Chapter Sixty-Two: A Price to Pay

Chapter Sixty-Two: A Price to Pay
“What is the meaning of this?” I asked the moment I opened the doors and confronted the scene.

Glaidel looked up at me; shock and fear were on her face. Karlo’s arm was hanging around her neck. Melanie’s father was holding Karlo’s waist and shoulder because Karlo was almost dancing while they were trying to stand him up. They had all already stepped out of the vehicle, and my wrath was already lingering.

“Miss Minerva!” Glaidel exclaimed, looking between Karlo and me alternately. “I was accompanying Mr. Rodriguez because he called me-“

“And why would he call you casually and not his own wife?” I muttered coldly, hovering my gaze all over her head and toe.

“I… I don’t know, Miss Minerva. He just dialed my phone number and muttered things I don’t understand!” she explained, panicking at the moment. “He was talking gibberish, but I remember him talking about your parents. Dranreb Santiago. Erich Santiago. That’s what I can clearly recall, Miss Minerva!”

Before I could even question her again, Karlo suddenly grunted and shouted, which made us all jump. He then pushed Glaidel and Melanie’s father. Glaidel was only taken aback, but Melanie’s father was already old, so the force from Karlo’s push made him fall to the ground. On instinct, I ran towards our driver and helped him stand.

“Are you okay, sir?” I asked in concern.

“Y-Yes, madame. I am fine,” Melanie’s father assured me.

“Are you hurt? Do you think you can-“

“You ruined my life!”

“Ah!”

“Miss Minerva!”

The next thing I knew, I was lying on the ground as Karlo strangled me while he was on top of me! Widening my eyes and catching my breath, I watched his darkening eyes with anger and vengeance. It was the same look he gave me when he tried to hide it the first night I gave in to him. It is raw and visible now. There were tears in the corners of his eyes.

“K-Karlo…” I struggled, calling his name.

“You killed them! I will make you fucking pay for what you did to them!” he shouted, and his grip on my neck tightened. “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you all!”

I held his hands, trying to remove them from my neck, but no matter what I did, he was too strong. I stared into his eyes. I wanted to ask why he was doing this, but Glaidel and Melanie’s father pulled him from me with all their strength. Karlo tried to get away from them. Glaidel didn’t have any choice but to use her hand to hit a specific part of his nape, the reason why he grunted in pain and collapsed on the ground, directly going to sleep.

“Miss Minerva, are you okay?” Glaidel asked worriedly and helped me stand. “Tell me where it hurts.”

“I’m fine,” I answered her with my strained voice as I caressed my neck from the strangling Karlo did to me. “Are you fine also?”

Glaidel nodded repeatedly before looking at Karlo, who was now being checked by Melanie’s father. She sighed and stood straight.

“I can assure you that I have no idea what happened to Mr. Rodriguez tonight. I was afraid of what might have happened to him in the bar where he got drunk. I am even confused why he didn’t call you,” Glaidel explained. “Did you two fight? Why did he physically attack you?”

My lips parted, and I closed my eyes, now shaking my head. “I have no idea, Glaidel,” I answered. “What I know is that I don’t know my husband enough. It’s entirely my fault for not accommodating him.”

“I will carry him to his room. Can you please teach me the way?” she asked.

I nodded silently. I watched her go to Karlo and spoke to Melanie’s father. They both carried Karlo, and no matter how much I wanted to help, Glaidel would reject my offer, saying they got it. Of course I don’t want to dismiss her late in the night, so I invited her over tea in the living area.

“I’m so sorry for how I acted a while ago,” I apologized as I placed the cup of tea in front of her. “I was just driven by confusion about why you are together.”

Glaidel nodded and smiled formally. “It is normal to feel jealous to see your husband with a woman, Miss Minerva. I understand that,” she said.  

I furrowed my eyebrows. Jealous? Was I really feeling that way a while ago? I turned my back on her, hiding my escaping smirk before clearing my throat and sitting on the sofa opposite her. My own tea was also ready, so I caressed its handle. I heard her sipping it.

“There is something wrong with Karlo,” I mumbled, the only thing that has been circling in my mind these past few days. “He has been with me for a long time, but for some reason, I feel like there are things I don’t know about that he has not been telling me.”

Glaidel put down the cup and rested her back on the sofa. “Before you knew about us, Mr. and Mrs. Santiago introduced him to the Red Cartel and me. They said that he would marry you. Your parents have already felt that some people have thrown them death threats,” she shared. “We all have the technology and every great assassin who does investigation to find the mastermind of those threats, but we couldn’t distinguish who these people are.”

“Then these people might not be ordinary killers. They are assassins. I have learned that we have hunted them down for so many years ever since the Red Cartel was founded,” I concluded. “Do you think Helen and her parents are behind it? Can we not attack her in her own home?”

“If it's that easy, Miss Minerva, do you think we would not have done that a long time ago?” she shot back. “If we attack them publicly with all the cameras as evidence, didn’t you think the Red Cartel would be shut down for good? Even though the good government sides with us, it would create chaos and panic all over the country. There will be no end to the threats.”

“Then how are we going to punish Helen and their organization if we don’t attack them?”

“We will strike once we know where their headquarters lie before they know about ours.”

“What are we waiting for? We have to search!”

Glaidel fell silent for a while before she answered me, “Miss Minerva, you have to be ready enough to lead the Red Cartel. If you are not, we cannot carelessly attack Helen’s organization.”

“But, Glaidel-“

“Don’t underestimate our enemies. I have fought their assassins. They are very skilled and experienced,” she warned me and even advanced her upper body so she could lean her two elbows against her knees. “Not to mention that you still have no experience in combat. You are in training.”

It was my pride that kept convincing me to just launch an attack, but I also cannot deny that Glaidel is right. She has seen and experienced fighting. After all, I am just new to this league.

“Fine,” I said. “What else can I do…”

“But if you want…” she murmured, “… we can attend the ball tomorrow, held by the Palmas. It is Helen’s birthday.”

“Well, I didn’t know.”

“I thought you two were best friends before in college?”

“Ummm, I really didn’t care about what’s going on in her life. She was just used to being the one tailing me on campus and even in the malls and at parties,” I said and stared at my nails.

She shook her head. “No wonder she has a grudge against you. You have no heart,” she concluded.

I smirked. “We will go to her party tomorrow,” I said. “For now, don’t tell Karlo about this.”

“Sure,” she said. “If you want, I will look into Mr. Rodriguez’s background. I will even put my trusted assassins to spy on his daily activities.”

Her offer was tempting, but I couldn’t invade Karlo’s life just because I doubted him. I am sure he has reasons to hide some secrets. If he chooses not to tell me, I would respect that. He has been on my side, except Timothy, ever since Mom and Dad died.

“No,” I answered Glaidel. “Let’s just focus on keeping an eye on Helen and her family. She still has a price to pay for what she did to Victor.”

“I heard what happened in the US. Condolences.”

“Thank you.”

I escorted Glaidel out of the mansion after she booked a taxi to go home. When I checked the time, it was already three am in the morning. I had no choice but to sleep a bit and wake up early, or else I would work like a ghost tomorrow at the company, especially since we would have a general meeting with the managers.

Timothy: Everything okay there?

Timothy’s message popped up on my phone. He is in the USA now, ever since he trusted me enough to leave our Real Estate company in my hands. I replied to him.

Me: Timothy, since you are in the US, can you do me a favor?

I looked at the closing gates where Glaidel’s taxi had just left.

Timothy: What is it?

Me: Can you look into Karlo’s family there in the USA? I heard they originally lived there.