The day was set for Azora to be taken to the mental institution, but Alibata could not accompany his daughter there. He had been called by the board for an all-day meeting. This was what he had discussed with the man who approached him at the Roof Top Park the previous night. So, he called Lamech and asked him to take Azora to the mental institution in the south, in Santander.
“You can stay in Santander and have a vacation,” Alibata suggested. “I will ask you to look after my daughter. Here, take this.”
Alibata handed a credit card to Lamech, but the man smiled and shook his head. “I will spend for my wife, Mr. Briones.”
Alibata’s eyes narrowed, but the smile on Lamech’s face remained.
“Have you made up your mind?” Alibata asked.
He nodded. “I will marry her after she recovers.”
Alibata stared at him for a few seconds before sighing and nodding. “Alright. You can ask her to marry you, young man. Just don’t hook up with my daughter while she’s still recovering.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Mmm.” Alibata looked into the distance. “You can take Azora to Santander’s tourist spots. The advisor told me that she’ll recover more if someone takes her to places. Just don’t let her be confined in a closed environment for too long. It won’t help in her recovery.”
“I will.”
A few moments later, Lamech saw Azora coming out of the mansion’s main door. There was no smile on her face, but she was wearing a white dress, which he noticed was her favorite. He often saw her in a white dress.
“Lamech,” Alibata called.
He looked at the man, breaking his gaze from Azora. “Anything else?” he asked.
“Don’t go back to the city for the next few weeks. Stay low for now. The latest news is all about you dropping the charge. Focus on giving your time to my daughter. I will take care of this issue. Don’t mind Narciso Clasiso. He will do everything to drag you back to the city, but I will give you the hint once I sort everything out.”
He nodded at this. He had planned to stay in Santander for a few days before returning to the city to sort out his problems, but with what Alibata said, it seemed he would be stuck in Santander for quite some time. He cleared his throat. “I will. Thank you,” he said.
But he kept his suspicions to himself. He was sure Azora didn’t kill Anthony Clasiso. She was just a victim caught between the clashing forces of Narciso Clasiso and Alibata Briones. That was one of the reasons he wanted to marry Azora. He wanted to protect her from whatever might happen to her father.
Alibata wasn’t standing on solid ground. He was walking a precarious path, and Lamech knew it. One wrong step, and Alibata would fall into the danger he had created for himself. It would drag down everything he held dear, especially Azora.
Before Azora’s life was completely ruined, Lamech wanted to save her from Alibata. Fortunately, her father had agreed to let him marry Azora.
Azora stopped in front of him, her brow furrowed. He knew she was in her right mind at that moment.
“I heard you say something about marriage,” Azora said.
Lamech blinked and stared intently at her face. “Yes…”
Her brow furrowed deeper as she looked at Alibata. “Dad, did you hear what he said?”
Alibata’s lips pressed together, and he sighed. “Marry him,” he said.
Azora blinked and laughed. “What are you saying?” She glanced briefly at Lamech before looking back at Alibata. “Dad, you can’t just give your daughter away to a stranger.”
“I know what I’m doing. Lamech will take care of you when I’m not around.”
Azora’s brows furrowed at her father’s words. She stared at Alibata for a few seconds before sighing and glancing at the staff loading the luggage into the car’s trunk.
“Where are we going again?” she asked.
He cleared his throat. “Santander. You’ll be staying in an institution there. We’ll visit tourist spots too, if you like.”
“Seems like you know what to do,” Azora said to him, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
He responded with a smile and guided her to the passenger door of the car. He opened the door for her, and she sat in the passenger seat. He immediately closed the door and turned to Alibata, who was watching him.
“We’ll go now,” he said.
“Go. I will visit Azora if I get the chance. For now, accompany her to Santander and provide for all her needs, as you should do as her future husband.”
He smiled. “Of course.” He then walked around the front of the car to the driver’s door.
As he was about to open it, Alibata called out to him. His hand froze, and he looked at the man. Alibata stood in front of the mansion’s main door, his gaze serious, making Lamech stand up straight.
“Anything else?” he asked.
“Promise me that you’ll marry Azora.”
“Yes, I’ll marry her.”
“And if anything happens to me, promise me you’ll take care of her. Don’t leave my only daughter, Lamech Adam Lepanto.”
Lamech stared at Alibata for a few seconds. His serious gaze remained unchanged, making Lamech think Alibata was planning something that would dictate Azora’s future. But he had already promised himself he wouldn’t abandon her.
“I will protect her, Mr. Briones. Don’t worry.”
Alibata nodded. “Good. I will arrange the district court. You and Azora can file for a marriage contract when the right time comes. Go and let her experience a life she never had under my care. I will hand her over to you. From now on, she’ll be under your care. Don’t disappoint me, young man.”
He smiled faintly. He couldn’t understand why Alibata’s words sounded like that. But he didn’t ask and just nodded at the man.
He opened the driver’s door and sat in the seat. He glanced at Azora, who was busy with her phone. A smile touched his lips as he started the car engine.
The car drove out of the mansion’s gate. Lamech knew it would be months before he would see the mansion Azora grew up in again.
He just didn’t know what Alibata was planning and why he was entrusting Azora’s care to him so completely. It seemed related to what Azora had said last night. If so, was Alibata ready to let everything go?