CHAPTER 4
1147 Words
NERIAH was sitting on a bench overlooking the River Thames when her phone finally rang. Hindi niya kasama si Lucien dahil may importante itong pinuntahan. Pero alam niyang may ka-business meeting ito.
Gumuhit ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi nang makita niya kung sino ang nasa caller ID.
“Kuya,” bati niya.
“The man you asked me to investigate,” Evron said without preamble. “I have it now.”
Mabilis na napaayos ng upo si Neriah. For the past few days, the name Lucien Hale Verdan had occupied an embarrassing amount of space in her thoughts. Not because he was handsome. Okay, maybe partly because he was handsome, but mostly because he was difficult to read.
And Neriah hated unsolved mysteries.
Isa pa, curious siya kung sino ba talaga si Lucien Hale Verdan.
“Tell me, Kuya.”
Bumuntong-hininga naman si Evron na nasa kabilang linya. The kind of sigh of an older brother who already knew he wasn’t going to like wherever this conversation was headed.
“His name is Lucien Hale Verdan.”
Neriah rolled her eyes. “I know that part, Kuya.”
Hindi pinansin ni Evron ang kapatid at nagpatuloy. “Twenty-six years old. Legitimate heir of the Verdan Group.”
Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Neriah. Though she doesn’t care about the business world and she doesn’t care for whose wealthy heirs and heiresses, this was bigger than she expected.
Alam niya ang tungkol sa Verdan Group.
The family rarely appeared in tabloids, rarely attended social events, and rarely sought public attention. Yet their influence stretched far beyond what most people realized. The truly powerful families rarely needed publicity.
But combining Laurent and Rios' names and wealth, mas malawak pa rin ang connection ng pamilya niya.
“Heir, huh?”
“Hindi lang siya tagapagmana, Neriah. He’s the heir.”
Neriah whistled softly. “Wow.”
“The Verdan Group controls significant interests in logistics, private security, investments, and several international partnerships.”
“You’re making him sound like a corporation.”
“That’s because everything I found relates to the corporation.”
Kumunot ang noo ni Neriah. “Anong ibig mong sabihin, Kuya?”
“It means there isn’t much information about Lucien himself.”
Neriah’s eyes looked far away. “What?”
“There’s information about his education, business records, public appearances, and company reports. But almost nothing personal.” Sabi ni Evron.
Mas lalong dumoble ang curiosity ni Neriah. “Talaga, Kuya? His friends? Relationships? Interest or something?”
“Yep.”
Napaisip si Neriah. Lucien seemed to exist only in official records—like a man who had spent his entire life being observed without ever being known.
“That’s strange.”
“I thought so too.”
Napatitig si Neriah sa ilog. The Lucien she knew wasn’t cold. Reserved, yes. Quiet, definitely. But not empty. There was something beneath that polished exterior. Something carefully hidden. Pero sa mga emosyon na nakikita niya kay Lucien, hindi katulad sa kaniya na talagang pinag-aralan niya kung paano itago ang kaniyang emosyon sa lahat ng oras, maliban na lamang kung kasama niya ang kaniyang pamilya.
Pero si Lucien…
Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Neriah. Now she wanted to know even more.
“Ano pang nalaman mo, Kuya?” Tanong ni Neriah.
“Nothing concerning. He has a clean reputation.”
Natawa si Neriah. “That’s suspicious.”
Evron just hummed. “Lucien had a half-brother. And now, his half-brother was the one managing the Verdan Group.”
Hindi umimik si Neriah. Realization hit her. “Wealthy families are really…” napailing siya. “…complicated.”
“Except us,” mabilis na wika ni Evron.
Neriah agreed with her brother. Yeah, indeed. Though they belonged to a wealthy family, both of their parents raised them well.
But as for Lucien, nobody from powerful families escaped controversy that easily. Either Lucien was extraordinarily disciplined or extraordinarily protected.
Possibly both.
Sumandal si Neriah sa bench.
A smile slowly appeared on her lips. “Interesting.”
On the other end of the call, Evron could practically hear his sister’s thinking. At hindi niya ‘yun gusto. Kilala niya ang tono na ‘yun ng kapatid niya. Narinig na niya ito dati. It was the sound Neriah made whenever she became fascinated by something.
Or someone.
“Neriah.”
“Hm?”
“Are you interested in him?”
Hindi na nagulat si Neriah sa tanong ng kaniyang Kuya Evron. The question was blunt. Straightforward. It was really her brother.
Pero tumawa lang si Neriah. Not denying it, and not confirming it immediately either.
Tiningnan niya ang mga larawang naka-store sa kaniyang camera. Several of them happened to feature one annoyingly handsome, frustratingly mysterious man.
“Hmm…”
Evron groaned. That answer was enough. “Yeah,” he answered the question himself. Muli na lamang siyang napabuntong-hininga. The sigh of an older brother accepting defeat before the battle even started.
“Neriah.”
“Yes, Kuya?”
“You’re an adult now. You know what’s right and wrong.”
“I know.”
Evron’s voice softened. Not because he doubted her, but because he cared deeply for his sister. “Just make sure you won’t lose your own dignity.”
Nawala ang mapang-asar na ngiti sa labi ni Neriah. The teasing smile was replaced with warmth because, beneath all of her brother’s warnings, investigation, and protective instinct, he trusted her.
“Yes, Kuya.”
“I mean it, Neriah.” Seryosong sabi ni Evron. “Don’t lower your standards for anyone.”
“I won’t, Kuya.”
“Not even him.”
Ngumiti si Neriah. “No worries, Kuya.” Aniya sa malambing na boses. Her tone was confident. “If he wants to be part of my story…” Gumuhit ang isang ngisi sa kaniyang mukha. “He’ll have to earn his place in it.”
Umismid si Evron. “Good,” sabi niya. “Although somehow I think he’s the one in danger.”
Tumawa lang naman ng mahina si Neriah.
Evron couldn’t disagree with his own assessment. After all, very few people survived becoming the object of Neriah Autumn Laurent Rios’s curiosity.
Kapagkuwan, tiningnan niya ang folder na nasa kaniyang harapan kung saan nakalagay ang lahat ng nalaman niya tungkol kay Lucien Hale Verdan. He holds one of the most advanced intelligence in the world. Malalaman niya ang gusto niyang malaman.
Even Lucien’s personal life—the exact kind of life he experienced in all of those years.
But he chose not to tell it to his sister.
It was not his story to tell.
Though he investigated him, he respects his privacy. Bahala na rin si Neriah na umalam sa personal na buhay ng isang Lucien Hale Verdan.
And he knew, with his sister’s personality, she would find it out on her own who Lucien Hale Verdan really was.
- Writer
