Bitter Tastes With You (Delgado Series #1)

CHAPTER 08

As I arrived home at my condo, I was surprised to find the door unlocked. A sense of unease crept over me as I cautiously stepped inside, my heart pounding with apprehension.

To my surprise, Noah was already inside, waiting for me with a solemn expression on his face. My shock deepened as I realized that he must have let himself in.

"Noah, what are you doing here?" I asked, my voice tinged with concern.

Noah turned to face me, his features grave. "We need to talk, Blake," he said, his tone urgent.

I felt a knot form in my stomach as I braced myself for whatever news Noah had to share. With a sense of foreboding, sinundan ko siya sa sala, my mind racing with questions and fears about what was to come.

"Take this," he said, handing me a flash dri. "Put this into Gabriel's laptop. Do this as soon as you can," he instructed.

"What is this?" I asked, looking at it in my hands.

He raised his brows. "Blake, just don't ask any more questions. Will you do it? No, I mean, do it," he said.

I nodded. "Is that all? You can leave now," I said, turning my head away from him.

"Pinapaalis muna ako. You didn't miss me at all?" He said, trying to be cute, though failing.

I gave him a weird look. He laughed, not too loudly.

"Fine, fine, I'll leave now. Bye, Blake, I'll visit you again" he said, waving at me as I headed to the door and locked it.

How did he get in anyway? I'm now looking at the flash drive in my hand, trying to think of a way to put this into Gabriel's laptop.

As I settled onto the couch, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, as if unseen eyes were scrutinizing my every move. The condo, once a sanctuary, now felt like a trap, closing in on me with each passing moment.

Kinuha ko naman ang telepono ko, hesitating before dialing Gabriel's number. Would reaching out to him be a mistake? Noah's warning echoed in my mind, urging me to proceed with caution. But a part of me couldn't shake the desire to unravel the mysteries that surrounded Gabriel, to discover the truth behind his enigmatic demeanor.

With a deep breath, I pushed aside my doubts and pressed the call button. The phone rang once, twice, before Gabriel's voice filled the line.

"Blake, is everything alright?" His voice, smooth and composed, washed over me, momentarily soothing my nerves.

Panicked, I hung up. Secondhand embarrassment washed over me as I quickly ran to my room and buried myself in the pillows.

"Bobo ka, Ivan Blake, why did you call and hang up? Papansin ka ba?" I said, punching the bed.

Feeling foolish, I buried my face deeper into the pillows, trying to hide from my own embarrassment. Why did I let my nerves get the best of me? Gabriel's concern was genuine, and yet I couldn't bring myself to speak to him.

After a moment, I heard a soft knock on my dorm door. Reluctantly, I lifted my head and saw someone unexpected - Gabriel standing in the doorway, a concerned expression on his face.

"Blake, are you okay? What happened?" he asked worriedly, placing a hand on my shoulder and checking if something was wrong while I stood there in shock.

"Sir, what are you doing here?" I asked, confused.

"I thought something bad happened to you, that's why I came," he explained.

"Nothing happened, sir. You can go home now. I'm really sorry for the disturbance," I apologized.

"It's fine. I'll get going," he said before leaving. I felt even more embarrassed about my actions.

"Wala ka na talagang nagawang tama Ivan Blake Bautista," I said to myself.

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