AT THE HOTEL. After giving the best property in his name to Esmeralda Isagani just to get her to come to the family meeting with him in order to impress Grandma Pillar Olvido, he settles for the small hotel left on him. He didn't get anything out of Don Soriano’s properties. "It’s not like it was shared, though; stop overthinking Olvido!" He brushed himself on the head vastly. He took his coffee and inhaled the hot, steamy air that rose from it. "Delicious!" he stirred intently. "Sir, your uncle is here to see you." A waiter said to him. "Which one of them? Turn them down; I don't want to see anyone," Olvido snapped. "Really? You don't want to see anyone?" Herevaux said as he barged in without Olvido’s approval. "Yes, I need my peace; seeing anyone of you is mentally draining me," Olvido responded bluntly. "What happened to your hair? It almost doesn’t look like you, Olvido." Herveaux asked mockingly. Olvido’s hair was back to its normal auburn color. He took off t

THE LION RETURNS. Gold Inc. Prime had a renovation that wasn’t announced or planned, causing all the workers in the company to be held outside while the renovation was ongoing. Lots of calls were coming through on Marcellus and Esmeralda’s phones, as they were the ones in supreme control of the company. "What is going on? This has never happened before. Why this morning? It could have been done last night." Esmeralda queried Marcellus, who was also standing outside the company’s gate."The Gold in Prime is not one of Ramirez’s properties, right?" She asked Marcellus, unsure of the outcome of last night’s meeting."The bidding is still ongoing, so I don’t think so," Marcellus replied."I tried speaking to the workers renovating to stop, but they didn’t listen. Should I call the police?" Esmeralda asked him frustratingly. "Do you think I haven’t? They have legal backing to do so; I guess we’ll just wait then," Marcellus replied, storming off back into his car. He picked up his ph

AT TORILLIO'S MANSION "Boss, I just confirmed it, and it’s true," Torillio’s aide reported Hesitantly after verifying the news they just heard after leaving the club. "Who would dare turn on the TV?" he Rumbled. Another guard turned it on, and it was live and displayed. The police raided his jewelry shop that night, and they found lots of illegal and banned material in the building. There were lots of journalists, and reporters flooded the place just to scoop the news."No!" He bellowed, ramming the remote onto the TV screen. "I have protection from the family and even the police; how could this have happened?" Torillio screeched in grief as he scattered all the portraits on the table. "Boss, I will look into this; go and rest." His aide pacified. Torillio's hands were quivering as he sought for his cellphone."I need to call someone; I will lose it if I don’t get an explanation for this. What’s the time?" He inquired cautiously."It’s 4:00 am, boss; we left the club late, and w

ESMERALDA'S APARTMENTHer eyes were heavy with the dark bags lurking beneath her eyelids, lashing the black eyeliners that smeared from her tears. Esmeralda was up all night drinking and drowning herself in sadness. She took her cellphone, which had been beeping for forever, and checked who was calling. Sylvester’s name popped up on the home screen, and she turned it off as soon as she saw it. "Not now, Sylvester," she said, pushing the cellphone away from her and dragging herself down to the bedroom. She crept down to the leg of the bed and drew out a briefcase. She sat with her back resting slantingly on the bed and opened the briefcase. "It’s still here; I am just overthinking things; why do I feel this hurt?" she asked herself drowsily. She rubbed her head sorely, like it could cure the migraine she was having. Esmeralda pulled out the gun, and the forensic results that confirmed it was her fingerprints. "No one can fool you just like that, Esmeralda. Think!" She smacked her

AT THE HIDEOUT. The hot, steaming bath shimmering with the sweet smell of cinnamon filled the air. Hailey walked in the bath with a white towel wrapped around her black hair with many obvious white strands. Her age was catching up with her. "Do you need help?" A masculine voice coerced, holding her hands up in the Jacuzzi as she got in and undressed. "Who must have thought you'd concede so easily?" She slid her hands down her cleavage sultrily as he handed her the cup of wine."Power is everything," she romanticized as he dropped the wine and foamed the lather in the bath."How did you do it?" He asked her directly. She was just about to be sentenced and, most likely, sent to jail for a long time. "Power, Jordan, power," she responded with pride as she scrubbed her body.Jordan Vera-Dona finally agreed to join forces with her after losing on all sides. His suspension was also never lifted, even after he fulfilled the due date he was given."There’s no Justice Jordan; it took you