008

The elegantly dressed lady stepped out of the red car, wearing a sunshade to disguise her identity. The car's door was gently shut behind her by her newly assigned driver, who bowed slightly to her before returning to the driver's seat.

Lisa stared around for a while, her eyes sparkled in recognition. For more than three years that she has leave her parents house, busily disguising herself as a private hospital's nurse, nothing has changed in the house -it was just as she has remembered it and the familiar scent of flowers in the air was still as it was.

At the entrance, leading to the main building itself, stood a man who was busily grinning from ear to ear, his facial expression was that of mixed emotions; relief, recognition and excitement as he patiently waited for Lisa to walk to him.

"Oh, oh...!" He exclaimed, his eyes sparkling brightly. "Look who is finally here if not for my long lost cousin. Am I right?"

Lisa rolled her eyes at his choice of words. "I wasn't lost, I was busy being a coward and hiding behind my fears, you know." She countered as she strutted towards him. "Choose a better lines to welcome me, dude!"

Andy chuckled lightly. "What's the difference, eh?" He remarked, the smile still hasn't left his eyes. "Hiding behind your fears is the same as being lost, I'm right with my welcoming line -it's the perfect description for you, don't you think?"

"Ugh, Andy!" Lisa groaned softly as she turned the door knob, proceeding to enter the house. "...just spare me your childish jokes, will you?"

"Too bad..." Andy said as he entered the house after Lisa, closing the huge door behind them. "...this time around, it's not a joke. It's... uh -how do I put it? Well, it's just not a joke, yeah!"

"Arrgh, Andy!" Lisa groaned slowly with her fist clenched, showing her discomfort with where the conversation is heading to. "Will you stop this already, it's getting on my nerves."

"Oh, my! I forgot you are still sensitive at the moment, grieving your poor broken heart. I totally underst..." Andy was quick to swallow the rest of his words due to the cold expression Lisa gave him. "Oh, I zip my mouth now! You don't have to skin me alive with that kind of stare."

Andy mimicked the gesture of zipping his lips and throwing away the keys. Lisa only scoffs and she sat on one of the couch elegantly and slowly putting her sunshade away, her stoic expression replaced with amusement as she fed her eyes with her new surrounding.

"You did a great job by keeping this house in place, Andy. How can I ever repay you, huh?" She enunciated, not bothering to hide the gratitude in her eyes; if she can't thank him with her mouth, she should at least show how grateful she is in her eyes.

"You've repaid me, Lisa, much more than enough." Andy uttered, his expression turning serious which earned him a raised brow from Lisa. "The moment you told me you've divorced that slum jerk, I feel like I don't need anything else from you anymore!"

"Hmm... I have no choice to it, Andy, I've been hanging on for too long." She breathed out softly, the sound of her voice wasn't entertaining. "I've finally reached my limit, what else do I do to keep my sanity? I can't sit back and watch that pervert ruin me anymore!"

Andy stood up from his seat and moved closer to Lisa, placing a reassuring hand over her shoulder. "You did well, Lisa, I'm proud of your decision." He cajoled her. "It's good you finally realize where you rightfully belong."

Lisa laughed softly, wiping out the imaginary tears on her face. "I can't believed I spend my last three years being a fool..." She joked, her voice was now better and calmer. "My goodness, I wouldn't dare repeat that same foolish mistake! It's time I finally right my wrongs!"

"Ah, yeah, Lisa! That's the spirit, girl! You got this, I promise!" Andy enounced, returning the same vibe as hers. "I missed the old Lisa but I love the enthusiasm of the new Lisa more. Go, Lisa, I'm with you!"

Lisa lightly hit Andy on his shoulders. "What's with your lame lines this time around again?" She asked him in a stern voice, frowning at him. "Don't tell me you abandoned being a doctor and now you are a cheerleader?"

"Cheerleader, Huh? That sound much more ridiculous than my lame lines -and that just hurt my feelings." Andy blurted out, feigning hurt. "Oh, Lisa, you are such a killjoy!"

Lisa rolled her eyes at his choice of words before opening her mouth to speak. "I think we've chitchat enough already, dude, it's time to get ready for what's more important which is..." She paused her lips for a second. "...business!"

"Yeah, business!" Andy repeated her last word. In a split second, his expression turn serious and anyone could doubt he had joked a few moment ago. "There are lots of things to talk about, where do you prefer I start from?"

"Anywhere will be okay. Just make it simple but as well detailed, you might want to start from the beginning if it still count." She replied in a more formal tone. "I would love it if anything isn't omitted -not even a single detail!"

Andy, in return, cleared his throat lightly before opening his mouth to speak. "First before anything, it's better you know the present state of Dela Cruz groups, because as at this moment, it's in a very bad shape." He enunciated in a straight tone.

"Bad shape...?" Lisa vocalized, deep frown settling on her forehead. "What do you mean? Did the groups collapsed already, or maybe at the already at the edge of the cliff?"

"Something of sort, yeah." He replied with a slight shoulder shrug afterwards. "My father and his brothers aren't taking good care of the company, they are only after the profit shares made from it by wearing the workers off, as well as their children too."

Lisa was furious at the news. How dare her uncles squander the money they did not work for? And instead of their children to reprimand them, they went ahead and follow their fathers' footsteps? The thought of seeing the groups her parents had worked all their lives for falling into the wrong hands pissed her off greatly.

"The more I think about this, I realized whatever had happened was all my fault!" She was angry, not only at her greedy uncles and cousins but also her anger was directed to herself as well. "I gave them all the chance to ruin my parents hard work but not anymore!"

Andy did say nothing but only watch her vent out her anger, he believed she has to empty all of her bottled emotions for her to carry on smoothly. Lisa, on the flip side, gritted her teeth in rage as she clenched her fist tightly, already overwhelmed with fury.

"I won't continue to live as that clueless dead girl they believed me to be anymore, Andy." She vowed, her voice was as cold as ice and at the same time it was sharp as a blade. "They will wish they never covet what wasn't theirs to start with. I'll make sure they pay for laying hands on me."

"-and Alex too, he'll as well pay for making me shed my precious tears..."