Solving The Mystery
"They're not picking up our calls. Is it something for us to be worried about?
What do we do now?" Alejandro panicked.
It was the third time the kidnapper had refused to respond to the call.
This made him more scared.
He can't help but think of negative things.
"What if they have done something terrible to hurt the pastor?" he asked everyone.
He has suddenly forgotten what it feels like to be optimistic.
"Please don't say that. How did you even harbour such horrible thoughts in your head?" Romeo quickly stepped in to calm the situation.
"That shouldn't be your question right now. Presently, we have to stay positive.
Have you forgotten what they said about the power of the tongue?
Do I need to also remind you that the wall has ears?" Romeo added.
"Oh, please spare me those motivational quotes," Alejandro pulled himself away from Romeo.
Despite how relieved Romeo sounded, it didn't seem like it sank into Alejandro's mind.
"We need to involve the police." Alejandro decided after sulking for over ten minutes.
"The police?" Everyone spoke together as though it were planned.
They never saw that coming.
A while ago, he was against involving the police in the case because he was scared that it might trigger the kidnappers to hurt the pastor.
"Y'all should stop glaring at me like that. The last time I checked, it's not your freedom that's been compromised," he snarled.
He hated the fact that no one was taking sides with him. He felt neglected and betrayed.
It's more like having the world against you when you need it the most.
"Don't worry, I'll handle this," Antonio whispered as Romeo was trying to get closer to Alejandro.
Romeo obeyed.
He figured that Antonio was in the right position to calm Alejandro's nerves, considering how long Alejandro had worked for Antonio.
Alejandro felt a pat on his shoulder as he faced the opposite direction.
Without being told, he knew it was Antonio.
"If you are not going to come with me to the police station, then don't bother speaking to me." Antonio declared why he was still facing the opposite direction.
He tucked his hands together and frowned his face. He wishes they could see his face and know how agitated he has become.
"Hey, look at me," Antonio begged.
He treated Alejandro like a King just to earn his trust.
At that point, Antonio knew the only way to make Alejandro buy his idea of not inviting the police was by speaking in a calm tone.
If the need arises, he won't mind worshipping the ground that Alejandro walked on.
"I know this isn't about my freedom, but trust me, I understand your pain," Antonio admitted.
"Are you being serious right now?" Alejandro spun his head in Antonio's direction at full speed.
"Did you just say that to me, or was I dreaming? Remind me who orchestrated the damn marriage again,
How would you know how I feel when you haven't been in my situation before?" Alejandro fumed.
His face has suddenly become reddish, as though he had been bitten by a bee. He hasn't spoken to Antonio in such a manner before.
What hurts Alejandro is the fact that Antonio is the one pushing him to the wall.
To him, that's synonymous with being stabbed in the back.
If it were Hilton, he wouldn't have been bothered because he knows how annoying Hilton can be most of the time.
"They might get into a fight.
We need to stop them now," Mary said to Romeo.
"Don't worry, it won't get worse than this. They will figure it out," Romeo advised.
Unlike Mary, Romeo wasn't bothered by the altercation between his Father and Alejandro.
He is quite aware that they won't exchange blows.
"I believe you,"
Mary succumbed.
Although, she wasn't completely convinced by Romeo's assurance.
From what she is witnessing, the situation might get messier than ever.
Should that happen, she won't hesitate to swing into action.
"Did I ever tell you how I lost my wife?" Antonio asked Alejandro after a prolonged silence.
"Yes, you did.
I recall you telling me that she died after a brief illness," Alejandro responded in uncertainty.
He rolled his eyes and wondered where Antonio was trying to insinuate with the question.
"I lied.
That wasn't the cause of her death," Antonio dropped the shocker.
"What did you just say? You are kidding me, aren't you?" Alejandro freaked out.
It was hard for him to believe that his boss of over eight years would lie to his face.
"I wish it were a lie, Alejandro. I'll tell you everything that needs to be told in the presence of everyone," Antonio vowed, as if he wanted to break Carmel's back.
"Dad, what are you doing?"
Romeo got infuriated as he went to stand next to his Father
"No, son.
I need to make a bold statement. And I have to do it now," Antonio insisted.
He wasn't even paying attention to Romeo anymore. It's as though Romeo didn't even exist.
"But we all vowed to take the secret to our graves. We haven't told this to anyone before.
Not even the press. So why do you want to do that now?" Romeo inquired further.
Now he's regretting not stopping the heated argument when Mary advised.
Perhaps, it would have prevented his Father from opening the files from the past.
"I will do anything to protect my integrity. Didn't you hear what he said?
He accused me of neglecting him
Do you want me to be labelled as a traitor?" Antonio confronted his son.
Everyone stepped aside and allowed both Father and son to settle their differences.
Alejandro is inclined to step in and settle the rift between Romeo and Antonio.
He felt nothing but guilt for himself.
He blamed himself for falsely accusing Antonio.
He had no idea that Antonio would take the accusation straight to the heart.
Now, he's tempted to say, "Boss, don't worry about telling us how your wife died. I take back my words. You didn't abandon me,"
However, he isn't certain if Antonio will be willing to even listen to him anymore.
The moment of truth was, however, ruined after the emergence of MacLeish and his family.
The presence of MacLeish thrilled Romeo and Alejandro.
They had been seeking for means to stop Antonio from spilling the family's history, and they finally found one.
"Oh my goodness,"
Antonio fumed. Immediately, he saw MacLeish and his family.
He was starting to believe that someone might have alerted MacLeish to show up.
It wasn't a coincidence that MacLeish showed up shortly after Romeo pleaded with his Father not to speak up
"Did I interrupt anything? You seemed so disturbed,' MacLeish asked.
"Apparently, yes.
The truth is…' he was about to speak up when Romeo stepped up.
"Never mind, sir.
It's nothing for you to worry about." He drifted MacLeish's attention away from the actual discourse.
"If you insist, I'll drop it," MacLeish agreed.
Romeo formed a barricade between MacLeish and Antonio to prevent them from having any form of communication.