Boss's betrayal

Caryl's pov

Knock, knock.

"Who’s there?" Miranda’s voice called from behind the door.

"It’s me, Randa. Open up," I managed, my voice weak and strained.

The door opened to reveal her striking brown eyes and wavy hair, but her expression quickly shifted to one of concern.

"Caryl, what happened? Why do you look so pale? You’re barely breathing!" she asked, worry evident in her voice and eyes.

"Let’s go inside first, Randa. I’ll explain everything," I said, trying to steady myself.

"But—" she began, only for me to cut her off.

"I’ll tell you everything, I promise. Just help me in."

She didn’t argue further. Sliding my arm around her neck for support, she helped me walk. My legs wobbled, drained of strength from the effort it took to reach her place.

Once inside, I glanced at the clock—2:00 AM.

"I’m sorry for coming so late, Randa. I had nowhere else to go. You know things are strained with my dad and brother."

"It’s okay, Caryl, but you’re scaring me. Why do you look like this? What happened to you?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

"My boss… He tortured me. I couldn’t deliver the documents he wanted from my dad’s place. I tried, but Erald intervened. Because I failed, he punished me—electrocuted me. Randa, I’ve never failed him before, and this is how he repaid me." My voice trembled as I spoke, anger and exhaustion mingling in every word.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait—you’re saying Arnoldo Fernandez, the man you’ve worked for your whole adult life, did this to you over some documents?"

"Yes, Randa. If someone had told me he’d do this, I wouldn’t have believed them. But now…" I trailed off.

"What’s in these documents that makes them so important? And why does he hate your dad so much?"

"The documents detail all of my dad’s assets—his companies, estates, and business transactions, both legal and in the mafia world. Boss didn’t explain why he wants them, but his hatred for my dad is palpable. As for why? I have no idea," I admitted.

Her gaze softened, but her curiosity lingered. "And these injuries—were they all from your boss?"

"Not entirely. I had to cut through the woods to get here and fell a few times in the dark."

"But you have a tor—"

"Randa," I interrupted, exasperated, "could you please help me clean my wounds instead of interrogating me?"

"Sorry. Let me get the first-aid kit," she said, disappearing into another room.

She returned moments later, tending to my wounds with care.

"I need to sleep," I admitted, "but I’m starving. Could you make something quick while I clean up?"

"Of course. Just preheat the water before you shower," she said, heading toward the kitchen.

"Yes, Randa," I called out with a faint smile.

As I stood under the warm water, I reflected on my life and the truths I’d shared with Miranda—the betrayal, the lies, and the murder of my own mother. Despite everything, she had never judged me. I'm so glad I got Miranda as my girlfriend.

The memory of my mother haunted me. I didn’t remember much from that fateful night, but the guilt was unbearable. Tristan’s drugs had clouded my judgment, and in a haze, I’d killed the woman who gave me life.

I don't care much about my father, because he never treated me like his son. He gave more values to Erald, he showed disgust at my sight for unknown reasons. Erald got everything I wanted as a child.

But even at that, I still love Erald, and he also reciprocated the love. Despite him seeing how dad treated me, he never did same. But, Erald's love died together with mom. It still haunts me to this day, that I let my little brother down, even when he loved and trusted me.

I wish I could tell him, I never really intended to make him motherless.

"Caryl! Caryl!" Miranda’s voice snapped me from my thoughts.

"I’ll be out in a minute, babe!" I replied, wrapping a towel around my waist.

Thank God, I'd kept few of my clothes in Miranda's. Or I wouldn't have been able to get any clothes to wear, can't even go back to my apartment, or I'll be dead.

Back in the room, she greeted me with a warm smile and a bowl of ramen.

"Here, eat this," she said.

"Thank you," I murmured, giving her a hug and a kiss.

As I ate, the warmth of her presence brought me a rare moment of peace. We settled into bed, her soft body nestled against mine as sleep finally claimed me.

But not after promising myself to take revenge for boss's betrayal.

*****

Erald's pov

At school, I headed to the garden to find Jake, but he wasn’t there. Frustrated, I walked toward his classroom, only to find it empty.

Where could this idiot be? How are we even friends? We’re complete opposites.

Distracted by my phone, I bumped into someone.

"What the hell? Weren’t you looking where you were going?" a familiar voice snapped.

It was her. Mela.

Suppressing a groan, I watched her gather her things, her irritation palpable.

"Weirdo, weren't you watching where you were going?" She snapped again, when she looked at my face.

"Thanks for getting me home yesterday." I said with my voice deep. Ignoring her useless talks.

Her eyes widened with bewilderment. Just as it came, it disappeared. "Uhm... you're welcome. Anyways, bye." She said walking past me.

Then, she stopped. "Hey, wait—what’s your name? I forgot to ask."

"Erald," I replied tersely.

"Alright then, bye, Erald." she said quickly hastening her steps and, disappearing down the hall.

Shaking my head, I resumed my search for Jake. Finally found him, from afar, I waited for him.

"Jake, I’ve been looking all over for you! Let’s go. I have work some unfinished work to complete," I said sharply.

"Hey Josh, you got any info, in what I asked?" I said, the moment I picked up the call.

"Yes, young boss. I kept some guards to keep an eye on the Santiago's residence as discussed. And I was being informed that, there were few people who came to visit him, high—profile visitors. And, amongst the visitors was Joseph Anthony, one of the cosa nostra, he had once betrayed don Valentino." Josh passed the information with a firm, certain voice.

"How about the children?"

"Kira, might be involved in shady dealings. She went over to the hospital today, to meet a doctor not for medical purposes, rather for something else. And as for Grath, he isn't that type of business person, he's rather the clubbing type. The boy is useless young boss, we shouldn't go after him."

"The two need to be trailed too. We can't miss anything." I ordered,and ended the call

Back at my father’s place, I reviewed Kira’s file. She wasn’t the innocent teenager I’d assumed—she is a woman in her mid-20s running a legitimate chemical company alongside an illegal drug operation.

That explains why she went to the hospital, I don't think it's only one doctor that she's in cohort with, they're perhaps many.

Just as I was processing this. I asked, "is that all the information you could get on her?"

"Youn—"Josh words got cut because he got a call.

When he dropped it, he burst in with unexpected news.

"Young boss, Kira isn’t Lukas Santiago’s daughter," he announced.

I glanced at Josh, surprised.

"What?" I voiced out.