Warning: This story may not be suitable for a very young age due to some unscripted words...
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DUKE
"Oh, my God! Duke!" Mom panic when they noticed my presence.
"Minerva! Oh, Minerva!" Odie lamented as he come to her and held her. She was running out of blood.
"Arghhh! Mga hayop kayo!" He let out a loud wail of anguish with his knees, embracing his wife, who was fighting for her life.
"Ano pa ang ginagawa niyo! Kulimos na kayo!" Dad ordered to his men in a very firm and authoritative tone without showing any signs of panic or guilt in him.
I was struggling to breathe but I could still see them as they took Odie and locked him up and then they carried Minerva and rushed her to somewhere I don't know.
"Oh, God! My son! Please, hurry and call his doctor!" Mom was trembling and all sweaty. My eyes wane closing until I was completely passed out.
When I opened my eyes, we were already back to our family mansion.
"Duke." I automatically shoved mom away when she tried to touch me. "Don't you dare touch me!"
"Duke, my son, I-I'm so sorry..."
"SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOU! YOU'RE ALL DISGUSTING!" I stood up and snatched off the needle that was attached to my vein and I marched out of the room.
"Duke, please talk to me..." She followed me, begging and was trying to stop me.
"Duke, please. I'm s... sorry" She tried hard to pull me with her knees pinned on the ground.
"TAMA NA! IF YOU CONTINUE TO DO THIS TO ME, I MIGHT END UP GETTING SICK FOR REAL! NABABALIW NA AKO! DAHIL SA INYO!" She was trembling and her eyes were all red and wet. I pushed her hard away from me, completely ignoring her. I feel so disgusted with my parents. I can't believe they can do evil things.
I heard my phone ring; it was Germano calling and so I answered it immediately.
"Germano."
"Boss, Minerva was captured by your father's men. Nandtito ako ngayon sa labas ng mansion niyo. Pupuslit ako. "
"No. Don't." I stop him.
"Umalis ka na ngayon d'yan. Magkita tayo at mag-usap." I hurried to meet him, and he was already waiting for me when I get there.
"Boss," he greeted me with his usual rough monotonous tone and a poker face. We sat down and he gave me a glass of whiskey.
"I want you to stop your investigations about Vera and Odie."
"Sigurado ka ba?" I took a sip on the glass before nodding to respond.
"It seems like you know something."
"How far have you known already?" he added.
I gritted my teeth and let out a deep sigh. "I killed her, the real Vera. Eighteen years ago." I answered, letting off my guards down. I trust him with all my secrets because he's the only person I know who could help me.
"Now I have come to finally know the reason why your parents have to come to that extent." This is all my fault. If I didn't kill her, they won't have a reason to do that in the first place.
"I killed my wife's mom with my own hands."
"Vera is alive." I froze about what he just said.
"Do you want me to continue?" When he was sure about my reaction, looking like I want to know more, he continues. "So, you already know that Minerva is an impostor, right?"
I nodded.
He chuckled a bit disappointed because I already found out before he could even finish his investigation. "Let me apologize for knowing all of that too late already."
"My parents had her undergo on a plastic surgery to make her look exactly like Vera. She's wearing contact lenses to change her eye color into green and even dyed her hair to blonde." I paused.
"Now, tell me more about the real Vera," I added.
He took an envelope from the inner pocket of his leather jacket and then drop some documents in the table. I saw some pictures, an admission form, and the patient's information from a prestigious hospital in U.S. Her name was written on it, Vera Isidro Griego-Del prado.
"She is in Minnesota, U.S.A. Your mother was the one in charge of her. May koneksyon ang mga magulang mo sa ospital na 'yon at doon siya itinago habang nagpapagaling. Hind ka ba nagtataka kung bakit mas madalas siya sa ibang bansa? It's not solely because she is taking over the family business."
"How was tita Vera?" I asked filled with mixed relief and concern.
"Vera just recently woke up from being in coma for eighteen years. Kaunti pa lang ang impormasyon na alam ko tungkol sa kalagayan niya but she has amnesia and she never spoke since she woke up."
"And according to the hospital's record, she's already been discharged a month ago, when she woke up. If you allow me, I'll fly to Minnesota right now..."
"No. You can stop now. I'll handle this by my own," I ordered.
He just nodded and then he continued to speak again. "Tungkol naman sa kaso ng pagkamatay ni Cholo."
Aside from investigating Odie and tita Vera's case, I had also order him to dig more about Cholo's death. I feel like there is a conspiracy behind his death. I've seen all the evidence from a video clip of Vlance assaulting Cholo but according to his medical results, there is a huge chance he will survive. All his doctors were sure about it, and he is also showing improvements that is why I don't believe there is a malpractice that happen. He was healing and there is no more need for another major operation to begin with.
Cholo is involve with numerous felonious activities led by a syndicate known as the Illuminati Dealings, he knows many influential people behind that group, and I feel like they are using Vlance as their chance to kill him. Luckily, she came from a family of powerful Elite, and we won't let her go to jail that easily.
"Tama ang hinala mo. The Illuminati Dealings was the one who's behind his death. They killed him while he is in coma to make it look like he just died from the assault. It would be less problematic for them to kill him with that state for them to avoid further investigations without getting their names involve with his case. They took that opportunity and your wife have to face the crime in their place."
"But when the Del prado's heard about his death, they did everything to cover up your wife. They have connections with the hospital, and they paid them."
"How about the medical jurisprudence?"
"There is no medical investigation that took place. The investigations focus only on the aggravated assault, disregarding the possibility of a foul play."
He took his phone and showed me information about the doctor who admitted the malpractice. The name written on the Employee Data Form was Rodrigo Ferrer Santiago.
"He's a licensed physician but was fired by the hospital he was affiliated ten years ago because of his incompetencies. He's always late coming to work with the influence of alcohol and there were many accounts that he sexually harassed female coworkers. The hospital fired him pero dahil naawa ang ospital sa kalagayan ng pamilya niya, they didn't report him to revoke his license. He then starts his own clinic in the province but because of his imprudence, he mismanaged the clinic, went bankrupt, and later on, it gets shut down. He's addiction to gambling and many other vises made him broke and earned him a huge debt. Lahat ng pinagkakautangan niya and the families of his female victim for sexual assault wants to kill him. He was hiding and that's how the Del prado's had found an opportunity in him to save your wife."
"They bribe and threatened him. It's a win-win situation for both parties. They will pay for all his debt, give his family a comfortable life that he failed to give them, and gave him the guarantee that he will be protected behind bars. The Del prado's has many connections inside, they can protect him there and so he agreed with them to be imprisoned in Vlance's place and that the case was instantly closed."
Although the case was closed, and she is now saved from the murder count, still she was bail for attempted murder count. Our family lawyers are very competent and reputable to win the case. The lawyers defended her by proving to the court that what she did was just an act of self defense from a sexual assault that they attempted to do to her and they had proof of course, with the Elite's influence and power, any doctor can issue a medicolegal and the prosecutors, judge, and all the court body favors our alibi because of our influence. That's how rich people avoid going to jail. If the case can be cured with strong proof of alibi, even if it's fake, we will never get imprison.
"The hospital fake his data. Nakasaad diyan na sampung taon na siyang nagseserbisyo sa ospital but this informations were all fake. He has never been affiliated to Centro Medico de Alta."
"Then, who's behind the Illuminati Dealings."
"It's the Ledesma," The Ledesma are family of politicians and lawyers. Most of them are governors and senators and some have their own law firm business.
"Cholo knows that the Ledesma's are the protector of illuminati Dealings. He had kept evidence of their money laundering transactions that is why they want to kill him."
"Vlance was against Cholo's activities, and she wants to protect the poor young boys from the street fighting that Cholo has been operating."
"Street fighting?" I asked, quizzical.
"It's a wager often made by the people coming from the elite class watching poor young boys with financial hardships, on the outcome of a blood match, due in some part to the physical trauma, the young boys inflict on each other," he explained.
"Vlance kept on interfering with his illegal business and that is why Cholo was provoke and they had encountered riot; Vlance versus his group. The video clips only show a small portion of the whole story. It might be that she was just trying to stop the street fight and that resulted to almost killing Cholo."
"I have already in my possession all the evidence that Cholo had kept." He then handed me a flash drive where the evidence was stored.
People had been blaming Vlance for Cholo's death without knowing the whole story which led to her downfall, and I want to clear her name at once. Soon, she'll be back to her throne. I know that she loves music and I know it will be a total devastation for her if that would be taken away from her.
"Send the copies of all the files to the supreme court and don't forget the media outlet to get all the details and information." I ordered. With the evidence I have gathered, all the accusations in Vlance's name will all be cleared in no time.
Germano and I finished discussing and when I check on my phone, there were fourteen long text messages and eighteen missed calls. Mom had been calling and texting me since I left but I didn't bother reading not at least one from the messages. For the nineteenth time, she called again but this time, I answered, "I'm heading back. Let's talk later," I told her straight, thriftly, and without showing any emotions.
When I get there, my parents were already waiting for me.
"Oh, Duke, my son," Mom stood up and tried to approach me but before she could even touch me, I step back and yelled at them as I pointed the gun I was holding, "Don't you dare come near me!" She stopped to my warning.
"Son," Dad's eye were filled with regret.
"Where is tita Vera? The real Vera." I asked with my voice filled with anger.
Mom flinched stepping back as if she was being scaled by a hot water. They were silent. None of them wants to answer me.
I let out chuckle of annoyance. "So, no one's gonna answer me."
"Tell me where she is or kill myself." I pointed the gun on my head. To make them open their mouth, I must make myself as a hostage.
"Oh, no! Duke, no! You can't do that, please? Hon, please tell him where she is now. Please. Please, Oh, Duke, my son, put down the gun." Mom looks unimaginably petrified right now.
"I know you can't do that. Duke, put down the gun," dad said.
I racked the slide back to show him that the handgun I was holding is loaded and that I'm serious and then I pointed the gun back to my temple.
"So, you're really not going to tell me, huh?" I was about to pull the trigger when mom panicking jumps at me. She was able to jolt the gun out of my head making the gun point to a different direction and the bullet was aimed somewhere else.
Mom felt relieved for a bit but still was panicking. "Hon, please tell him now." She then faced me. Dad was now convinced that I am serious with what I said.
"Duke, she is h... Here., I brought her back but when O... Odie and Minerva went missing, your d... dad hide her somewhere he only knows. Not even me knows where e... exactly she is except your dad. Hon, please." she said sobbing in between.
Dad took a deep sigh. "Do you think it will change everything even if we tell them the truth?"
"Son, I know how smart of a person you are, and I know that you know what will gonna happen next if they found out. Can you afford to lose everything? Your friendship with Vladimir. How about your wife? I know how much you had already fallen for her. Can you afford to lose her and your child? Do you even think right?" Dad was right. What he said made me feel dumbfounded realizing what will I lose if I tell them. I can't lose Vlance and my child. The child is mine now even if it didn't come from my DNA.
I threw the gun out of despair and drop my knees down the ground with my whole body shaking. I howled with my tears bursting in frustration. I really don't want that to happen. Vlance is now pregnant, and we are going to be a family soon. I can't afford to lose them.
Mom embraced me and I just let her. "I'm so sorry, my son." She was also crying.
When I was already calm, I asked mom, "Tell me, mom, please, tell me the whole truth that happened eighteen years ago."
She took a deep sigh before she speaks.
"Up until to these days, I still have deep resentment towards your abuelo. I will never forgive him even if he is already gone five years ago. If he didn't leave his office unattended, all of this will never happen. For some reason, I don't know why he didn't make sure the safe was locked before living. This is all his fault. And because of his pride, he made everything even worst. He cleaned the mess with another mess."
"After the incident, your abuelo had all his men to clean up the scene. He was the head of the family during that time, and we have no power to interfere with his decisions. He doesn't want to dirt our family reputation and as parents, we only wanted to protect you." Her eyes were filled with remorse.
"We don't want other people to think bad about you. We don't want to hear them talk negative things against you. The world is too cruel. They can forget all the good things you did but never will to a single mistake you had committed. You're still too young at the time and we don't want you to be the subject of scandal in such a chaotic world of media. They will feast on you. You're only five at that time and we only want to protect you."
"Then what's the connection of Minerva and Odie to Tita Vera? Why did you use them?"
"Your tita Vera and I love to go to charities and that is when we decided to establish a hospital in Germany for less fortunate children and one of the children was Odie's and Minerva's daughter. She was undergoing several chemo therapies and other medical procedures, but her disease was too complicated that her body could no longer bear the treatment and she died after two years of medication. We wanted to tell them the truth but your abuelo wants to use them to cover up the incident and that he plans to make it look like Vera left out of infidelity and since Odie and Minerva are desperate, they are willing to do everything what it takes for their child to heal, that is why we lied to them for them to make cooperate with us."
"The news quickly spreads out and everybody was too fool to believe it. Vera, on the other hand was also still alive but was under the state of coma and she was showing improvements but your abuelo think of it as a threat to our advantage. If she is alive, a bigger problem will occur."
"We found out that he wants to completely finish Vera life. And not only that... After the couple had already served their part and were no longer useful to his plans, your abuelo wants them dead too, in order to wrap up and clean all the evidence left."
"That is why, we did everything to save them. Your dad convinced him that he can handle everything by himself and that we made him believe that they were all dead already. Five years ago, your abuelo died without knowing that the people he thought was already dead were still alive up to these days."
"How about my sickness? Am I sick. How about those group of armed men who tried to hurt us?"
"There were no armed men. It was all just a lie. The truth is your sickness started right after the incident. According to the doctors, you were traumatized by the incident and that is why we wanted to erase those bad memories of your childhood. As you were growing up, you are starting to become aware of what is happening around you. You start to ask many questions and that is when you begin to hate going to the hospital because we can explain why you need that treatment. You don't have schizophrenia. The therapy sessions you've been undergoing since then up until now is for you to heal your Childhood Post Traumatic Disorder. If we told you that you have PTSD, for sure, you will dig about your past and we don't want you to remember that anymore, but unfortunately, you did."
"We wanted you to not remember it because we don't want you to feel guilty about it for the rest of your life because it was never your fault to begin with..."
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"Duke what happen to you?" She notices my injured fist, wrap with a bandage. That was the injury I got when I punch the wall at the roof of the hospital in Boston. She just notice it now because I was able to hide them by wearing gloves due to the cold weather when we were still in there.
"What are you doing here outside? It's cold here." I took off the jacket I was wearing and wrapped it on her.
"Did someone hurt you?" I smiled reassuring her that I'm fine, "I'm fine. I just accidently hit something while I was working that is why?"
"Sabihin mo lang sa aking kung may nang aano sa 'yo, malilintikan sa akin 'yon."
"Let me help you clean that wound later, ok?" She added.
I grab her gently and hug her. I was trying my best to control my composure but deep inside, I was falling apart. I felt so guilty. I wanted to be honest with her and tell her everything, but I just couldn't. I'm so scared.