Dangerous Solace

CHAPTER 2

NERIAH sat crossed-legged on the edge of her hotel bed. The photographs she had taken earlier that day were displayed on her laptop screen—street performers, a building, a little girl feeding pigeons, a sleeping dog, and several photographs of a certain man.

Mahinang bumuntong-hininga si Neriah habang nakatingin sa mga larawan ni Lucien. Kapagkuwan, napatitig siya sa isang larawan ng binata. Lucien hadn’t noticed she was taking it.

In the picture, Lucien had been looking out over the city, unaware that the camera was pointed in his direction.

Nakita ni Neriah ang isang bagay na tinaktakpan ng binata. She captured something beneath his polished exterior.

Loneliness.

Seeing that emotion behind his calm demeanor, alam ni Nylah na may tinatago si Lucien.

So, she became curious about him.

Minsan ng nasabi ni Lucien na hindi maayos ang relasyon niya sa pamilya.

And sometimes, those people who were not on good terms with their own family, suffer.

Because she noticed it. Lucien was calm in everything, even when arguing with her. In his eyes, she saw an emotion that was hiding beneath his calm exterior—sadness, helplessness, and fear. A man who needed someone to accompany him. But when he smiles, his eyes turn brighter.

Problem came? Curiosity.

Maraming katanungan si Neriah sa kaniyang isipan.

She likes Lucien.

At kapag gusto niya ang isang tao, gusto niyang malaman ang pagkatao nito.

“Investigating is about curiosity, right?” Neriah muttered to herself before she reached for her phone.

A few moments later, the call connected.

“Hello?”

Lumitaw ang ngiti sa kaniyang mukha. “Kuya.”

On the other end, Evron Rios leaned back in his office chair. “Neriah,” aniya sa kalmadong boses, “What did you break this time?”

“Nothing.”

“That answer makes me nervous, my dear little sister.”

Tumawa si Neriah. “Bakit sa tuwing tatawag ako, kinakabahan ka, Kuya?”

“Because you’re my sister.”

Neriah pouted.

“Anong kailangan mo?” tanong ni Evron. Straight to the point. Siyempre, ano pa nga bang dahilan kung bakit tumawag ang kapatid niya? Of course, she needs something.

Neriah twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “I need a favor, Kuya.”

“No,” tugon ni Evron, hindi pa man niya naririnig ang sasabihin ng kaniyang kapatid.

“Hindi mo pa nga naririnig kung ano ‘yon.”

Evron shakes his head. “The fact that you’re asking means it’s trouble,” he said. Neriah was an independent and capable woman. At kapag hihingi man ito ng tulong sa pamilya, siguradong hindi nito kayang solusyon ang kinakaharap nitong problema kung anuman ‘yon.

“It’s not trouble, Kuya.”

Evron was half-believing, half-doubting. “Neriah.”

“Okay, maybe a little.”

Napabuntong-hininga na lamang ang nakatatandang kapatid ni Neriah.

That familiar sound made Neriah grin. Then she finally asked. “Kuya, I need you to investigate someone for me.”

“Sino?” tanong ni Evron.

Sinulyapan ni Neriah ang larawan ni Lucien. The image on her screen seemed to stare back at her. Lucien was just like her father and eldest brother when it came to a calm and composed personality. They were unreadable. And it was the exact reason why she was calling, asking for help.

“I don’t know his full name, Kuya. But I’ll send you his picture.”

Hindi agad sumagot si Evron na nasa kabilang linya. Tiningnan pa niya ang screen ng kaniyang phone para siguruhin na ang pangalan ng kapatid niyang babae ang naroon at ito talaga ang kausap niya.

“He?” Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Evron. “Who is he?”

It was a simple question, yet Neriah found herself hesitating because honestly, she didn’t know.

Not really.

Alam niya ang pangalan nito, not his surname.

She knew he was hiding something, but she knew she couldn’t stop thinking about him. And she didn’t know who he truly was.

A smile tugged her lips. “Can’t tell you, Kuya.”

“Neriah.”

“Seryoso ako.”

“Bakit hindi mo puwedeng sabihin sa akin?”

“Dahil hindi ko alam.”

Hindi inaasahan ni Evron na iyon ang sagot ng kapatid niya. “You want me to investigate a man whose identity you don’t know?”

“Exactly.”

Evron pinched the bridge of his nose. The Black Lotus intelligence team would soon be receiving another unusual assignment because of his younger sister.

Again.

Napailing na lamang siya. “You met a stranger.”

“Yes.”

“At gusto mo ng full background check.”

“Correct, Kuya.”

“That’s concerning, Neriah.”

Tumawa lang naman si Neriah. “You can’t blame me, Kuya. Your Black Lotus had a deeper connection in the intelligence world.”

And that was right, her eldest brother, the Chief of Black Lotus Evron Aiden Laurent-Rios, his connection stretched farther than most people realized.

If her eldest brother wanted to find someone, he could find them without leaving his chair.

“You realize that Black Lotus was built to handle actual threats.”

“And this is a threat,” giit ni Neriah.

“Neriah.”

“A threat to my peace of mind, Kuya.”

Napailing na lamang si Evron. “Send me his picture.”

Gumuhit ang malawak na ngiti sa labi ni Neriah saka ipinadala ang larawan ni Lucien sa kaniyang Kuya Evron.

Later, the picture appeared on Evron’s screen.

Kumunot ang noo ni Evron nang makita niya ang larawang ipinadala ng kaniyang kapatid. “What the hell…” he muttered.

“Bakit, Kuya?” tanong ni Neriah mula sa kabilang linya.

Evron leaned back on his chair. “I know his name and his family. But only the basic information.” Bumuntong-hininga siya. “Neriah, tell me honestly, why do you want to know about him?”

Neriah chuckled. “I’m interested in him, Kuya.”

Nawalan ng imik si Evron. Kilala niya ang kapatid niyang babae. She was reckless, but when it came to something or someone she was interested in, she became careful.

Evron sighed again. “His name was Lucien Hale Verdan,” he said.

The Verdan family wasn’t exactly unknown among powerful circles. Their influence was quiet, but their reputation was complicated.

“One last question, Neriah… are you sure about this?”

“Yes, Kuya.”

“Okay. I’ll look into it.”

“Thank you, Kuya.” A victorious smile appeared on Neriah’s face. “Love you, Kuya.”

And the line disconnected before Evron could speak.

Evron stared at the phone and shook his head.

“Lucien Hale Verdan…” he muttered. “Ano ba ang nakita sa ‘yo ng kapatid ko para maging interesado siya sa ‘yo?”

And somewhere in London, completely unaware of the storm quietly gathering around him, Lucien continued living his life.

Not knowing that a curious woman with a camera had just asked the Chief of a formidable underground organization in the world to investigate him… simply because she wanted to know more about him.