Mateo and I collaborated into forming the article concerning the arranged marriage of Emma and Rex de la Rama, but this time, it is in the perspective of an economist and how this affects the economy and the wealth that circulates. As the time passes by, the boss's secretary came through the office and says "Everyone! Come, hear this!"
She pointed at the wide flat screen television installed near the boss's private office. She turned up the volume of the TV. Every employee flocked near the television to hear the breaking news. It appears that the reporter is at St. Patrick's Medical Center giving out news that shocks the masses.
"Rex de la Rama, the son and heir of the Rade Real Estates, is found dead here at St. Patrick's Medical Center. According to preliminary investigations, it would appear that he is murdered through a stab of a knife through the heart, through the stomach, and a slit on the throat. The murder is said to have taken place in the night. No eyewitness has come to reveal what truly happened and the motives behind the murder.
"Rex de la Rama is the only heir to the Rade Real Estates. The CEO has refused to give his statement on the issue and asked for privacy to privately mourn the scandalous murder that has taken place. It would appear that it is not robbery since none of the victim's belongings was taken away. The police have yet to give an answer and explain the event that happened."
The murmurs of every journalist echo throughout the room due to the shock of the young heir's death. I, for one, remained cool and collected. In the short amount of time I talked with him, I felt that he was too nice to be murdered. What could have happened? Why would anyone kill him?
Suddenly, the boss joined us and we paved way for the announcement he has to make.
"Everyone that has no story to write or anything to do, find anything that you can and write a story about this!" the boss exclaims. "Don't waste time! Go!"
And, maybe half a dozen of journalists went out of the room to begin their new story. Much to our surprise, the boss beckoned Mateo and me to join the boss in his office.
"Rosanna, Mateo, I want you to investigate on this right after you finish the story you are working on," he says. "I know those fools won't find anything new and worthwhile. You have published golden stories that made our papers sell. You need to do something better and investigate on this yourselves. Be an investigative journalist if you must, but find the answer before anyone does. If you can, find the answer before the police do. Do you understand?"
"Sir, what makes you think that we are able to investigate this matter ourselves?" I ask.
"Well, both of you have connections to the oligarchs," the boss says. "The disgraced heir and the self-made confidante would play the perfect part of fitting through the eye of the needle. I know you can do it but finish your little story. Or, you could just hand it over to an editor."
We have no choice. We have to do as the boss wishes. Still, I am stunned. It turns out that Emma could be free without having to wait for her death. It was shocking that though it is too late, Emma is free. She could have been jumping for joy since her betrothed is now dead. Now, she can be with her secret lover and continue their foolish love. Alas, my foolish sister, why must she stay that way?
"I am no investigative journalist, Rose, but how will we do this again?" Mateo asks as we walk out of the office.
"I absolutely know nothing as well," I say. "But anyway, I am not doing this today. I have to visit Emma at the hospital. Eloisa has been nagging me like crazy to visit Emma again. Anyway, tell me if anything happens."
I visited Emma at the hospital. Eloisa and I never meet that much anymore. I do not know what she has been up to. She did, however, promise that she will be sober until we find Emma's beloved man and bury her peacefully. As I open the door, I see Eloisa sitting beside Emma as they read a passage at the bible. I can see that they are discussing the fall of King Saul and his son Jonathan that became a friend to the next king, David.
I bought a fruit basket for her. I put it on the dining table inside her room and she manages o beam a smile at me. Somehow, I can see that she is not mad for the story I wrote. In fact, having sober Eloisa discuss to her passages of the Bible, she feels as if she is still that young foolish pianist frolicking beneath the summer sun.
"Emma, how are you?" I ask as I take a seat and sit beside her.
"A little better," she says. "This world is not for me. I want to join Our Lord in heaven soon. I am just preparing myself until the Lord takes me and saves me from this living hell."
I feel speechless. I felt a pang of guilt that I rose through my ranks by making her life into a news story. I wanted to apologize but the words would not come out of my mouth. I cannot find the proper words to say.
"I. . . regret having to write that. . . the story," I stammer. "I was forced to do so. I almost had to write a story about your illness but I begged the boss not to do that since it would scramble your father's company if they know that they are uncertain where the wealth will go if the heir were to die."
Still, she manages to smile faintly. She puts the bible on her side table as if I have captured her attention on some serious matter. I can tell that she wants to talk about this. She is interested in explaining me something.
"Rose, I am not my father's heir," she says. "He named me his heir because all the world knows that I am his only child in his marriage with my mother. Someone out there has a stronger claim to the company. He might be my father's bastard, but that bastard child has the greatest claim as he is my father's first child. I have no claim, Rose. I am not his child."
I am intrigued by her words. How is she not her father's child? She is her father's child in every possible way I can see. She is cunning, manipulative, and sly if she chooses to show it and do it. How can she not be her father's child?
"Emma, I'm shocked," I say astoundingly. "How can you say that?"
"My fool of a mother committed adultery with another man," she says bitterly. "One says it was out of the spirits of alcohol and one says it was pure adultery and lust. God forgive them both. Now, I say this to you right now, Rose, I am not my father's heir. My father does not want to humiliate himself that is why he has not named his bastard as his next heir. Now, he wanted to sell his shares to the Rade Real Estate, but it went horribly wrong when their only heir died."
"Emma. . . I – "
"Oh, don't bother yourself, Rose," she says. "Eloisa knew a long time ago. I'm surprised that you only knew this right now."
I turned to face Eloisa and her grave face confirms the truth. She nodded as if she is speaking on behalf of Emma. So, this is what has become of us. We are all paupers without prospects. Eloisa is an illegitimate child made through the annulment of her parents' marriage thus none of her parents would name her as the heir to the fortunes that each of her parents possesses. Emma is an heiress with no future seeing that a cure is bleak and a bastard only acknowledged as the daughter of a CEO. I have no prospects as I am born to paupers and I made myself rise through the world by perseverance. So, Eloisa is indeed right.
Being part of the elite is no cupcakes and rainbows. Life is not easy for them. The price of wealth is beneath them. It is as if the world is like a wheel that you will sometimes go up and go down. Your fortunes may change and it will come when you least expect it. As I have read in one of my books, the wheel of fortune or fortune's wheel can throw you up and bring you down. You cannot do anything to stop it. All you can do is ride the wheel and treat prosperity and poverty indifferently.
"You have the greatest prospect in all of us, Rose," Emma says weakly. "You made yourself into the world and your fate rests in your hands. As for us, we had to ride through changes. You cannot have everything in this world. Please, leave me now to rest. I need to rest."
Eloisa and I hesitantly nodded and we went out of the door without a word. As we lock the door, Eloisa gives a look at me.
"So, what did you find?" she asks me.
"What?" I ask.
"Oh, come on, Rose," she says. "I thought it was an unspoken agreement that I am to gather information from Emma and you will work your way on the outside world."
"Oh, really?" I say. "Finding a man can't be that hard."
"No, but finding the true heir will be harder," she says in contrast. "You may not know it, but her sister craves the fortunes that she is supposed to inherit. We need to find the heir and suggest it to the CEO before anything goes wrong."
"Eloisa, this is not my job!" I exclaim. "I have another mystery to solve and finding the heir is not my job. I need to cover a story on the death of Rex de la Rama, Emma's betrothed."
"Oh, surely the things going on right now are tied with Emma," she says. "His father, Reginald de la Rama, attempted to sue Emma's father for failing to give his promise. Now, as a result, Rex was supposed to take a part of the RSC's shares for their own. If Rex were supposed to take a share, then the company would be divided. The wealth is subtracted and there is a threat to control. His death has got something to do with that. That is your story, Rose. Write it and publish it for all I care, but the wealth is far more important. Emma's family is influential in both the government and the economy. If that company were to go down without an heir, this would affect the economy. Think thoroughly, Rose."
"I must solve the murder of Rex before I solve another," I say steadily.
"Do it, but I say this to you right now. This mystery ties with another and another. It is a never-ending loop like your tangled earphones in your bag."