What if...?

With the breeze wafting their way, loosening Liliana's hair from behind her ear causing it to slap her face but still she tucks her hair behind her ear, she stared at her parents' name by their grave.

Andrew was standing next to her which confined her from saying the millions of secrets, her dilemmas, and her wicked neighbor's behavior toward her to her parents. Liliana had a lot to say but she was restrained by the handsome guy she found not attractive.

Liliana knew herself to be loving and caring, and affectionate to others. She never judge but this Andrew by her side was someone different. She knew the problem wasn't from her side because she loves everyone.

He was just not being honest and had something she knew deep inside her-her gut that wasn't of good intentions.

Now, she can't say to her parents all that she has been storing in her mind for weeks and it was killing her slowly. Liliana missed all the moments she had spent with her parents, back then in high school when she gets hurt by her best friend who is currently abroad, she'd run to her mom and cry to her. With tears, she'd explain all that happened between both of them, and her mom's reply was to watch a Barbie cartoon to see how friends patch up. And it certainly does work.

Well, Liliana was the only child of her parents which caused them to place all attention on her, she was pampered but was bred competently. She was independent but vulnerable. Too good but intelligent. She was taken care of which was why she was so close to them, they gave and showed her all their attention coupling the closeness between her and her parents.

Even up till now, Liliana was still devasted by their sudden death. She tucked her hair back behind her ear again and returned her hold to her bag handle staring and saying all that she wanted to say in her head.

"What happened?" His voice captured her gaze and she turned his way, Andrew was standing beside her.

"They were shot," she replied, fighting her head not to rewind to all the memories of her parents because she might tear up right in front of this man beside her. She just didn't like his existence at all.

"So, sorry to hear that, did you investigate the case to know if they... "

Liliana narrowed her gaze his way. "No, they weren't involved in any dubious actions," she got him wrong as she stared at their graves with creased eyebrows. She was annoyed by his thoughts. No wonder she didn't feel comfortable or happy when he was around her but she needed to think about forgiving Tristan.

To think of it well from a different view, there was no difference between the two, just that the man next to her hadn't caused her pain yet. Liliana tucked her hair again and widened her eyes to the east side away from Andrew's gaze. She was holding back big time, the tears burning up in her throat caused a bug lump she couldn't swallow.

"I'm sorry if you got me wrong but I never meant it that way," his tone changed. Liliana threw him that look of disapproval.

Andrew knew well that she didn't like him a bit, he was actually glad about her alarming spirit. She was really gifted, first, she sense death and now, she could sense dishonesty but why didn't she sense Tristan's actions? Was it that he was honest with her or did she turn a blind eye to his attitude? Suddenly, he was interested in the relationship they shared even if his mission was to just get her out of the way.

Thinking of that, Calvin hadn't come up with an idea yet or had told him how he was to get her killed. They can't just kill Liliana because Tristan was on her side this time, getting that demon mad was like getting the devil mad. He was stronger than him, including his father. Though Tristan was a demon, he had enemies because he was amongst the strongest demon and once he completes his tattoos, he'd be the stronger of the strongest. They all fear that.

"What I meant was, Don't you think being gunshot was a planned skim? What if the one who gunshot them is close to you like the way your flesh is close to your skeleton?" He brought that look of thoughts and realization to her face.

With furrowed eyebrows and a somber face, Liliana looked at her parents and ask herself. What if Andrew was right? But who could do that? The only person so close to her was her friend at the church and workplace, including her distant relative and Tristan. He arrived into her life after the tragedy so...

These never-ending thoughts she couldn't figure out herself made her head spin. When she gets home, she'd think thoroughly about it.

Silence consumed the both of them after he'd surged her with confusion, suspicion, and What ifs.

...

Tristan spent the whole day processing Xander's stay in the orphanage, why was he doing this? He'd never bothered or put himself through so much stress for some random human but once he stares at the little boy's eyes which were the same as his landlady's his hardened heart softened a little and he tells himself. This is the first and the last time he'd ever helped someone.

The boy's smile was just doing these funny things in his heart just like Liliana, He groaned inwardly as he signed some papers. With his father being the president, he could change his identity at any time. So all his information was fake except his address which was Liliana's not his.

Eventually, the boy finally received a place he could call home, and maybe someday he'd get adopted and have his own family even if they would be his adopted family.

Thanks to uncle Tristan, he was able to start a new life. Xander bid his goodbye and walked away with some caregiver while Tristan watched from where he stood, in the corridor. Just when he turned around to leave, he spotted the boy running his way with tears in his eyes. "Uncle," he threw himself at Tristan.

Tristan caught him. Oh, this boy was just like his landlady, crying to cause Chao in his head and every part of him. "Oh, don't cry, anyone would have done the same," he pulled him out and squatted in front of the boy, "Besides, I owe you big time for giving me a such idea on how to apologize," he wiped the boy's tears which were off but just this once, he should do a little good.

Xander nodded and hugged the man again. "I will never forget you uncle," he said behind Tristan's ear. His hug reminded him of the enfold Liliana threw at him when he first apologize to her. Something in his heart twisted and he pulled out.

"Come on, boy, it's time to go, you need to eat. It's been a long day," he grabbed his hand and handed him to the lady taking him in before.

Little Xander waved as he was taken away and that was how Tristan went against his policies.

Tristan wasn't home when Liliana arrived with Andrew at dusk. She wondered where he could have gone but well, he was old enough to care for himself. He never cared for her anyway.