AT MADRIGAL’S HOUSE. Everyone’s attention was on Esmeralda when the coffee cup slipped from her hands. "Torillio De Guzman?" she asked Estrellia weirdly. "Yes, do you know him?" Estrellia asked her leniently. "No…Yes…" "Forget it" Esmeralda said sadly. She couldn’t eat the left over beard she collected playfully from Marcellus. She obviously lost her composure and aptitude. She went inside Madrigal’s kitchen to get water for herself. "Is she alright?" Marcellus asked innocently. Brandon and Madrigal had an idea of what was going on. Judging from the picture, they knew it was the same guy who harassed her that day. Estrellia continued with her update. "He is the renowned owner of ….." "That’s enough, Estrellia" "It’s the same as the guy I asked you to check, do you remember?" "The clip I sent you," Brandon explained."The hard copy stuff," he tried to help her remember. "Yes, sir Brandon, that’s true," she responded. "You can go now; I will get back to you, or just hang arou
AT THE SILLVERIO’SWith Vanessa’s face mustered with an angry frown, she gave her brother the silent treatment all through their flight back home. "Why haven’t you said a word since we left?" "Is it because of what I told Torillio?" "I had to, you have to understand!" Vanessa held her peace till the helicopter landed on top of their mansion. She got out angrily and went inside. Don Silverrio was still anticipating a word of greeting from her, but she brushed him aside and went outside her room. "The audacity of him!" "A bitter and selfish brother!" she roared, throwing her bags on the floor and removing her clothes. Vanessa headed to the bathroom. "What did you do to her?" Don Silverrio asked Fredrick. He was curious because Vanessa rarely acted that way. "Nothing, just some price to pay for the slot she wanted so badly," he said selflessly, and poured himself an orange juice."What did you do this time?""Forget it, father; she’ll be fine." "She's no kid.""Are Aliana and Juni
AT MADRIGAL'S APARTMENT.The sun was out and shining brightly. Marcellus was tracking the package, but according to him, it was on the company’s legal site. He ordered that they could start their journey. Madrigal looked around to see if Esmeralda had come out already, but she hadn’t. "I'll deal with that when I come back," he uttered. Estrellia deferred that she wanted to accompany Brandon. If anything happened to him. She would be held responsible. Madrigal had enough of her. She wasn't with her men, so she was alone. He went behind her and smacked her on the neck. She passed out. "Damn! Why would you do that?" Marcellus asked, tittering. "Problem solved, simply!" Nathalie yelled. She dragged her inside and tied her down."We can go now." They mounted the power bike and left. Madrigal took off at a high speed. He bent easily, like he was on a motorcycle race. They got to the location before the company. "We should hide, boss; when we see them passing, you’d come out." "Wear
THE FIVE WELCOME YOU.A dark stratum of arranged spots filled with humans wearing scary masks. Chanting insignificantly. Brandon seemed rather little, as they were all hanging from a four-meter-high strata."Your proof has been cleared, Cedrick Ramirez Soriano! "THE FIVE WELCOME YOU!" they chorused heinously. Brandon was called forward to receive his mask. They placed the mask on a glass platter. They also stained it with blood. "You ascended with blood and agreement; you will relinquish your reign with blood and agreement.""You have three days to decide; after that, you will never be able to leave the family."They all paused. Brandon was confused; he didn’t know what to say. Everything unfolded like some fictional drama that was far from reality. "Speak, Cedrick Ramirez Soriano!" the five commanded."I accept it; I don’t think I need anymore than three days to think about a thing," Brandon replied. "It’s the rules, and they must be followed." The five echoed."Fine, as you w
EMERGENCY."Why didn’t you answer my call, princess?" Torillio asked her softly. "Sorry, I was with my friends, and it was loud," Vanessa responded."Fredrick said you accepted my offer, but I wanted to hear it from you," Torillio said, puffing on his cigar.Vanessa stepped away from him. "Why are you moving that far?" he asked her absently. "The smoke," she said, sweeping her hands through the air."Are you asthmatic?" he asked her rousingly. "No, I just don’t smoke," she replied. Torillio stared at her, unimpressed. He crunched the cigarette and tossed it into the ashtray."I will be giving you detail about your work. "You will be by my side at every meeting and may well represent me if necessary," Torillio stated."Strictly business?" Vanessa asked with a grimace. "Hmm.. bold of you to assume, you should actually, but for now, Torillio isn’t interested," he poured some wine for himself."Are you allergic to drinking, too?" He asked Vanessa. "I never said I was allergic to anything!
AT THE GLASS HOUSEUnlike every other day, the whole family was present, and they were waiting for up to an hour for Grandma Pliar. "Are you sure she ain’t dead?" Herveaux asked jokingly."Just shut up; you sound disgusting!" Olvido retorted. "Where is your woman? Is it all talk? Did she just use you?" Herveax asked mockingly."Mock me all you want! It's way better than all your failed plans!" Olvido reiterated. Gwendoyn had to settle in. Stephanie came in to meet them. "What's wrong? Does she know we are here?" Olvido asked harshly. "Grandma Pilar would meet you all on the terrace, and she said you all better be there on time!" Stephanie bowed and left, shoving aside all their questions and abuse.Grandma Pilar wanted to view the whole arena from where she sat. open to nature’s natural effects and beauty. "Have you called them?""Yes, Grandma Pilar, I did just now," she bowed and was about to leave. "Wait, Stephanie, you still have one more thing to do for me," she said. She moved
AT KIMBERLY’S APARTMENT."I know the perfect song for a mod like this Brandon," Kimberly went and turned on the stereo to an upbeat song; they wanted Brandon to strip for them just as Kimberly had promised. His punishment for humiliating her at the coffee café."Just stop all of these; I'd never do that!" Brandon remarked. He sat down on the couch next to Kimberly. "You don’t have a choice, my husband; it’s a must!" she snapped. Kimberly’s friend served them all some champagne, and she gave a glass to Brandon."You’re all talk, Kimberly," she hissed. Kimberly was annoyed. "Strip now or the deal is off; remember you still have three days to clear out everything that’s on you!" Kimberly threatened.Brandon laughed wildly as he drank from the glass. "Fine, I’d do what you want, but before that, I need to talk to Estrellia" Brandon said soothingly. He licked her ears sultrily with his tongue and kissed her on the nape of her neck.Kimberly blushed in a dire expression of her desire for hi
AT THE JEWELRY STORE.Torillio was sitting on the couch with a vape in his hand. "She’s ignoring my calls; she’s new." "Is she really ready to work?" He puffed the smoke in circles."What's your plan, boss?" "Fight Brandon?" his men asked him."No Santiago" "This issue is different, whether I fight him or not. Time will tell." Torillio opened up the drape. "She is here. Let her in immediately."They welcomed Vanessa into his office. "Sit down!" Torrilio ordered anxiously. "Why weren't you picking up my call?""I’m sorry, I was in a…. It's complicated. I'm here now. She replied, stammeringly. "It's no problem. Your stupid brother will be joining us. We're sure he’ll meet us here.""Whats wrong? Were you crying?" Torillio asked Vanessa. Her eyes were heavy and red. "No," she said, sniffing heavily in her breath."Just get yourself in order; I hope you’ll function better that way!" Torillio frowned. He gave the wipes box to Vanessa. She wiped her face with it. Torillio held her face i
THREE YEARS LATER. Brandon brushed his long golden hair to one side as he carried a little girl with curled blonde hair in his arm as a young, tall boy stood next to him. "Mummy," the little girl said, forcing herself down into his strong arms to greet a woman who seemed to have attracted her attention. "Vanessa, we missed you." Brandon hugged and kissed her. "It was just three days; stop acting like I spent the whole year away, and it was fun—sure, you don't want us to come together with you?" she asked, leaning on his strong arms. "Take care of the kids; I need to go now." Brandon planted a kiss on her head. "Keep the family safe till Daddy returns!" he said, roughening the young boy’s hair. "Please be safe; we’ll be waiting for you at home." Vanessa kissed him, and he smacked her ass. "Stop—the children are here!" Brandon entered the garage at the back of the building. Dragging out a black power bike parked at the edge of the wall, he covered the helmet and start
BRANDON. "When we get to the glass house, go back to Manila and make sure none of our men are left behind; this is my home; I’ll be fine," Brandon said to the pilot. "No, boss, I’ll protect you with my life; Estrellia, Madrigal, and Nathalie are there; I can vouch they’ll protect Vanessa and our men," he responded baravely. "Then stop here; I want to go in unnoticed," Brandon commanded. He told the pilot the signal to give if he needed him to return for him. I discovered something strange and haven’t confirmed it, but right now you’re the only one I can trust. I am on my way from death to life, whatever comes up. At least one of us deserves to know the truth. Meet me at the glass house. The truth lies there. Brandon read the text. Olvido sent him the second time. He tried opening the gates, but no one was there, and he got in by himself, which was strange. The lounge room was also opened. He got in quietly when he noticed some movements. "Where are you, Olvido?" He
MADRIGAL. "How do I find her easily without getting spotted? Madrigal brooded, sreching, with his eyes all over the place as he hid behind a door. Leaving the room where Brandon was fighting with Frederick and Torillio was hard, but he knew he would be fine without him.A masked man snooping around for any intruder stepped into Madrigal’s trap. He zapped his neck from behind and slid him behind the door with him. "Sorry man—I need your uniform and this shady mask.""Vanessa!" "Vanessa!! Vaa—" "What are you doing here?" He alarmed, running to meet injured Brandon, forcefully dragging himself as he continued fending off RAD and Torillio’s men. "We walked into a trap; Fredrick is not RAD; Torillio was also fooled, and he’s fighting. I called our men; they’ll be arriving a bit late; they blew up my airline." Brandon’s breathing was over his chest. His leg was bleeding, and he tied it with a piece of cloth.Madrigal felt so much pity for him. He had gone through hell, and now w
ANDALLIO. “You’re uselss, you’re fat and dumb”“You can’t even lift yourself and you think I need your help?” “You’re a failure! You failed at everything,” “Get out of my head!” Andallio wailed smashing the glass of liquor in his hand against the telivison screen in his room. He walked down to the swimming pool at the lass house. “It is over, I won, they’ll kill theirseleevs and destroy it all—and me Andallio Ramirez will become the owner of it all,” He mused with a smile and leaped inside the pool. The perfecet plan crossed his mind after his call to Brandon. Torillio and Arturo would become a menace to him in the future if he helped them get what they wanted form Brandon. Fredrick was also he sore he was planning to remove at all cost. When he was calm form the drugs he gave him, Andallio made him an irresistible offer. The revenge he has always wanted to have on Brandon for dragging the face of the Silverrio’s in the mud and running his family. Fredrick’s ego
BRANDONThe call with RAD seemed so unreal and strange. Brandon needed more answers. "How did she end up with him?" He asked his team to work hard to track down the number. They were back at the mansion, but he didn't stay."Where is Esmeralda?" Is she in the mansion?" he asked Natahlie. "Yes boss, I guess they’re packing, but they haven’t left.He raced up to his room to get the original documents from his safe. "Do you think she’ll talk if we give her?" Madrigal asked him closely, knowing how important it was to his plans. "My child, I need to confirm if it’s true; I can save Vanessa, but if he’s really pregnant, the babay might die; you know RAD, he’s brutal; I’ll do anything to save my child," Brandon responded, picking it up and closing the safe. "Esmeralda, come; we should have a word before you leave; your mother can leave," Brandon roared. Esmerald didn’t respond; she kept rolling her travel bag behind Hailey. "Look at this—you want it right?" Brandon wiggled the
BRANDON. "Did you meet him?" Brandon rused out ot meet Brandon who was dresched and walking slowly in the rain. "Yeah, and I told him to watch out for me. I'll hit him with every inch of my strength," he holererd lifitntg his heart in his voice. "I won’t let Lamar’s death slide, they knew he was coming for me, they killed him right before me and I couldn’t do a thing," Brandon packed his hair with his hands and faced up to the rain. "Your days are numbered, he viled, taking the lead inside the PROVOCATOR;s night club. He returned ot the VVIP spot with Madrigal. " Zino—call him up, to meet me here, I’ll pay whatever ti cost to bring him out of whatever hole he’s stuck in," Brandon graved his voice sild with anger and an itch for revenege. "I have given the orders boss, you should change your dress and take a rest," Madrigal uttered inconveneitnly. Brandon’s rage has never been this great. He went out of hi reach to forcefully meet with RAD even though they stope
ANDALLIO. "Ouch—" Andallio exclaimed, playfully squezzing his face in mess. He rewatched Lamar’s death clip again and again with no remose but a broad, domineering smile on his face. " This is what will happen to anyone who goes against me, I can’t wait to see Fredricks’ reaction when he watches this—" he chocked, laughing. Where's the tape?" he asked worriedly and the gave it to him. Lamar was so close to handling it over o him and he ad ot take aderastic step to get him out. " Pople will do anything for money, do you believe that my last minute genius plan wanst a oart of my plan?" he asked his men beaming with pride. " You’re an ultra genius boss; Lamar outsmarted us, he didn’t had over the evidence o Bardon at his house but insisted on a meet, if Brandon had come ealier we would have sabotaged all your plans," one of his men responded telling him the truth he loved to hear. "Yes, I save you all again; your head would have been off your body if it went bad,"
TORILLIO. The thunder struck strongly; the cloud was darkened, and it rained heavily. Torillio lurked on the balcony on top of his house looking at the other houses in the street and the lightened up neighborhood. " I used to enjoy these," he whispered, puffing out smoke. "That phone, I found with Anton, Olvido's right-hand man, the one I almost got framed for him murder, linked with RAD, the phone repairer was found dead and the phone is missing, you caused it, I couldn't monitor him" "Arturo—you made a stupid mistake. Do I have to do everything for you?" he asked him insignificantly. Arturo was drenched, sitting in the rain. "Sorry about that. It's all gone now. Whatever happened with RAD and Anton, I think you should let it go; The girl is safe, and with me, did you take care of Olvido?" he asked him, rolling up another stunk of weed. He looked up to see Arturo, as he didn’t give a response to the question he asked him. "Cat caught your tongues, old friend? Do you rem
BRANDON.Brandon stuck his hand out in traffic. It was raining under the cloudless, serene sky. " It looks so peaceful—the kind of life I cherish is near, I can feel it," he said to Madrigal, sitting next to him in the driver's seat. "Yes Brandon—about that man, Lamar, don’t you think he’s dangerous? I didn't want you to see him," Madrigal streched adjusting his seat to fit his back, as the lane they were on wasn't moving.Lamar had met them at home earlier, before they set out. He claimed to he came there to deliver some packages to Hailey but she wasn't home. He then went ahead to ask Brandon’s men that he seeked audience with the boss." I don't think he is—and he looks familiar I just can’t fugure it out," Brandon responded as he gleaned over the car’s window. " Jordan, don’t you think he’s hdidng something? He just menstioned only Hailey—I know she’s connected to RAD but do you think he would send that much men just to defend her?" Brandon questioned him. The thouts