HER STORY

Few minutes after Lawrence had called, the rain was pouring heavily. No more thunder and lightning.

The sound of the raindrops and of the flowing water outside became the music at Zowie's room. A peaceful yet melancholic mood enveloped the whole place.

Zowie was watching the water flowed freely in the window.

Her memories with Lance and Claire came back.

She might be hiding her true identity to them but her feelings were sincere. She both loved them dearly. At first, she was hesitant to accept Lance' proposal on that day but she tried to consider it hoping that she might find true happiness and tell him everything about her before their wedding day. Sadly, she was just tricked, made her wondered why Lance proposed to her where in fact he had already loved Claire.

Was it because for almost four years of being together, she asked Lance to keep her first kiss and her purity after the wedding? Or was she not respectable enough?

She could not imagined what could they be up to on her.

She had felt hatred on them at first. But now, thinking of their betrayal made her heart dropped millions of tears like the rain. She never wished for them to be dead just to be caught cheating.

Yes, they were now "happily" dead together while she was left bleeding from within.

"Trust is such a wonderful ideal word. And it only remains "ideal" for me. A lonely word that will never exist on my world." She heavily expressed without realizing that the tears started to slowly fall unto her face.

" I guess mom was right! I should not give my trust easily to anybody! " She chuckled and bursted out crying. "I wished you were here mom! I have missed you so much!"

The last time she had talked to her mom was five years ago before she came back to the AZ country. Her mother's words begun to echo again in her mind. "Awie, you have to be brave." Her mother usually addressed her as Awie and Zowie felt so special and loved whenever her mom called her this way. "You will have to do it on your own in there! This is what we have all trained you for. This may take five to seven years before you can finally have the attention of that person. Restraint yourself from being emotionally attached to anything or to anybody. Do not trust anybody easily! Never ever forget of your true mission. And I'm sorry for letting you do this my sweet heart."

She remembered how her mothet hugged her tightly on the airport like her mother had no intentions of letting her go.

"Mom, don't worry, I am your daughter. I am brave and intelligent like you. This is for you, for us, so we can live back to our country safely and freely." Zowie tried to give her mother the reason not to worry.

Then, a voice had announced her flight.

Her mother's teary and sorrowful face registered on her mind with her words. "Take care of yourself. Do not call me, I will call you!" Then her mother let her go and turned back immediately.

Zowie could sensed her mother crying so hardly. Her mother could not able to watch her went away and be separated with her for the first time, for a long time. "Don't worry mother, I promise to clear your name no matter what and we will be together forever again." She tried to get strength from her mother.

Since then, she had never heard from her mother.

Zowie was trained by her mother who was once a leader of the whole gang system in the AZ country. She was trained with many martial arts such taekwondo, jodo and karate. She had gone to difficult training dealing with guns, knives or any material that can be a weapon including her body. She was also trained to culinary arts, gymnastics, marathon and swimming. And she did it all while studying business and finance which she had graduated with highest distinction.

As she lived in the country, she also had a secret training room in her house, for her to keep herself ready for anything, at anytime and at any place.

Her mother may had exposed her to become a totally excellent and capable woman in any job or situation. But her utmost excellency was because of her discipline and dedication towards her mission and her love for her mother.

Being a daughter of a gangster, it was not hard for her follow her mother's footsteps. But her mother warned her that the gang brotherhood system in the country had been wanting her mother dead so Zowie must be extra careful of her identity in her staying in the country.

It will be very dangerous for Zowie , especially if she will have to face her father.

-Fifteen years ago..

Zowie's mother, Emily Sy Cruz was in Superior General Henry Ford Araneta's office bringing her evidences against the gang brotherhood system that were protected by corrupt commanding generals in the country. Emily could not control anymore the black and evil dealings of the other gangs in some parts of the country and it was deliberately headed by her partner, her husband.

Superior General Araneta had been wanting to put down the corrupt generals who were degrading the justice and protection system of the government in the country. And as soon as Emily had approached him, he had found a valuable hope and weapon to eliminate these generals.

Emily was able to made a direct call once to the Superior General's Office and asked for an immediate secret meeting in his office which General Araneta instantly agreed to. Emily never trusted anybody in the government, except for General Araneta. She had seen him as a good one, shown from his accomplishments and sincere service to country. And the country knew that because he was usually the main man on TV fighting against crime and corruption. And the people of the country had loved him except for some gangs.

On the day of their meeting, Emily was waiting for the General in his office and saw him happily arrived with his son. She gave her greetings and the general nodded at her while heading his son to be in somewhere.

Then, he came back alone.

They both seated seriously on the couch, ready to discuss their matter. But before they could start their meeting. Emily had seen a masked man from behind the General and before she could react, she blacked out.

In a minute, Emily dizzily woke up with a headache. She touched her head and felt the sticky fluid. As she looked at her hand, there was blood. Then, she had felt her other hand was holding something. And it was a knife.

She got alarmed, threw away the knife and looked for the general. She had found the general lying near his table, bloody and with stabbed wounds on the his body.

She immediately checked the general's condition, trying to check whether he was still conscious and alive. But as she checked his pulse, his heart was not beating anymore.

She was holding the general with her bloody hands when she heard the opening of a door. And she saw his son's eyes with anger and hatred crying.

With her situation, Emily realized she will be accused of killing the general. No one knew of her appearance and intention in the office except for the general alone. She had to walk away immediately so she stood up and with a heavy heart, she left the office. Upon her escape, she found out that her evidences were already taken away from her.

She may not have noticed that her husband must have known something of her whereabouts. Then, she remembered Zowie who was left alone.

She went back to the house where they were hiding with her daughter. Then, get the flight tickets she had prepared ahead as her back up plan in case she would be busted today, which she was.

In her mind, she must keep herself and her daughter safe and safest place will be outside the country. On that day, Zowie and her mother left the country.

- - -

Zowie stopped crying and let out her deepest sigh! She was now fired up to accomplish her mission after everything they have been through with her mother abroad.

"Zakki Araneta", she sounded. 'I was looking forward of meeting you as I become a great strategic business woman and not like this.'

As she heard him say his name, she instantly expressed to marry him, not for her but for her mother, for her mission. No time to waste. She had waited for too long already.

'He must not know the real me! I must pretend to be a competent and good wife material in order to gain his trust and heart.' She had felt a little pity thinking of using the innocent Akki.

'In his eyes, I must not be that weak enough nor that strong! Keeping a low profile will be the best for me! Not to mention the gangs and my father! ' Zowie thought before closing her eyes to rest the pain in her head for a moment.

Then she started thinking and planning for her next move.