Lethal Numbers Series 1: Four, the Number of Affection

2

There stood, Señor Tristan Russ Montemayor.

"Didn't you read what's written on the door?" He asked, serious. But Tristan being Tristan, nginisian lang s'ya ng nito.

"No, I didn't. I forgot how to read." Tristan replied with his usual playful tone, that made him look at him sharply. Kailan ba n'ya makakausap ng matino ang loko? He muttered to himself, inwardly.

"Here's the things you need-" Tristan stopped mid-sentence.

They both turned their gaze to the woman who just walked into the office uninvited.

He stared at her and d*mn, he can't f*cking pull away. H*ll.

She looked at Tristan, then she looked at him with soft, unguarded eyes.

His gaze met her's, innocent, calm and curious. Her eyes like a child's seeing something new. She titled her head slightly.

For the first time in his life, he could not read nor foresee what was hiding behind those innocent eyes.

Her gaze was light and fragile, but he knew behind the softness of those beautiful eyes hides sharp edges.

Who is she?

"She's with me." Maagap na hinila ni Tristan ang dalaga sa likuran nito. Of course, to hide her... from him... he secretly smirked to what his friend did. It's his first time seeing Tristan being so protective of a woman.

Mula sa likuran ni Tristan ay sumilip ang dalaga, dahilan upang magtamang muli ang mga mata nila.

She shyly smiled at him, unaware of the effect of that f*ckin' smile. Her long, black curly hair cascading over her shoulders, framing her angelic face. Too beautiful to be even true. She looked like an angel who lost her way to heavens.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't mean to-" He slightly titled his head to see her more clearly, coz Tristan is still blocking her from him.

"It's fine." He declared. Kumunot ang noo ni Tristan sa sinabi n'ya, Tristan knew, he will never say such words to someone who just barged in his office.

"Let's go home." Tristan's voice drop, cold and serious. At saka nito ibinato sa kanya ang mga files na hawak nito sa kanya, sinalo n'ya ang mga dokumento at walang emosyong pinanonood ang pagkaladkad ni Tristan sa dalaga.

He let out a mocking smile, he picked up his phone, and dialed a number. Wala pang ilang segundo nang sumagot ang nasa kabilang linya.

"There's someone I need you to look into." His voice came through, low and calm.

"Name?" Xane asked from the other line. Her name? He leaned back in his chair.

"Check the CCTV. I want her background, every record you can find." Napabaling s'ya sa labas ng bintana. He's curious, beside Ynah Lei Estandian, hindi n'ya alam na may iba pang babaeng ganoon na lang kung ingatan ni Tristan.

He's really curious. Her eyes' too innocent, it's giving him the unsettling feeling that something's not right.

"Alright, just a sec." Xane answered.

His fingers started to drum slightly against the polished wood of his table, then he started to count in his head. 8... 9... 10... 11.. 12... 13... 14...

"Gotcha." Xane. 14 seconds. Too slow.

"Fourien Herrera, twenty-six. Mother, Florita Montemayor. Father, Lorenzo Herrera. A distant relative of Sir Tristan. They've lived in San Isidro since Lorenzo married Florita and never left. When Fourien was sixteen, they had a car accident... both parents died. Only their daughter survived. She lived alone since then and came back to San Elde Puente last month to visit her distant relatives. Specifically, Sir Tristan." Xane paused.