THE CULPRIT'S VERDICT
CHAPTER 8

The dark and gloomy sky was bathed in magical silver light and I can't help but watch in awe from the comfort of the soft foamy front seat of Lexter's car. He decided to stop for a while on the near edge of the world so we could breathe from the stress and frustrations of life.

"How's your back? Can you feel any crack on your spine?" he interrupted, worried about the condition of my back after I told him everything that happened in the room.

"It feels better now," I assured him.

"That Ryle should be thankful that we didn't cross paths earlier when I fetched you because if we did, he is probably crying under his mother's skirt now."

I let out a short laugh in his assertion.

"No need to do that. He didn't intend to cause pain, it was my fault." I felt an urge to say it since I was guilty of what happened there.

"And you're taking his side now," he commented.

"I am not," I replied dryly to his accusation.

"Or are you falling for him?" he asked.

"What the heck! Where on earth did you get that?" I was completely horrified with the question he raised. I couldn't think of falling when my parents were on their grave crying for justice.

"Relax, I was just making sure," he snorted while laughing.

"You love teasing me, don't you?" I was annoyed that he was laughing while I was irritated.

"I love you." My world stopped when he said that out of the blue "as my friend."

"I love you too, "I cut my words short and waited for his reaction, "as a friend." We both laughed as we said it in chorus.

"Let's stay for a little while and enjoy the peacefulness of the night," he uttered and I agreed to it.

I looked straight and noticed the enthralling beauty of the scene downhill. It was dashing with lights sparkling from each building, streetlight, and the beam of cars. They were like stars twinkling but placed on the surface of the earth; quite enticing. I closed my eyes and let the silence of the night and the cold breeze take me to a different world. I felt so relaxed as ever before. Then I remembered what happened earlier...

"Why the hell are you here? Don't you know this place is a restricted area!" He caught me off guard so what else can I say. I shifted my head from him to the floor and grabbed the phone. I didn't feel like answering him.

I tried to stand on my foot but found myself plopping on the floor after what felt like a jolt on my back.

He extended his hand to me, but I did not take it. I attempted to stand for the second time, yet the pain grew worse, it made me cry in pain. Suddenly, I felt elevated from the ground, I found my hand wrapped around Ryle's neck. He lifted me up, carrying me out of the isolated room.

"P-put me down!" I commanded but he played deaf. "Where are you going to bring me?"

He leaned close to my ears and whispered "Where do you want me to take you, Ms. Namie Riva?" Shivers ran through my entire body when I felt his warm breath on my neck. But it struck me also, hearing him call me by the name I used so I could hide my real identity from them. It felt so different. Namie wasn't me and I somehow wished he would have called me by my real name.

"Yes, Miss Namie, any suggestion?" he cut me short. My heart jumped in increasingly mad speed when he put his face so close to mine.

"Put me down!" I reiterated my command but he played deaf for the second time and held me firmly in his biceps.

His steps echoed as he made his way to his office room. The floor was completely empty, it was just him and I, alone. My mind was restless, solely against the idea, but my vulnerability left me with nothing to do with it. When we got in, he gently laid my back on the sofa and offered me a pain relief cream. I grabbed it as I couldn't bear the twinge on my back. I tried to reach the part that hurts despite the tight blouse I was wearing, which made it even hard to extend my hand upward. To my surprise, he snatched the cream on my palm. He dipped his finger and asked my permission to apply it on my stead. I nodded as I couldn't help myself but bit my lower lip in pain.

He sat beside me and turned my body sideward. I felt tickled the moment he lifted the lower hem of my blouse which I untucked from my grey pencil skirt. His soft, square palm and long fingers glided through the sore part of my skin. It was soothing, though my body felt a warm sensation as he gently stroked my bare skin.

"I thought you already went home." I started a conversation to stop the tension and I was also curious about what brought him back.

"Is that why you took the chance to stroll on this floor at this time of the day? I told you, there are ghosts here. You should have not listened to their voices," he said while still rubbing my back. I didn't know if I should believe him. I knew the sound I heard wasn't from a ghost or at least that was what my intuition wanted me to believe in.

I decided not to answer him.

"I had noticed that you are keeping a distance from me since the day you've entered here. As my secretary, it is your duty to stay close and be as approachable as you can be. "I ignored his complaint, it was my turn to play deaf.

"I'm okay now, you can take your hands off me, " I said. He removed his hands from under my clothing, he then shifted his face to me. His eyes met mine and it made me feel uncomfortable; I was almost close to not being able to breathe. I felt like my heart was in a cage screaming for oxygen.

My eyes widened on his next move. He lifted his hand; picked the loose strands of hair hanging in front my face and inserted it on my earlobe, a smile crossed his lips as he did.

"You're beautiful when you fix your hair like this," he commented. He was very close to me, part of me was saying 'leave, you're not supposed to stay long' but my body was paralyzed in my position. His marble colored iris was sparkling. He had a very charming look that could melt anyone's heart.

He closed the space between our faces; I did nothing but stare at him and wait for what was to come. Our nose suddenly connected and I could hear and feel his every breath.

When his lips were already centimeters away from mine, he jeopardized the moment and said, "Are you expecting me to kiss you?"

I immediately pulled back, realizing my stupidity for not drawing back ahead of time. I could feel my cheek heat up from embarrassment.

"I-"

My phone beeped, saving me from the horrible moment.

I immediately took it and checked the message from Lexter. He was waiting in the lobby, so I hurriedly stood up and made my way to the door, choosing to leave the monster alone in his office.

"We have an urgent meeting in Japan. I need you to come with me. I'll wait for you at 10:00 a. m at the airport tomorrow." His words made me halt.

"What? It wasn't in your schedule!" I exclaimed, confused about the sudden change.

"That's why they called it an emergency meeting, it wasn't planned."

Currently...

As soon as I entered my condominium, I headed to the bathroom and took a quick shower. It felt so relaxing to wash off dried sweat and specks of dirt in the body. It was a habit of mine to take a shower once or twice a day however tired I felt I am. I sat on the chair, in front of my bedside table with a mirror attached to it. I took the blower from the drawer and let my hair dry. I didn't usually look at myself in a mirror, but something urged me to have a glance.

To hide my identity, uncle Danny-the doctor that took care of me in a private room in his Villa while I was still recovering from the tragedy-promised to keep me away from harm. One way to do that was to isolate me from the people who knew me.

He gave me this condominium which was found in the heart of the city, outside of our province. He even changed my name so people would think that Maxine Villafuerte Vista was nowhere to be found and would support the claim that I was dead. Only my dearest friends, Juliet, who went back to Canada for her study, and Lexter knew the truth.

Looking at my reflection from the mirror, I had changed a lot. This is what I've become because of my desire to have Justice and revenge. I would do everything to get the evidence I need even if it means putting my life in danger.

The curtains of my glassware sliding window danced as a gentle wind stopped by to play with it. The fantastic scenery awaited as my feet moved towards the balcony. The lights from the houses and buildings that decreased in size in reference to the distance and height of my condominium were dashing and glowing. This kind of ambiance had been my coping mechanism.

My hands slid on the balustrade and let my spirit be taken from me by the cold, comforting touch of the wind.

I stood there for minutes before finally deciding to pack some clothes in my travel bag, completely unaware of the man in black lurking in the shadows.