Mnasthai (The Order #1)

Chapter Nine

The text message was sent the day Jasmeen died. It's the very same message that I've read from the murder-mystery novel that Penelope's working on. The very same novel that Kinsley was helping her with.

Penelope mentioned that Kinsley gave her the idea, that she was so invested in the novel that she helped Penelope brainstorm.

On Penelope's novel, the protagonist received a text from her bestfriend with the same message that Kinsley received in real life. Some details are not actual facts if the character is based on Kinsley... but the scenario? I can't possibly be mistaken. There is no way in hell that it's just a mere coincidence.

How the characters in the novel planned to go out and how the protagonist found her bestfriend's lifeless body hanging on the ceiling... It's all too familiar. Parehong-pareho.

What if Kinsley was up to something for the past six months? What if she knows the truth about her bestfriend's death? What if Jasmeen's death wasn't a suicide like everybody believed and she was actually murdered?

It's a possibility that Kinsley was investigating Jasmeen's death for the past six months... and maybe when she got closer to uncovering the truth, the culprit killed her to shut her up.

My mind was running with endless speculations and theories over what I've found out. If my hypotheses are correct... then I just found a clue to a possible murder! Not only that but this means the killer is still out there which means this body is in danger!

"Are you okay? You're very pale," a voice snapped me out of my trance.

I was brought back to present time. My breath was ragged. I feel like I'm slipping in a panic attack. I looked around and I was reminded of where I am and who I'm with.

I brought my eyes to Jakob. Hindi ko man lang napansin na nakabalik na siya. He looked worried as he watched me from the opposite side of the table.

My eyes then went down to the table and realized that our orders were already served. How long was I trapped in my own head?

"Hey... Are you alright?" Jakob called for my attention again.

I feel so suffocated. I wanted to tell him what I found out. But how can I explain it to him without sounding crazy? Hypothetically, there's a reason why Kinsley hid the truth and investigated it on her own. It was only a suspicion and she had no proof.

Gusto ko nang umuwi at tawagan si Penelope. I want to ask her more about the novel she's working on with Kinsley, but I can't ditch Jakob just like that.

Huminga ako nang malalim at pilit na kinalma ang sarili. I can't help my heart from wildly racing inside my chest.

I forced a smile at Jakob to keep him from worrying. "I'm just hungry. Kain na tayo."

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin kay Jakob at nagsimula nang kumain. I focused on my monster burger with fries and strawberry milkshake.

I could still feel his heated gaze on me. So to pretend that I was okay, I took a huge bite on my burger and smilingly looked at him as I chewed.

From the way his jaw ticked and the way he darkly stared at me, he didn't look convinced but he didn't push me for information either. He let it go.

Wala akong gana kumain pero pinilit kong ubusin ang binili ni Jakob para sa akin. I never attempted to start another conversation and Jakob didn't either.

Jakob drove me home as soon as we were done with our food. I couldn't get away fast enough as I mumbled a brief thanks and darted towards the gate. Hindi na niya pinasok ang kotse niya sa loob at hindi ko na rin naman siya inimbita.