KALACHUCHI:
THEREAFTER OF DECEPTION
IT WASN'T THE SIGHT Aro Aguila could easily forget, his parents lying cold dead in their own house. He had a weird feeling that night that something was about to happen, but he wasn't really sure what that something was, so he shrugged it off to do something about the rising scandal of their most loyal associate that was the de Santis.
The Aguila family has remained in stealth of their wealth—that means you would never see flashy investments tied to their names or headlines boasting their success, but everybody knows it's there. And it might have not been their name that was in that scandal, but they would never have a heart to ignore the family of the politicians that was pinned on it.
Lahat ng pinaghirapan ng kaniyang ama ay bumagsak sa isang iglap. Mas marami ang mga ka-asosyado nilang nagalit kaysa mga nagpakita ng simpatya sa pagkamatay ng patron ng The IV. Everybody else knew it was foolish of Artemio to forgive the man who once betrayed him.
Investors started to pull out. What was left of the organisation money was spent in repaying purveyors until there was no more spared to manage cash flows and protect their profits. And since they could never buy eradication programs to protect their names, the mandates who had been prying on them for so long had an opportunity to interfere with their dirty business.
It didn't come easy at first for Aro to resurrect his father's legacy. Nagawa niyang palaguin ang plantasyon, subalit kung anong kinaganda ng bunga nito ay siya namang kinababa ng presyo. Plus the fuckers that was the federal agencies started to demand for a higher cut-off. No one wanted to link with them anymore.
Fortunately, the de Santis stayed loyal through it all. Their ability to manipulate the legal systems to their advantage made it easier for Aro to enable maritime transports, widening their connections worldwide. The influential King family of the fraternal organisation of Philippine Eagles funded them in exchange for using their contraband to attract foreign chapters.
It already seemed perfect, but Aro knew deep down there was lacking in those glories. There was one thing he strived the most and it was the only thing he failed to do: Justice for his parents.
Matapos makabangong muli, naging prayoridad ng The IV ang paghahanap kay Jacinto. Unfortunately, their search was ponderous. Every time they would find a lead, it would be a flop.
Because if Aro learnt how to play the game, Jacinto knew how to cheat.
Habang nagsasaya ang lahat sa pagdiriwang, nawala ang panganay na anak ni Aro. The abduction of his firstborn led him in finding out that the Ponce family were the spies of Jacinto all along. It was them who sabotaged the transports of every contraband shipment and parted the rates.
The IV was quick to strip the Ponces off their wealth and honour when they remained like loyal dogs to the traitor even in death. Jacinto, hearing the death of his allied family, sent his people to ambush the King couple. By the time The IV came to rescue, only the son was left alive. Since then, Aro swore to protect the lad as a refuge for his parents. His wife, Sol, treated him like hers in fear that her son would never return again.
But he did.
Abreim Aguila came back, though by what mysterious means he was no longer the silent and composed boy his mother raised in peace. He has turned into a man with a sinister hunger for bloodlust, always going into a sudden killing spree.
Uncontrollable. Incessant. Bold.
Everything he touches, he destroys it. People in hell would be so thankful they weren't in the land surrounded by his cruel vicinity. Fear gripped into the families seeing how malevolent Abreim was—especially the Yuchengcos.
