chapter 8

I'm confused Beatrice, what do you mean by one man's greed causing the death of your father?" Ricardo asked as his worried gaze focused on Beatrice. She looked like she was about to have a panic attack.

"I-" Beatrix tried to say something but her voice failed her as tears filled her eyes, she thought it wouldn't hurt as much since it happened a long ago, but now she knew that reopening old wounds wasn't as easy as it seemed on her head

"If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to," Ricardo said as he took her hands in his

"I have to. It's just that I've never shared this story with anyone other than Sensei Tanaka. It's not a pleasant story," Beatrix said as her hold on Ricardo's hands tightened

"Take deep breaths, in and out, in and out" Ricardo instructed and Beatrix did as he told her, "Yes just like that, breathe" As Beatrix listened to Ricardo's calming voice she began to calm down.

"Thank you, I think I'm calm now," Beatrix said as she gave him a small smile, "I'm ready to talk now."

"Okay, go on, Beatrix I'm here to listen to whatever you have to say to me, " Ricardo said with a small smile on his face, which he hoped would help her keep calm while she spoke

Beatrix takes a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly as she starts speaking about her father's death

"My father, Antonio, built our family business from the ground up. It was his life's work, his legacy. He had a vision, and he was so close to achieving it. " Beatrix said as a sad smile formed on her face, "while he was consumed with work, he also found time to play with us. He was the best dad ever."

Ricardo gazes at Beatrice, his eyes filled with empathy, and says, "I can truly see how much it meant to him."

Beatrix's heart filled with happiness as she remembered the moments she had shared with her family, a time when the world still made sense and she was happy.

Ever since her father's death, Beatrix had clung to the desperate hope of having a chance to turn back time so she would've been able to save her father but that was just a childish fantasy that could never come true.

"Yes, and that's what makes it so painful. My uncle, Eduardo, whom my father trusted with his very soul, betrayed him. He conspired with some unscrupulous business associates and plotted to take over the company" Beatrix continued as she felt her anger grow at the mere thought of her uncle, who deserved to die in the worst possible way for what he did to her father.

Beatrice's eyes well up with tears, but she wipes them away, determined to continue the story, which she has carried as a burden on her back for years

"My father had no idea what was happening until it was too late. They pushed him out, accused him of financial mismanagement, and took control of everything he had built and there was nothing my father could have done to clear his name or get back his company" Beatrix continued to explain as she felt her tears fall down her face.

Ricardo clenches his fist, his expression hardening as he says, "That's despicable! How could your uncle do such a thing to his own family?"

Beatrix sighed, her voice heavy with the many emotions she was feeling right now, but the prominent one was pain.

"Greed, Ricardo. Greed can turn even the closest of relatives into enemies. My father lost everything—the company, his reputation, and his health. He passed away a broken man, not knowing that everything was a lie and my uncle was the one responsible for tarnishing his name. "

Ricardo reaches out and gently places his hand on Beatrice's. "I'm so sorry, Beatrix. You've been through a lot. "

"We've both been through a lot," Beatrix said as she squeezed his hand gently.

"But if you had evidence against your uncle, why didn't you take it up in court?" Ricardo asked his intense gaze focused on Beatrix

"Because I was a kid with no penny to her name, and he was a rich businessman. No one would ever have believed me even if I tried to fight him in court. Beatrix sad as a pained expression crossed her face

"Oh!"

"When I couldn't take seeing him living happily while my father was dead because of him, I tried to kill myself by jumping over a bridge but Sensei Tanaka saw me and talked me out of it," Beatrix said

"He saved you too," Ricardo added

"Yeah," Beatrix recalled, a smile gracing her lips, "He once told me after I told him my story, and I quote, 'If you die, that would make your uncle the winner at the end of everything. But if you live, you would be a constant reminder of what he'd done to get where he is today.' He saved me that night, and I'll be forever grateful to him."

Ricardo chuckled as he glanced at a picture of Sensei Tanaka and himself. "He has a way of talking people out of doing stupid things," he remarked.

Curious, Beatrix asked, "How did he stop you? from doing something stupid"

Ricardo reflected, "I was about to confront the men who had killed my sister without a plan. I don't even know how he knew about my plan, but he managed to talk me out of it. I owe him where I am today, which is another reason I chose to train at his dojo."

"He really is a good man," Beatrix said

"Yes, he is. He taught me discipline, patience, and the importance of self-control. It's not just about physical strength; it's about mastering your mind and emotions, too. He's helped me become a better person overall and I'm grateful to him because if I had gone through with my initial plan I would have been killed also and the revenge I so desperately craved would've been in vain"

"But which group killed your sister? Maybe I've heard about them," Beatrix asked, her curiosity evident in her tone

"They are quite popular and even the police are scared to try and take them to court, everyone in this city knows about them"

"Come on, tell me," Beatrix urged him as she waited for his response

"The ironclad Mafia," Ricardo answered, and the blood drained from Beatrix's face.