Marionne continues to work his magic with Sophia. He maintains a caring and loving fianceé. Sophia is like a willing victim, believing everything he says and does. And Ava remains the antagonist in their love story.
"Sophia, can we talk?" Ava approaches her sister in the kitchen. Sophia didn't even bother her annoyance with her.
"What now, Ava? If this about my fianceé, I don't want to hear it." Sofia said without looking at her.
"But, Soph—" Ava tried to explain, but Sophia immediately cut her off.
"But what, Ava? Are you going to tell me again that Marionne is not the man for me? That he is who I think he is? Are you going to say to me again that he is just using me? Using me for what, Ava? The last time I checked, our overall remaining assets don't even reach half of his wealth. So, what is he using me for? And why are you talking like you know him so well?" Sophia could not hold back anymore.
Ava wanted to answer all her questions, but she
Gregory woke up feeling dizzy, his throat was parched, and his body aches all over. Last night's beating was worst than the nights. He already lost track of how long he's been inside his dark cell. They give him food once in a while and water, but it's only enough to keep him alive.In his mind, he knew that his daughter would come looking for him. He's their father, and they won't just let him rot in that cell. He believes that his daughters are already scouring the earth to find him."Gregory Rothschild. How the mighty have fallen? How are you, dear friend?" Gregory heard the voice he came to loathe."You won't break me, Lorenzo. My daughters are looking for me right now. And my soon-to-be son-in-law is one of the wealthiest men you could ever meet. Once they realized that it's you who took me, you're going to pay for it." Gregory threatened him. But Lorenzo just laughed at him."Marionne Castello? I know him, and I saw him just before coming here, with
—Sixteen Years Ago—Ten O'clock in the morning, Marionne Castello is walking on the sidewalk towards the University he wanted to enroll in college. He spent his entire life preparing himself for this day. From grade school to secondary education, Marionne cried, sweat, and bled to have the credentials to be a worthy scholar student of Universidad de Catalina. The best university in town. His palms were sweating when he entered the gate of the university. Mesmerized by the beauty of the surroundings and how grandiose—for his simple eyes—everything is.After asking the guard where he can find the registrar's office, Marionne sprinted. He wanted to be there in time for the announcement of those who passed last month's entrance and scholarship examination. But the traffic made the travel hard for him. The announcement is eleven-thirty, but six other students are already sitting in front of the registrar's office and waiting. Students are passing by,
Ava didn't know what happened to them. One day, they were a wealthy family, and the next, they can no longer afford to travel abroad. It all started when his father got into gambling. Without their knowledge, her father already sold some of their properties abroad. He can't stop anymore. All he wants is to gamble. No matter how much money he wastes, he no longer cares."Ava, this has to stop. People are talking about us!" Ava sighed when the first thing she heard as she came out of her is her sister's complaint."Sophia, what do you want me to do?" Ava asked, feeling drained early in the morning."Be the big sister! Talk to dad, for god's sake." Sophia pleaded."Haven't I done that already?" She asked her sister. Ava talked to their father numerous times, but all she got was a nod."He can't go on like this. Sooner rather than later, we will be living in the streets." Sophia looked seriously stressed out about the situation."I don't know wh
"No! No way!" Sophia violently reacted to their father's announcement."Dad, please tell us this is a joke." Ava hoped their father would laugh and say that he was kidding, but he didn't."Hija, your wealth is rapidly decreasing, and if you don't do anything about it, you will lose everything," Lorenzo speaks up. "I am offering you a better future out of the kindness of my heart.""Yeah, our wealth is rapidly decreasing because of his gambling!" Sophia retaliated. "Why don't you marry them instead, dad?""Watch your mouth, kid!" Gregory warned him."Watch my mouth!" Sophia already had enough of his father. "You want to sell us to these ugly, sweaty retards so you can keep your wealthy status! What kind of a father are you?""How dare you insult my sons in front of me!" Don Lorenzo angrily stood up." Let's go, boys. We're leaving." He called his sons, who are both bowing down. "I will never forget this, Gregory."Don Lorenzo and his so
Gregory's gambling habits worsened. He met a leader of a syndicate who agreed to lend him money without any collateral. He didn't even think of what could happen if he couldn't pay him back. All he cared about was that he could gamble. He felt that after so many losses, he would finally win to regain the vast amount of money he lost. But luck won't side with Gregory no matter how much he asked for it. And Gregory's time to pay has come. But he couldn't come up with the money he owed."Mr. Rothschild, I'm sure we don't have to tell why we are here." A large man with a gun holstered in his pocket stepped out of the car when Gregory went out of the mansion."Yes, i—please tell him that I need more. Just a little bit more." Gregory pleaded."The boss won't be happy in this kind of excuse, Mr. Rothschild." He warned."I know, I'm sorry. Please tell him that I will pay. Just a little more time." Gregory felt like any moment; he would piss himself.
At the Montez residence,Maids are busy cleaning the entire mansion while the gardeners trim the plants and roses in the garden. A party organizer is busy giving out orders to put all the decorations needed for tomorrow night. It was D.A's mother, Aileen Montez's birthday."Mom, why are you out here?" D.A immediately attended to her mother. Having a digital wheelchair made her life easier. She can go almost anywhere in the mansion without disturbing anyone."I'm getting bored inside that ginormous house. I need fresh air." Aileen stated."I know. I just don't want to get hurt," D.A responded. "What's the sense of getting a private nurse for you if you let her do her job?""Divina, I can handle myself. Besides, operating this digital wheelchair you bought for me is not that hard." Aileen answered, teasing her lesbian daughter using her first name."D.A, Mom. It's D-A." D.A said, irritated."Why are you changing your name?" Aileen said,
"Marionne! Wait!"Ava couldn't let her sister marry someone she doesn't love because of their father. She has to do something. Maybe, regardless of what happened between them in the past, he would listen to her."Marionne!"Ava tried to call him again, but he chose to ignore her. He continuously walks towards his car."Damn it! Marionne, will you stop!"At last, Marionne stopped walking, but he kept his back on her."Marionne, please, talk to me," Ava begged."What is it, Ava?" Marionne asked her blankly.Marionne turned around and faced the very first woman he loved and broke his heart. It's been twelve years since they last saw each other."What do you want, Marionne? Why are you doing this?" Ava asked in an accusatory tone."Oh! You think I'm here because I wanted to? I have my own company to manage, Ava. You and your family's drama is the last thing I need." Marionne responded in a contemptuous tone."T
Sunday morning, both Ava and Sophia are at home. Ava worries about her younger sister, who hasn't said a word since the night that Marionne arrived with their father. Gregory, who was disappointed and mad with how Sophia acted, won't talk to them, too. He despised Sophia for demanding that Marionne will not give him any money once they got married. He surely didn't expect her youngest daughter to defy him like that."Aren't you going to talk to Sophia, Dad?" Ava said to her father, who's drinking his coffee in his study room."Why would I? You two seem to forget I am your father." Gregory said hatefully."That's right; you're our father," Ava responded in the same manner. "And selling you're selling us like some piece of goods.""Is that all you have to say to me?" Gregory asked dismissively. "If yes, you can go.""You're unbelievable," Ava replied. "I'm sure Mom will be ashamed of you."Ava left her father with utter disappointment in her h