Chapter 6: Too Close

Hindi ko alam kung bakit parang mas tahimik ang Blackwood mansion pagkatapos kong malaman ang tungkol kay Adrian Romero.

Pareho pa rin naman ang itsura ng bahay.

Pareho pa rin ang malalaking bintana na nagpapapasok ng golden sunlight tuwing umaga. Pareho pa rin ang mahahabang hallway, mga lumang paintings, at mga furniture na parang hindi kailanman ginagalaw.

Pero para sa akin, may nagbago.

Ngayon, alam ko nang may mga sikreto sa loob ng bahay na iyon.

At mas nakakatakot dahil pakiramdam ko, hindi lang ako ang taong may alam.

May isang taong nakatingin.

May isang taong naghihintay.

At higit sa lahat, may isang taong ayaw akong tumigil sa paghahanap ng katotohanan.

Pagmulat ko pa lang ng mata ko nang umagang iyon, iyon na agad ang laman ng isip ko.

Who was the girl with him that night?

Iyon ang tanong na iniwan sa akin ng anonymous texter. At kahit ilang beses kong sinubukang i-ignore, mas lalo lang itong lumalakas sa isip ko.

Bumangon ako at matagal na nakatitig sa phone ko bago ko tuluyang binuksan ang messages.

Wala nang bagong text.

Good.

At the same time, not really.

Kinuha ko ang unan at niyakap ko ito habang nakaupo sa kama.

"Okay, Eve. Think."

Kung may nangyari six years ago, bata pa si Ronan noon. Eighteen or nineteen, based sa nakita kong article. Posibleng wala naman siyang malaking involvement.

Pero bakit parang sobrang defensive niya kapag nababanggit ang nakaraan?

At bakit parang takot na takot siyang malaman ko ang buong kuwento?

Mas lalo akong naguguluhan. At ayaw kong aminin, pero isa lang ang taong gusto kong tanungin. Walang iba kundi siya.

Pagbaba ko sa dining area, naroon na si Ronan.

Hindi ko alam kung sadyang pareho kaming maagang gumigising o malas lang talaga ako.

Tahimik siyang nakaupo sa dulo ng mesa habang may binabasa sa laptop. May kape sa tabi niya at ilang documents na nakakalat sa harap.

Napatingin ako sa mga papel. Hindi ko mabasa ang laman mula sa kinauupuan ko. Napansin niya ang pagtitig ko. Agad niyang isinara ang folder.

"Good morning."

"Morning."

Umupo ako sa kabilang side ng mesa.

For several seconds, wala kaming sinabi.

I tried eating breakfast like everything was normal.

Hindi gumana.

Ramdam ko ang presensya niya kahit hindi ko siya tinitingnan.

Maybe because I was already too aware of him, or maybe because after everything I had discovered, every little movement niya ay parang may hidden meaning.

"You're staring again."

Napatingin ako sa kanya.

"Am I?"

"Yes."

Napailing ako at kinuha ang juice.

"Maybe you're just imagining things."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe."

I almost smiled.

Pero naalala ko ang message kagabi.

Nawala agad ang ngiti ko.

Napansin niya.

"You okay?"

I hesitated.

"Yeah."

He watched me for a moment before returning his attention to his laptop.

Hindi na siya nagtanong.

At somehow, iyon ang mas nakakainis.

I wanted him to ask. I wanted him to notice. But at the same time, ayaw kong malaman niyang bothered ako.

I finished my breakfast quickly and stood.

"I'll be at the library later."

He looked up.

"For school?"

"Yes."

"Alone?"

Napatingin ako sa kanya.

"Why?"

He shrugged.

"Just asking."

I smiled faintly.

"You're doing it again."

"What?"

"Checking."

"Checking what?"

"Where I am. Who I'm with. When I'm coming home."

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he closed his laptop and leaned back.

"Maybe I just want to know."

"Why?"

His eyes met mine.

"I don't know."

Napailing ako.

"Of course."

I walked away, pero bago pa ako tuluyang makalabas ng dining room, narinig ko ang boses niya.

"Eve."

Huminto ako.

"Don't go somewhere alone today."

I turned around.

"Why?"

His expression suddenly became serious.

"Just don't."

I wanted to ask more.

Pero something in his face stopped me.

So I simply nodded.

"Fine."

The library was almost empty that afternoon.

I chose a table near the window, hoping the quiet would help me concentrate.

It didn't.

I opened my laptop, stared at my notes, and spent the next twenty minutes reading the same paragraph over and over without understanding any of it.

My mind kept returning to Ronan.

To Adrian.

To the mysterious girl.

And to the feeling that something was about to happen.

I finally gave up and opened the browser.

I searched Adrian Vale again.

This time, I added another keyword.

Adrian Romero Blackwood Ronan

Nothing.

I tried different combinations.

Still nothing.

Then I found an old archived page.

My heartbeat picked up.

The page contained a list of names connected to Vale Enterprises.

I scrolled slowly.

There were executives.

Lawyers.

Investors.

Family members.

And then—a name I didn't recognize.

Elara Voss.

I frowned.

Who was she?

I opened another page.

Nothing.

Another.

Still nothing.

Then I noticed the date beside her name.

Six years ago.

My stomach tightened.

I took a screenshot.

Before I could search further, someone placed a book on the table in front of me.

I looked up.

"Ronan?"

He pulled out the chair across from me.

"You look surprised."

"You scared me."

"Sorry."

He sat down.

I stared at him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Library."

"I can see that."

He glanced at my laptop.

"What are you researching?"

"School."

"About?"

"Nothing important."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"You've been saying that a lot lately."

I closed the laptop.

"Maybe because you ask too many questions."

He leaned back.

"Fair."

For once, he didn't argue.

Instead, he looked toward the window.

The afternoon sunlight fell across his face, making his usually unreadable expression seem softer.

I quickly looked away.

I hated moments like this.

Moments when he didn't look like the cold, distant person everyone seemed to know. Moments when I caught myself wondering what he was really like beneath all of it.

"Why are you here?"

He looked back at me.

"I told you not to go somewhere alone."

"So you followed me?"

"No."

"Then?"

"I needed a book."

I glanced at the thick book beside him.

"You're telling me you suddenly needed a book?"

"Yes."

"What book?"

He turned it around.

It was a business law book.

I stared at it.

"You actually read that?"

"Sometimes."

"Sounds boring."

"It is."

I laughed softly.

"Then why read it?"

"Because I need to."

He smiled faintly.

The tension inside me loosened for a moment.

We stayed there quietly.

Neither of us spoke.

For once, the silence wasn't uncomfortable.

It was almost peaceful.

Until I noticed the small cut on his knuckle.

Again.

"You have another wound."

He looked at his hand.

"It's nothing."

"You said that last time."

"And it was nothing."

I reached for the small first-aid kit inside my bag.

He looked at me.

"You carry that around?"

"Sometimes."

"Why?"

"I'm accident-prone."

"Clearly."

Napatingin ako sa kanya. "Excuse me?"

He smiled.

"Nothing."

I rolled my eyes.

"Give me your hand."

He hesitated.

But eventually, he placed his hand on the table.

I gently cleaned the small wound. It was barely anything, but he stayed completely still.

The library was quiet enough that I could hear the soft sound of the rain beginning outside.

I focused on his hand.

He focused on me.

I didn't notice it at first. But after a few seconds, I realized he wasn't looking at the bandage.

He was looking at my face.

I slowly raised my eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You keep saying that."

"Maybe I don't know what else to say."

For some reason, I smiled.

"That's a first."

He looked away.

I finished wrapping the bandage and let go.

"There."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

I pulled my hand back.

For a second, neither of us moved.

Then I noticed something.

The ring on his right hand.

I had seen it before.

A simple black ring.

But there was a tiny symbol engraved on the inside.

I pointed at it.

"What's that?"

His expression immediately changed.

"What?"

"The ring."

He covered it with his other hand.

"Nothing."

My stomach sank.

"Again?"

"Eve."

"Why do you always say nothing whenever I ask something important?"

He stared at me.

"Because some things aren't meant for you."

I pulled my hand back.

"Right."

I stood.

"Then I won't ask."

He watched me.

I could feel the tension between us changing.

"What are you upset about?"

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm just tired."

I gathered my things.

He stood as well.

"Eve."

"What?"

"Don't."

I looked at him.

"Don't what?"

"Don't shut me out."

I laughed softly, but there was no humor in it.

"You've been shutting me out since I arrived."

He went silent.

I immediately regretted saying it.

But it was true.

"You keep telling me not to ask questions," I continued. "You keep telling me to stay away from things. You keep acting like you're protecting me, pero hindi mo naman ako binibigyan ng dahilan para pagkatiwalaan ka."

His expression softened.

"I know."

"Then what do you expect me to do?"

"Trust me."

"Why?"

He looked at me for a long moment.

"Because I'm trying to give you a reason."

My chest tightened.

I didn't know what to say.

Before I could answer, my phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

My blood ran cold.

Ronan noticed.

"Who is it?"

"Wala."

He reached toward my hand.

"Show me."

I instinctively stepped back. "No."

His hand stopped in midair.

The expression on his face changed.

Not anger.

Something closer to concern.

"Eve."

"I said no."

He slowly lowered his hand.

"Okay."

I stared at him.

For once, he didn't force me.

Hindi niya ako pinilit.

And somehow, that made me feel worse.

I looked at the message.

Unknown: You found Elara

My fingers went cold.

Another message appeared.

Unknown: Now ask Ronan why she disappeared.

I looked at Ronan.

He was watching me.

And for the first time, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.

"Who is Elara?"

His face went completely still.

"Eve..."

"Who is she?"

He didn't answer.

"Ronan."

His jaw tightened.

"Where did you hear that name?"

"Just answer me."

He looked away.

Then slowly, he said—

"She's someone from my past."

"How do you know her?"

Silence.

"Ronan."

"I knew her."

"That's not enough."

"I can't explain it here."

"Why?"

He looked around the library.

Then back at me.

"Because someone is watching us."

My heart stopped.

"What?"

He stood and gathered his things.

"Come with me."

"Where?"

"Somewhere private."

I stared at him.

For the first time, the mystery wasn't exciting anymore. It was real. And dangerous.

I followed him out of the library.

The rain had become heavier by the time we reached the parking area. Ronan unlocked his car and opened the passenger door for me.

I got inside.

He walked around and took the driver's seat.

For a while, neither of us spoke.

The rain blurred the windows.

The outside world disappeared behind the water.

I looked at him.

"Tell me."

He kept his eyes on the road.

"About Elara?"

"Everything."

He exhaled slowly.

"Her name was Elara Voss."

"Okay."

"She was connected to my father's company."

"How?"

"Her father worked with mine."

"And you?"

"I knew her because of that."

I waited.

He continued driving.

"She was around a lot when we were younger."

"Friends?"

He didn't answer immediately.

"Something like that."

I stared at him.

Something like that?

That wasn't an answer.

"Did you love her?"

His hands tightened around the steering wheel.

"No."

The answer was quiet.

But certain.

I don't know why that made me feel relieved.

And I hated that it did.

"Then what was she?"

He looked at me briefly.

"Someone I failed to protect."

My heart sank.

"What happened?"

"She disappeared."

"How?"

"No one knows."

"Did you look for her?"

"Everywhere."

His voice cracked slightly.

Barely.

But I heard it.

"And you never found her?"

"No."

I looked out the window.

The rain continued to fall.

"Why would someone warn me about her?"

"I don't know."

"Why does this involve me?"

"It doesn't."

"Then why am I getting messages?"

He didn't answer.

I turned toward him.

"Ronan."

He finally looked at me.

"I don't know."

I sighed. "Of course."

He gave me a tired look.

"I'm serious."

"I know."

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then he pulled the car over.

I looked around.

We were parked near a quiet overlook. The city lights stretched below us, blurred by the rain.

He turned off the engine.

"Eve."

"Hm?"

"There are things about my family you don't know."

"I know."

"And there are things about me you shouldn't know."

"Why?"

"Because knowing them puts you in danger."

I stared at him.

"Are you really trying to protect me?"

"Yes."

"From what?"

He looked straight into my eyes.

"From me."

I froze.

The words hung between us.

Not because I understood them.

But because I didn't.

He looked away first.

"I think you should go home."

"Why?"

"Because I need you to stay away from this."

I shook my head.

"No."

"Eve."

"No."

"You don't understand."

"Then make me understand."

He closed his eyes briefly.

"I can't."

"Then I'll find out myself."

He looked at me again.

And there was something in his expression that made my chest tighten.

Fear.

Not for himself.

For me.

"Please don't."

It was the same word he used before.

The same quiet plea.

And suddenly, I understood one thing.

Whatever happened six years ago—

Ronan wasn't afraid that I would discover his secret.

He was afraid that someone else would discover me. And somehow, I had a feeling that those two things were connected.

Maybe the anonymous texter knew exactly what they were doing.

Maybe they weren't trying to break Ronan and me apart.

Maybe they were trying to bring me closer.

Closer to the truth.

Closer to Ronan.

And closer to something that had been waiting for me long before I ever stepped inside the Blackwood mansion.

Something I still couldn't see.

Something Ronan desperately wanted to keep hidden.

And as I watched him start the car again, one thought refused to leave my mind:

If Elara disappeared six years ago, why did someone suddenly want me to find her now?