Francis closed his mother’s diary, his fingers lingering on the worn edges of the pages. A bittersweet feeling settled in his chest as he traced the delicate features of her photograph beside him.
"Your sacrifices for me will never be in vain, Mom," he whispered, his voice barely audible in the quiet room.
With a deep breath, he gathered both the diary and the envelope—precious remnants of his mother’s past—and left her room. As he stepped into his own, he headed straight for his cabinet, which, at first glance, appeared ordinary. However, behind the neatly arranged clothes lay a hidden compartment, concealed by a sliding panel on the left side.
With practiced ease, Francis slid the panel open and carefully placed the documents inside, ensuring their safety. Then, he retrieved fresh clothes, preparing to clear his mind with a shower. Before heading to the bathroom, he emptied his pockets one item at a time. As he pulled out his phone, something small slipped from his grasp, landing on the floor with a soft clink.
It was the USB drive Micay had given him earlier—a simple basketball keychain on the outside, yet undoubtedly holding something far more important within. He picked it up, studying it for a moment before placing it in his bedside drawer. Without another thought, he walked toward the bathroom, hoping the water would wash away the weight of his thoughts.
---
"You're already frowning."
Louie’s voice cut through the tense silence, but his sister, Micay, ignored him, just as she had since they arrived at the airport. Even after boarding the plane, she remained distant, her mind clearly elsewhere.
"I'm sorry," he sighed, trying again. "Uncle Miguel was in a hurry, so I sent someone to pick you up."
She barely acknowledged him, putting on her headset and closing her eyes—a clear signal that she had no interest in conversation. Louie exhaled in frustration but chose to let it go. Instead, he focused on other things, eventually deciding to step away and use the restroom.
As he stood up, he accidentally bumped into a man. Expecting a quick apology, Louie paused, but the stranger simply walked past him without a word.
His men noticed the interaction immediately. A few of them started to rise from their seats, ready to react, but the moment the man’s gaze swept over them, an unsettling silence took hold. A heavy tension filled the air, as if an invisible force kept them frozen in place.
Louie felt it too. His body tensed as their eyes met, a strange weight settling in his chest. But after a brief moment, he shook it off and continued toward the restroom. The man, however, kept walking down the aisle, his gaze now fixed ahead—on the girl sleeping by the window.
Micay stirred, a strange unease settling over her even in sleep. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, and when she turned, she found the man staring directly at her. His expression was unreadable, but his presence alone carried an eerie intensity.
Yet Micay did not flinch. She met his gaze without hesitation, her face blank, her confidence unwavering.
That was the scene Louie returned to.
"Micay!" he called sharply, his voice laced with concern.
At the sound of her brother’s voice, Micay turned to him. At that moment, the mysterious man’s gaze shifted as well, locking eyes with Louie once more. Then, to Louie’s surprise, the man smirked before turning away and walking down the aisle without another word.
Louie stood frozen, his mind racing.
"I hope you’re okay," Micay muttered sarcastically as she watched her brother struggle to gather his thoughts.
Snapping out of his daze, Louie returned to his seat, but even as he sat down, he found his eyes instinctively following the man until he disappeared from view.
"Who was that?" Micay asked.
"I don’t know," Louie admitted, his voice uncertain.
"Then why did he look at you like that?"
"I have no idea. I’ve never seen him before." He paused, then asked, "Did he say anything to you?"
Micay shook her head. "No. But I woke up with the strange feeling that something was off. When I opened my eyes, he was already standing there."
"How long was he there?"
"I don’t know. He didn’t say a word—just stood there."
Louie fell silent, deep in thought. That man… he didn’t recognize him from any past business dealings or rivalries. So who was he?
Whoever he was, Louie intended to find out.
---
"I found you."
The thought simmered with venom as the man returned to his seat.
"Soon, I will have my revenge for what your father did to my mother. When the time comes, you will experience the worst nightmare of your life."
His fists clenched as his mind spun with plans of destruction. But before he could lose himself in his thoughts, someone unexpectedly took the seat beside him.
The movement was so natural, so deliberate, that it caught him off guard. Without even looking at him, the person spoke in a calm yet firm voice.
"I don’t know your real intentions or how you managed to find us. But I’ll say this—thank you for helping Francis."
His sharp eyes flickered with surprise. He finally turned to see the speaker—Micay. Her expression was unreadable, but before he could respond, she smiled. Then, just as effortlessly as she had arrived, she stood and walked away.
He sat there, stunned.
How strange. Didn’t she realize the risk she had just taken? Didn’t she think that she could be harmed? That he could kill her? He scoffed to himself, shaking his head, his thoughts growing louder.
Then, his phone vibrated. A message flashed across the screen.
"I know you won’t kill me. Because if you had any intention of doing so, you would have done it while I was asleep. Right?"
His brows furrowed. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, about to type a response, when another message arrived.
"Oh, and don’t be surprised—I attached a tracking device to your clothes earlier."
His body tensed. His hand instinctively moved to his clothing, patting himself down. At first, he found nothing. But then, as he reached into his pocket, his fingers brushed against something small and sharp. Pulling it out, he examined the object closely.
A tiny earring, subtly designed with the letter "M."
His grip tightened. How had she done this without him noticing?
Another message appeared.
"M for Micay. And don’t bother being shocked. After all, you taught me well, didn’t you? I’m a special case, aren’t I?"
For the first time in a long while, he was completely speechless. He stared at the tiny device in his hand when yet another text arrived.
"Take care. Until we meet again."
His jaw clenched as he glanced toward her seat. Micay sat calmly by the window, staring outside as if nothing had happened.
A slow smirk crept onto his lips.
"Interesting," he muttered under his breath.