

"Anything for you, Nam. We'll treat your bruise first and I'll bring you home, okay?" Ryle proposed.

"No, sir. It's a long way home. I'll just ask my brother to fetch me." I meant Lexter. He let me used the name of his missing step-sister, so I could easily disguise as a different person. "Sir, I think I'm okay. Can you put me down? I'll just walk." "No." He tightened the hold on my lower legs. "I'll turn you over to your brother. If you don't want me to bring you to your house, I'll just give you a ride to where your brother is."

He was determined to let his will takeover. Sensing no harm, I let him do as he pleased. He asked his cousin, the CEO, to take charge of whatever mess there was left. But the policemen arrived with my co-workers and had to take my statement about what happened.

"Who are those people and what are they after?"

"I have the same question, sir. But I don't have any idea," I said. But deep within me, I was suspecting the same people who were behind my family's death. If my gut instinct was right, they knew already that I was alive. Frustration wrapped my being as I didn't have any idea whom to chase. I informed them about what transpired but hid the hunch I had. They concluded that it was an attempted abduction and they will be looking closely to the case.

The other caps brought the unconscious driver of the van inside their car to detain him. "This is not the first time a female has been subjected to this. There are reported similar incidents in and out of the city. We will not let this one off" the policeman said.

"That's scary! We should spare from going out late at night," Gregg cried, the sober in his voice lessened a bit.

"Oh, shut up! They are after ladies, not gays," Ezra countered. Their small exchange of ridicules turned harsh until it led to their argument, so the policeman had to mediate and stop them.

"If you don't stop your noise this instant, I'll bring the two of you in the precinct," he threatened and so they shut their mouth.

"Nam!" Someone called from behind.

"Lex."

"Omoo, another yummy creature," I heard Gregg mumble through closed teeth.

"Are you okay?" he said as he approached me. "Are you hurt? What happened?" he showed care, the brotherly care I usually received from him.

"I'll tell you once we reach home," I flashed him a smile to give him an assurance that I was indeed fine, but concern didn't seem to escape his face.

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"Hi, Mr. De Guzman. So, you're Nam's brother," sir Val declared, and we both looked at him. I eyed Lexter, asking him if he knew the CEO of the company I was working for.

"I am her step-brother. Did we meet before?"

The CEO mentioned that he was familiar with Lexter since they'd crossed paths before in a reserved auction. Lexter, on the other hand, forced himself to remember the day they had met. And it was so, he remembered him as the one who competed with him in buying the marble sculpture of a sleeping muse, but they both gave up as a business tycoon bid too high a price for one sculpture.

~~~

I woke to the rays of the sun that struck my face. Though my eyes were open, I wasn't fully conscious yet. After a few minutes of staring blankly at the ceiling, I pulled my body up. Still feeling an abnormal pain in my tummy, I took off the blanket that was halfway on my body and forced myself to stand.

It was already a quarter to eight. I panicked upon realizing that I was late for work. I quickly entered the bathroom and did my usual routine there. As I finished, I dried my hair with my hair towel, and slowly closed the door to my bathroom. To my surprise, Lexter was on my couch wiping his sleepiness off. Then what happened last night flashback to my head.

"Max," he called, bringing me back to my senses.

"Huh?"

"Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Excuse me?"

Before he responded, he pointed to my body with his snout, "It's nice waking up in the morning with such a fine view."

I gritted my teeth at what he said and threw him my hair towel. "Go inside the bathroom and lock yourself there!" I ordered.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll do as you pleased." He fixed the sofa first before following, so I had to shoo him to move quickly. "Lexter, faster! I'm late for work!"

He stopped when he heard me. "Are you serious? Today is your day-off!"

It took me a while to process that today was indeed my day-off. I faced palm myself thinking that my effort of soaping my body quickly had been wasted. But to why he was in my condo, he explained and complained, "I kept on speaking last night, expecting you are listening, but you weren't. You fell asleep in my car and I looked like an idiot talking to myself. But since I am quite a gentleman, I still carried you here and guarded you the whole night to make sure you're safe."

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"You know what? You are the best guy friend in the world, thank you," I said and wrapped my arms on the side of his chest. As a thank you for his effort last night, I treated him to our favorite fast-food chain, Jollibee. He swore to accompany me the whole day as he was concern I might get abducted again. We were just saddened that Juliet wouldn't be able to come and join us since she didn't fix the problem yet in one of the branches of their company, outside of the city. To make the most of my free time, I decided to pay a visit to my parents' grave. It was almost two years since they'd left me, yet the scarce and pains of the terrible thing that happened in the past were still fresh in my mind and heart. "What will you do now?"

"I have a strong feeling that the person behind my attempted abduction last night is the same person behind my family's death. I just don't know where to begin with; I don't have any suspect yet. The Llaneda family, I believe, is doing some dirty works. I need to know and investigate to assess if they are one of those I should be charging for the lives taken from me."

"Max," he started, and I eyed him.

"Don't you want to consider forgetting the past and living a new life, away from those who are probably after your head?" I thought it was too foolish of him to even bring up that topic. I made it clear to them beforehand that I wouldn't stop until I get the justice my family deserved.

"No, that doesn't cross my mind."

He held my hands and said, "Whatever your decision is, know that I'm here to support you."

I didn't want to admit it, but I indeed need support. "Thank you, Lex. I don't trust anyone, but you and Juliet. You're the only ones I can count on; I hope I'm not putting your life at risk."

"You aren't. Consider me as a cane that'll help you stand when you're down, and on the times you need it the most," he said. I rested my head on his shoulder like I used to do. "I just need at least one piece of a puzzle to begin with, Lex, but where can I find it?" I muttered.

"The safe," we mumbled at once.

I eyed him. "Maybe we can get something from it? How about we find a locksmith?" The thought crossed my mind. Why didn't I think of it before?

"I know one who's just in town." Lexter's words ignited the slightest hope I had. We didn't waste our time. Instantly, we headed directly to my condo, took the safe, and brought it to the locksmith. An hour of waiting had passed and to my great relief, the locksmith called my name.

"Namie Riva," here's your safety box. See to it that next time, it won't be locked again.

"Thank you," I mumbled as he handed it to me.

"What's inside?" Lexter inquired impatiently.

I took the contents out. "Rolls of paper, brown envelope, a small box, and some letters from uncle addressed to me."

"Did I just find something valuable?"