Chapter 10: Six Years Ago pt. 3

Six Years Ago pt.3: **Lurking dangers

**Calamar** is the Spanish word for squid and the calamari dish, therefore, consists of fried squid rings in a batter or breadcrumb coating. **Calamares** is the Filipino version of the Mediterranean breaded fried squid dish, Calamari. In the Philippines, Calamares is often dipped in soy sauce or spiced vinegar. The dish is commonly eaten as a street food or *"pulutan"* (beer food). It can also be served as a main course meal and eaten with rice.

"You're here" Xander greeted Rian as entered the kitchen. "Why are you so surprised?"

"A—are you f—feeling well already?" The girl hesitantly asked.

"Well, as you can see, I'm well enough to move around and cook for my benefactress." Rian smiled awkwardly by his reply reminding her that they forgot the most important ritual to be acquainted with each other.

"Oh!" She came close to him, "My name is Rian, by the way" and extended her hands. Xander wiped his hands clean with his pants and shook hands with her.

"Xander, that's what I go by" he said plainly and turned around putting his attention back to what he was doing.

The atmosphere was filled with total awkwardness as both of them doesn't know what to say to each other nor how to start a real conversation. Rian stood behind Xander who grew conscious doing his work. Like the popular meme on social media, a crow has flown above them leaving dots on its trail.

"Ehem" At last, Rian decided to break the silence "You don't have to do all of this" pertaining to him cooking the dinner.

"I actually found you outside the restaurant I'm working part-time when I was going home. You were badly hurt so I decided to take you home."

For a brief moment, the air was filled with silence. Rian was waiting for his reply as she saw him turn off the stove.

"Thanks...thanks for saving me. I owe you my life." His voice serious and faced her. He was taken aback to see straight into her—sun-kissed by the afternoon rays leaving a mysterious aura that enveloped her beauty. Her straight black hair shined brightly and her deep black eyes turned into a darker shade of brown as sun rays marks her face. He looked at her speaking but didn't heard what she was saying. For a bit he found himself immersed in the sight making him forgot that he was talking to her.

"Can you hear me?" He was pulled out of reverie when he felt her coming close to him. She's a feet away from him and began tilting her head to examine his body, next she touched his forehead then touched hers to check his temperature. Xander somehow felt shy and pulled away distancing his body from her.

"I—I'm alright. I just thought of something." He made an excuse and looked away.

Rian nodded, "So I was saying that I'm glad to see you much better now." She said relieved.

"You were worried?" He asked seeking for confirmation.

"Uh, yes? You see, I'm scared you might die while in my hands. What am I supposed to do if that happens?" She explained.

After knowing each others name and having a little bit of chitchat, eating together became very natural for them. They both enjoyed the Calamares cooked by Xander.

"Mmm~you cook really well" Rian praised him while munching a squid ring. Every bite they take is accompanied by a cracking sound of crispiness that keeps the dining air alive.

"I often eat this with my mom before." Xander responded to her compliment.

"Before?"

"Yeah, when she was still still alive. She would cook this any day she feel like it" a sad smile escaped from his face that made Rian uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry to hear that" She spoke regretfully.

"It's fine. It was years ago." Xander assured her while chewing a spoonful of rice. Their dinner was filled with small talks about themselves that was a great leap for knowing one another.

Now that they're having a meal peacefully like this, it made them forget about their problems and present hurdles in life that keeps them from living freely. For Xander, it was the first time since his mother died that he has eaten a meal with someone and to think that he's having it now with a girl he barely knew really brought laughter in the back of his mind. And as for Rian whose suspicious of anyone and with trust issues for everyone, sitting across
a table with a highly fishy man never occurred to her that will happen—untill that moment.

In that space, they somewhat felt safe even with the lingering danger of their unknown identities. They wished time would stop at that very hour were they will remain ignorant of each other's past and burdens that would free them from estrangement.

But for Rian who have developed a habit of being doubtful and not minding other people's business, she reminded herself that she can't get too close to him nor let him stay for long. She had already made up her mind to let him stay only for three days regardless if his wounds have already completely healed or not or wether he has a place to stay or none. She felt guilty while thinking of this, but her mind whispered that she have always been this way and that's how she survived so far.

As soon as they knew it, they have already finished everything that was served in the table. They had their fill of food not only for the stomach but also for the heart.

That night, in a mansion somewhere on the face of the Earth:

"Are you sure this is her?" A woman on her fifties stared at a photo given to her by a man in black.

"I am sure madam." The man replied bowing his head preventing anyone from seeing his face.

"She was under our nose all this time, hiw come you haven't found her 'till now?" She commented.

"Forgive me madam. Since the Old Madam permitted her to work part-time at the restaurant, she has been maintaining a low profile while being assigned inside the kitchen." He passed another photo to his madam.

"You told me to investigate the DC Dining branch in Dasmariñas since the old madam frequents that place and tonight when I went there the manager was fuming by the abscence of one of their staffs. That's when I get to know her whereabouts." He added.

The madam nodded thinking not to continue her criticism anymore. She looked at the second picture given to her.

"The old hag really put on some effort stashing her away. She even got her a nice place huh." She scoffed. She looked at the man with a menacing gaze. The man seemed to understand what she meant and bowed his goodbye. He exited not on the door but on one of the bookshelves present in the room that was actually a 'murphy door'.

*A Murphy Door is a hidden door designed to blend seamlessly into an existing room. Murphy doors are often considered hidden or secret doors because they are concealed as bookcases/bookshelves or walls.

The madam was left alone with a smile on her face that is a sign of looming danger for her target. Her eyes smiled with satisfaction as she kept the photos hidden on her table's drawer. With a single clap of her hand a maid came inside the room.

"What did you call for me Madam?" The maid lowering her head as she slowly approached the seat of her mistress.

"Has mom arrived yet?" The madam asked in a domineering way.

"Not yet Madam, but she called Jimmy earlier saying she will be having her dinner at DC Dining Dasmariñas tonight." The maid humbly replied.

"Tsk, to that restaurant again."

The madam annoyed, "I got it, go back to your work now." She drove her away with obvious displeasure on her face.

"Just you wait Mom, no matter how much you try to hide her as long as she exists, she won't be able to escape my grasp." She clenched her fist.

"You won't get to pass her the rights to become the ceo. That position is meant for my son, not for a bastard daughter like her." She gritted her teeth as she glares intensely outside her window.

It was really her bad luck to marry a man who continued to have illicit affairs even after marriage. And what's more troublesome is that one of those infidelities resulted into the birth of his son's greatest enemy in the inheritance for DC Group. Unfortunately, she's the kind of woman that won't sit tight while her property is getting taken away by someone. She already lost her husband to a mistress before, this time he won't let anyone take the company away from his beloved son.