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48. Dorothea Gatchalian

Penulis: Jiceryl
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-04-16 11:37:34

Thea had been in this police station for almost an hour. The plastic chair beneath her was starting to bite into her skin, and the white walls weren’t doing her any favors.

Across the table, the police officer leaned back in his chair, one eyebrow ticking up as his fingers drummed a sharp, impatient rhythm against the clipboard. The silence between questions was starting to stretch too long.

“So, again,” SPO2 Eli said in a calm but thinning voice, “when was the last time you saw your uncle alive?”

Thea crossed her arms. “I already told you. I saw him last Monday. At dinner. He wanted fish, so I cooked fish. We didn’t talk much. It’s always like that between us.”

Eli nodded slowly. “And you didn’t notice anything strange? Nobody was lurking around, no fights, or no weird calls?”

“No.”

He flipped a photo onto the table, making Thea flinch at the image before her. Her uncle’s face was barely recognizable. It was swollen, and the skin stretched and marbled with the early signs of decay. M
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  • His Hired Lover   66. The Authorities

    They were waiting inside the car. From the driver’s seat, SPO2 Elias Mendoza patiently held the steering wheel as Captain Andrea Villanueva sat beside him, casually sipping her Starbucks coffee. The engine was off, and the windows were partially down, letting the cold morning air inside. Outside, beyond the windshield, a modest two-story house sat quietly in this secluded neighborhood. “I commend that woman’s cunning ability to manipulate an Alcaraz. She didn’t go straight to the house Rios had bought for her. She went straight here. I wonder what she is planning.” “Hmm,” Andrea grunted. “Never underestimate women, Sergeant. You don’t know what we’re capable of.” “Don’t tell me you’ve developed a liking to that criminal?” Eli huffed. Andrea stared at him, making the man feel a little uncomfortable. She was suddenly too close.“Criminals are criminals, Sergeant. But I admit, this girl—Dorothea Gatchalian—has come a long way. We’ve

  • His Hired Lover   65. Barrio Fiesta  

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  • His Hired Lover   64. Spiral

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  • His Hired Lover   63. Escape

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  • His Hired Lover   62. Of Grief and Revenge

    The funeral passed quietly. The Sandoval estate, tucked behind high iron gates and hedges too well-groomed for grief, saw only a handful of visitors. Men in charcoal suits exchanged brief nods as women in their black dresses stood side by side. Many of those who attended Beatrice Sandoval’s last farewell were old associates, syndicate men, and loyalists who owed their lives or fortunes to Rodulf. There were no sobs and no flowery speeches. The grieving father only saw grim faces and a sky too blue for a coffin where his daughter lay. Rodulf stood still, his hand resting on the coffin's edge. He didn’t blink as it was lowered into the earth. The priest mumbled something about peace and eternal light, but Rodulf heard only a voice from years ago. He could hear the younger and brighter version of his daughter. She was a brat indeed, but at least she was alive.“Daddy, please! There's nothing I want to marry with, only Rios. You have to find a way for him and me to get married.”She was

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