Clash Of Crowns I: Shadows Of Love And Sacrifices.

XXXI || Unknown

Please note: This story may contain errors and grammatical mistakes. Your understanding and patience are appreciated as this is a work in progress.

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AIESHA'S POV

Ang tahimik nang bahay namin ngayon, at pababa na sana ko sa living room nang may marinig akong ingay mula sa office ni Dad.

Medyo naka bukas kasi yung pinto kaya rinig sa labas yung ingay, at mukang may kausap si dad.

Hindi ako yung klase nang tao na mahilig makinig sa usapan ng iba, pero kasi iba yung tono ni dad kaya napa hinto rin ako.

“Think about it, Elias,” sabi ng isang boses, “This could be the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for. All we need is your agreement, and we’ll handle the rest.”

“I’m not sure about this,” my father responded, na para bang hindi pa siya sigurado sa gustong gawin ng kausap niya.

Who was he talking to? I leaned in closer, careful not to make a sound.

“I understand your hesitation,” the voice continued, smooth and convincing. “But if you get in on this now, you’ll be set. It’s a foolproof way to increase profits, and no one will know. Illegal, yes, but the benefits far outweigh the risks.”

My heart sank at the mention of illegal business. Who was this man, and why was he trying to get my father involved in something like that? My father, despite everything, had always tried to keep the Alvarez name clean.

“Elias!” my mother’s voice suddenly cut through the tension, and I jumped, startled. “Dinner’s ready. Are you coming?”

There was a brief pause in the conversation, and I quickly backed away from the door before I could hear anything else. My heart was racing as I hurried down the hall, not daring to look back.

Kung sino man yung kausap ni dad, alam kong wala siyang maidudulot na maganda sa pamilya namin. Hindi ko na nagawang tignan pa kung sino yon dahil sa tawag ni mom.

At mukhang naiwan sa office ni Dad yung kausap niya, dahil mag isa na lang si dad na bumaba, ayoko naman bumalik sa taas dahil baka mahalata ako ni dad.

After namin kumain, dumiretso ko sa headquarters , ang dami paring katanungan sa isip ko tungkol sa pag uusap na yon ni dad at nang hindi ko kilalang tao.

When I arrived, the place was mostly empty. The others had gone home for the night, leaving just Maxine behind.

Napapadalas ang pag stay niya rito, nung nakaraan halos isang linggo siya rito na tulog.

I found her in the main room, sitting at the large table with her laptop open, and papers scattered around her.

She looked up when she heard me walk in, her sharp eyes immediately locking onto mine.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she said, her voice calm but curious. “What’s going on?”

I didn’t respond right away. I was still trying to piece everything together in my head. How was I supposed to tell her that my father might be getting involved in something dangerous? Something illegal?

Maxine stood up, walking over to me with that quiet intensity she always carried. “Aiesha, talk to me. What happened?”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I sat down on the couch. “It’s my Dad,” I began, my voice low.

“I overheard him talking to someone tonight. I didn’t see who, but he was trying to convince him to start an illegal business.”

Maxine’s eyes darkened at that, her expression growing more serious. “Illegal business? Did you hear any details?”

“Not much,” I admitted, feeling a knot form in my stomach. “It was cut short because my mom called him for dinner, at hindi rin pinalabas ni dad sa office niya yung ka usap niya kaya hindi ko rin nakita, But I heard enough to know that something’s not right. The man sounded so sure, like he had it all figured out, and my father... he didn’t sound like himself.”

Maxine crossed her arms, pacing slightly as she processed what I was telling her. “This could be connected to the new organization,” she said after a moment. “They’ve been trying to pull strings with people in power, including families like yours.”

I hadn’t thought about that. Could my father be another target? It made sense, given his position and the influence he had, but I didn’t want to believe he’d fall for something like that. Not after everything we’d been through as a family.

“What do you think I should do?” I asked, looking up at Maxine.

She stopped pacing and turned to face me, her expression softening slightly. “I think we need to figure out who this man is,” she said. “We can’t let your father get involved with something dangerous, especially if it’s tied to the organization we’re investigating.”

Tumango naman ako rito, mas gumaan yung pakiramdam ko nang masabi ko kay maxine lahat, pag anjan talaga siya walang problemang hindi na reresolba, lahat may solusyon siya at isa yon sa nagustohan ko sa kanya...

“But we need to be careful,” Maxine added, her eyes narrowing in thought. “If this man is connected to the organization, then we can’t make any sudden moves. They might be watching.”

The weight of her words settled over me, and I realized just how precarious this situation was. One wrong move, and it could all fall apart—not just for my father, but for everyone we cared about.

I leaned back against the couch, closing my eyes for a moment as I tried to make sense of everything. “I hate this,” I muttered. “I hate that we’re caught up in all of this. It feels like everything is falling apart.”

Maxine moved closer, sitting down beside me. She didn’t say anything for a moment, just letting the silence stretch between us. Then, she reached out and took my hand, her touch firm but gentle. “You’re not alone in this, kasama mo ako. We’ll figure this out. Together.”

I squeezed her hand, grateful for her presence, anjan siya lagi pag kailangan ko siya and I promise to myself na andito lang rin ako pag kailangan niya ako.

“Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko, kung wala ka...,” bulong ko habang nakapikit parin at na ka sandal sa couch.

Hindi siya sumagot pero ramdam ko ang pag higpit nang hawak niya sa kamay ko, at enough na yon para maintindihan ko na anjan lang siya sa tabi ko kahit anong mangyari.

For a moment, everything felt okay. Like maybe we could handle this after all. As long as Maxine was by my side, I knew I could face whatever came next.

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