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
BRANDON’SMadrigal hovered around Brandon’s mansion, his hands on his back cracking his brain as he unraveled the heinous incident that just happened to him."Madrigal, don’t worry; my sources are investigating." Brandon consoled him and offered him a seat. Madrigal’s legs knew no peace; they trembled and were disoriented. Esmeralda wouldn’t inform the police, and no arrest would be made, but something else lingered on his mind."What if she thought I killed him?" His eyes flickered and clasped sadly as he asked Brandon. Everything with Nathalie was just a way to get to her and trick Torillio into believing that he was still on his side. He collapsed on the chair and took out his scavenging for any little tip or news about Sylvester, but the wildfire was about Torillio. "Why was Torillio even at your house? It’s confusing," Brandon gleaned inquisitively. Torillio came to his house to threaten and exchange words with him. He found out the truth about Madrigal’s involvement in his c
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
AT BRANDON'S MANSION.The blaring sound of Madrigal’s car engine serenaded the gloomy day as the sun was setting. Brandon was strapped to the seatbelt next to him in the passenger’s seat."You really don’t have to come around, boss," Madrigal said to him. Brandon offered to ride along immediately after Andallio and Fredrick left. "See me as your brother." He patted him on the shoulder, relaxing his back on the chair."Thank you, boss, what do we do about Andallio? And Fredrick?" Madrigal asked with his legs hitting the acceleration and over-speeding with the headlights brightly on, even though it was in broad daylight."Andallio seems suspicious; I should have had our men follow him," Brandon said as Madrigal navigated through the cars on the road. Andallio had threatened him in his own house, and he also brought Frederick along. Whatever it was, they were the same, and Fredrick never agreed to it. They acted all strange and weird in their house."What do you think Fredrick was su
AT TORILLIO’S MANSION"Did you get rid of all the evidence?" Torillio barked. The goon involved in Sylvester’s murder had just returned after evading Madrigal’s chase."Yes boss," he squizzed. He dismissed them all from his presence with annoyance, still rambling, because no solution had come up for his store that was closed."I think you need to face Don Silverrio; he’s been in the game longer, and I’m sorry to say, he clipped your wings." His aide conferred heads bowing and jittering for what he might do in return."Arrrrh!" Torillio roared, plunging all the flower vases arranged in his sitting room. He clenched his fingers, pointing to his aide, but folded them back and mumbled incoherently. "I know what to do to you—" "I, Raul Torillio de Guzman, No one clips my wings; whoever dares will pay with his life!" He yelled, holding the guard down to a spot on the wall and breathing heavily as his anger increased."You! Open up another store; make it in Manila; I will show these people
The sky grew darker as the clouds gathered and became thicker by the second. The sun’s glow was hidden just like Esmeralda’s as she stayed in front of Sylvester’s open coffin. The air surrounding her grew with intensity, blowing everything that came its way and lifting her long mourning gown with the wave. The lighting streaked across the sky, illuminating it as her tears dropped. Slowly, the raindrops streaked down her body, and the coffin covered up her tears as she lifted her eyes up to the sky. "I am tired," she screeched as the raindrops increased their intensity. No one was in sight aside from her other bodyguard, who stood far off."You’re alone; no one came." A feminine voice echoed with a tender touch on her shoulders. "Vanessa?" Esmeralda responded quickly, looking over her shoulders to catch a glimpse of who just tapped her. "Hailey?" Her jaw dropped astonishingly when she saw her. "Yes, it’s me, and I have always been there for you, except when you needed me the m
GRANDVILLE RESORT. Madrigal mounted the porch of the mansion, talking to the picture of Esmeralda on his phone. It was Sylvester’s funeral, and he had no intention of attending. It will spoil their plans to get her to support them. He turned off his phone and went to the car they would be taking out to wait for Brandon.Brandon strolled down the stairs of his mansion with three of his giant bodyguards walking behind him. The beautiful green garden plants serenaded the passageway he went through, smiling as his hands scrolled the screen of the iPad in his hands."I love my new title, King," he rasped, smiling. The glass house was still not on sale, but there’s a desperate cry to take one more investor in, regardless of whoever it may be."I think it’s time to reclaim what was rightfully mine," he said, clasping his hands inside his pocket and handing over the iPad to one of his guards. "Is the car ready?" he asked, checking the Richard Mille wrist watch in his hands. "Yes boss, he
AT THE GLASS HOUSEANDALLIO. The formally glimmering diamond glazed light that beheld the beauty of the glass house was dim and vibrating as Andallio walked on the terrace, deep in thought as his fingers shivered around the glass of water he was holding. "Where have you been? Did you do what I asked you to?" He fluttered, asking Fredrick, who just walked in, missing his steps and reeking of alcohol. "Ohh—" he paused, thinking of the right words to reply, as he wasn’t too drunk to think.Andallio, impatiently waiting, swirled the remaining water in his glass over Fredrick. "I had my men follow you, and we didn’t see you do a thing, or did you?" He braked, grasping him by the hems of his suit."Are you thinking of selling me out? We’re going down together, and you know what? Only one can die: Andallio or RAD! You will be the only one losing!" He arced, marrying his itchy, angry fist on his face in rage. "I didn’t—" Fredrick haphazardly uttered it; he obviously didn’t expect the o