BOOK 1 | Start the War

Arc 3 | Ch. 46: You Are Not Brittany

Start the War

Chapter 046

"W—what?!"

Nakatingin lang ngayon si Lorenzo sa malaking bintana na nasa living room. Both of his hands are in his pockets as he watches the morning scenery before him.

"Teka teka," Alex raised his hand. "Masyado kang mabilis at masyadong nakakagulat. Anong sinabi mo? Cheska is a Lee? And not just that, she is also the next head? At ano pa? Lees are not the real enemies? Then what have we been doing all this time?"

During the past few days, Lorenzo refused to speak to anyone about the truth he learned. Iyon ay dahil he was still confused enough kaya hindi niya iyon masabi at gusto na muna niyang intinidhin ang mga bagay bagay.

But he knows he cannot be silent forever. He needs to enlighten his friends gayong nagaalala ito ng husto sa kaniya. They must be really worried because of his silence.

"Yes."

Laglag ang panga ni Alex. Akala niya ay nakakadinig siya ng kung ano ano.

Pero kalaunan din ay nakarecover siya. "Well, that explains why she knows how to create the best lines. What was that again? 'I belong to where I stand and I stand above you, Alexandra' tapos 'I am not scared of you'?"

"How can you accept things so easily?" Ralph confusedly asked.

"Uh...because that is the truth and you cannot do anything aside from accepting it?"

"Even Lorenzo took a week to accept it. Ikaw tatlong segundo lang?"

"Wait," Xander went in. "If they are not the real enemies...then...?"

"It was Arnie," Lorenzo sighed deeply. "It was her who killed my parents."

"That woman?!" muli si Alex. "I knew something is off with her!"

Ralph looked at him with judgment. "Ano?"

"I just knew it!"

"How can you be so sure about that? It must be their way to confuse you. Sabi mo nga, the Lees want us to be on their side."

Lorenzo fell silent for a while. "I lied when I said walang lumabas sa mansyon ng Lees when my mom and my brother died."

"You lied? Why would you—"

"Because I am protecting them. Kung sinabi kong may lumabas your suspicious towards them will only grow. There's no way I would let that happen."

"Edi sino ang umalis?"

"It was tita Rowena—the former mistress of the Lees," he answered. "Seconds to minutes after my mom died, she came. Nagkaharap pa sila ng mismong pumatay sa pamilya ko. The mistress of the Lees was on my side that night. She cannot be the killer of my family."

Natahimik ang tatlo doon. That was...

"Why would she confuse you like this?"

"It's the same as what the Lees wanted—the Young organization on their side," muli siyang napabuntong hininga at iling iling, nadidismaya. "Arnie fed me lies only to obtain me while the Lees fed me the truth to earn my trust. I can clearly see the differences...I was too foolish."

"You were desperate," Ralph stated. "And Arnie used that desperation to use you. You are not foolish."

Napangiwi lang doon si Lorenzo. Naiinis siya. Sa isang linggo na iyon, hindi man lang humuhupa ang inis na kaniyang nararamdaman sa ginawa ni Arnie sa kaniya. He cannot believe he is being manipulated by her. All this time.