Chapter 33
It has been months since the party ended, and they returned to their respective activities. Ana went back to work and resumed her investigation of the Montes family, but they were still struggling to get information because Levi strictly prohibited discussing what happened 28 years ago.
Despite their efforts, they were still unable to gather information, making it difficult for them to identify the other wrongdoings of the Villalobos family aside from their abuse of the townspeople.
Ana visited the municipal office several times to discuss the upcoming events. With Martin’s help, her work became easier.
“Yeah! I’m done!” Ana exclaimed with a smile, stretching her arms after working all morning in her office at the mansion.
Martin also returned to Manila to attend to the work he left behind, along with their friends, except for Maximiliano, who had not yet returned to Spain. Ana was also intrigued by his personality.
She shook her head and tried to avoid thinking about him, fearing that she would only stress herself out more.
She grinned at the thought of exploring the entire San Alfonso. Furthermore, she hadn’t been able to do that before because Martin was too overprotective of her. They suspected that Levi might be taking action against them.
She knew about Don Levi’s motive. As long as you are useful to him, he will treat you as a friend, but once you become useless to him, he will treat you as an enemy.
“An enemy, huh?”
She got dressed to explore the entire town because she saw on the map of San Alfonso that there were many beautiful places that tourists could visit.
“Alexis!” she called her personal driver, who immediately went to her. “Take me around the whole of San Alfonso!” Ana said with a smile.
Alexis nodded, as he couldn’t refuse Ana, even though it went against Martin’s wishes.
“Don Martin will be back the day after tomorrow, so you still have time to visit all the beautiful places here in San Alfonso,” Alexis said with a smile, making Ana smile even more.
“Yeah, so, let’s go?”
Alexis nodded and helped Ana down the stairs, but they stopped when they saw Maximiliano with another man, behaving inappropriately.
“Manners, Max,” Ana said seriously to Maximiliano, who grinned at her.
“Where are you going?”
She looked at Maximiliano. “To see the beautiful places,” was her unenthusiastic response to the young man.
He stood up straight. “I’ll come with you!”
Ana was taken aback and surprised because they were not close, and this was the first time the young man had spoken to her. She gently shook her head, indicating that she did not allow Maximiliano to join them.
Max grinned and approached Ana. “I can tell Martin…” Max teased, which Ana did not appreciate. She just gave him a stern look and let out a deep sigh.
“Fine. Just behave,” Ana pointed at Maximiliano, who nodded and saluted.
“Me too.”
They both turned and Ana furrowed her brow, wondering why Rio was still staying at the mansion.
“Oh, I thought you had already returned to Manila?” she asked Rio. Rio smiled at Ana.
“Dad will take care of the company for now,” Rio said, facing Maximiliano, whom he gave a stern look. “To also watch over the people around you,” he added seriously, looking at Maximiliano, who just raised an eyebrow.
Ana winced and stood between the two. “Fine, fine! He-he, so shall we?”
Rio just nodded and walked out of the mansion, followed by Ana. Alexis opened the door for Ana, who thanked her before getting in. Maximiliano was about to follow, but Rio got in first, leaving Maximiliano to blink and then get in as well.
Ana sighed and leaned back. “You're responsible for our destination, Alexis. You know all the places here,” Ana said with a smile to Alexis, who nodded before driving the car out of Hacienda De' Montecillo.
Ana looked at her companions. Maximiliano was just wearing earphones, and Rio had no emotion, with his arms crossed, looking straight ahead.
Can she handle being with these two? She might end up watching over them.
They first headed to Maris Resort.
“This is Maris Resort. This is the only resort in San Alfonso,” Alexis said.
Ana nodded and opened the window, smiling as she felt the fresh air. “Beautiful place,” Ana whispered, and it seemed that Alexis heard her, as she smiled.
“This resort was built during the time of Don Martinez. It was their gift to the former Don of San Alfonso.”
Ana smiled because most people still loved Don Martinez, who had been the Father of San Alfonso for three decades.
“They love Don Martinez so much,” Ana said with a smile.
Alexis nodded. “Yes, because they also owe a lot to Don Martinez, so even though the Don is gone, his history remains in this town.”
Ana nodded again and closed the window, and they left the resort. Her mood improved upon hearing those words because, like her, she also admired Don Martinez, and Don Martin had fulfilled his father’s wishes.
Ana’s smile disappeared when she remembered something, so she looked at Alexis, who was calmly driving, before looking out the window again.
“Alexis, did Levi offer you money to betray us?” she suddenly asked while looking out the window.
Alexis was surprised and glanced at Ana, who was still looking out the window. She took a deep breath.
“Embarrassing as it is to say, yes. He wanted to know your plans, but I declined the offer of money. I am loyal to the service, and I love the Montecillo family.”
Ana did not respond, still looking out the window, as she had expected that from the Villalobos, especially Levi Villalobos…
They visited many beautiful places and tried the local food as if they were tourists. They also helped the workers and created adventures that delighted the people of San Alfonso.
Ana also mentioned that she would send vitamins for the children and some financial assistance because she noticed that the workers in Bali San Alfonso, where all the Villalobos workers are, are earning very little. Some are supporters of Levi, while others do not speak out but feel that they do not want Levi to lead the town.
“Thank you for the snacks, Lady Ana! May God bless you.”
Ana just smiled and high-fived the children who were playing with them. She smiled as she watched the other townspeople.
“No matter how hard their lives are, they can still smile. Meanwhile, some who are well-off are not happy and are never content with what they have,” Ana said sadly as she watched the happy workers eating the food she bought.
Alexis, who was also watching the workers, agreed. “That’s how it is here, lady. You have to be able to handle everything. Because if you can’t, you won’t have anything to eat.”
Ana did not say anything, but she felt sad about the people’s situation and did not know what she was feeling. Revenge was on her mind, but she did not realize that there were more people with bigger problems than hers.
“Lady Ana,” a young woman with an elderly person approached them.
“I’m Coring, and this is my grandmother, Tasing. She wants to see you because she said she remembers something about you,” Coring said with a smile, and Alexis gently assisted the old woman who wanted to approach Ana.
Ana smiled and waved at the old woman. “Grandma, I’m Ana. I’m glad to meet you,” she said with a smile.
The old woman furrowed her brow and looked at her granddaughter. “Coring, let’s go inside the house.”
Coring nodded and followed the old woman. Ana and her friends followed them into the hut where Coring lived with her grandmother.
Coring led them inside and closed the door and windows, which puzzled Ana and her companions.
“Grandma, Lady Ana is here,” Coring said to the old woman.
The old woman’s eyes widened, and she looked around, surprising Ana and her companions.
“Where is Stella? Is Lady Stella still alive?”
They were all taken aback, especially Ana, and she felt nervous upon hearing the name Lady Stella Montes.
Coring scratched her head and looked at Ana, apologizing before facing the old woman. “Grandma, Lady Stella is already dead.”
The old woman was shocked and gave Coring a stern look.
“That’s impossible! Stella escaped with her newborn baby!”
Coring sighed. “Grandma, it’s been over two decades since the tragedy. The Montes family is no longer in town, and Don Levi has erased them from the map,” she said, handing the old woman some medicine and a glass of water, which she promptly drank.
Tasing glanced at the guests, then fixed her gaze on Ana, puzzled by her behavior.
“I’m sorry, she’s not feeling well due to her age,” Coring apologized to them. Ana nodded, understanding the old woman’s condition.
“We’re fine,” Ana said with a smile, but she was taken aback when Tasing suddenly approached her and held her hand.
“Your kindness is unwavering, Stella. You’re still helping people even now,” Tasing said tearfully, tightening her grip on Ana's hand.
Ana was taken aback and just looked at the smiling old woman. She took a deep breath and also held Tasing’s hand. “Grandma, I’m not
Lady Stella. I’m Ana Mystica,” she said.
Tasing didn’t listen to her and continued speaking.
“It’s been a long time, but it seems like people have forgotten you. Don Ignacio’s good deeds seem to have been erased from San Alfonso’s history.”
Ana froze in her place, feeling the old woman’s grief.
“I don’t like Levi Villalobos. They’re too abusive! Both of them and his wife! They deceived Don Ignacio! I’m so angry at them! And these people, they act like they weren’t given a future by the
Montes, and they have the nerve to turn their backs on you!” the old woman angrily exclaimed.
“They’ve forgotten the kindness you’ve shown to the town—huh? Who are you? Coring! Who are these people? Maybe they’re Levi’s henchmen! They won’t make me confess where Stella is hiding.” Tasing shouted, and Coring quickly approached her and helped her into her room.
They blinked in surprise at what had happened to the old woman.
“What’s going on here?” Rio asked in surprise at Tasing’s outburst. Maximiliano shrugged, not understanding what the old woman was saying.
They turned to see Coring coming out of the old woman’s room.
“I’m sorry, my grandma is old, so she can’t talk properly anymore,” Coring apologized again. Ana smiled and nodded.
“We should go now. We might get caught in the dark. Thank you. Please tell Grandma Tasing that I’ll visit her again,” Ana said with a smile to Coring, who smiled back and waved at them.
Ana glanced at Tasing’s hut and noticed a pair of eyes peering out from the room where the old woman slept. She furrowed her brow, sensing something strange about the hut, but she just smiled and left the place with her group.
After Ana’s group left, the woman in the old woman’s room kicked the door, expressing her annoyance. The old woman was tied up and gagged, looking helpless and tearful. The woman complained, “You’re such a nuisance, old woman! If I weren’t paid, I wouldn’t put up with this smelly hut! Why do they have to keep you alive? Why not just kill you?!”
She angrily locked the door and glared at Ana's car, which was already far away. “I’m much prettier than that, Ana! What did Don Martin see in her? TSK!” she muttered, but she was interrupted by the noise from the old woman.
“Hmm pp!”
Approaching the old woman, she pointed at her. “Shut up! You’re so noisy and smelly!”
The old woman struggled and glared at the woman, who then sat down and received a call.
“I’m done here, boss! They’ve left! Should I kill the old woman, boss?”
(“It’s up to you.”)
The woman grinned. “Sure! And my bonus, please!” She then turned to the old woman, who felt a great sense of fear and anxiety.
Meanwhile, Ana arrived late at the mansion, where Rio and Max had already gone to their rooms after a tiring day in town. Ana couldn’t shake off the old woman’s words from her mind, and Coring had been feeling something strange about the woman.
She poured herself a drink and sat in front of the piano, unable to calm her thoughts, especially about the eyes she saw earlier, which she knew belonged to Tasing. The eyes were filled with fear.
He walked around while drinking alcohol. The tension he felt still didn’t subside.
“Fuck! Something’s really wrong!” he muttered and slammed his glass on the table.
He grabbed a scarf and a hat, then quickly left the mansion. He found a tricycle and immediately hailed it.
Luckily, their staff was having dinner, so he was able to leave the mansion freely.
“Outside Hacienda de Montecillo, near the SA hotel,” he told the driver, who started the vehicle and headed to a hotel.
Upon arriving at the hotel, he quickly paid and went inside. He adjusted his scarf and hat before heading to the receptionist.
“Tyro Chen,”
The receptionist looked at him. “What’s your name?”
He took a deep breath and clenched his fist discreetly. “Mystica...”
The receptionist nodded and typed on the keyboard to find Tyron’s room.
“Room number 601.”
He nodded and went straight to the elevator to go up to Tyron's room. He couldn’t afford to be recognized, as Levi’s men might be following him again.
When he reached Tyron’s room, he knocked, and Tyron opened the door, which he pushed the young man inside and quickly locked the door.
“Whoa! You’re too aggressive, Miss!”
Ana immediately removed her hat and scarf before facing Tyron, who was surprised to see her.
“What the heck, Ana? What are you doing here?” he asked in surprise, quickly getting dressed, as he had just finished showering when Ana arrived.
Ana sat on the sofa and looked at Tyron seriously. “I want you to know about Grandma Tasing,” she said seriously, making Tyron sigh.
“Don’t I get any rest?!” Tyron complained, but Ana slapped him and led him to his laptop on the table.
“We went around town earlier, and someone introduced themselves to us… Coring and Tasing.”
Tyron nodded and typed on his laptop, where an article containing information about the Montes family appeared.
“Oh! Here it is! Is this Grandma Tasing, Ana?” Tyron pointed to the pictures that appeared on Ana’s screen, and she furrowed her brow, looking at the photo, but her eyes gradually widened, and she pointed at the picture.
“Yes! She is!”
Tyron nodded and read Tasing’s bio. “Tasing Bartolome was one of the Montes' helpers. She was Lady Stella’s foster mother for over two decades. She had a child, but she has no grandchildren because her child passed away 28 years ago.”
Ana’s eyes widened, and she sensed that something was amiss with the woman accompanying the old lady. “Wait, she has no grandchildren? Then who is Coring?!”
“Coring? That’s the name of her child.”
Ana cursed under her breath, realizing that her suspicions about the woman pretending to be Tasing’s grandchild were correct.
“According to this, Tasing was the only survivor when Hacienda De Montes burned down. She was the only one among their helpers who survived. It still doesn’t say where the fire originated from. It’s said that Tasing abandoned the Montes family during difficult times,” Tyron explained.
Ana slumped against the wall, feeling frustrated. “She told me things earlier that still isn’t clear to me. It feels like we’re being led astray. We still haven’t gathered enough information about the Villalobos' weaknesses, so it will be easy for them to counter our attacks. They can easily get away with it,” Ana said, kicking the wall in frustration.
It felt like this wasn’t even half of the story about the Montes.
“What did Lola Tasing say?” Tyron asked. Ana thought for a moment and recalled the old lady's words. “Hmm… All I remember is that Levi allegedly cheated Don Ignacio in the election. I don't know!” Ana said, frustrated that the old lady’s words weren’t clear to her. “Wait, there’s more! The townspeople supposedly drove the Montes away!”
Tyron furrowed his brow and searched again, but the information was still not found. “F*ck! It’s still not found.”
Ana sat on the sofa, feeling dejected, and asked, “If Grandma Tasing survived the tragedy, then… Could there be others?”
Tyron stood up to get Ana a drink. “I don’t know. The seniors at the station still haven’t talked about what happened back then,” Tyron replied, placing the glass of water on the table in front of Ana.
“Perhaps there were others who survived the fire and left San Alfonso to avoid getting involved in the chaos? We could talk to them to find out what really happened back then and gather information that we could use against the Villalobos,” Ana suggested.
Tyron looked at Ana, determined to find out the truth about the Montes. He had been wondering for a long time why Ana was so interested in the Montes' lives, when her main goal was to oust the Villalobos from the town of San Alfonso and seek revenge for what they did to her.
“Why were you so interested in them, anyway? Isn’t your main goal just to oust the Villalobos from the town of San Alfonso and seek revenge for what they did to you?” Tyron asked, crossing his arms. “Because, if you think about it, you shouldn’t really care about what happened, as it happened two decades ago.”
Ana turned to Tyron and sighed, not understanding why she was suddenly interested in the Montes. “I don’t know, but I feel like the
Villalobos are somehow involved in what happened to the Montes, and I can use that against them,” Ana took a deep breath and leaned back on the sofa. “Many of their employees are underpaid and not treated fairly. I also want to continue Don Martinez’s good intentions for the town, where the people thrived under his leadership alongside Don Ignacio.”
Ana smiled. “From what I’ve heard about the Montes, they are kind and generous to others. Don Ignacio has also done a lot for the town and its people.”
Tyron nodded in agreement, impressed by Ana’s desire not only to bring down the Villalobos, but also to help the people.
“Besides Tasing, she’s the only survivor we know of from that tragedy. You can go back to her, Ana,” Tyron suggested.
Ana’s eyes widened, and she stood up, realizing she had almost forgotten about Tasing.
“Speaking of her… Damn! Tyron, call your men to check on Tasing’s hut! What if the person who claimed to be Coring is not her real grandchild!” Ana exclaimed in a panic. Tyron immediately called his men to investigate the old woman.
Tyron turned to Ana and rubbed his forehead. “Too late, Ana. The hut is empty.”
Frustrated, Ana cursed and slammed the table, feeling defeated once again for not getting the information they needed.
“Tasing is not safe in that woman’s hands! F·ck!” Ana exclaimed in frustration. She didn’t know what to do; she needed to save Tasing, as she was her only hope now.
“Don’t worry, I’ll have them searched for. They can’t have gone far. The security at the entrance of San Alfonso is too tight,” Tyron reassured her.
Ana looked at Tyron. “Have you forgotten that Levi is in charge now? Do you think the town is still safe?”
Tyron sighed and patted Ana on the shoulder. “That’s why we’re doing this, to oust the Villalobos from the town and bring them down. It seems like you’re the one forgetting.”
Ana took a deep breath and apologized to Tyron because she was worried about the old man.
Ana arrived home, her mind still floating, so she didn’t notice the person waiting for her return.
“Max…” she said his name when she noticed someone sitting in front of the piano.
“Work?”
She nodded.
“Ana, you have to win the battle,” Max said, interrupting her thoughts, then stood up and went upstairs. “For Justice. Good night!” He smiled at her before going to his room.
Ana was left wondering about Max’s actions. She shrugged and went to her room. And she continued to think about what happened earlier, the things Tasing said to her, and her conversations with Tyron.
She wondered how far her revenge would go.
She questioned if her anger would deepen and if her thirst for revenge would grow stronger.
And She was confused about the hidden secret from 28 years ago.
And she was afraid of the whole truth because there might be a deeper reason behind everything.
With so many stories, some are untrue and full of lies, some are incomplete, and not all stories are true.
