Falling for Her Shadows

CHAPTER 24

THE CITY was quiet when Ashriel drove to Gael’s condo that night. The building was sleek and modern, glass panels reflecting the glow of the streetlights below. It was already late — nearly midnight — but he knew Gael would still be awake. Kagagaling niya lang din sa opisina at sa condo ng kaibigan siya dumeretso.

Nang bumukas ang elevator, agad niyang tinungo ang condo unit ni Gael.

Gael opened the door before Ashriel could even knock.

“Well, well,” Gael drawled, a smirk tugging at his lips. “The mighty president of Rios Group visits my condo. It’s an honor. But that’s rare. Did the stock market break your heart, or is this about a woman?”

Bago pa man makapagsalita si Ashriel, muling nagsalita si Gael.

“My girlfriend isn’t here, so you can come in and I will give you satisfactory service.” Gael even wiggled his hips while grinning.

“Satisfactory service?” Ashriel gave Gael a deadpan look when he realized what his friend meant, and then he rolled his eyes. “Shut your wordings, Gael. Baka iba ang isipan ng ibang tao kapag marinig nila. One more thing, I’m not into men.”

“Well, wala namang ibang tao rito. Tayong dalawa lang.” Natatawang sabi ni Gael.

“Bakit ba naging kaibigan kita?” Bahagyang naiinis na wika ni Ashriel.

“Bukod kay Kaisen na nakakainis minsan. I’m one of the people who could tolerate your indifferent face.” Sabi ni Gael at mukhang proud pa.

Pumasok si Ashriel sa loob ng condo ng kaibigan kahit pa hindi pa siya nito pinapapasok. He shrugged off his coat and sat on the couch with a tired exhale. “Coffee,” he said flatly.

Nagtaas ng kilay si Gael pero hindi siya nakipag-argumento kay Ashriel.

A few minutes later, Gael handed Ashriel a steaming mug and took the opposite seat. “So, who is she?” he asked, grinning. “Is she the one Kaisen was talking about before?”

“Bakit ba ang dami mong tanong?” wika ni Ashriel.

Gael chuckled as he leaned back on his chair. “Come on, man. Alam kong hindi ka pupunta rito kapag wala kang sasabihin.”

Ashriel’s fingers tightened on the handle of the cup, while his eyes fixed on the dark liquid as if it might give him answers. “What would you do,” he began slowly, “if the woman you like isn’t the woman you think she is?”

“Ah,” Gael said softly. “So, it is about a woman.” He stared at Ashriel, studying him. “Teka lang, bago ko sagutin ang tanong mo. Sagutin mo muna ang tanong ko.” Gael leaned forward. “Kayo na ba?”

Ashriel stared at the mug. “No.”

“No?” Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Gael.

“I’m pursuing her.”

Napatango si Gael. Then he asked, “You mean she’s lying to you?”

“Maybe hiding,” Ashriel corrected. Wala pa naman silang relasyon ni Nylah kaya hindi niya masasabing nagsisinungaling ito sa kaniya. Nylah had the right to lie to him about whatever that was.

“Hiding what?”

Ashriel was silent for a moment. His mind flashed with images — Nylah’s calm smile, her protective stance for Evron, the way she’d moved that night when she found those thugs like it was nothing, and the effortless move she had.

Sumunod naman si Elise Moreau. Her visit to Nylah, the familiarity between them, and the way Elise looks and speaks with Nylah — it was respectful.

Umiling si Ashriel.

Gael chuckled softly. “You like her that much?” tanong niya saka humigop ng kape.

Napatingin si Ashriel kay Gael. “Paano mo nasabi?”

“You’re protecting her.” Wika ni Gael. “The way you speak carefully, and I asked you, what was she hiding, but you didn’t answer. That means, you were already protecting her before even you could speak.”

Ashriel let out a short, humorless laugh. Ibinaba niya ang hawak na mug sa maliit na mesa saka napasandal sa backrest ng sofa. “It’s not supposed to be like that. I know I wasn't supposed to get involved. It only started with a coffee, but then I found myself coming back the next day. I thought at first it was just about coffee. Then I realized, my attention was already caught by the woman behind the counter. She and her son make me feel at peace. And that’s rare.”

Nawala ang ngisi ni Gael sa kaniyang labi. “Peace isn’t a crime, man.”

“But ignorance is,” Ashriel shot back.

“Are you scared?”

Natigilan si Ashriel. “What do you mean…scared? Me?”

Tumango si Gael. “Yeah,” he said. “Because for once, you actually care. And that makes her dangerous—not because of who she is, but because she has the power to shake your walls before she could even speak.”

Hindi agad nakasagot si Ashriel.

Gael folded his arms. “Ashriel, kilala kita. You always investigate things, someone, before you make a deal with them—”

“But Nylah is not a deal.” Sabi ni Ashriel. “She’s not a business.”

Ngumiti si Gael. “Looks like it was not only a simple like anymore,” he muttered. “Okay. She’s not if she’s not. But ask yourself, if someday you find out that she’s not the woman you think she is, will it change how you look at her, or will it just change how you look at yourself?”

Napatitig si Ashriel kay Gael. He was processing what his friend had said. May point naman ito. Kung sakali nga na malaman niya na may mas malalim pang pagkatao si Nylah, will his mind and heart change?

The answer… Ashriel remembered the days he was with Nylah and Evron. Besides his parents, Nylah and Evron were the other people who could make him feel at home.

“Man, will you investigate her?” Gael asks, breaking the silence. “Ikaw na rin ang nagsabi, she is not a business. And if you’re really serious about her, just be sincere. Be genuine. Sincerity is the best you can offer other than your money.” Seryoso niyang saad. “That’s the best advice I can give you.”

Biglang umilaw ang cellphone ni Ashriel na nakapatong sa maliit na lamesa. He saw Nylah and Evron’s picture as his wallpaper. Yes, he had already made them his wallpaper.

Napailing naman si Gael nang makita ang screen ng cellphone ni Gael. “Hindi ko na kailangang tanungin. Hulog na hulog ka na talaga.”

“Is it a bad thing?”

Gael chuckled. “Love isn’t a bad thing, Ashriel.”

“Then, when will it become bad?” Ashriel asked innocently.

Ngumiti si Gael. “When it comes to love, you really are innocent, man. Pero sa tanong mo, ikaw na ang bahalang umalam. Wala ng thrill kapag sasabihin ko. You’re a grown-up man at maayos naman ang pagpapalaki sa ‘yo ni Tita Isabella. Plus, you’re smart. I’m sure you can find it out kahit hindi ko sabihin.”

Tahimik na tumango si Ashriel. Then he stood. “Thanks.”

“Anytime,” Gael replied. “Just don’t break her before you understand her.”

“Thanks again.”

“But does she like you back?” tanong ni Gael na siyang nagpatigil kay Ashriel.

Does Nylah like me, too? Ashriel thought.

“If she doesn’t like you back and you still like her after she tells you she doesn’t like you, get ready for a mental hospital. You’re going crazy.”

Hindi masyadong sineryos ni Ashriel ang sinabi ng kaibigan. He was already walking towards the door, waved his hand, and left.

Napailing naman si Gael nang sumara ang pinto ng condo unit niya. “He’s not the friend whom I knew before. He’s changed. And it was because of a woman.”

Gael chuckled again. “I win the bet, Kaisen.” He smirked.

He quickly typed on his phone. ‘I win the bet, Kaisen. Send the one million bets to my account.’

Meanwhile, Ashriel was on his way home, thinking of Nylah, and a smile formed on his lips. “Nylah Laurent… whoever you are. I’ll make sure you’ll become mine.”

At para magustuhan siya ni Nylah, wala naman sigurong masama kung akitin niya ito.

And that’s the plan Ashriel Rios came up with. To seduce Nylah Laurent.