Third Chapter - The Gutierrez sisters

The boys are exchanging ideas for the plans, with Kristen adding some of her comments, with I and Franz watching them working. Franz only answers when asked while I suggest some things, on where we can start. Unspokenly, we all agreed that finding clues from Renz's journal and his family and plans related to that will be discussed after the sisters came.

We don't need to wait too long.

Simon immediately walks outside the living room the very moment the doorbell rings. Moments later, Simon goes back with two stunning ladies.

Atty. Lauren Gutierrez walks inside like a lady demanding everyone's attention and must listen to her and yet still has that elegance as the firstborn child of a wealthy family. While Flor Gutierrez, publicly known as Vyrie Blanco, walks and takes a sit beside me like a model she is, showing her signature smile to everyone like a showmaster.

The Gutierrez siblings that consists of one of the most successful lawyers of her time who managed to even exceed the reputation her mother left in the court as the firstborn, of one of the well-known prodigies in the world as the heir and middle child, and the one of the most prominent celebrities of her generation as the lastborn. Being an overachiever had been their birth right the very moment they were born. Just imagining the expectations they had to overcome growing up with one of the most powerful men in the world, particularly in the business world, as their father and one of the well-known lawyers that was also controversial in her time because on what she had all done as their mother, is crazy, because it is too high, even in my standards, as an overachiever since my school days.

Seeing them acting like this in front of these four males made me remember how known the Gutierrez family really is and the reason behind it. After all, they worked hard for them to be like this, especially Lauren.

Despite it all, I think the only exception is Renz, as he is naturally a genius. He didn't need to work hard, despite doing so as the heir, and I know he never gave his all, opposite of what Lauren had done. That made him special though, because he doesn't need to give his best to impress people. The siblings are all natural, but Renz happened to be the most natural out of them, the one who was gifted enough to excel with anything he wants to be.

They are so successful to the point that the public only sees a perfect family, not what lies behind that picture.

And, yeah, I terribly miss you now, Renz. Why did you left us?

Lauren claps her hands once as she settled in the loveseat, gaining everyone's attention, though honestly, she already got the moment they entered. "Nice meeting all of you. But despite your familiar faces, I do not know personally your friends, Franz. May you introduce them to us?"

Flor interrupted immediately, "My dear onēsan, the one sitting besides Si is Lance! He is Jane's boyfriend!"

The tension, that I never noticed, gradually drops, with Lance blushing, Simon, Kristen and Carl snickering, Dan smirking, and Franz subtly face-palming. I sigh in exasperation, as this is nothing new to me.

But oh, that playboy is Jane's boyfriend?

"Really?" Lauren looks at Flor suspiciously, surprised on what she had learn. Me too, Lauren. "No offense, but he looks like a playboy to me, whereas Jane is that model student in the school, just like Charlotte over there."

"Why do I need to be included in this?" I asked, annoyed, which the sisters ignored.

"Really!" With arms moving animatedly, Flor told to her sister how Lance courted Jane, like a child happily telling her mother how good their day is in school.

Carl, Dan, and Lance watch them amusedly, with Franz who chooses to give more attention to his iPad, which is a good choice. Kristen listens attentively, just for the sake of knowing her like she always is while Simon is already pinching his nose.

Though I noticed that despite their lighthearted talk, there are still tensions in their bodies. The sisters are just acting, because after all, their peacemaker is still missing, which doesn't change anything.

Simon clears his throat loudly, stopping the starting banters between the sisters. Then he stares at them seriously. "I understand you need to do this to destress yourself, but I really, really want to do something. With Renz requesting the three of us to not search for him, we will let these four to search for him while we find clues. To get this started, tell us anything suspicious with Renz before he left."

Carl, Dan, and Lance introduced themselves briefly before Lauren answered his question.

"The last time we saw him was dinner last night," Lauren started calmly. "As always, after eating, he went back to his room, shouting to us that he will just play games until midnight. It was normalcy for us, so I proceeded working with my cases and Flor also went to her room to memorize her lines in her current project. To the past weeks, everything is normal. Nothing suspicious. Though it seems he is receiving a message. Though once, something freaked him out that ended with him visiting Charlotte, but I think it is a nightmare."

Everyone contemplated at it. I confirmed what Lauren said, and Franz deduced that might be the first time he received a text, which was a month ago. Then, Flor slams her hand in the coffee table.

Flor's eyes narrowed at Franz and his friends.. "I know my brother is close with Francis Wang due to business, and yes the three of you are also known but I don't remember my brother meeting you." She then looks at Franz sharply. "I don't think you are that close to him for you to search for him, too."

The tension that was already dissipated immediately went back. Damn, Flor.

Lauren puts one of her hands in Flor's shoulders, calming her down. "I agree with Flor with this one, except to the 'search for him' part to Franz. I don't think you are that close like these three," she looks to the three of us, "like a best friend, but I know you can find him. Logically, you might be our best bet if my suspicions that one crazy clown is the one behind his sudden leave is correct."

"Not Simon?" Dan interjected. "He is, after all, your brother's longest friend. From what Franz said, he was also involved in that case years ago when they were still kids."

"But Simon was never meant to be there, it was supposedly to be his friend." Lauren reasoned out. "I understand your reasonings, as based on the case files Simon was the last to be included to this ideal team this psychopath was forming, seeing his potential and more than adequate replacement to those kids who died early." My ears perked up. She knew the case? Did she search for it as she is a lawyer? "But Franz wasn't the team's brain, the team's strategist for nothing. I remembered my sister telling me that someone anonymous helped Sylvia in her struggles when she was confined." Then she looks at Franz. "It was your doings, right? It was stated in the retrieved files from that laboratory that you are a great manipulator as you can read people and anticipate their next moves. He even claimed that you are also the only kid who can understand Renz well, because your skills is the closest to him, and even ranked you second, right after him."

Franz shifted his jaw, eyes darkening. His friends exchanged looks then took a glance at Franz before glaring at Lauren. Kristen, Flor, Simon and I were shocked.

Wait, a team?

"If there is a team, then can we ask the other people involved of help?" I asked, hoping it can helps.

Franz deeply sighs, before answering me. "That's why we need to do this wisely and yet as soon as possible. The only living survivors of that nightmare were the three of us. There are actually five, but one died in an accident and the other, who is his daughter, killed herself years ago."

I gasp, hearing others gasp too but I am just too focused on what he said.

Suicide? If his daughter cannot even live, then how about Renz, who already had a history of suicidal thoughts?

"And yes, I did do something that time. But all I did was to tell Titus the truth, and look, they are now couple already for three years." Then he looks at everyone. "I will do my best, with my friends, to find him. Meanwhile, we can search for clues that the police or the agencies involved in the case are never aware of. Charlotte, keep us updated on what your father will share to you." I nodded. He then lookd at the sisters. "Now, I remembered Renz mentioning a journal."

Lauren frowns. "A journal?"

Flor, however, brigtened at that. "Right! I remembered him attaching papers in a journal. I don't think it will be part of the evidences as it was never left in the mansion."

Lauren questioningly looks at her. "When did it started?" Then she looks at us, his best friends. "Are you even aware of this." We shook our head, Kristen telling her we just became aware of it because of Franz.

Flor shrugs. "I think it had been years." Then her eyes narrowed at the floor, thinking. "I remembered him keeping it in the abandoned house in the neighborhood."

Lauren's and Franz's eyes widened. Lauren asked, choking, "The house that I said we owned because the family living there died?" Flor nodded. Lauren lost the color on her face with that.

Franz looks at Lauren, horror in his eyes. "Is the family what I think it is?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes, it was them."

We all look confusedly at the two of them, even Simon. What is happening?

"Let's go, then." Lauren stands up. "We need to find the journal if we want a head start."

She immediately leaves the room. Franz looks at us dangerously, daring us to ask questions.

What's up with that abandoned house?