Bewitched By You (After All Side Story)

Chapter 17

Nagkatitigan kami ni Christian nang tuluyan na siyang makapasok sa loob ng opisina ni Mrs. Smith. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit bigla akong nakaramdam ng kaba sa dibdib ko gayong wala naman akong kasalanan na ginawa. Malinis ang kunsensya ko kahit saang aspeto tingnan.

Or maybe, I just don't like the idea of seeing him here. Pakiramdam ko, wala pa man ay nakumpirma niya na sa isip niyang ako ang nagnakaw. Na hindi niya na kailangan pa ng eksplenasyon ko.

"Good thing you're here, Mr. Ricaforte. This employee of yours-"

"Are you okay?" Christian suddenly asked that question while walking towards my direction.

Hindi ako nakasagot. Iniisip kung tama ba ang narinig ko. Hindi niya inaalis ang tingin sa akin at nang makarating sa mismong harapan ko ay hinawakan niya ang siko ko.

Ako ba ang kausap niya? Sandali, kung ako man... bakit ganoon ang klase ng tanong niya sa akin? Isn't he going to accuse me like what I have expected? Nakilala niya ako sa ganoong paraan, hindi ba at normal lang na isipin niyang ninakaw ko nga 'yon?

Hindi ako nakasagot. Titig na titig lang ako sa mga mata niya. He's staring back at me, worry was etched on those gray orbs.

I shook my head and whispered, "I didn't do it."

He nodded his head and bit his lower lip. "We'll prove it to them. Don't worry."

Hindi pa rin pumapasok sa kukote ko na ganoon ang naging reaksyon ni Christian sa nangyayari ngayon. He even ignored the woman who's accusing me as if her rants weren't that important.

Hinarap ni Christian ang mga naroon. Mrs. Smith was giving me a questioning look. Siguradong nagtataka siya kung bakit ganoon na lang ang pakikitungo ni Christian sa akin.

"Have you already seen the CCTV footage?" Christian directed that question to Mrs. Smith.

"Not yet. But Miss Margo have already seen it on the CCTV Department-"

"And she saw Miss Formilles steal the earrings?"

Margo and the man she's with looked at each other. Tumungo iyong lalaki samantalang si Margo ay nag-iwas ng tingin. However, she still managed to raise her head and looked at Christian with braveness.

"I didn't see it with my own eyes but she's the only one who cleaned that room! It's impossible that she didn't see it!" pilit pa rin niya.

Bumuntong hininga ako. Ang kulit rin talaga ng babaeng ito.

"Ask the CCTV department to show me the footage right now."

"I already asked the head, Mr. Ricaforte." Mrs. Smith answered.

As if on cue, few knocks from the door got our attention. Bumukas iyon at iniluwa ang isang kalbo na lalaki. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, siya ang head ng CCTV department. He had a laptop on his hand.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Ricaforte." he greeted formally.

Isang tango lang ang isinagot ni Christian. The man immediately looked down upon seeing the darkness in Christian's eyes. Dali-dali itong pumasok.

Agad na inilapag nung lalaki ang laptop niya sa ibabaw ng table ni Mrs. Smith. Lumapit ako roon, nasa tabi ako ni Christian. I was biting my nails as I wait for the the man to settle the laptop. May ilan pa siyang pinipindot dito kaya naman medyo natagalan pa.

Few minutes passed and the exact scene where I got inside the room played in the screen. Kitang-kita kung paanong simpleng paglilinis lang ang ginawa ko. I even saw the center table Margo was talking about. Yumuko ako roon at pinunasan ito.