Dulling Glisters of the Diamond (Casa Fuego Series #5)

End

Here ends the story of Julius and Grace. Maraming salamat sa pag-abot hanggang dito. Grecianna Villacorta is a very special character to me, and I hope you have uncovered the message behind her character.

I'm happy with what I wrote. I understand that different people have different interpretation of this story, so I will not correct anyone's take away because I believe that is what's enthralling with reading books. We interact, we realize, we learn. We interpret differently, and somehow still arrive to a uniform conclusion. We bring diverse opinions and learnings into one solid take away. And I hope I have succeeded bringing together very different ideas and learnings.

Thank you for reading this story! I hope to see you on my 6th book under this series!

TW: Beating, blood, language

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End

Both Manriquez Group and BM3 were devastatingly impaired.

Before the ambush, the companies were already in a crisis because of the sabotage between our former employees and our detractors. There were multiple leaks about our team projects with foreign companies, and the funds were stolen resulting to a huge debt of our group. To make it all worse, the Villacortas are clashing against us because of the ambush.

The fucking ambush.

Sa totoo lang, nawalan ako ng pakealam tungkol sa krisis ng kompanya dahil nasakop ang utak ko ng pag-aalala para kay Grace. Elias told me she's safe and is now heavily guarded in ther estate. That relieved me somehow. But imagining how much she've been through after that incident, I can't fucking calm down.

I want to talk to her. I want to desperately see her. Not to clean my hands but just to make sure she's really safe and doing fine. I wanted to hug her. I wanted to explain to her. I wanted her. But she was heavily guarded.

She was heavily guarded and inaccessible all while I am slowly losing my power and connections. For the first time in my life, I felt like a failure.

"They are heavily guarded by the Fontacio Security. And we both know that they are our business competitor. They would be delighted to cooperate with the Villacortas in clashing against us," si Elias.

Papa was sitting on his swivel chair. Nakapamewang ako habang nakatingin sa kalakhan ng Maynila. At si Elias ay nilatag ang mga papel tungkol sa imbestigasyon.

"According to Pablo, there were spies within the HR team, reason why our former employees got in. Most of them were from the Accounting and Finance team. They have been reporting false accounts of cheques and fund. I think they targeted the collaboration projects from foreign investors because it'd be more damaging for the company when we're branded as scammers in an international front."

Dinig ko ang singhap ni Papa at ang pagsapo niya sa kanyang noo. Seryoso lamang akong nakatingin sa labas, sumimsim sa aking alak.

"The Fontacio Security, which has been our ultimate detractor from the very beginning, are now courting the foreign investors who withdrew from us. And now even when the investigation isn't done yet, the Villacortas already assumed that we were behind the ambush-"

"We don't have a fucking reason to ambush them! Why would they even think of that?" si Papa.

"Well, Sir. Wala man tayong kinalaman sa ambush na 'yon pero masama pa ring tignan dahil ang mga suspek ay galing sa BM3. The vans, the guns, the licenses used for the ambush are all under the name of BM3. And because they sneaked in the HR department, they are distinguished as... still... our employees."