While on the journey, Azora asked where Simmy was. Alibata replied that she was already in Oslob. After that, the car fell silent as they traveled along the Cebu South Coastal Road. A few minutes later, Lamech pulled over when they reached SM Seaside.
The sun had fully set in the west, and darkness had already enveloped the surroundings. The lights of every establishment around SM Seaside were brightly lit. Alibata was the first to get out of the car, opening the backdoor for Azora.
A cool, salty breeze blew as Azora’s shoes touched the cemented parking lot. The driver’s door opened, and Lamech stepped out. The wind blew again, gently lifting a strand of Azora’s hair.
“Let’s eat somewhere,” Alibata said, guiding Azora towards the mall. Lamech followed them quietly, occasionally glancing at students stealing looks at Azora and him. They didn’t approach, which reassured him.
He knew Azora’s case was all over the news, and some people might recognize her. But Lamech felt confident there would be no disturbances inside the mall since Alibata himself had suggested eating there. Knowing Alibata, everything was well-planned.
Alibata led them upstairs to the Seaside Mall rooftop, where the SM Seaside Roof Top Garden, a long, elevated curvilinear park, was located. There was a canopied pathwalk that Azora liked.
From where they walked, they could see the water park with its small, colorful fountains. Alibata guided them to a small restaurant in the park, at a spot with a view of the sea. The wind was cooler there, but Azora didn’t complain.
Alibata chose this spot to avoid drawing too much attention from people following Azora’s recently dismissed case. Seeing no sign of displeasure on Azora’s face, he raised his hand to call the waiter who was waiting for them.
Alibata and Lamech ordered their food. Azora didn’t take a menu, so Alibata ordered for her. Lamech occasionally glanced at Azora, who stared blankly at the vast, dark sea visible from her seat.
“Mr. Briones,” a man in a suit and tie, wearing glasses, with chocolate-colored curly hair slightly tousled by the wind, approached their table.
Alibata looked at the newcomer. Lamech, who was holding a wine glass, paused and looked at the man. Only Azora remained unmoved, still staring at the vast, dark sea.
“Can I please talk with you?” the stranger added.
Alibata thought for a few seconds before nodding. He put down his utensils and stood up. The man guided Alibata away from their table, leaving Lamech and Azora alone.
Silence enveloped the two. Lamech, unsure of what to say, and Azora, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings. After a few minutes, Alibata had not returned, and Lamech could no longer stand the silence.
He cleared his throat and looked at Azora. “Azora,” he called, but she didn’t look his way. He exhaled and played with his wine glass, turning it around while staring at the woman looking past him.
Azora sat across from him, the vast sea behind her, facing his direction. Even though she was looking past him, he liked that he could see her face clearly.
“You’re not eating,” he pointed out, but she still ignored him. He sighed and placed the wine glass on the table.
He leaned closer to Azora and stared at her face. He watched her for a few minutes, noticing her gaze moving past him. Then, her eyes shifted and met his. It took a few seconds for recognition to dawn on her face.
“You…” Azora whispered softly, looking around slowly. “What are we doing here?” she asked.
He sat back and cleared his throat. “Your father is gone for a few moments. We’re eating above the Seaside Mall.”
Azora blinked, still looking around, and he chuckled softly. “Stop looking around and just eat. Your father ordered those foods for you,” he said.
Azora lowered her gaze to the food on her plate. Most of it was her favorite. She could smell the delicious aroma, especially when the wind blew in her direction. She looked up at the man she first met at the university.
Her eyes narrowed, trying to recall how she ended up in this place and why she was sitting across from a scenic view. And why were it just the two of them?
She bowed her head slightly. “I’m not hungry,” she said.
“You should eat. When I first met you, you weren’t as skinny as you are now. What happened in those months we hadn’t seen each other?”
She blinked and stared at him, who was also staring intently at her. Memories slowly rolled into her mind, from when she was poisoned to being held in Alcantara and imprisoned in the Clasiso mansion.
She clenched her fists, her breathing quickened with suppressed anger. Those bastards. Why was she always a target for people with nothing better to do?
She gritted her teeth in frustration and glared at Lamech. “What day is it?”
“November 15.”
She blinked. The last thing she remembered was getting out of Andrie’s car, then finding herself in a courtroom. Her brows furrowed deeper.
There were things she was forgetting. She was sure of it. She cleared her throat. “I seemed to have visited a courtroom?”
Lamech blinked, his lips slightly parted. Didn’t Azora remember that Narciso Clasiso had filed a case against her? He closed his mouth and looked seriously at her. “Narciso filed a case against you. You were accused of killing Anthony Clasiso.”
“What?” Azora’s frown deepened. She thought about Lamech’s words. If he was telling the truth, Narciso must have gone through with his plan to file a case against her. “And then, why am I here?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
She knew the vast, dark sea was behind Lamech. She could smell the scent of moss and the salty breeze that brushed her face. It was also windy, typical of a seaside location. She couldn’t be mistaken. They were on top of the Seaside Mall.
“The prosecution dropped the charge against you.”
Her eyes stopped wandering and returned to Lamech’s face. “You… what?”
But Lamech couldn’t explain further because Alibata had returned. When Azora looked at her father, she saw how dark his expression was.
She immediately knew he had received bad news.