LOGIN“Damien…” Rafael whispered.His older brother stepped out from the shadows, smiling like he had already won. Behind him were men holding guns, their eyes cold and ready.“Hello, little brother,” Damien said. “Did you miss me too?”Rafael’s mother stepped back, her face pale.“You were supposed to be in jail,” she whispered.Damien laughed.“Jail cannot hold a man with money,” he said.Rafael moved in front of Kim and his mother.“What do you want?” he asked.Damien’s smile disappeared.“You know what I want,” he said. “The land title. Give it to me, and maybe I will let some of you live.”“You will not hurt them,” Rafael said.Damien laughed again.“You still do not understand, Rafael. I always get what I want.”Kim held Rafael’s hand tightly.“Rafael,” she whispered, “don’t give him the title.”“I know,” Rafael whispered back.Damien looked at Father Ben.“Old man,” he said, “you have been hiding things from me for years. Tell me where the land title is.”Father Ben stood tall, even
Rafael stared at the warrant in disbelief.“Mother…” he whispered. “You signed this?”His mother’s face turned pale.“Rafael, I can explain,” she said quickly.“You signed a paper saying I helped Damien escape?” Rafael shouted. “After everything I did to find you? After everything I did to protect you?”“I had no choice!” she cried.“You always say that!” Rafael shouted.“Rafael, please listen to me,” she begged. “They threatened me. They said if I did not sign it, they would kill you.”Rafael laughed bitterly.“And you believed them?”“I had no one else to trust!” she cried. “Damien’s men were watching me. They said they would take you away from me again.”Kim stepped between them.“Rafael,” she said softly, “please calm down. We need to think clearly.”“She signed the warrant,” he said. “She helped them accuse me.”His mother’s face changed.“You do not understand,” she said quietly.“Then make me understand,” Rafael said.But before she could speak, Captain Ramirez stepped forward.
The police passed by them. “Explain,” Rafael said, his voice cold with anger.Mark looked at him, tears forming in his eyes.“Rafael, I never wanted your father to die,” he said. “I loved him like a brother.”“Then why does Father’s letter say you helped Damien?” Rafael asked.Mark took a deep breath.“Because I did,” he admitted. “But not in the way you think.”Rafael’s mother stepped forward.“Mark, tell him everything,” she said.Mark nodded slowly.“Your father asked me to help him expose Damien,” he began. “He wanted to gather proof and bring it to the police. I agreed because Damien was destroying our family.”“Then what happened?” Rafael asked.“Damien found out,” Mark continued. “He threatened me. He said if I helped your father, he would harm my family.”“No,” Mark said quickly. “I tried to protect him. I told him to leave the country. I told him to hide the evidence and wait until Damien’s men stopped watching him.”“But Father did not leave,” Rafael said.“He refused,” Mark
The police passed by them. “Explain,” Rafael said, his voice cold with anger.Mark looked at him, tears forming in his eyes.“Rafael, I never wanted your father to die,” he said. “I loved him like a brother.”“Then why does Father’s letter say you helped Damien?” Rafael asked.Mark took a deep breath.“Because I did,” he admitted. “But not in the way you think.”Rafael’s mother stepped forward.“Mark, tell him everything,” she said.Mark nodded slowly.“Your father asked me to help him expose Damien,” he began. “He wanted to gather proof and bring it to the police. I agreed because Damien was destroying our family.”“Then what happened?” Rafael asked.“Damien found out,” Mark continued. “He threatened me. He said if I helped your father, he would harm my family.”“No,” Mark said quickly. “I tried to protect him. I told him to leave the country. I told him to hide the evidence and wait until Damien’s men stopped watching him.”“But Father did not leave,” Rafael said.“He refused,” Mark
Rafael’s hands shook as he held the letter.“What do you mean Damien was not the one who killed Father?” Hyena asked, her voice shaking with confusion.Their mother looked at the ground, unable to meet their eyes.“Read the whole letter,” he whispered, tears still falling from his eyes.Rafael unfolded the paper slowly. His father’s handwriting was clear, but some words were shaking, as if he had written it while afraid.My son, if you are reading this, then the truth has finally found you.Damien is guilty of many things. He lied, stole, threatened, and tried to destroy our family. But he did not kill me.Rafael continued reading.The person who killed me was someone I trusted. Someone I called a friend. Someone who wanted the land more than Damien did.Rafael looked at Mark.“Tito Mark…” he whispered.Mark’s face became pale.“No,” he said quickly. “Rafael, that is not what happened.”Rafael’s mother stepped between them.“Mark, stop,” she said. “He deserves to know.”Mark looked at
“Damien, put the gun down,” Rafael said, trying to keep his voice steady even though his heart was pounding.Damien laughed and stepped closer inside the small treehouse.“Put it down?” he repeated. “After everything I have done to get here? You must be joking.”“Do not move,” Ramirez warned.Kim looked up at Rafael, tears in her eyes.“Rafael,” she whispered, tears falling down her face. “Please be careful.”Rafael’s heart broke seeing her afraid. He wanted to jump down and protect her, but Damien was blocking the ladder.“You used her again,” Rafael said angrily. “You always use the people I love.”“I did not lose,” Rafael said. “Not yet.”Damien smiled.Rafael slowly moved his hand toward the knife hidden in his sleeve.“What do you want?” he asked.“The land title,” Damien answered. “Tell me where it is.”“I already told you. I don’t have it.”“I know Father wanted to protect our family from you,” Rafael said. “That is why he hid the truth before you could destroy everything.”Dam







