1.1 ʟᴏᴠɪɴɢ ᴍᴀʏʜᴇᴍ | ✓

50 | all the world's a stage

F I F T Y | all the world's a stage—

C A P R I C E

The moment I had found out that there was possibly a connection between Alvarez's first wife and my boyfriend, my mind didn't stop ticking. I excused myself from the spacious cabin and went towards Indy's bedroom despite the worried looks he was giving me.

I stripped my clothes off, leaving my underwear on as I laid down on the soft bed. The scent of lavender engulfed me. I pulled up the duvet over my body and smirked at the black, white, and gold pattern on it.

Definitely Versace.

How did I manage to leave this behind?

A tear fell from my eye, causing me to bury my face in the linen sheets. I didn't know what to do. What if Colt turned out to be Alvarez's son? The odds were impossible. It was a one-in-a-million freak coincidence.

No way. Right?

I gnashed my teeth in anger. But what if it was true? What if it was Colt? How do I even begin to explain this to him? On top of that, I have been lying about my identity to him all this time.

Shit. Would things have been better if I followed Abuela's orders?

I dozed off with that thought seeping into my brain. The next second, I was opening my eyes to Indy's insistent shaking of my arm.

"Stop it. I'm awake," I muttered in a sleep-laced tone.

Indy clicked his tongue, shoving his wet hair backward. He stood up from the bed and threw me a paper bag. "Go shower before we land. Do you have a lead you want to follow?"

I sat up, clutching the bag to my chest. "The orphanage."

"What? What's that gotta do with Alvarez?"

"There's no record that Katrina Vásquez has a child but she was surrounded by children. I'm thinking that if she wants to adopt, it may be one of those children. There's an orphanage near her clinic, right?"

"Well, yes. But why did she need to hide the adoption?"

My fingers dug into my palms as I found more similarities between Colt and Alvarez's son. "You said he had dealings with the drug lords. It's not farfetched to say that Katrina wanted to get away from him."

Indiana frowned. "But they aren't even blood-related. Isn't that too much effort for someone you happened to pick up on the streets?"

"Really? You think that's impossible after how Aeon treated us like siblings?" I shot up from the bed and marched to the bathroom behind the bed. Irritation crawled at my skin. I knew what Indy wanted to say but still... Fuck.

I let the water cool my head for a minute before proceeding to take a bath. I opened the paper bag Indy had given me. Inside was a Balenciaga yellow buttoned-down cotton shirt and Levi's blue denim shorts. I couldn't stop thinking about how much this cost but I couldn't deny that I had missed dressing up without caring for the price.

We landed an hour later. My eyes blinked at the harsh light that both Indy and I put on our sunglasses. My best friend rented another car and we went deeper into the central area. Sandstone buildings surrounded us, gleaming white as the sun rose.

"Does the orphanage still exist?" I asked.

"No. But their records were left to the priest in charge," he replied, gesturing to the structure ahead of us. The Baroque style was evident in its elaborate design, twisting elements, and gilded statuary.

Indy parked the car outside the church. I winced as the harsh sunlight scorched my skin. My lips parted to complain when Indiana opened a black umbrella, effectively putting a shade on us.

Yep. I definitely missed being treated like a queen.

We walked past the main church and headed to the small building behind it. The rectory was a mix of old and modern. Brick walls and flat roofs made up the right side, intertwining with the smooth walls and gable roofs on the left.

There was no one inside the front hall when we entered. Indy closed the umbrella and told me to wait. He disappeared into one of the rooms to our left while I tried to calm myself. I failed and I ended up eyeing the pastel orange theme that composed the hall. From the color of the wall to the sofa set on the corner.

Indy came back a minute later. "Let's go. Father Orbus is upstairs."

I followed him towards the staircase where we were met with an open terrace. Potted plants were scattered here and there that gave the place a cleaner element.

An old man in a black clerical shirt with a tab collar, black trousers, and leather sandals smiled at us. "You are Señor Zobel?"

"Yes, Father," Indy replied. "We're here about the Angel Orphanage."

The priest nodded and led us towards the terrace where a big box was situated next to a glass table. "Inside the box is everything I managed to save. Our funds couldn't keep the orphanage running but we made sure the kids were all safe. Well, I hope they are. Is there someone specific you're looking for?"

Indy and I shared a look. He pulled out Katrina's picture from his pocket and showed it to the priest. "Do you know this woman?"

Father Orbus blinked at the photograph. A crease formed on his forehead before he licked his lips and returned the photo with trembling hands. "I-I don't really remember now."

I crossed my arms as Indy forced the photo back on the priest's hand. He glared at the older man. "Is that so? Do you think my gun will help you remember?"

The priest huffed, slowly sitting down in a chair. He rubbed a thumb against his temple as he spoke in a tremulous voice. "Forgive me, child. But that pitiful woman is gone. There's no need for us to speak of her history..."

I bit my lip in frustration. Indy could do everything to make him speak but my morals were still intact. I didn't want him to cross that line. Besides, I knew just what to do.

"Father, por favor," I pleaded, lacing my tone with concern and desperation as I sat in the chair in front of him. "This matter concerns one of the children you cared for. He will be in trouble if we don't stop him."

Father Orbus's eyes were filled with confusion. "What? Don't tell me... that child is still alive?"

My heart pounded with the confirmation that Katrina had indeed taken in a child from the orphanage. "Tell us, please."

The priest shut his eyes for a moment, shaking his head. "I found him in Pamplona. At first, I thought he was just lost what with the festival and all that but nobody claimed him. I took him here and asked him if he remembered his parents but he never spoke. He would be in the corner, thinking deeply, and somehow that caused the other kids to pick on him. The only person he opened up to was the doctor." He looked down at the picture on his hand. "Katrina treated him as his son. That's when tragedy struck her life."

"What's his name?" Indy asked.

"Eleazar. Katrina called him Eleazar."