Liliana sat in her room facing the window. She was staring outside, looking up at the sky that was currently filled with stars. Her hand was holding a cell phone that showed a screen with Arthur's face on it. With a single press, the video of Arthur that she had gotten this afternoon would immediately play.
After sighing a few times, Liliana finally placed the cell phone in her hand on the table, with the screen facing her. She finally played the video because she had to know the truth about her son, the sooner the better.
The video begins with Arthur smiling and the man greeting Liliana.
"Hi, Mom. How are you?" Arthur waved his hand as if he was engaging Liliana in conversation.
"Hi, sweetheart. I'm doing well. How are you?" Liliana replied in a soft voice. A feeling of emotion welled up in her heart, making her old eyes well up again.
"Mom, I want to tell you something, about what happened to me so that I haven't been able to appear before you until now. But, ma'am, please don't show this video to anyone else or even spread it. That would be very fatal for me. If there's anything you want to do to help me, please do it other than what I just said." Arthur reminded.
Liliana unconsciously nodded, as if Arthur could see her nod. She was silent and ready to listen to what her son had to say to her.
"Mom, that day, the day I disappeared, I was framed by people we know. Eve and Dave worked together to trick me and get me to sign the asset transfer papers. After that, they both tried to eliminate me by dropping me into a ravine." Arthur began his story with words that made Liliana's heart stop beating.
Liliana widened her eyes while smothering her own mouth. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. She knew very well that Dave and Eve were not good people. However, Liliana didn't think that the two of them would go to such lengths to gain control of Arthur's assets.
"You don't have to worry, because I managed to survive. Someone helped me and took care of me until I was healthy again. But I can't just go back without a plan. The police couldn't charge Eve and Dave because they had lost all the evidence. That's why I had to punish them in my own way. Of course, I had to sacrifice a lot to carry out my plan. I had to let people believe that I was gone. Besides that, I also have to destroy the Great Food Company with my own two hands," Arthur said again.
Liliana was transfixed with a sad expression. It was heartbreaking to hear that Arthur would have to destroy the company that he had worked so hard to protect and raise. But if that was the only way to get justice, what could be done.
"I'm sorry if I chose this extreme way, ma'am. I had to take care of them because it was my way of getting back to you. Right now, step by step, my plan is succeeding one by one. Just pray that everything continues to go smoothly, so that I can see you as soon as possible." Arthur said again.
"Oh, yes. If you're wondering if Chloe was involved in Dave and Eve's cunning plan, the answer is of course yes. They all worked together. From the beginning, we shouldn't have been soft on them because they're not people to be treated like that. Compassion is not something that suits demons like them." Arthur added.
Liliana sighed once more. Just as Arthur was regretting his recent bad relationship with the two of them, Liliana now felt the same regret, even more bitter than Arthur's. She regretted that she had been a bad person. She regretted being a person who easily gave in and compromised. She regretted not standing up to Chloe and Jordan from the start. He regretted many things, especially that he had often been the weak one.
"Mom, I already know that Dave is not my father's flesh and blood, but Chloe's son with another man. I don't need you to ask me where I found out, but I feel very relieved that I don't have a brother like him. I also knew that you didn't expose it because of an agreement, which was that Dave and Chloe would never bother me. I understood what you had done to protect me. But now that agreement has been broken by them. I'm just saying, you no longer have any obligation to hide their shame." Arthur stopped his words for a moment and sighed heavily.
"If the fact that Dave is not father's biological son becomes known to many people, then it will be a great help to my plan," Arthur added.
"But I'm not going to force you to do what you don't want to do. I know you have your own ways of protecting or supporting me." Arthur said.
"Take care, Mom. I'll see you again soon when I've finished everything."
Arthur waved his hand and the video ended. Liliana was now left stunned after hearing what Atrhur had said in the video.
"Chloe, how dare you touch my son after I saved your son," Liliana muttered angrily as she clenched her fists.
Liliana reached for her cell phone. She was about to activate the data mode to contact someone through it, but decided against it for fear of having her whereabouts tracked by Chloe and Dave. If that happened, then she would only cause Arthur more trouble.
All Liliana could do was finally pick up a pen along with a piece of paper. She wrote a letter that she wanted to send to someone.
"You will endure pain you never imagined, Chloe. Just you wait," Liliana muttered with her breath ragged with emotion.
After she finished writing, Liliana folded the paper she had written on and put it into an envelope. She then wrote the destination address on one corner of the envelope, and her initials on the other. She stared at the envelope for a moment, before lying down on her bed.
The next day, early in the morning, Liliana made her way to the parcel delivery office, unconcerned about the chill in the early winter air.
"May I help you, ma'am?" asked the clerk at the office.
Liliana handed him the letter she had written last night.
"Please send this letter by special express service. I want it to reach the destination address as quickly as possible," Liliana pleaded.
"Yes, ma'am." The clerk replied with a friendly smile at Liliana.