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Cosmo and Kevin spoke for two hours. From being aggressive at first, Kevin eventually ended up holding his head in pain and regret.

Eloise had been waiting outside for a while. When she saw Cosmo come out, she rushed to meet him. “You took so long!” she complained.

She thought their conversation wouldn’t even last an hour, but it stretched to two. Kevin must have shared a lot. It wasn’t often that Kevin could talk to someone who actually knew Kenneth and was willing to listen to stories about him, things even Eloise herself never knew before.

“It takes time to draw out information,” Cosmo said, taking Eloise’s hand.

“So, what did you find out?” Eloise pressed.

“I need to confirm everything before I tell you,” Cosmo replied. Then he whispered a few words to Francis.

Eloise caught some times and places mentioned, it was probably important.

When they left the precinct, Cosmo told Eloise about Kevin, how Kenneth had raised him, and how he ended up in prison.

“People who are reckless are easy to deceive and use,” Eloise sighed. “Kenneth was such a good man. What a waste.”

“Yes, it’s sad. Often, the good ones are the first to go. But the wicked, they shouldn’t be spared either,” Cosmo said in a cold tone.

He knew deep down that the so-called car accident they had gone through was no accident at all. Someone had staged it. For a long time, he had searched for evidence, but there was no clear lead, which only showed how careful and cunning their enemy was. Fortunately, Kevin had crossed his path, and that gave him a small glimmer of hope.

With Cosmo’s lead, Francis tracked down the details of the car that was seen with Kevin at the cemetery that day. Through the license plate, they identified the owner.

It turned out the car was registered to Sarah, the sister of the mother of Cosmo’s second aunt, Sofia.

Cosmo knew the name Sarah, but he had no personal connection with her aside from a few accidental encounters. That was why it puzzled him even more to learn she was connected to Kevin.

Paolo decided to confront Sarah directly. Using his own methods, he forced her to talk, and in the end, she spilled almost everything, things she should have and should not have said.

After Paolo relayed everything he had learned, Cosmo fell silent for a long time. Finally, he gave the order: use Sarah to force Sofia into a meeting.

At the appointed time, Sofia appeared. She was startled to see Cosmo but quickly realized she could no longer hide certain truths.

“Do you know why I asked you to come here, Aunt?” Cosmo asked, fixing his eyes on her.

Sofia was known as a humble and quiet woman in the world of housewives. She rarely attended social gatherings unless she had to accompany her husband to official events. She preferred staying at home, tending her garden, reading, playing the piano, and cooking. Everyone knew her as kind and nurturing.

Because of her low profile, she was also easily forgotten.

Sofia met Cosmo’s gaze directly. “What did Sarah tell you?” she asked calmly. “Did she already tell you everything?”

Cosmo gave a cold smile. “What do you think, Aunt? Whatever she knows still isn’t enough. After all, she didn’t live through it herself.”

“You look a little like your father, but not too much. What you really inherited from him is in your manner, the way you carry yourself,” Sofia said, her eyes distant as though lost in memory. A faint smile touched her lips.

Sofia knew that when stories were told by others, they lacked the depth of someone who had lived them. That was why she was able to add details of her own.

Sofia had grown up poor. Even as a child, she knew education was the key to escaping the life destiny seemed to have dealt her. So she worked hard at her studies, determined that one day she would rise above poverty.

Her efforts paid off. At eighteen, she earned a full scholarship abroad. It was there that she met Carlo, who was two years older than her.

Though they were in different programs, they often ran into each other in the library. Both were from Tagaytay, and in a foreign land, that shared hometown quickly brought them closer. They often talked about their town and how much they missed it.

Sofia was a good cook. The first time she invited Carlo over for a meal, it soon became a habit. During the holidays, the two of them usually spent their time together.

She didn’t answer right away, letting him wait for a moment.

One evening, while they were having dinner, they ran into Carlo and Tania. During the introductions, Cris introduced her, and Sofia called herself his girlfriend, even though they weren’t officially in a relationship yet.

She could never forget the happiness she saw on Cris’s face, like a child finally getting the candy he had long wanted. On the other hand, she also noticed the disapproval in Carlo’s eyes, mixed with irritation and warning.

A few days later, Carlo pulled her aside and told her to stay away from Cris. But instead of leaving him, she became even more determined to continue what they had. In the end, she agreed to marry Cris.

Unlike Carlo, who was the heir of the family, Cris had been mostly left alone as long as he didn’t cause trouble. That’s why even though Sofia came from an unknown family, they still allowed her to marry him.

“After I married your Uncle Cris, I officially became part of the Dominguez family,” Sofia said with a faint smile. “Every time I saw your father, I had to call him ‘kuya’, older brother. I don’t know how he felt about it, but for me, I couldn’t hide how happy I was.”

The first man she ever loved may have loved her back, but in the end, he betrayed and hurt her. And those wounds, she still carried with her to this day.

Cosmo knew nothing about this. Even Tania and Cris had no idea about Sofia and Carlo’s past.

“You hate my father?” Cosmo asked, though deep inside, he already knew the answer. Before she could respond, he added, “Then why did you want to kill me?”

Sofia smiled, but behind it was a glint of madness. “Because you’re his son. Your existence is the strongest proof of his betrayal.”

Her words were filled with pain and anger, but Cosmo remained expressionless.

“Besides,” Sofia continued coldly, “if you die, Gabriel will inherit everything from the Dominguez family. Everything they have will belong to him.”

It was a direct confession of her ambition, spoken without hesitation.

Cosmo let out a quiet sigh. “Too bad,” he said softly. “You didn’t expect me to survive.”