"What's this for?" I asked Andrew a confused question after he put a body camera on me.
"Trust me, you'll need it." He said with assurance on his eyes. I just nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
"I'm scared—not for myself, but for our daughter," Drew was stunned as he made preparations for the other belongings we would need to go to the hideouts of Aunt Fely and her Mafia husband.
Aunt Fely already texted me their address, and anytime we were going there. Here we went straight to Drew's mansion. There was no one in the mansion so we could easily get into Drew’s room.
"You have nothing to fear Sydney, because I'm here. I'm here for our daughter, and I assure you nothing bad will happen to Sunny." His eyes were convincing. I felt comforted by what he said.
"Ready?" I nodded to Drew when he asked me.
"Then, let's go!" Drew took me by the hand and we ran out of his room and down their stairs.
"I'll promised you that after this, we will live our life to its fullest." Drew said smiling, after we could finally get out of their mansion.
Here we are now in his car. Aunt Fely has everything ready. I also don't understand Drew why it doesn't seem a problem to him, the ransom that demands of aunt Fely. It seems that it was just a piece of cake for him to do such things—like seriously? Five hundred million pesos and the documents of his family's business in Palawan?
Even though I was upset I decided not to ask any more questions, because Drew was right, our daughter's safety was more important than anything else.
"How do you make sure it ends now?" I asked Drew crookedly. He just smiled at me and kissed my hand.
"Let's do it together." He said and started the engine of his car.
As Aunt Fely and I talked, I should be the only one to go to the place she said. So, Drew stopped his car a few meters away in the old building we both see now.
Drew first pulled out a black bag containing five hundred million cash. Next was the document requested by aunt Fely.
"Don't show them you're scared," Drew ordered before releasing my hand. I nodded at him.
"—because I'm just here, Sydney. I'm just next to you." He smiled and said that it encouraged me.
"Thank you, Drew." He just nodded at me then he signaled for me to go.
Carrying the bag containing the money and the brown envelope, I bravely made my way down the rough road to the old building.
When I arrived three armed men greeted me. They forcibly took the bag from my hand and then peeked at the contents. They nodded to confirm that the content of it was real money. Next they grabbed from my hand was the envelope containing the Paradise Corp documents. As they did with the bag they peeked at its contents.
"Take that!" The fat man commands his tall companion.
"Rodolf," I backed away when a man named Rodolf suddenly grabbed me by both my arms and forcibly pulled me next to him.
"What! Let me go!" I struggled because I was hurt by the tightness of his grip on me.
"Don't talk too much! Just follow!" He shouted at me and pulled me even harder up the old cement staircase. I gasped as we walked up the dusty staircase. When we got to the second floor Rodolf's lightning pushed me hard on the floor. I could feel the pain in my elbow, maybe it was scratched by the strength of the man's force.
A series of applause lifted my head. There, I saw the devilish smile of my monster aunt Fely! Anger immediately drew in my eyes. I also quickly stood up to face her.
"Oppps! Not so fast my dear!" I sank into the floor after she kicked me as I should have stood.
Fuck!
I bled because of what she did. Aunt Fely let out a loud demonic laugh because she saw that I was hurt by what she did.
"Bravo, Sydney! Bravo!" She laughed again.
"You're really like your mother, you inherited her stupidity!" She said laughing.
Because I didn't get up right away, Aunt Fely sat down to match me. She violently turned my face to her. I shot her a sharp look. But instead of being scared she just laughed at me.
"Should I be scared of the kind of looks you have? Huh? Poor you, you really inherited from your mother. Both of you are stupid!"
"Who would have thought that there was someone as silly as you, in this world?" She added.
"Where is my daughter?" Even though my body was still hurting I still managed to stand up. I am thankful that I was able to stand up and face Aunt Fely.
"Your daughter? Where is she? Okay, she might have died in the warehouse!" Because of what she said, I rushed at her with all my courage and strength...but before I could do that, two of her men stopped me.
"You really are an animal! What is our fault with you? Why are you doing this?" I asked her out loud as tears flowed into my eyes. When it comes to Sunny, I can’t help but to be emotional.
"Sin? How much you sin against me Sydney! Especially your mother!" Aunt shouted angrily at me.
"What did my mom do to you? And is it true that you were the cause of their accident?" My heart seems to be breaking now.
I was seven years old at that time, last Sunday and we had just returned from church when a big car crashed into our small car. That’s all I remember happening. When I woke up, I immediately looked for mom and dad—but it was Grandpa and Grandma who opened up to me.
I was only seven years old when I was orphaned, that's what my grandparents said. They said our car exploded and I was the only one who survived. Even the investigators didn't find the bodies of my parents—for the reason that it was allegedly consumed by fire due to the intense explosion.
"Lots of Sydney! Because since your mother came, I've suddenly been ignored! Everything that should have been mine, has suddenly gone to your stupid mother! I'm so mad at her!"
I was shaken by what she said. Clearly my mother was innocent, but envy was the source of her intense anger at my mother.
"It's because of jealousy aunt! You're just being jealous with my mom that's why—"
"Shut up!" A loud slap stopped me from speaking.
"Whatever Sydney!" She laughed out loud. She's going really crazy!
"Yes, I hired a killer to kill your parents! You should be part of it, it's a pity you survived! It's a pity you didn't experience how fire slowly eats your body! It's a pity..."
She seemed mad while saying that. I can't believe her! I can’t believe that just because of her envy and jealousy of my mom she could do that devilish thing.
"I thought, my anger towards your mother will end—not until I find out that you survived. Because of that I thought of keeping you, but not to take care of you, but to make you even more miserable!" She laughed again like crazy.
"You're a monster! You have no heart! You're worthless! You will pay! You will pay for all of this!" I shouted at her again. But it just didn't seem to matter to her.
"Hey, you two! Hold her!" She commanded her two men. They immediately followed her.
"What! Let me go!" I tried to shake off the four hands that were holding both my arms but it didn't matter to them.
"Actually, you shouldn't be experiencing this Sydney. If you hadn't come back here to Manila—I hope you're still happy with your daughter! You're stupid too," she shook her head.
"Get my daughter out!" I shouted at her.
"Honey, her daughter?" She suddenly shouted into a room. From there an old man came out. It's uncle Argo.
"Her daughter isn't with us, honey." Annoying answer of the man.
"Really, honey? Her daughter isn't with us? Then, why is my stupid niece carrying a ransom?" She laughed.
"Because she's stupid, isn't it?" The laughter in the whole building doubled because of them.
"Since we've got what we want honey. Kill her now." Aunt's snout in my manner. I was disappointed with what I heard. They fooled me! My daughter is not here!
Uncle Argo suddenly pulled out his gun and pointed it at me. I no longer have the strength to fight. Maybe this is the end of me. I was in a hurry with my decisions. I just closed my eyes, waiting for the bullet to hit my body.
"Put your gun down, Argo!" I was suddenly relieved to hear Drew's voice.
"What the hell!" Aunt said confused when she saw the armed policemen who were now surrounding them. The looks that my aunt threw at me were furious.
"I told you, you'll pay!" I said sternly before I released the hidden body camera that was on my body.
"You're going to rot in jail now!" I told her again.
"Belle! Help us with your Dad!" Aunt Fely pleads with Belle who is now with the police. Aunt and uncle Argo have also started handcuffing their hands.
"Are you okay?" Drew with so much concern on his face.
"I'm fine." I smiled at him.
"Momma!" That voice was so sweet to my ears. I slowly turned to the source of my daughter's voice.
My eyes widened as I saw who her companions were. Suddenly tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t move, I just stayed where I was.
"M-mom, D-dad?" My voice was questioning and very weak.