Chapter 34

*Darwin’s POV*

 

“Wow…”

            Kevin only chuckled softly. While me…I was mind-blown what happened to the two. To them.

            Love indeed moves in a mysterious way—and in the most unexpected times.

            Gyzell might be a bitch. But even a snake has a beating heart, every creature has one to be frank.

            I immediately halted when my phone lit up, and I looked at who the caller was.

            Speaking of the devil, it was Gyzell. 

            “Hello?” I answered, because I have no choice but to answer especially when Kevin is staring at me as if to say ‘answer it, bro’.    

            “Darwin…” Her voice seems to be deeper, peculiar than usual. Like the voice of someone who just recently cried. “Where’s Kevin?”

            “Where’s Ke-Oh…” For heaven’s sake, this was Kevin’s phone. That’s why he looks at me as if he’s going to devour me for answering his call. Not what I thought.

            “Here.” I spoke in a voiceless manner and he immediately grabbed the phone and answered her.

            I should buy another phone, one that isn’t identical to my bestfriend.

            “Gyzell…” Kevin kept on repeating her name. In fact, that’s his only answer.

            Does he know any other words other than muttering her name?

            Kevin put down the phone for what seemed to be after five minutes. Even though I’m not a psychologist, I can see on his face the confusion and…delight. His eyes are grinning, there’s no doubt about that. But his lips are pursed. It’s like he wants to say something to me, but he couldn’t—or perhaps wouldn’t.

            Hesitation is clear as a diamond on his face.

            “What is it?” I’m the one who pushed him to talk. “Say something.”

            “I…” Kevin shook his head. “This is not a perfect place. This is not a good mood to talk about this.”

            “About what?” Persistence wouldn’t leave my body, my mind.

            “Darwin…” It’s like he is begging. No, Kevin is indeed begging. But for what? What is he hesitant to say? What did Gyzell tell him?

            “She asked me to meet her tomorrow at noon, during lunchtime.”

            “Sounds like a date,” I didn’t make myself visibly happy for Kevin. But I don’t know why I’m not at peace knowing this girl, his girl, is Gyzell—the woman who made me drunk so that she can fucked me.

            I wonder if she did it out of her desire or if it’s an order from Jocelyn.

            “Gyzell told me something important too, something that you should and should not know.”

            “So Gyzell told you two things?”

            “No.” The waitress finally laid the bill on our table. Kevin waited—we waited—for the waitress to reach a distance from us before he resumed speaking.

            “It’s just one thing she told me about…” he then took a deep, five-second breathe. “…about Derrick.”

            I see. I see why he’s skeptical to talk about what Gyzell told him. It seems that we’re talking about something that we shouldn’t be talking—we should never discuss. I hated to discuss things that pertain to my late brother, especially when I’m going to marry his fiancee soon.

            Death is a natural thing. But Derrick’s mysterious, unexpected departure is another thing. One that still keeps me thinking every night. I know there’s something off about his demise. I’m not a detective. I’m just a hot, easily jealous CEO and billionaire who certainly knows how to spot a difference. 

            A difference between natural and odd. An accident that seemed to be never an accident. 

            “Tell me then.” I pushed down a glass of water on my throat to avoid it being dry upon hearing what Gyzell may have told Kevin. “I insist, brother.” There, that was a plea from my own lips to him.

            “So be it,” stated Kevin.

            Fixing himself, and waiting for the pop music to be replaced by an instrumental one, I braced myself.

            And Kevin opened his mouth.

            “Derrick’s death wasn’t an accident.”

 

***

*Gyzell’s POV*




A family is indeed the greatest gift for an eight-year-old orphan like me.

            Sitting here on the sandy beach while I watched my half-brother, Lushan, I smiled.

            My constant wishing under the sea of stars every night hasn’t gone to a waste after all.

            The weather is nice and sunny. Serene if you're going to ask me. Makes me want to close my eyes for a time to feel the soothing ambience of this island, bought by my dad and his wife.

            “Have you eaten, darling?” I looked up to see an unfamiliar face of a woman. I glanced at Dad’s wife and one can easily tell that they don’t have similar features.

            I’m small and petite. Well, thin might be a more exact word but since I’m now in the upper class family, it seems using the word ‘petite’ is more pleasant to one’s ears.

            I totally agree.

            She was still smiling when I returned my attention to her. “Are you a relative of dad?”

            She laughed. I don’t know what’s funny about what I said. “No, dearest. I’m your mother’s stepsister, Jocelyn.”

            “Oh…” That’s why she’s unfamiliar. And judging on her looks, she looks unfriendly and nasty.

            Yes, she’s beautiful. She has the body that I often see in magazines brought by my late mother from the store where she works. Most of the magazines are a decade old that haven't been sold. Honestly, it looks more like the clothes that I receive from my generous friends and neighbors are less torn and more presentable than the magazines my mother bought.

            But I still read it though. Well, not really ‘read’ it. I just looked at lavish necklaces and million-dollar cars that I’d be happy to just see and touch as I know it’s wholly impossible to own and have things like that in my life—for a destitute earthling like me.

            But when dad brought me to the Angeles mansion, it’s a miracle. Like a fairy tale that I always wished to be true, despite my father’s wife’s grumpy face every time she sees me.

            But I can endure that. As long as I’m in the walls of a mansion that consists of dazzling designs and thousand-dollar furniture that can only be bought by people whose money exceeds ordinary people’s lifetime savings.

            Money is definitely the emblem of success.

            I shook my head at the woman and she offered me her juice that I saw earlier that she left uncovered.

            “No, thanks. I’ll grab my own.”

            I didn’t mind the narrowing of her eyes.

            I was eating sandwich at the table when Jocelyn grabbed me by the hair and I look like a fish out of water on the sandy seashore. The sandwich fell right onto my face. The juice have stained the dress that my mother had sewn for me for my last year’s birthday.

            “How dare you steal from me, you pathetic pig!”

            “What’s going on Jocelyn?” I could clearly see the confused look of my father, while his wife was filled with rage.

            “This girl of yours stole my 100$ bill from my wallet!”

            My head could’ve broken due to my repeated shaking of my head. “I didn't, I swear!”

            “Liar!” Jocelyn slapped me so hard that I almost choked on the sandwich I’m still chewing.

            I thought my father would defend me just this time. Just this time, even if he didn’t fight for me and my mother back when we were still living in the slums.

            But he didn’t.

            I was never able to eat anything that evening. Even the days that come. I was only locked and forced to clean Jocelyn's room.

Jocelyn is the kind of woman who only accepts yes for an answer. She’s a kind of woman who never accepts no for an answer. Just like when I say no to her, she can easily make-up things that will prove me filthy to everyone’s eyes.

            And if you ever say no to her, you better run away or face her wrath.

            I knew from that day that I only had myself to rely on. But thank heavens, Lushan sneak me food every night and during Jocelyn’s afternoon sleep or her afternoon sex time with men.

            I will endure this. If I need to sleep with pigs and share their smell upon sitting on the breakfast table, I’ll endure all of those.

            Just don’t throw me back on poverty’s arms.