Faking It (Published)

Chapter 25 - The Betrayal.

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Pababa na mula sa taxi si Roxanne ng may mapansin sya'ng babae na mataman na nakatingin sa kanya. Hindi ito pamilyar sa kanya, napaka puti at ang weird ng suot nito.

She doesn't look like a Filipina at all. Napaka puti nito at matangos ang ilong, marahil ay naglalaro sa late thirties or early forties ang edad nito.

Nang makababa na sya ay nagmamadali sya'ng naglakad papunta sa gate ng opisina nila. Ang creeyp tumingin ng babae.

Lalo pa sya'ng nagulat ng salubungin sya nito.

"The baby! Where is the baby?"

Tanong nito sa kanya.

"H-ha?"

"The baby! R-raven, yes! Where is the baby?" Malagom ang boses nito at may accent.

"What? Raven? Sino ka?" Kinabahan sya bigla.

"The baby! Where is the baby! He is in danger!" Tila hindi ito mapakali.

She froze after hearing what the old woman said. "P-po? Sino po ba kayo?" Ipinilig nya ang ulo. "I'm sorry. Who are you? Why do you know Raven?"

Tumigil na sa pangungulit ang babae at huminga ng malalim. "I am the baby's governess. I brought him to Philippines to be safe. I know you, I saw you take him."

"What? Then why didn't you take him? We were looking for his parents!" She exclaimed.

"No, no. You don't understand." Luminga linga ito na tila may pinag tataguan. "We go to another place, not here."

Napatingin sya sa relo nya. Male late na sya. Nagpasya sya na magtext na lang na hindi sya papasok. Mukhang marami silang pag uusapan ng babae.

Sinama nya sa isa'ng kainan na wala masyado'ng tao ang babae. Tila hindi pa rin ito mapakali. Panay ang lingon nito na tila anytime ay may susunod sa kanila.

"Listen. Raven is a son of a guy with mafia connections. He was gonna sell him so I tried to keep him safe."

"What? M-mafia connection?"

"Y-yes. You listen carefully. The guy that you are with when I put the baby in the cart, I know him. That's why I looked for him."

"Si Nikko? Why? How did you know him?"

"He's Raven's father's brother. I know him."

"That's impossible. Nikko is an only child."

Umiling iling ang matanda. "No. They look alike. And I saw his picture in our house in Paris."

"P-paris? You are from Paris?"

Tumango ang babae. "W-were is the baby?"

"W-we put him in a home. Why did you just told me this now?" Naguguluhan sya. Paanong may kapatid si Nikko eh ang alam nya, nag iisang anak ito?

"They know I have the baby. If they find me, they should not find the baby. And now I am still hiding."

"S-so what are we going to do?" Kinilabutan na rin sya. Mafia? Sa pelikula pa lang alam nya nakung gaano nakakatakot ang mga ito.

"I keep in touch. Give me your number."

"No, give me your number." She insisted.

Mabuti na lang at hindi na sya pumasok. Pupuntahan nya si Nikko at kakausapin tungkol sa sinabi ng babae.