Chapter 24 — Arguments and Confrontations

Lucy went home after confronting Eloisa. She witnessed a huge revelation for following her. She bid goodbye and she decided to stop at their company. 

She used the elevator for convenient transportation. She arrived in front of her husband's office, and she knocked slowly. She didn't wait long before Kent opened his office door. 

"Hi, honey. I'm back,” she said and planted a soft kiss on his lips. 

Kent looked mad after he shut the door behind her. 

"What happened? I told you to stay away from Cassandra and take care of Austin! Don't tell me you haven't get your lesson yet!” Kent's tone seems like she was to blame for the kidnapping incident. 

Kent's cupped his head when Lucy slapped his face. 

It leaves a red mark. 

"How dare you, Kent. I am just doing this to secure the safety of our family especially Austin! Do you think I am doing this for myself?” she suddenly burst into tears.

She cupped her face trying to hide from him her misery. Kent calms down when he saw his wife crying. 

"I'm sorry, honey. I don't know that you're thinking that way. I know it's not your fault. I just want you to stay away from the criminal,” he said while he wrapped his arms around her. 

Lucy accepted her husband's apology. She wiped the tears from her eyes and find her seat at his desk. Kent called his secretary to bring two cups of tea inside his office. 

Kent sat too and asked his wife about her confrontation with Eloisa. She called him that she's tailing her after Lucy saw her visiting Cassandra inside the prison without Gale's permission. 

Lucy took a deep breath before telling him what she found out with Eloisa. She was about to tell her husband when his secretary came. 

"Thanks, Sam,” he said, and she places it in front of them. 

"Thank you," Lucy added. She continues her story about what happened this morning. 

"You know what, Eloisa visited Cassandra so my plan on seeing her got postponed because I follow her,” she narrated very well with her husband. 

Kent listened to her. 

"Then what happened next?” he asked her. 

"I felt betrayed. I thought she stop there but it's not the end. I followed her and you know what I found out; she went to the Asylum. I don't know what she is doing there and then look what I found, she went to her sister Catalina." Lucy can't stop telling his husband. 

He doesn't know what to react to, but Kent can't believe that his sister-in-law is keeping secrets again. 

"I don't know what to say but why did Eloisa do that? What is her relationship with them? I need to call Gale so—" he stops talking when Lucy stops him. 

"Just let me finish first, okay honey?” she told him, and Kent didn't say anything but signed her to continue her story. 

"I suspected her of being a traitor but when I came inside, my eyes widened to see that Catalina is a psycho,” she said, and Kent can't believe it. 

He stood up and clenched his fist. He thought that Cassandra is sick, but her sister was. Everything for him is now clear. 

"That bitch! She acts like a victim and uses her past to take advantage of us. She lied. It's karma for them for fooling us!” Kent said but Lucy calms him down. 

"Just let them be but I just want to ask you a question?” she said to Kent who was surprised by my sudden investigation. 

He took a sip of tea and focus on Lucy's question. 

"Hmm, go ahead. What is it honey?” he replied.

Lucy took one sip too before she continued. 

"You've been close with Eloisa right even your family?” she asked her husband. 

He looks confused about Lucy's question. 

"Yes. Our family Bonds we're very close and even my dad sold my life to them," he said with bitterness in his expression. 

Lucy holds his hands and presses them.

"I'm sorry, honey. May I know where Eloisa's mom is?” she asked. 

Kent quickly moves from his chair after hearing about it. He looks tense and trying to avoid his eyes at Lucy. 

“Why do you ask? All I know is that her mom died many years ago,” he simply said. 

Lucy won't believe him.

"Really? I think you're lying honey. Eloisa's mom is alive, healthy, and well,” she told her husband. 

Kent looks shocked. 

"What do you mean by that? Are you kidding me?” he won't believe her. 

“Yes, she's alive and I saw her with my very own eyes,” she told him, and Kent's eyes widen in surprise. 

***

Five hours earlier Eloisa can't keep any secrets anymore. She decided to tell Lucy about her mom that she is also a patient here. 

They were sitting inside the coffee shop while she narrated all that happened and her connections at Cassandra and Catalina. 

Eloisa took a deep breath before she decided to tell Lucy about her mom, and she was planning to take her there. She looks at her in the eyes to make her see that she is not lying anymore. 

"Lucy, I know this is not the time to talk to you about my life, but you know what, we're the same. I don't experience being happy like you until our knight and shining armor came." She first starts it with words of encouragement. 

Lucy looks puzzled at what she was about to say. She can see in Eloisa's eyes that she's miserable too. 

She leans closer to listen to her. 

"What do you mean by that? You have all you want. When we were in high school days, you are the star in class because you are rich, and your dad is a wealthy businessman but how do you say that?” she said to Eloisa. 

Eloisa chuckled. 

“That's what you see but there is something that wants me to let go and it's about my mom!” she said, and her tears quickly fall on her face. 

Lucy doesn't know why she's crying that much. What she remembered about her mom is she died in a car accident. 

"What about your mom? She's dead long ago, right?” Lucy asked her but to her surprise, Eloisa shook her head. 

“No, she's not dead. I lied to you and Kent. Kent's dad knows about it. She's alive and well. She's at that Asylum,” she said and pointed to the mental hospital we visited a while ago.

“I was shocked as my jaw dropped. I don't know if I will feel happy that Eloisa's mom is alive and will take pity because she's hospitalized there just Catalina!” Lucy said in her mind. 

"Are you telling the truth? I want to see you, mom. Let's go and visit her. I'm not mad Eloisa," Lucy said to her and Eloisa finally felt happiness that someone supported her to visit her ill mother. 

Her mom isn't sick. Only her dad wanted it, but she doesn't know the reason too. Maybe her dad wanted to take all the property her mother has. Eloisa's mom is the real owner of everything they have, the company, the big house, the money in the bank, and the Mall they owned in Bacoor, Cavite. All of them were under her mom's name but not anymore because she's sick and hospitalized. Eloisa will help her get back while her greed dad is inside the prison. 

"Yes, all of what I said is true," she said to Lucy. 

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what you've been through Eloisa," she told her. 

Eloisa sniffs and made soft sobs. After finishing their coffee, Eloisa brought her back to the Asylum to where her mom is locked up. 

Lucy and Eloisa went inside, and she asks the receptionist that she will visit her mom. The friendly receptionist smiled at them, and she quickly checks her mom's room and gave her the keys. 

While on their way, Eloisa took her breath to calm herself since she didn't visit her mom for a while. After they arrived in front of her room, she readies herself. Her hands trembled while she twisted the knob and Lucy noticed it. She just took a deep breath too. A part of her is excited to meet Eloisa's biological mom and another side of her felt pity. She admits that her mom died when she was young and hasn't received a mother love from her, so she was excited to meet Eloisa's mother. 

After the door swung open, we both took a deep breath. As we went inside, we saw a woman sitting on her bed with her messy hair. She's too quiet and seems like she's talking to herself. 

"Mom?” a soft voice came from Eloisa's lips. 

The old lady slowly turned around and she tilted her head trying to recognize the girl in front of her. She studied her daughter and soon she recognizes her. She looks so happy. Her smile stretch wide open as Eloisa is making her way towards her. 

“Eloisa? Is that you? I've been waiting for you. What took you so long?” her mom asked her as the tears gliding down her face. 

Eloisa can't stop herself from crying. She's holding this the whole time when her dad warned her if she will visit her mom. 

"Mommy! I'm sorry if I made a mistake. I will never leave you again. We're free!” she said and tightly wrapped her arms around her mom. 

Lucy can't help but cry too. She remembered her late mom. She didn't have the time to feel her warm embrace, to see her sweet smile, and to hear her soft voice. 

The reunion of a mother and daughter made Lucy cry. 

***

Kent waited for his wife to tell him about her revelation. About what she found out for tailing Eloisa. 

“Eloisa's mom is alive, and Mr. Sherlock kept her as a mentally ill patient in the hospital where Catalina is,” she told him, and Kent can't believe it. 

"I don't know that Mr. Sherlock is a very bad person,” he mumbled.

"I know," she replied.

***

The couple is busy with their businesses, but they had no idea that Cassandra is scheming another plan to get out of the prison.

While everyone is in chaos because of what happened to Paul, Val made his way to Cassandra's location. All the lady inmates were scheduled to do the cleaning outside the courtyard, and he went there. 

  He searches for her in the crowd and Cassandra was the one who saw him first. 

She quickly went to her husband and while everyone is busy with the attempted murder made by Alexander, but it was Gifford who did it. 

"Come, follow me,” he said, and they sneak under the tunnel of the prison. 

They navigated the tunnel so fast, and they finally reach the dead end.

***

While Val and Cassandra escaping the prison house, the police interview Alexander about the crime he didn't commit. 

"Why did you do it, Mr. Stone? Do you have a grudge against him? He's your friend! Why? Do you want to transfer to the VIP alone that's why you tried to kill him?” Officer Detective Riley asked him. 

Alexander slammed his fist on the table. 

" I told you I didn't do it! It's dark. I just woke up after hearing Paul's voice calling for help and that's the truth!” he explained to the officer. 

Riley took the weapon used. It was placed in a sealed plastic bag. He raises it in front of his eyes. 

"Is this how your toothbrush looks like? This was the weapon used to Paul! You still deny it?” Riley insisted that Alexander did it. 

He was shocked to see the weapon. Detective Riley was right. It looks the same but how can his toothbrush be used as the weapon at the crime scene? 

He defended himself. He found someone suspicious that night and it was Gifford. His eyes were looking at them and, in the canteen, he saw him talking with Val. 

" Sir, I will call my attorney. I didn't do it and the only person who did it was Gifford! Sir, please I'm innocent,” he insisted. 

Riley took a deep breath. He can't deny the evidence even the fingerprint. 

"How about the fingerprint? It's your fingerprint, Mr. Stone! How can you explain this?” he said and showed the result of the test lab.

Alexander can't help but keep quiet. He needs to find the perfect evidence that can prove that he's innocent. 

" Sir, I will find ways to prove that I am innocent. I know the law and I won't let you be tainted with my name,” he said, and Detective Riley took a deep breath. 

***

Eloisa just came home after she and Lucy visited her mom. Before she left, she promised her that she will take her out. She just needs her husband's Gale permission. It's better to let him knows before she will make her own decision. 

While on her way to the main door, she was startled when Gale appeared in front of her catching his breath. 

"At last, you're home! I've been calling you the whole day! Where are you, Eloisa? I just received a call from the station that dad Paul got stabbed in his shoulder,” he told her. 

Eloisa's eyes widened in shock. 

"What? I'm sorry love. Who hurts him? Did they told you?” she said. 

Gale didn't want to tell her because it's a sensitive matter, but he has no choice. 

Gale took a deep breath before he told her who did it. 

"I know it's hard to accept this, even for myself, but it was dad who did it. I don't know, but officer Riley called me,” he said, and Eloisa can't believe it. 

"So, what are you waiting for? Let's go to the station and find out if dad did it!” Eloisa said. 

Gale quickly took his car keys and told his wife that he will do the driving.

"Let's go, love!” he said, and they navigated the Muntinlupa jail. 

***

Gale had no idea that his wife felt glad to hear that her father got hurt. 

"Don't worry, mom, no one will hurt us anymore,” she said to herself with a smirk on her face.