Chess Pieces Aftermath: Gray Sanford

Chapter 39

Napatingin kaagad ako kay Eresh, nagulat sa pagmumura n'ya. She also seemed annoyed for some reason. Bahagyang magkasalubong ang mga kilay at naabutan ko pa ang pag-irap ng mga mata n'ya. When she looked at the woman, she rolled her eyes again. Doon ko nakumpirma na dahil sa bagong dating kung bakit parang biglang nagbago ang mood n'ya.

The air around us seemed to drop as well. Walang nagsasalita kaya inobserbahan ko na lang din sila. The awkwardness was so obvious. Hindi ko na tuloy napigilan na suriin ang babaeng dumating.

She has brown wavy hair na hanggang bewang ang haba. Maamo ang mukha pero mukha pa ring elegante. She's wearing a tight dress just like Eresh.

"My apologies, Lucius," I heard Loki say. "I assumed you wouldn't be coming today so I took the liberty of inviting her."

"It's okay..." Lucius said. Napatingin ako sa kanya. I saw him clenching his jaw but when he looked at Loki, he tried to relax his face. "Hindi ko rin naman nasabing sasama ako ngayon."

"I should've known. This is about Gray." Halata sa mukha ni Loki na tinitimbang n'ya ang reaksyon ni Lucius. "But I figured we could also hear from Ishtar as well."

Tumango si Lucius. "She was with Gray when they were double-crossing the gamemaster."

"Yes... Aside from Violet, si Ishtar ang nakasama ni Gray after Eresh..." Loki trailed off.

After Eresh drugged Gray.

"I understand, Loki," Lucius said with finality.

Loki must've noticed that Lucius didn't want to say anything further. He just stared at Lucius who just stared back at him with a stern expression. Pagkatapos ay tumango na lang s'ya at wala nang kahit ano pang sinabi.

I looked at Lucius. Inalis n'ya na ang tingin kay Loki at tumingin na lang sa baba. Napansin ko na simula nang dumating ang babae ay hindi na lumingon pa sa gawing iyon si Lucius. When he was talking at Loki earlier, his dark eyes were just fixated on him. Na para bang kapag sa ibang direksyon s'ya tumingin ay may makikita s'yang ayaw n'ya.

While the woman was just looking at him all this time. Simula pa nang pumasok s'ya kanina. Saglit lang n'yang inilibot ang paningin n'ya at ilang sandaling tumingin pa sa kanya. Nang makita kung sino ang katabi ko, hindi na naalis kay Lucius ang tingin n'ya.

And I saw something on her face. Longing and... regret. Halatang gustong kausapin si Lucius pero parang may pumipigil sa kanya. It also seemed like she was waiting for him to look her way.

Naputol lang ang tingin na 'yon nang humakbang ang lalaking bagong dating. He took a step forward. Naharangan n'ya ang babae kaya napatingin ako sa kanya. He was already looking at me when he offered me a handshake.

"I'm Attorney Kylo Villaraza," he introduced himself.

Mabilis akong napatayo kasabay nang pag-akbay sa kanya ni Creed. Mas lalo tuloy naharangan 'yong babae.

"Partner kami nito!" Creed said when he grinned at me.

Napatigil sa ere ang kamay kong tatanggapin na sana ang pakikipagkamay ni Kylo na nakasimangot na naman. Napatingin ako kay Creed na malaki ang ngisi sa sa 'kin.

I frowned. They're partners? Pero nabanggit noon ni Creed na may asawa't anak na s'ya, ah?

I'm so confused. Tama ba ang iniisip ko kung anong ibig sabihin n'ya? But based on the look on Kylo's face, it doesn't seem like they were partners... romantically. Mukha pa ngang inis na inis s'ya na inakbayan s'ya ni Creed.

Actually, kaninang pagpasok n'ya pa lang. Mukhang inis na talaga s'ya pagkakita pa lang kay Creed.

Then, Creed burst into laughter.