MAAGANG dumating si Ashriel sa apartment building nina Nylah. The moment he stepped out of the car, he felt a pair of eyes looking at him, but he ignored it. Sanay na siya sa mga matang nagmamasid sa kaniya.
Napatingin siya sa kaniyang paligid. The sound of tricycles, distant vendors shouting “taho!”, “pandesal!” and children’s laughter filled the air — ordinary scenes that, somehow, felt comforting to him.
Ashriel took a deep breath. His car stood out in the humble neighborhood. Napapatingin pa sa kaniya ang mga ibang dumadaan. Then he glanced up at the balcony of Nylah’s unit. For a man like him who often commanded boardrooms and corporate towers, waiting outside someone’s apartment like this felt strangely domestic.
Pagkalipas ng ilang minuto, nakita niya ang pagbaba ni Nylah at E
