Chapter 12

“THE NERD has fallen in love with you. Congratulations,” Clarice said in a low voice after I told her about Austin who was now my boyfriend. I was surprised when she visited me today since she had been refusing to entertain my calls and text messages lately.

I frowned. “Why are you like that? What’s your problem? This is a part of the plan, isn’t it?” I tried my best to strengthen my resolve. “Besides, haven’t you heard about Napoleon Bonaparte’s words? Never interrupt your enemy when he’s making a mistake. If Benedict’s son fell for me, then it was his fault. Not mine. Why should I stop the enemy when his mistake is getting me closer to my victory? I can’t stop, Clarice, not now, especially when I will be seeing Benedict soon. Austin promised to introduce me to his parents tomorrow.”

Clarice seemed anxious as she got up on my bed. She stood beside the window and looked lost in her thoughts. I shook my head as I continued packing the things that I would bring on the trip tomorrow since Austin said we’ll be staying overnight at their rest house.

“Be honest with me, Clarice,” I said in a calm but cold voice after a while. “What is the matter with you? You’ve been with Alano for almost a year now but you haven’t given me and Yalena any information yet. Are you really doing your job properly? You should have already met Benedict by now. What the heck are you doing? For someone who is fighting for justice, you are moving like a goddamn turtle.”

I started cleaning my gun. I secretly took care of it these past few months. Our enemy was a traitor. If worse comes to worst, we’d need something to protect ourselves with.

My twin and I both have licensed guns. I needed to learn how to use it for self-defense ever since Yalena became a phenomenal criminal lawyer in Nevada. Both of us had received numerous death threats because of the cases she handled. “Are you hiding something from me and Yalena? You’re becoming soft, Clarice. It’s not you.”

When I glanced at Clarice, I saw how her eyes widened when she saw me wiping my gun. She had already known about it. In fact, my sister and I encouraged her once to have it as well, but she refused. Clarice couldn’t stand the sound of the gun. She would rather bring her pepper spray with her. Remembering it made me feel amused.

“W-will you bring that t-thing tomorrow?”

I shrugged. “And why not? Who knows? I just might end things tomorrow to save you and Yalena from the messy work. Benedict’s a criminal, after all. He should have burned in hell a long, long time ago.”

“But you’d be imprisoned!”

“What’s the use of having a lawyer for a sister if she wouldn’t be able to defend me when I need her? I’d think of something so it wouldn’t end up a murder case. There’s always a way, Clarice.” I pointed my head. “Strategy is the key, remember?”

Clarice dashed towards my side and violently shook my shoulders. In a hysterical voice, she said, “Wake up, Maggy! We are not like Benedict! We are not criminals! I will never let you kill anyone, do you understand? I will never allow you to ruin yourself just for the sake of our plan!”

I pushed her away and glared at her. “I don’t care! Benedict took away everything from me and my sister! You could say that so easily because you still have your mother! Even Uncle Harry is gone—”

“But you still have your sister. You still have me!”

“What the hell is happening to you?” I yelled back. “You’re the one who needs to wake up! You’re becoming weak! Benedict killed my parents mercilessly. He killed your Dad! He destroyed Aunt Carla! He destroyed us! He took away our Company and he—”

“And he is suffering from last stage Alzheimer’s disease!”

I gasped. Clarice kneeled in front of me. Her eyes were filled with tears as she held my hands. “Forgive me if I wasn’t able to tell you and Yana the truth.” Her voice broke. “I just didn’t know how to tell you.”

“N-no. That can’t be.” I took my hands back. I stood up and walked back and forth inside my room. “You’re lying! That’s impossible—”

“Benedict’s sons are hiding him in Olongapo. I can take you there if you want. He’s with Alexandra, his ex-wife. Maggy, he had lost his memory,” Clarice added in a pleading voice. “It’s been three years since he lost his memory. He doesn’t remember anything about his past self now.”

I leaned on the wall, struggling to process what I just heard. Seconds later and I found myself sitting on the cold floor. I bit my lower lip to stop myself from screaming and covered my face with my trembling hands as my eyes began to water.

“Maggy—”

“This is... This is good news, right?” I whispered. “You said it yourself. Benedict is weak now. It’d be easier for us to take our revenge, Clarice. I... I can kill him easily. His life is useless anyway. I would save him from his misery. Maybe I could drown him or—”

“No!” Clarice raised her voice for the second time. “You will not do such a thing to the father of the man I love! Do that and everything between us will be over, Maggy!”

I was startled.

For the second time, my world shattered. In the middle of my raging emotions, I suddenly remembered what Uncle Harry once told me.

“What if you’re the ones who end up destroyed?”

Clarice and I both fell in love with Benedict’s sons. Was this what Uncle was talking about? Was this the beginning of our downfall?