Chess Pieces Aftermath: Lucius D'Angelo

Chapter 16

Ada said that the owner considered hiring a guard but it has been over a month since she said that but the guard was nowhere to be seen. It was either the owner was lying or Ada was lying to keep me from bringing up that topic again.

But I don't think that Ada lied to me as I saw the truth in her eyes when she told me about it. I don't even think that she'll lie to me. So, I just assumed that it was the owner who didn't tell the truth.

I just couldn't help but get irritated and worried at the thought that Ada had a night shift alone in that café. It was dangerous for a woman like her to be alone at that time. Ayos lang sana kung may kasama s'ya, at least a guy, as there was someone who could protect her if a robbery broke in.

Why the hell did she even have a night shift? I don't think they even have rotating shift dahil sa ganoong oras ko lagi naaabutan si Ada sa café ever since the first time I went there. Ibig sabihin, matagal na ring ganoon ang shift n'ya.

The owner is fucking stupid to let Ada work at that time alone.

I was at the café again, watching Ada behind the counter as a customer tells her his order. She was all smiles while looking at him, repeating his order before she punched it into the machine. Halos gabi-gabi na akong pumupunta rito, watching over her as I was really worried something might happen.

Maybe... Maybe I was thinking about what happened with Angela. If I only get to properly watch her that time, to protect her, then maybe... we could've prevented what happened to her.

Am I being paranoid? Overprotective? Am I crossing the line here? Tama ba ang ginagawa kong 'to?

I groaned inwardly. Damn. If only the fucking owner would hire a guard, mapapatanag na sana ang loob ko.

Should I talk with the owner? O ako na lang kaya ang mag-hire ng guard para sa kanila?

"Okay ka lang?"

I looked at Ada. She was standing in front of me while holding that small tray, hugging it over her chest. I was sitting at my usual spot in the corner near the counter so I could always see her. It was almost midnight at that time and there were only two customers inside.

"Yeah, why?" I asked, looking up at her.

"Nakakunot kasi ang noo mo. Galit ka ba?"

"I'm pissed," pag-amin ko.

It was her turn to frown. Umupo pa s'ya sa harapan ko na para bang handang makinig sa problema ko. Like she always does.

"Bakit? Ano'ng problema?" she asked.

I stared at her. She was wearing her uniform. Her hair was in a bun, like usual. Sanay na akong makitang ganito ang ayos n'ya.

"Bakit hindi pa rin nagha-hire ng guard 'yung owner?" I asked. Hindi ko na naitago ang inis ko.

I saw her blink. Nagulat yata sa ipinakita kong inis. Maybe she was not used to seeing me pissed. I suddenly wondered what my image of her was inside her head. Like some grown-up and grieving man who is always in pain with the death of the love of his life?

Goddammit. That didn't sound cool. Maybe I should accept that I look lame in her eyes.

"Hindi ko alam," she said after a while. "Baka busy pa. O baka wala pang mahanap."

"That's bullshit. It has been over a month, Ada. Imposibleng wala pang nahahanap ang owner. There are so many agencies out there!"

"'Wag ka ngang magalit," mahinahong sabi n'ya sa kabila ng inis ko. "Okay nga lang kasi ako rito. Ilang taon na kong nagtatrabaho rito pero wala namang masamang nangyayari."