At Villa San Miguel, the sun bathed the garden in a warm, golden light as Karl and Cardinal Marino strolled along a cobblestone path. They finally settled on a worn wooden bench overlooking a charming, trickling fountain. The serenity of the garden contrasted sharply with the tumultuous events of recent months.
"It's been quite a busy year, hasn't it?" Karl remarked, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. He glanced at the Cardinal, who had been a steadfast ally throughout his tumultuous presidency.
The Cardinal nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Indeed, it has. It's hard to believe I'm about to leave this place for the Vatican, a role I've been preparing for almost a decade."
Karl gave a rueful chuckle. "Vatican politics are a different beast altogether. I'm sure you'll manage just fine."
The Cardinal smirked slightly. "Politics in the Vatican will be a breeze compared to the chaos you've been enduring."
Karl laughed softly. "At least you're familiar with the drill."
The conversation turned to family matters. "I heard Takeru's in the middle of a divorce from Yeon Soo," the Cardinal said. "Apparently, she caught him with two famous pop idols. And now there are rumors that several girls are pregnant."
Karl sighed deeply, the weight of his responsibilities pressing heavily upon him. "Yes, it seems he's caused quite a scandal."
"And now you're left to clean up the mess," the Cardinal said, his tone sympathetic.
Before Karl could respond, his keen eyes noticed movement in the bushes. He instinctively reached for his pistol, drawing it with practiced ease. The Cardinal ducked behind him, a look of concern etched on his face.
In an instant, the tranquil scene erupted into chaos. Gunshots rang out, sharp and unforgiving. Karl and the Cardinal were hit, Karl taking a bullet to the chest while the Cardinal was struck in the abdomen. Despite his injuries, Karl managed to return fire, neutralizing the attackers before collapsing.
Rafael, who had been anxiously awaiting his father's return, arrived on the scene, his face a mask of horror. "Dad! Stay with me!" he shouted, his voice cracking with desperation as medics rushed to attend to the fallen men.
The presidential security team acted swiftly, transporting Karl and the Cardinal to the hospital. Rafael watched helplessly as they were wheeled into the emergency room.
Hours later, the hospital waiting area was filled with the anxious Marino family. Jiena, Rafael, Muro, and Takeru stood in tense silence, their faces etched with worry. Bianca and Jasmine paced nearby, their expressions grim.
Jiena broke the silence. "What exactly happened?" she demanded.
Rafael's voice was strained. "Fernando's men attacked Dad and the Cardinal."
The tension in the room grew thicker as the family awaited updates. The doctor finally emerged, looking weary but determined. "Both the president and the Cardinal are stable. We've removed the bullets, but they'll need time to recover."
Relief mingled with lingering anxiety as the family took in the news. In the hospital suite, Karl and the Cardinal lay side by side, their injuries carefully tended to. Visitors were restricted, and security was tight.
The Cardinal, propped up slightly in his bed, turned to Karl with a solemn expression. "What are you planning to do about this?"
Karl, wincing with pain but resolute, replied, "I'll take action once you've left for Rome. I don't want the responsibility of retaliation falling on your shoulders. Blood will be shed, but I'll handle it."
The Cardinal nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "May God bless you in your endeavors."
Karl's gaze was steely. "Forgiveness is up to God, but ensuring justice is my responsibility. And that's exactly what I intend to do."
The news of the attack on Karl and the Cardinal sent shockwaves through the nation and the world. Speculations swirled, but both men remained tight-lipped about the details.
Two weeks later, Karl and the Cardinal were discharged from the hospital and taken to a secure safehouse to recuperate. The Cardinal was flown to Rome to assume his new role, leaving Karl in Rafael's care.
In the safehouse's garden, Karl reclined in a chair, attempting to relax despite his injuries. Rafael sat nearby on a bench, reading the newspaper with a tense expression. The air was thick with unspoken concerns.
"It's not wartime, but it feels like a storm is brewing," Rafael said, his voice heavy with unease.
Karl, his gaze distant, replied, "I've survived many battles. Despite everything, I'm still here."
Rafael's phone rang suddenly. He answered it, and his face drained of color. "Dad, there's something you need to know," he said, his voice trembling. "Sachiko has been kidnapped."
Karl's reaction was immediate and intense. He struck Rafael's head in a fit of anger and frustration. "Sachiko is your responsibility! You should be doing something about this!"
"But what about Riho and Sahoko?" Rafael retorted, his face flushed with agitation.
Karl's fury erupted. "Why are you all so upset? They're targeting me! They want to break me, and they're using my family to do it!"
---
Frustration and worry etched across his face, Rafael stormed out of the garden and raced towards the Marino mansion, his thoughts consumed by his father's indifferent response and the imminent danger facing his kidnapped wife.
Upon arriving at the mansion, Rafael found his siblings waiting, their expressions a mirror of his own anxiety. Jiena stepped forward, her eyes filled with concern. "What was Dad's reaction when you told him about Sachiko?" she asked, her voice taut with worry.
Rafael's frustration boiled over as he replied, "He went silent and then scolded me. He believes the kidnappers are after him and plans to meet them directly, ignoring our concerns about the risks."
Jiena's face turned grim. She seized Rafael's collar with a firm grip, her gaze intense. "We put you in charge of protecting Dad during these turbulent times," she said, her voice rising. "We don't even know what he's thinking, and we're all terrified for his safety!"
Muro stepped forward, his tone somber and reflective. "Remember, Mom was the one who kept him in check. She passed away seven years ago, and now we don't have that stabilizing presence."
Rafael's frustration peaked. "You should understand my perspective too! My wife is missing, and I'm desperate to get her back safely!"
Jasmine, trying to maintain composure amidst the chaos, interjected calmly. "We will handle the situation with your wife. For now, our priority must be ensuring Dad's safety."
"But I'm her husband," Rafael countered. "Of course, I'm worried about her. My children are also deeply affected."
Jasmine's attention shifted to the television screen as she pointed out, "Look, Dad is on TV!"
The siblings turned their gaze to the broadcast, where Karl stood behind a podium, flanked by Jamie Seo, the vice president, the senate president, and the house speaker. The cameras captured him delivering a momentous announcement.
"Fellow citizens, I come before you in a time of great personal difficulty," Karl's voice was steady, despite his evident strain. "After thirteen years in office, I have decided it is time to step down. I am confident that Jamie Seo will lead this country effectively, just as I have."
Jamie and the chief justice approached the podium, and Jamie took the oath of office with solemnity. Karl watched from the side, his expression a mix of resignation and resolve. Following the ceremony, Jamie embraced Karl and guided him out of the palace, marking the end of his presidency.
The Marino siblings were left stunned by Karl's sudden decision to step down. Some of them shook their heads in disbelief, unable to comprehend why he would relinquish control after so many years.
Jasmine broke the silence. "This explains why the presidential security was recalled," she said as a guard burst into the room, panting heavily.
"You need to leave the mansion immediately," the guard urged. "Fernando's men are breaching the gates."
Without a moment's hesitation, the siblings sprang into action. Jiena and Bianca sprinted north, Takeru dashed east, and Mako, Muro, Marla, and Rina bolted south. Rafael, Kyoko, and Jasmine, however, found themselves trapped inside the mansion.
Jasmine closed her eyes, murmuring, "God save us," as Kyoko ordered the guards to stand down, hoping to avoid casualties. Despite their efforts, Fernando's forces overran the mansion, capturing the three siblings left behind.
Fernando, clad in a sharp white suit, entered the mansion with a smug smile, taking in the portraits of Karl and Riko. He settled onto the couch as his men subdued and bound the Marino children, forcing them to kneel before him.
"It takes a woman to bring down a powerful man," Fernando taunted with a cruel laugh.
"You bastard!" Rafael yelled, straining against his restraints. "Where is my wife?"
Erina strode into the room, her expression cold and dismissive. "She's in good hands," she said with a sinister edge. "She's with her maker."
"How dare you!" Jasmine spat, but Erina responded with a sharp slap across Jasmine's face.
"You will address your new sister-in-law with respect," Erina demanded, her tone dripping with malice.
Kyoko's gaze fell upon the golden dragon ring on Fernando's finger, recognizing it from Karl's mention. Fernando noticed her interest and displayed the ring with a smug expression. "This is the Dragon Lord's ring. I am the Dragon Lord."
Just then, Albert Fontierra, Jude Almeida, and Laura Serrano arrived, joining Fernando. The guards soon brought in Mako, Muro, Marla, and Rina, forcing them to kneel alongside the captured siblings.
"You're all slow runners," Jasmine muttered under her breath as she looked around.
"They were waiting for us at the exits," Takeru explained, frustration evident in his voice.
Fernando gave a curt nod. "Bring in Riho and Sahoko," he commanded. The guards soon escorted Riho and Sahoko into the room, making them kneel as well.
"Oni!" Sahoko cried out, rushing to embrace her brother.
"Only four are missing," Fernando observed, surveying the room. "Now, take them to the mountaintop."
Rafael, seething with anger and desperation, demanded, "What are you planning to do?"
Fernando's smile was cold and calculated. "I'll wait for your father to come to that location. There, he will meet his end."
The siblings were loaded into a van and transported to a remote, heavily fortified mansion nestled in the mountains of Nueva Ecija. As they were confined in a large, heavily guarded living room, the gravity of their situation settled in, leaving them to grapple with uncertainty and fear.
----
Rafael found himself in a room eerily reminiscent of the one he had faced in Southern Mindanao. This time, however, he was restrained to a chair, the stark illumination of a single lamp casting deep shadows across the room. Fear and anxiety gripped him as he tugged futilely against his bonds, desperately trying to free himself.
Erin entered the room, a glass of wine in hand, her demeanor calm and composed. She took a leisurely sip before addressing him with a smirk. "Your struggles are in vain," she said, her voice cold and detached. "I've been waiting for this moment—a room just like this, just the two of us, ever since your father took away our daughter."
Rafael's anger flared as he struggled against his restraints. "Why are you doing this? What does killing my wife have to do with any of this?"
Erin's eyes glinted with a mix of envy and malice. "It's simple. I'm jealous of her, just as I was jealous of your meetings with Kanna. I even sent a scout to ensure you both ended up in trouble, courtesy of your parents."
Her expression twisted with satisfaction. "And I was delighted when Riko Marino finally met her end," she continued, her voice dripping with venom. "In fact, I fired the first shot that struck her. She was such a pathetic woman."
Rafael's rage boiled over. "You vile bitch!" he spat out, his voice filled with hatred.
Erin responded by taking a handkerchief from her pocket and covering his mouth, silencing him. With a cold and calculated gesture, she began unzipping his pants and running her fingers over him.
"I've longed for this moment," she said with a disturbing blend of longing and satisfaction. "I'm glad I can experience this tonight, and maybe even forever, even in death."
Rafael's mind was a tumult of conflicting emotions—disgust, anger, and a twisted sense of helpless pleasure—as he faced the woman who had once been a part of his life but was now a twisted figure of obsession. He closed his eyes, his thoughts drifting as he silently prayed for an end to his suffering.
---Chapter End---