Once In A Lifetime

Chapter 22: Unknown enemies

"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something sometime in your life." --Winston Churchill

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Denise

"I am arranging an appointment with Atty. Rector Cabrajal and Mr. Aljon Cruz in a couple of days. That's why I want you to study carefully all the documents I gave you." Uncle announced while sipping the chicken soup served for dinner.

"Who are they, uncle?" I looked at him curiously while still munching the salad I stocked in my mouth.

"Mr. Cruz is the current President of Sanrom Corporation, also, he is a second cousin and very dear to your mom. While Atty. Cabrajal is our legal counsel. But since you are here already and the rightful heir, you will take charge of all the family's businesses."

"What? I can't get it."

"Don't worry, my child. These people will help you understand everything. Wait until you meet them."

"But I have other plans, uncle."

"What about them?

"I want to go in college." I imagined myself with Caroline making our mark in Maines View University. Oh, I miss you pretty face. Probably, by this time, she's already enrolled. I got less than a week to do it. And this running-a-business thing just came up without a warning.

"Of course. That is part of the entire preparation. Go and get a degree, at the same time, you can run the company." It sounded easy for him but my thought could not contain how in the world I could do that if I would stay in a boarding school like MVU.

When I did not answer, uncle looked worried and he asked,

"Is there anything bothering you, my child?"

"Oh, Uncle. I am just confused and....afraid."

"I know how you feel." He patted the back of my hand across the table and continued, "When your mom took over the company, she had the same feeling you have now. She still had a year to graduate from college then, but the untimely death of our parents, caused her to take the responsibility she was never ready to handle. Until she met your Dad and when they got married, she was happy and contented running the household instead. Your Dad was a perfect man for the company. He gave his life and soul to make it a success. And he did. But when your mom died, bless her soul, everything changed." There was an evident sadness in his voice, some regrets that I could not describe.

"Uncle, are you aware Papa left me?" He nodded to my surprise.

"He came here one day, and gave to me the envelope I gave you. He told me, he could no longer run the company without his life and your life being at stake. He has to go somewhere and make you safe." I could not believe what I was hearing.

"I don't understand, uncle."

"Listen my child, I want you to take courage and be at peace. Not every body knows what I am going to tell you." He closed his eyes as if uttering a silent prayer while I waited for further revelation. Then, he took and gulped a glass of water served a while ago. He looked around and I spotted the satisfaction in his eyes when he noticed visitors in the dining hall were all gone. And just like a whisper, he said,

"Everybody thought, the Santos mansion was caught on fire because of some electrical failures. But further investigation revealed there was more to the incident. A bomb was planted in the mansion ."

"Oh my God!" I gasped. For a moment, I could imagine mom's agony as she tried to escape and save us from the fury brought by the fire. "I thought, the Santoses were loved and respected, who could think such evil acts?"

"Loved, respected and ..." He looked straight to my eyes before he finally dropped the meaningful words, "...envied, my child, envied too. A lot of people out there are envious of what the Santoses have." He paused and for the first time, I saw something in his countenance - peace - the reason why he chose to live away from all these material things. He just wanted inner peace.

"They said, my grandfather died together with his twins - the ones in the pictures, aunt Ellise and Eloisa - because the vehicular accident was not an accident at all. Somebody planned it." Once again, he looked around, cautious if there were people listening to our conversation. He gave a long and deep breath, closed his eyes, uttered a silent prayer and continued,

"And our parents, your Lolo Carlo and Lola Luisa, beautiful name like yours, they died with the same fate, only this time, their bodies were completely burned and cannot be recognized." He looked up in heaven and mumbled, "May their souls rest in peace." He was painfully recalling events from the past, making them real before my very eyes.

"Oh my God! It was so horrible. And do you know who is behind all these things?"

"I wish I know, my child, but God knows who are responsible for this kind of wickedness. In His time, they will receive the judgment they deserve. God forgive them." He held his hand and gestured a sign of the cross with his point finger from his forehead down his chest and across his shoulder. Then, again, he closed his eyes and uttered a quick prayer. I have never seen a prayerful man in my entire life. But with Uncle Luis, prayer was like  breathing to him. Are monks really like this? I wondered.

"And you want me to take over the company when there are greedy people out there?"

"If only I have a choice, I want you to remain where you are now. Your father did the right thing, when he decided to give up the company and hide you from the unknown enemies of our clan."

"Then, why should I take the risk now?"

"Because, now is the time to save whatever there is to save from the legacy of the Santoses... and you are the only one who can do this, my child. And I know you will succeed."

"How?"

"I don't know how but one thing is for sure. God will be with you in every step of the way." He stood up and signalled the man at the counter that we were leaving.

"Can I ask you one last question uncle?" He smiled and nodded.

"Why you trusted me so much with these when we just meet a couple of days? You have not known me too well."

He walked beside me, clasped my hand and said,

"I have known you since the day you were born, my child. You may not see my presence, because I am confine in this monastery, but I got eyes everywhere you go, to keep watch over you and make sure, you are being protected from all the cruelties this world can offer. I would do the same, even your father did not request for it.  We both love you Denise. Besides, I cannot afford to lose another Linda in my life."

He hugged me tightly as I got the vicarious feeling, it's my mom's embrace around me this time, then, without hesitation, I encircled my arms around him also. How I wished, I had come to know him long before and maybe, I would not grow up with so much emptiness in my heart. His love would be enough to complete what's missing in me.

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