"So, you didn’t see anything?"
For the umpteenth time, Jude asked. And for the last time, she denied.
"This is the last time you are going to ask that question. I already told you. I didn’t see anything. I just never expected that the curse would be very powerful. It was fighting back."
"Do you think..."
"Whoever did it... must have some connections in Brazil. You should look into it." After all, it was a very powerful hex. Someone must have heard about it somewhere.
"The smell was indeed different. It smelled like... you were burning something rotten."
She nodded at Jude’s words. Of course, she didn’t tell him what she saw. This time, she is planning to talk to her own brother and get to the bottom of things.
She knew that everything that has been happening has been pointing her to Phil. However, she chose to believe that her brother had nothing to do with the murders.
However, Ava knew that she couldn’t ignore everything anymore.
She needed answers and to do that, she needed to confront her fears.
"I already sent the money." Jude said as he handed her a cold coffee from the vending machine in front of them. Honestly, Ava was surprised to see a vending machine inside this place.
She knew that Samuel didn’t like anything instant. Unlike Jude, Samuel would brew his own coffee. It was like a ritual. The thought of Samuel only made her mood worse.
"I know," she accepted the coffee but didn’t drink it. "Have you heard anything from Samuel?"
Jude just stared at her. "I can’t answer that."
"Yeah..." she already expected the man to say that. "And the suspension?"
"I can’t answer that either."
Pursing her lips, she looked at Lovella who was now fighting for her life. The tubes connected to her body looked painful and uncomfortable. Ava could only hope that she would survive after all the healers did to her after she undid the curse.
"It’s weird." Jude uttered.
"What is?"
"You—"
"Hm?"
"You are not fighting against me. It’s new,"he chuckled.
"Isn’t that because you just paid me good money?" She snorted. "Next time you see me... do you really expect that I would still act like this?"
She could feel his scrutinizing gaze on her. Of course, she ignored it and just continued staring at Lovella. Right now, she didn’t know if this had something to do with Patricia. However, she was going to find out soon enough.
For now, she was going to focus on Phil.
"Alright, I’m leaving. Call me if you need me."
Jude still had that suspicious look on his face. "You don’t look like you aren’t interested to know who murdered your mother."
"I’m interested Jude. But I know Trillium won’t let me do anything about it."
"Are you really stepping back?"
She rolled her eyes. "Do you think I would be able to fight against Trillium?"
"You— " he let out a sigh. "Alright. I won’t see you out. Call me if you need anything."
"I won’t." Ava turned and started walking towards the exit.
Once outside, she didn’t waste her time and immediately drove towards Phil’s house.
When she arrived, she found her brother cooking lunch.
"Where’s Marylis?" she asked as she handed the fruits that she bought on her way over to her brother’s house.
"She had some errands to run." Phil answered. Despite the smile on his face, it was pretty obvious that the man hadn’t been sleeping well lately. His eyebags were pretty obvious. "What’s wrong with you? Are you sick or something?" she sat on the counter and stared at Phil’s back as he started cooking.
"Must be the fatigue."
"You are doing all the chores?"
"It’s the least I could do for Marylis."
Ava nodded. She started chewing on her lips. She always knew that she wasn’t good with confrontations.
"What’s wrong? Somethings on your mind?" he turned to face her. Phil was wearing a pink apron that was too small for him. Despite this, the manliness that he exuded could easily intimidate anyone. Of course, this wsn’t really the case now that he looked like a tired panda.
"Are you sure it’s fatigue?" she asked.
"Nah... don’t mind me. I just started to do the business at home. I am training some employees online and doing everything to help Lis. It has been... hectic."
She pursed her lips and sighed. Phil was not lying. She couldn’t sense any lies from his words.
Still, she thought it was weird. Phil was... not like this a couple of days ago when he visited her. Just what happened after a few days?
Moreover, the Phil in Lovella’s memories didn’t look like the Phil now. That Phil looked younger and... healthier.
"Are you planning to go back to your office soon?" she asked.
"V... you don’t have to worry about me. We are planning to hire a nanny soon. You know after Marylis is ready to start working again."
"She is going to work? I thought she was going to stay at home and take care of Gabi?"
"Things change."
"Really?" But what changed? Ava wanted to ask but chose not to.
"Oh... by the way. I think you left something when you visited the house the other time." Ava said as she started peeling one of the oranges that she brought.
"What thing?"
"It’s your jacket," she lied and stared at her brother’s eyes.
"A jacket?" he frowned in response. "I left a jacket in the house?"
"Yeah... "
"But— I haven’t been in the house for months." Phil uttered.
Almost immediately her expression changed.
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Yeah... I can’t remember the last time I went there. You know Marylis’s pregnancy was difficult. So I didn’t want to leave her side. And I don’t want to leave her alone now that she just gave birth."
Speechless, she just faked a smile and focused on her orange. Just like earlier... Phil was not lying.
But if Phil didn’t visit the house, then who was the person who brought her takeout’s? Who was the man who ate pizza and watched movies with her?
.....
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