Third Person's Point of View

Mr. and Mrs. Marquez can't find the right words to say as Mr. Evans, father of Dorothy Evans called for a sudden meeting to talk about a petition for Marquez family to step down from their positions.

"I beg your pardon. Our positions in Las Decas are determined base on the family's achievements and wealth. In this case, your petition will immediately terminated as it is against the rules."

Las Decas is the name of the organization who rule the Palladium City, no one dares to offend them as they holds so much power enough to bring people into poverty.

Theo Marquez defended, he tightly closed his fist as he is offended by what Mr. Evans said. Theo Marquez is a man of power so he despise this kind of interaction.

"Sure, I am aware of those rules but Mr. Marquez, I am sad to say that we also have a rule wherein there is an action that must be taken immediately when a member of a family, no matter what rank their family is, if they severely offended another member of a family who is in the top 4 of Las Decas, the offender can be forced to step down his position."

The rest of the people in the room started to whisper as they heard Mr. Evans's demand. While the third and fourth ranked remained silent as if they already expected that this will happen.

Theo Marquez snickered for what Mr. Evans said, Theo Marquez knew his capabilities well he knows every power that a first ranked holds so there's no way he'll let anyone to take those power.

"You are trying to make me step down from my position when you are aware that I hold a lot of power that I can use to stop that. I am the ace of this city which means I can alter and change the rules inside our constitution."

Wala nang nagtangka pang gumawa ng kahit na anong ingay nang banggitin iyon ni Theo, ang tanging maririnig mo na lamang ay ang pag ikot ng kamay ng isang lumang orasan na tila ba pinapakiramdaman nila ang kilos ng bawat isa.

Akmang tatayo na si Theo kasama ang asawa nito nang biglang magsalita si Mr. Evans dahilan para bumalik ang atensyon ni Theo rito.

"You act all mighty Theodore, making me feel that I am incapable of understanding the rules but you are the one who doesn't remember one crucial thing about it. Every power has its own flaws Theodore, like a power that requires a rightful heir as a certitude for your power to be valid."

Mahirap man tanggapin, alam ni Theo na nakaligtaan niya ang parteng yon tungkol sa kapangyarihang taglay niya. Kailangang may opisyal na tagapagmana ng posisyon niya bago niya makuhang buo ang kapangyarihang nais niyang gamitin.

"There would be no problem with that as I will make sure to proclaim my daughter as an heir of the Marquez family, the ace of this city."

Walang anu-ano'y bigla na lang pumalakpak si Mr. Evans na animo'y inaasar si Theo, saka pa nito sinundan ng halakhak ang pagpalakpak. Aakalain mong nababaliw na ito dahil sa kaniyang kinikilos.

Tumigil lamang ito nang mapansin niyang sa kaniya na nakatuon ang atensyon ng bawat myembro ng kanilang grupo.

"Not so fast Theodore, the approval of the other members is also important. Let's say you'll have the power to alter, add, and remove a rule but the fact that you'll need an approval for the changes that you're going to implement to the rules, you're still on edge of losing your position. Since I am the one who set this meeting, I am calling it off."

Bago pa mang tuluyang makaalis si Mr. Evans sa meeting room, biglang nagsalita ang ika-limang ranggo patungkol sa patakarang kanina lang ay pinag-uusapan nila.

"Sumasang-ayon ako sa anumang pagbabago ang mangyari sa mga patakaran. Itaas ang kamay ng mga sumasang-ayong pahintulutan ang anumang pagbabago sa patakaran." saad ng ika-limang ranggo sa grupo na naging dahilan para makuha ang atensyon ni Mr. Evans.

Isa-isang nagsitaasan ng kamay ang ika-anim na ranggo hanggang ika-sampung ranggo nang marinig nila ang hudyat ng ika-limang ranggo na nangangahulugan lamang na panalo si Theo sa usaping ito.

"There are six people who supports me Mr. Evans, while you have two. Why don't you just accept that I will remain the ace of Palladium City while you'll remain the second best? Kung ihahalintulad mo ito sa mga cards, I am the ace and you're a joker. You may try hard but it will just end up as a joke"

Hindi na nakapagtimpi pa si Mr. Evans kaya minarapat na lamang nito na lisanin ang silid. Wala na rin naman na siyang magagawa dahil mukhang buo na ang loob ni Theo na opisyal na ideklarang tagapagmana ng mga Marquez ang kaniyang anak.

Samantala, sumunod naman ang dadalawang hindi sumang-ayon sa patakarang babaguhin ni Theo. Nang makaalis ang tatlong miyembro, nakipagkamay si Theo bilang pasasalamat sa mga miyembrong nanatiling tapat sa kaniyang pamumuno.

"No matter what happens, we will support your decisions sir. We believe that you will not do anything that will harm our organization and the whole Palladium City. I still remembered that you helped us solve our problems when the other three high-ranked members tried to oust us out, and we're thankful for that."

Noon pa man kasi ay kinokontra na ni Theo ang mga desisyon ng mga kasamahan niyang may mataas na posisyon kaya may namuong galit ang mga ito sa kaniya.

Hindi na rin naman na kataka-taka na kinokontra sila ni Theo dahil walang ibang ginawa ang grupo ni Mr. Evans kundi ang manlamang ng kahit na sinong gustuhin nila, na pati ang mga miyembro ng kanilang grupo na di hamak namang mas mababa sa kanila'y gusto din nilang mapatalsik.

Bukod pa don, ayaw nitong makasalamuha ang bababa pa sa kasalukuyang miyembro ng Las Decas kaya lagi nitong kinokontra ang pagpapatalsik ng mga nakasanayan na niyang kasamahan.

Nang tuluyang matapos ang pagtitipon ng mga miyembro ay agad na tinawagan ni Theo ang kaniyang sekretarya na siyang naghahanap sa kaniyang panganay na anak na si Lilia Marquez, mula kasi nang magpaalam itong mag-aaral ito sa Los Angeles ay hindi na ito nagparamdam pa.

"How's the search? Have you found her?" Tanong ni Theo, umaasang makikita at makakasama na niya ang kaniyang anak bago niya ito itanghal na tagapagmana ng mga Marquez.

"I hate to disappoint you sir but we already tried to search for her everywhere in California but she's nowhere to be found. We are considering that she already left the country."

Theo got frustrated as he heard the news. While his wife Ree Marquez have a solution for Theo's problem.

"Theo if we can't find Lilia in time, you'll lost your position. What if you'll declare Samantha as our heiress instead?" Ree proposed but Theo hated the idea.

"We can't make her the heiress, of all people in our family, you should be the one to know that."

Napakuyom ang kamao ni Ree nang marinig ang mariin na pagtutol ng kaniyang asawa tungkol sa alok na pagiging tagapagmana ni Samantha.

"Why not? Samantha is also our child Theo. She is also part of the family."

Tinitigan lamang ni Theo si Ree gamit ang isang blangkong ekspresiyon kaya wala na itong nagawa pa kundi ang manahimik dahil kahit kailan, at kahit subukan nito, hindi siya pakikinggan ng kaniyang asawa hanggat si Samantha ang pinag-uusapan.

Meanwhile, Dorothy already broke hundredths of their expensive vases at home when she heard that her dad can't do anything about dragging the Marquez down from their positions.

She's outraged that she messed up their mansion that even her parents can't do anything to calm her down. Even the maids tried to help but still can't do anything.

When she calmed down, her parents slowly walked towards her to comfort her from crying.

"Don't be sad, it is not the end of anything. We will get our revenge, just give me enough time to find their weaknesses and I'll use it against them."

Pag-aalo nito sa kaniyang anak habang hindi pa rin ito matigil sa pag-iyak. Masyado itong naapektuhan sa mga sinabi ni Samantha sa kaniya at hindi nito matanggap na nakatanggap siya ng masasakit at nakakahiyang salita mula dito.

"How can you do that Dad? The fact that you lost today, the fact that you are unable to do anything, we're still as powerless as the rest of the members of Las Decas!"

Doubting her father's ability, her rage towards the Marquez family remained. While Dorothy's mother can't find the right words to say worrying that she might trigger her daughter's anger more, and she obviously doesn't want that to happen.

Sometimes her mother is asking herself if she successfully raised her daugher well or she raised a brat. Her daughter is out of control, she's so far from a prim and proper lady that she badly wanted to neutralize her attitude.

While there's her husband continuing to tolerate all the wrongdoings of her daughter. Mrs. Evans slowly regretting that she didn't even tried to oppose her husband.

"Don't worry princess, a time will also come where we'll have a chance to make them fall. Their great downfall indeed."

*****
A/N: The heiress is nowhere to be found, would Theo consider the idea of proclaiming Samantha instead? Or he'll stand his ground until Lilia is found? Let's find it out together at the next chapter of The Provocative Nerd.