CHAPTER 28: SUSPICIONS

"Anyway, Dave... are you sure we’re on the right path? Are you certain this is really where Alpheus’s car went?" Calyx asked, glancing around.

From what he could see, they were now driving through narrow alleyways and crowded areas. It was the kind of place that drew attention—and sure enough, people were already turning their heads to stare at their passing car.

"Wow! I feel like a celebrity!" Dave said with a mischievous grin. "So this is what it feels like, huh?"

"Yeah... but seriously, why would Alpheus come through here? You think maybe he realized we were following him and is trying to shake us off?" Calyx wondered aloud, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Hold up, Calyx—why did you want to follow Alpheus in the first place?" Alfonso chimed in, now fully recovered from his earlier panic. "You’re starting to sound like his stalker... or like a jealous girlfriend. Don’t tell me you’ve got a secret crush on him?"

"What the fuck, Alfonso! Jealous girlfriend, my ass! You’re disgusting!" Calyx shot back, visibly shuddering at the thought.

"Haha, okay, okay—kidding aside, what’s the real reason?" Alfonso pressed.

"The truth is," Calyx said, turning serious, "I clearly saw the photo on Alpheus’s phone earlier. And guess who was with the twins in the picture he kept saying were his nieces?"

"Who??" Alfonso and Dave said in unison.

"It’s Sylvia."

"W-wait—Sylvia?" Alfonso asked, furrowing his brows. "You mean the waitress from the bar we went to last night?"

"Yes." Calyx nodded. "And I’m sure it was her. Alpheus has a huge crush on her—remember?"

That got both Alfonso and Dave’s full attention.

"Okay... so what about it?" Dave asked.

"Well, that’s not even the weird part," Calyx continued. "The photo... it looked like it was taken without her noticing. Like a stolen shot—with the kids."

He rested his chin in his hand. "Something about it just doesn’t sit right with me..."

"Pfffttt—I thought this was something serious! Maybe they’re just her little sisters!" Alfonso said, rolling his eyes. "Honestly, Calyx, you really love turning everything into gossip!"

"No, I swear! I’ve got a strong gut feeling about this—and my instincts are never wrong!" Calyx insisted. "The way Alpheus looked at those kids... it felt like they meant more to him than just being random kids Sylvia’s close to!"

"Tsk. Come on," Alfonso said with a sigh, shaking his head in disbelief. "Maybe Sylvia’s just naturally good with kids, and Alpheus is too. Maybe he just likes her more because she’s sweet—it doesn’t have to mean anything weird."

"So... what you’re saying is," Dave cut in, raising an eyebrow." Sylvia might actually be the mother of those two girls?"

Both Calyx and Alfonso turned to him in surprise. Calyx’s eyes widened, and his whole face lit up like he’d just been handed the missing piece of a puzzle.

"Yes! Yes, that’s exactly what I’m trying to say!" Calyx exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "And not only that—those girls actually look like her. I mean, they’re even prettier than she is, but you can totally see the resemblance."

He leaned back in his seat.

"They remind me of someone else, too... I just can’t quite figure out who. It’s been bothering me since I saw the photo. There’s someone they really look like, but I just can’t put my finger on it..."

"Wait—are you suggesting that those kids might be Alpheus’s with Sylvia?" Dave asked, laughing at the wild idea.

Calyx shot him a glare.

"N-no! I didn’t mean it like that! I only saw the kids’ faces for a second, but I could already tell—they don’t look anything like Alpheus!"

"Then what’s the point of stalking him if you already know Sylvia’s the mom and he’s probably not the dad?" Alfonso said, sounding uninterested. "And even if he was the father, why would that matter to you?"

"I-it’s not that simple, man!" Calyx insisted, a bit shaken. "The moment I saw those kids... I felt something. Like I’ve known them for a long time, even though it was my first time seeing them."

"Oh, maybe you’re the real dad then," Dave joked, laughing. "You said they looked familiar—what if the person they resemble... is you?"

Calyx shot Dave another glare before falling into deep thought.

Alfonso let out a loud sigh. "Man, I seriously can’t believe you. We nearly died earlier with Dave’s crazy driving, and now you’re saying you don’t even know who the kids look like? You dragged us into this mess over some vague gut feeling and gossip we didn’t even care about—"

"Ssshhh!"

Dave suddenly cut Alfonso off mid-sentence, raising a hand to silence him. His eyes were fixed on someone just a short distance away, near where they had parked the car.

"Well, we might as well find out the truth straight from Alpheus himself—he’s right over there." Dave said, pointing toward the man who had just stepped out of his car.

The three of them turned their attention to Alpheus, who stood tall and composed in front of what looked like a community elementary school gate.

He seemed out of place in his crisp suit, drawing curious glances from a few bystanders. It was obvious he was waiting for someone, as he adjusted his sleeves and glanced repeatedly at his watch with growing impatience.

A moment later, Alpheus finally made his way past the school gates and entered the campus.

The three exchanged quick, knowing looks—whatever this was, they were all thinking the same thing. They quietly got out of their car and followed him, doing their best to stay unnoticed.

None of them knew what Alpheus was doing there... or who he was waiting for. But they were determined to find out.

-----

Meanwhile, Alpheus couldn’t help but feel nervous as he walked down the school hallway toward the children’s classroom.

He wasn’t entirely sure why he was so eager to see them again.

Maybe it was because he had grown fond of the kids—or maybe because he was the only one who knew the truth about them. Even their biological father, Rome—his own friend—had no idea they existed.

It still hadn’t fully sunk in that Rome, whom he had always seen as upright and responsible, had unknowingly fathered children from a relationship that had long since fallen apart.

Sylvia, for reasons only she knew, had chosen to keep the children a secret after things between her and Rome had gone south.

And now, burdened with that knowledge, Alpheus found himself uncertain—about what to feel, what to do, or what he should even say if the time ever came.

What made things even more complicated was the fact that he had once genuinely liked Sylvia.

But if someone were to ask him now how he felt about her... he wouldn’t know how to answer. Everything had become too tangled.

He knew Rome must have felt something similar for Sylvia too. After all, Rome had even gone out of his way to search for her—though he still didn’t know the exact reason why. But deep down, he believed it was because his friend still had lingering feelings for her.

That was why, despite the infatuation he once felt for Sylvia, he chose to set those feelings aside. He didn’t want to ruin his friendship with Rome over the same woman.

Instead, he focused his energy on growing closer to Rome’s children. While Rome was still absent from their lives, he wanted to be there for them—to step in as a caring uncle figure.

He could tell the twins longed for a father’s presence, and if he could fill even a small part of that gap, he was more than willing.

When he finally reached the door of the twins’ classroom, it happened to be just in time for dismissal.

Through the glass, he saw the girls tidying up their things, helping each other pack their bags. Then they approached their teacher—who also happened to be their godmother—and said something that made her smile.

A moment later, the teacher glanced toward the door and spotted Alpheus standing outside. She gently pointed him out to the twins.

As soon as the girls turned and saw him, he gave them a wide, cheerful grin.

Their faces lit up instantly, and the sight filled his heart with warmth.