Ensnared

(Alano)

"ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE is something anyone would want to get away from…but not me. When I found out about my illness, I felt relieved knowing that I could use it as an excuse to escape—because if I could still remember, I would only think about Carla and how I ruined her life.

I want to forget that I hurt her, that I destroyed not only her family, but other families too. I want to forget that I was the reason those little girls lost their parents. I want to forget that I am more than a sinner, a liar, a traitor, a thief, and a murderer so that when I see my sons, I can look them in the eyes, even if it means that I will no longer remember them.

I know that there is a chance that one of them might read this. As a man who has been called a lunatic, a villain, a destroyer, and a cruel businessman, who would have thought I’d keep a diary? I asked Alexandra to take care of my diaries and store them in the library. I’m hoping that they will pique my sons’ interests so they can discover on their own the things that I can never tell them in person. I want them to be the ones to bring justice to Clarice and the twins, justice that I will never be capable of providing.

I know that these diaries will shatter Ansel, Alano, and Austin’s perception of me. And I’m not hoping for forgiveness anymore, especially not Clarice, Maggy, or Yalena’s forgiveness. I have no right to ask for it. I am also hoping that my sons will learn from my mistakes. That when they love someone and she asks to be set free, they set her free. As the song goes, she’s yours if she stays. That’s what it feels like to love a woman.

I know I’m not in any position to give advice about love. But I do have a lot to say about pain and regret. And things get even more painful when the ones we love are involved.

–Benedict"

I took a sharp breath after reading Dad’s last entry in his diary. It had been a while since I first discovered the truth about him, but the pain and frustration were still as fresh as if I had just read about it yesterday. My attention went back to my youngest brother when I caught him putting the journal inside his bag.

“What are you going to do with that thing, Austin?”

“There are some entries in this journal about Clarice, Maggy, and Yalena. And they need to read them. I think this was Benedict’s selfish way of asking for their forgiveness. The old man is right, Al. He really doesn’t have the right to ask for their forgiveness. He doesn’t deserve it, not in this lifetime at least.” He shook his head and tried to change to subject. “Yalena called my wife the other day. It looks like Yalena is coming back to the Philippines tomorrow, and she'll be staying with us for a few weeks. She now knows about Dad’s condition, and Maggy told her to have a heart.”

I nodded. I knew that Austin was referring to Yalena’s revenge. If our hunch was right, the target of that revenge plan would be Ansel, our eldest brother. “And what did Yalena say?”

“That she didn’t have a heart anymore because Benedict took it away.”

I was a little amused when I saw the uncertainty in Austin’s eyes. “Don’t tell me you're worried about Ansel? Come on, brother. That guy is as shrewd as Benedict. Everybody sees him as the king of the business world. Others even call him a shark. I’m sure he can handle Yalena better than us.”

“The De Lara twins are tough. I almost lost my mind dealing with Maggy, and now Yalena’s coming too. Haven’t you heard of her? People are saying she’s like a dragon in the courtroom. She passed the Bar exam with the second-highest score, and she hasn’t lost a single case.” Austin sighed. “Besides, let’s not underestimate the power of a determined woman. I’m sure Ansel will have a difficult time. He may be a shark, but Yalena is a dragon, and she will not hesitate to throw fire at him.”

“Hmm…” I glanced at our family portrait, staring at Ansel’s face. “So, it’s dragon versus shark, huh? Based on what you've told me, I already feel sorry for our family’s shark,” I added before smiling impishly. “But, brother, I think you’re missing an important detail here: sharks may be predictable, but the number of their attacks isn’t. I read that somewhere.”

(Yalena)

I GENTLY laid the flowers that I'd brought in front of my parents’ tombstones. I sat on the grass, taking a couple of deep breaths as I remembered the conversation I'd had with my best friend the other night via video call. I shut my eyes when I remembered how she'd wept.

“I’m so sorry, Yana. I didn’t mean to, but I’ve fallen in love with Alano. He’s different from his father. He’s a good man. And he loves me, too. The annulment…” Clarice shook her head. “I don’t even want to think about it. Yana, Benedict’s sons are not like him. Austin is also a good man. When you return to the Philippines tomorrow, I hope you can try to understand your sister’s situation. Maggy and Austin love each other. She’s six weeks pregnant right now, so I hope you won’t scold her too much. I’m so sorry, Yana.” Her tears fell when she saw how stunned I was. “Maggy told me not to tell you about this yet. We knew you would hate us for this. We didn’t leave you hanging, believe me. It’s just that—”

“It’s just that love is more important than justice. Is that what you’re trying to tell me, Clarice?” I asked in a low voice when I recovered from shock.

Clarice lowered her head. I smiled bitterly and ended the call.

My chest tightened when I opened my eyes. I glanced at Uncle Ramon’s tombstone beside my parents. “For the past sixteen years, Clarice, Maggy, and I carried this tremendous pain in our hearts. We spent almost half of our lives planning on how we can achieve justice. But just because of love, everything is ruined now, Mom, Dad, and Uncle Ram. I’m left all alone now,” I whispered while staring at the tombstones.

“To fall in love in the middle of our plan was one thing. But of all people, why did they have to fall for the McClennans? Sixteen years is a long time. I wanted to think that they just grew tired of being in pain. But who isn’t tired?” My voice broke. “I’m tired, too, Dad. I just don’t want to give up yet. Because this anger inside my heart is the only reason why I’m still alive right now.”

I cancelled all my transactions in Nevada and came back to the Philippines when I found out that Maggy came back in this country with Austin. I couldn’t contact her for weeks. My twin sister called me just yesterday but it was obvious how she tried to end our conversation as quickly as possible to stop me from asking questions. That’s why right there and then, I told her that I would be flying back to our homeland.

I already had my doubts when Maggy sent me some documents stating that she was transferring all her shares in McClennan Corporation under my name. She got those shares from Austin who was now her husband. She also wrote a note saying that she was sorry because she was backing out from the plan. I had confirmed my hunches when I talked to Clarice last night.

I’d been so busy for the past weeks that I couldn’t follow Maggy right away. I had to take care of a very important case first. After winning, I would have stayed for a few more weeks in Nevada to investigate about the death threats that I’d been receiving.

It had been nine days since some armed men blasted my apartment. Fortunately, I was in a hotel at that time. The cops had already looked into it but we still had no idea who did it because the men’s faces were covered in the CCTV footage.

I was aware that there were plenty of people who wanted to get rid of me because of the cases I had handled. I was used eating death threats for breakfast. My apartment had been raided in the past but this one was different since their aim was to kill me this time.

But my desire to see my twin sister was bigger than staying in Nevada to investigate. The case was moving so goddamn slow so I decided to just leave for a while.

And now here I am. I’m still hurt by what Maggy did to me. I felt cheated. She hid such an important thing to me. But I’m still worried about her pregnancy. She was the only family I had left and I want to make sure that she was doing fine in the hands of the people who we treated as our enemies for so long.

I don’t have any concrete plans as of the moment. The original plan was to seduce Ansel to locate Benedict. But now that Maggy and Clarice were able to infiltrate the McClennan residence, I don’t have to do that anymore. I could just use them to reach my target.

I want more than just the Company shares. I want more than just the McClennan’s wealth. I still want to take back the Company that Benedict stole from us since Dad and Uncle Ramon had shed their sweat and blood to build it. But more than that, I want Benedict.

I would be the one to put an end to this revenge mission whatever it takes. That was the only way I could move on because everything stopped for me the day my parents died. I’m still trapped in two thousand and five. I could only live in the present once I find a way to attain justice.

“Till next time, Mom, Dad, and Uncle Ram,” I whispered before I left the graveyard and hailed a cab. I only had my shoulder bag with me right now because I’d already sent my luggage to the McClennan residence a few days ago.

I was about to get inside the cab when I noticed the men standing near the guard house of the cemetery. All of them were wearing black jackets, dark glasses, and caps. There were four of them.

I quickly rode the cab. After closing the door, I glanced at the window and saw them swiftly rode a black van. Shit!

It was the third month of October that’s why there were already some people in the graveyard to visit their loved ones. That was probably why those men were not able to follow me inside. They were after me. I can feel it. And my hunches had never been wrong. Fortunately, there were many cars on the road. I told the driver my twin’s address but I changed my mind after a while.

If I’d go straight to where Maggy lives, then I would be putting her life at risk, too. And I couldn’t allow that to happen especially now that she was pregnant. If only Austin was there, I wouldn’t mind. But Maggy’s life would be at stake, too. I wouldn’t also be able to come up with plans against Benedict if my enemy’s minions would loiter around the place where I would live.

I’m not familiar with the roads around Manila yet. So far, I only knew four places around here. Clarice’s house, the McClennan residence where I once fetched Maggy, the cemetery, and the McClennan Corporation building.

I glanced at my wristwatch. It would take almost an hour before we get to the building, but I still asked the driver to send me there. I’m in a bind. I didn’t have my gun with me. It would be delivered to me tomorrow by a trusted subordinate. I had studied self-defense, but that would be meaningless because I’m sure that those guys have weapons.

As much as I hate to admit it, I would need the security which Maggy’s husband could offer. I would need Austin to escort me.

When the cab stopped in front of the McClennan building, the van also stopped a few meters away. Damn it!