I was not as cold-hearted as they are, so I could not just leave my Lolo clutching his chest like that... I still care for him after all. But still, hindi ko rin masikmura na harapin siya kaya ipinaubaya ko na lang sa nurse niya. As far as I know, wala rin namang history ng heart ailment si Lolo, but he's getting older and weaker.

Still, I'm firm with that—they do not deserve an easy death... kasi no'ng muntikan na'kong mamatay, nasa'n sila? I asked for help many times, and all they did to me is let me suffer in silence.

They had me jailed in my own home for two years... just when they thought it was enough for me to recuperate for what Fallon did to me.

I lost two years to fight for myself. Another four because we weren't just scared to fight—we didn't have enough hope. Only few people had the motivation to stand against them, and I was still scared...

Pero ngayon ayaw ko nang matakot.

Kasi kung matatakot lang ako habambuhay, nasaan ang hustisya ro'n? Nasaan ang kalayaan do'n? Hahayaan ko na lang ba na bilhin nila nang bilhin 'yung kalayaan ko para lang matahimik ako?

I'm not their puppet anymore.

I'm not anyone's puppet anymore.

Tahimik akong lumabas at dumiretso sa parking lot bago hinayaan ang sarili kong pagmasdan lang ang lawak ng paligid. Everything in this place screamed golds, marbles, and diamonds... and all that, I can't believe, were from that position they've always protected, and trying to protect—in exchange with the lives of those who try to intervene with their plans.

Our lives that they continuously manipulated.

Maraming naghirap, pero sila nagpapakasasa lang sa yaman... I could not help but blame myself for all of these, too. Kasi hinayaan ko rin sila kahit may karapatan akong lumaban. I still had the privilege even if I was being a puppet, and maybe at some point I just liked how I lived... I could buy every LV and Chanel bags in just one shopping with my black card, and still—I won't be out of money.

I had the privilege so I went with the current, not against it... hanggang sa agos na lang nang agos at hindi ko na kayang patigilin.

Hanggang sa nalunod na lang din ako.

"Ma'am?" Gio uttered at lumapit sa'kin.

"I'll take a walk for a while... Five minutes lang."

He nodded.

I let myself wander around. Malawak ang garden nila Lolo, but I've always been here when I was a kid... no'ng hindi ko pa alam na sa ganito hahantong ang lahat. I sat down at one of the benches and watch the gardeners water the plants and trim them a little. Chen and I loved staying at this place when we were little, and play with the sprinklers around the area.

I laughed at that memory I'll always bring with me—no'ng okay pa ang lahat. Wala pa'kong muwang. Lolo will play with us when he has the time—back then he was just serving as a Mayor. Our family was really politically inclined... they loved the power so much that in the end—these powers can lead to the destruction of the family they built.

Sayang... kung sana hindi sila nabulag sa kapangyarihan.

I stayed there for a couple of minutes bago bumalik sa parking lot, pero nagulat ako nang makita ko 'yung itim na Hiace na napapalibutan din ng security detail.

"Brianna!" I nodded at the Vice President's wife at nakipagbeso. Napalingon naman ako kay Tito Dante, the current VP na may kausap sa telepono—nakakunot ang noo. "You gave your Lolo a visit despite a tight schedule? What a very nice apo naman talaga..."

I smiled, "I just had a small talk po with Lolo," I said. "Ano pong meron?"

"Ah nothing, hija. We just dropped by to greet Papa since we just came from a meeting in Singapore. Pabalik na rin naman kami sa Malacanang."

I nodded.

"Do you have any problem, hija?"

I chuckled, "Wala po. Medyo stressed lang po sa hospital." Natawa naman siya.

"You take a rest na, okay? The fam will set a dinner soon ulit. See you!" Nagpaalam na si Tita dahil tinawag na siya. Tinanguan lang ako ni tito bago sila pumasok sa bahay. Napa-buntonghininga na lang ako at pumasok na sa kotse.

"Ma'am? Saan po tayo?"

I paused for a while trying to think kung saan ako pwedeng pumunta ngayon. I can't risk going to the firm just to talk to Irish... that'd be too suspicious.

I took Irish's business card and immediately keyed her digits on my phone, na agad naman niyang sinagot pagkatapos ng tatlong ring, "Yes, good morning? This is Atty. Irish dela Cruz."

"Irish it's me."

"Bran! Oh just a sec—Attorney, I'll just take this phone call. Client po..."

"Who?"

My lips parted when I heard Uno's voice from the other line. My eyes immediately watered n amabilis ko namang pinunasan kaagad. "Sorry... what happened?"

"T-that was Uno... right?"

Irish chuckled, "Grabe boses pa lang talaga ni Uno, 'no?" Natawa rin ako sa sinabi ni Irish habang nakatingin lang sa labas ng bintana ng sasakyan.

"C-can... Can I see you?"

"Sure. I'll text you through a burner phone."

I waited for the address to be sent through mine. I bought a burner few days back after I was attacked. Sobrang natakot ako that it felt like everything was being watched...

It's better to be careful now.

When I received Irish's message, mabilis kaming dumiretso papunta sa location... but just when I thought I'd see Uno.

He wasn't there.

"Oh, Uno? He went out to buy food," she uttered as she arranges the files.

"Irish," I said. "Are you really ready to become a whistleblower?"

She chuckled, "It can cost me my license as they're my clients, but it's better than having more of their victims, right?"

I sighed.

"I'm sorry this has to happen to us..."

Irish moved closer and held my hand, "You're not in the wrong, Brandi. Don't think about that. They fed you with fear, and it's understandable that you were afraid of them..." she said, "But in this fight... don't feed on that fear any longer."

I smiled and nodded.

Irish did not waste time and proceeded to explain to me the scope of the cases, and the possible punishments that are applicable for what they did—in their cases, murder and corruption.

"The mass murder in Pangasinan lack evidences, which may not get them indicted. What we have to find here is a proof of the need for their arrest and impeachment. Because we can't resort to people power since most will not believe kahit nakahain na sa kanila 'yung katunayan... there are massive supporters for your family, and these cases will be very hard for them to accept." I sighed. Kung sana hindi lang marami ang nabulag ng pamilya ko, sana matagal nang may lumalaban... kaso hindi nila alam na 'yung problema ay internal.

Hindi ko naman sila sinisisi... pero 'yung iba na nananatiling bulag kahit nandiyan na ang katotohanan... may pakielam ba talaga para sa ibang tao, or para sa pansariling interes na lang?

"They were aware of internal conflicts inside the firm, and so a lot were fired... and most of them are missing," she uttered. "But this... this will still prove the current President and Vice President's corruption," Irish added and pulled out a very small SD card from her wallet.

"I've been working as an errand girl and Paralegal in the firm ever since I was studying Pre-law and Law... They've known me ever since, but to prove that loyalty, I also had to turn a blind-eye," she explained, and sighed. "I was not an accomplice, but I knew circulating news of intel personnel they've bribed with money, or threatened to killed... all that has been happening within that firm. It was like... it was built to be a secret hideout of the secrets within your family."

Napamasahe ako ng sentido ko habang nakikinig sa sinasabi ni Irish.

"This can immediately prove that they have violated the Anti Money Laundering Act of 2001 and the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act 2002," she said. "But for the murders in Pangasinan... it might be a bit of work."

"In order for this to work, we have to prove that they really did violate human rights and killed these people, because if not, we'll just end up dead. This will be powerless unless we can have someone prove that it was really their orders. If we can only prove your mother's death, then they will just continue to cover it up with lies."

I paused for a while and remembered my Lolo's words, "Lolo said he left a witness for me to find out..."

Both of us were startled when someone barged in, "I can."

"Gio?"

"Colonel Gio Mercado, Ma'am," he said. "The Former President does not know my existence, but I was there to witness the mass murder. Random military personnel were also deployed to the area to cover up the killings... and I was one of them. But I managed to escape..."

"How can you help? You know how this system works, words cannot be proven unless there are pieces of evidence to back it up," Irish explained.

"General Ynarez left this to me," he uttered and handed Irish an old recorder. "It contains the voice of the President's orders to commence the killings."

I blinked.

"You kept this for so long... how?"

Gio smiled, "It's my duty ma'am. But it felt more like a burden to me back then. I wanted to get rid of it badly, that's why I worked for this family. To find answers, to find the reason. There's no way for me to let them handle this because if this ends up on the wrong hands... the truth will perish," he said.

"I could not live day by day holding unto this burden I have to carry. Who cares about the truth, when those in power carry words that become rules? But, every time I try to get rid of it, it keeps pulling me back to that day... the past, telling me that maybe we still have a chance to not let their deaths be in vain. And now, we have a chance to rewrite it."

Nagkatinginan muna kami ni Irish bago iplinay ang recorder. Halos mahulog na lang ako sa kinauupuan ko nang marinig ko ang boses ng dating Presidente—na parang walang emosyong sinasambit na patayin na sila; walang pakielam kung buhay na ang pinaglalaruan nila...

"Brandi."

My breathing was hitched when I heard his voice. Mabilis akong humarap at tumayo at nakita si Uno sa harapan ko. "W-where... where have you been?"

"I'm sorry if I couldn't explain..." He pulled me closer to him and hugged me tight as he kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be," I whispered. "I knew you meant well."

Irish and Uno proceeded to explaining the details of the cases. I could not help but to smile as I watch Uno's forehead crease habang binabasa 'yung mga dokumento—that right there is the guy I've always imagined him to be ever since we were both in med and law school.

I can't believe we've gotten this far.

"Everything's set," Irish said, her eyes watering as she looks at us. "I can finally prove my father's death was not just a mere cowardliness."

I smiled and nodded.

Nauna nang umalis si Irish. Nag-usap muna kami ni Uno bago siya sumabay.

For this one... I have to take care of it.

"Is he the one who's been following them?"

"Yes po ma'am," one of my guards answered. I looked at the guy that they've managed to capture bago pa makaalis at umupo sa harapan niya. He looked familiar...

"You... you're one of Ali's friends. That guy who drugged me... "You chose the wrong people to serve to," I said. "Your bosses will be gone soon."

He let out a cackle, "I see you're still alive? Why don't you just kill me then?"

I scoffed, "People like you? You don't deserve easy deaths," I said. As much as I did not want anyone to get hurt... hindi ko rin naman hahayaang masaktan sila Uno.

"Cripple him," I said. "Just enough for him to feel pain, and then surrender him to the authorities. Illegal possession of drugs," I uttered. They nodded.

By that time, I realized... no one should have the power like this...

"Gio... Why did you hide it? After all these years that you've been with me, you should have told me..."

He sighed, "I did not want to give you a false sense of security. With this piece of evidence, you'd feel secured... that maybe you can fight. But back within those years—I watched you back off every time even when you knew you have the means to fight. I do not mean to say that you were scared, but I wanted you to find the willingness within yourself, and not through just a piece of recorder," he said and smiled.

He's right. Even with all these evidence that I had against Fallon, all I ever did is tell myself that I can withstand it. I was an accessory to their crimes... I tolerated it all. Maybe, because I still wanted to find a reason for me to defend my family.

After all, they're my family.

But they never treated me as one.

"And for you to have the people to support you in your fight. You were never alone, Brandi—and now, you are brave enough to finally find the people behind you."