2. P2: 'HER'

ICE

Life has never been a bed of roses for someone like me. I was born into a Mafia family and learned everything from the ground up. I was raised in a strict way, was spoiled beyond belief, and was punished harshly for any mistakes.

There is no such thing as a perfect family, but mine is even better than perfect.

All of our needs and wants have been met.

We were able to acquire anything we desired.

And I have a collection of autos and other products because I wanted to do so.

I am one of the FSO heirs. The FSO stands for two Mafia clans, the Ferreiras and Silvas.

Years ago, in exchange for an alliance, the son of the Silva family became engaged to the daughter of the Ferreira family, and the two families eventually merged into one. The FSO of Brazil was founded by their union.

Isa ako mula sa mga Ferreira. We even outnumbered the Silvas nowadays because the Silvas' lone representative is reluctant to take his seat.

Si Tio Michael Ferreira Silva ang nag-iisang may dala ng parehong apelyido. Ang Ferreira at Silva. Siya ang kaisa-isang nararapat na mamuno sa FSO. But Tio Michael waived all his rights years ago, even before I was born, all out of love. He fell in love with an enemy's daughter, Mafia heiress Svetlana Petrov of one of Russia's most powerful Mafia families.

I was a bit like Tio Michael... Mas gusto namin ang simpleng buhay para sa pamilyang binuo. Although, I'm still in charge as the only person representing my father, Anselmo Ferreira, the Ferreiras' eldest son, I still manage to make my family's life away from FSO. They can live peacefully without FSO.

May kambal na kapatid si papa. Sina Tio Antonio Federico and Tia Ana Francesca. Pero ako pa rin ang tanging namamahala sa FSO bilang kapalit ni papa dahil ito na ang mamuno noon dahil nga ayaw ni Tio Michael ang obligasyon sa pamilya. May mga pinsan naman ako pero mas bata sila sa akin.

Atlas, a cousin of mine, represents Tio Anton who's six years younger than me. And Trace, another cousin, is supposed to be Tia Ana's heir and representative.

Trace is only eight months younger than me but that cousin of mine was so full of himself and didn't like to lead FSO rather. Niyayabang pa nga ang Foedus Corp. niya na binuo kasama ang anim na kaibigan.

A message notification disrupted my thinking, and I checked where the message came from.

LIBBY: Where are you, Sid? We are here now in Mom's house. I hope you get here anytime soon. We are waiting for you.

I pulled over and replied to Libby first. Sinabi kong malapit na ako. After I sent the message, I continued driving.

Libby is not my first love. I fell in love with someone before, but I was still in college then. We were young, in love, and...

No! I should not think of her, for it will be unfair to Libby. My wife gave me a family. A beautiful and typical family. A family I always dreamed of. A family that my mother always told me that she once dreamed of for us, too.

My mother. She's Lavinia Andrade-Ferreira. A beautiful Mexican-Filipina that grew up in her mother's land. The Philippines. My mother is the reason why I understand Tagalog language.

And how my mother met my father?

It ws when my mother was looking for her father when she was eighteen. Mama without knowing that her father was a Mexican gun smuggler, a man who built his own Mafia organization from scratch. Walang alam si mama sa buhay Mafia ng ama niya at hindi inakala na dahil sa utang ng father ni mama sa FSO ay ipapambayad siya. Papa agreed and that's the start of my parent's story.

My parents had a love-hate relationship before, according to mama. But gladly, I was conceived. I'm the main reason why my father realized he couldn't live without my mother and me, for he needed his family more than anything.

Mama always telling me how she fell in love with my father, that even though she married a ruthless one, my mother still found her way to make father fall in love with her, too.

Papa was a man who believed that safety meant being a powerful Mafia boss that had controlled underlings, but mama changed my father's belief. For mama, safety means a family to protect and live for... without a family... you are nothing.

My perception is like my mother's. Family matters to me. FSO matters, too, because it is an organization controlled by two families only.

Family matters...

I sighed. When I fell in love with someone before, I thought of having a family with her, too. That she would be the one I would fight for, protect for... But sadly she was gone... She died.

Akala ko wala na akong makikilalang babae na magbabalik ng pangarap na binuo ko kasama ni-

I stopped thinking of her again. Hindi tama na lagi ko pa siyang iniisip. I sighed. Libby is precious, I must be grateful for having her in my life...

Yes, Libby is precious. She is the only child of a brilliant doctor who raised her alone. Libby's father died when she was a baby, and her mother mainly was often busy with work as she was growing up. Libby became an introvert and had no confidence in herself. She is a teacher but a shy one.

At ang pagiging introvert ni Libby ang dahilan kaya mas mabuting hindi niya malaman ang tungkol sa tunay na pamilyang pinagmulan ko. I don't want Libby to be afraid of the Ferreira family's way of living since the time of our forefathers. I don't want her to experience what my mother experienced. And I want her to live a life normally. Para sa kaligtasan niya at ng mother niya ay mabuting hindi nila alam ang totoo.

Living with a double identity is challenging, so I lied to Libby and her mom and said I didn't have any relatives and was alone in this world. It is unfair. I know... but as long as it answers my problem, who cares?

Wala rin sa pamilya ko ang pumipilit sa akin na isama ko si Libby sa kanila at ipakilala. Naunawaan nila ang desisyon ko. Sinusuportahan ang mga plano ko. And as long as I keep my family safe from people against our organization and keep Libby's peace of mind by thinking her husband was just a simple and average joe... I have no problem with my double life.

I smiled contentedly as I concentrated on driving. Malapit na rin ako sa bahay ni Liza. And today is my mother-in-law's birthday. Libby is excited about the gift she had prepared for her mom. Kadarating ko lang galing Brazil at nagmadali talaga akong makabalik para tuparin ang pangako ko kay Libby na darating ako.

Being married to a kindergarten teacher and a simple woman, I lied about who I was and made a lie about my job. But lying is fine as long as Libby is happy. As long as napapasaya ko siya sa kahit simpleng nagagawa ko ay masaya na rin ako. Libby needs me. She truly does.

Malapit na ako sa bahay ng mother-in-law ko nang may mapansin ako. There is a car heading in the same direction as mine. Patungo rin ito sa bahay ni Liza. Despite my gut screaming at me otherwise, I have to pretend nothing is wrong. Libby and I talked and planned this party for Liza's 60th birthday, and I didn't want anyone to ruin it.

Isang linggo na rito sa Illinois sina Libby at Millie. Nauna na sila at pagkakataon ko iyon na umuwi sa Rio na hindi nila alam. Ang alam ni Libby ay naiwan lang ako sa bahay namin at susunod sa kanila sa birthday ni Liza. Our house is in another state kaya hindi ko naging problema ang pagpunta ng palihim sa Brazil.

Nakatingin pa rin ako sa kotse na nasa unahan. Safety ng pamilya ko ang nasa isip ko lagi kaya alam kong hindi normal na may darating na kotse at hihinto sa tapat ng bahay ni Liza nang walang dahilan. Unless may mga naimbitahan siyang katrabaho para sa birthday niya. I count seconds, yet the car was still there. Parked alone.

Those inside the car can't be trusted. My instincts told me so.

I looked around for something I could use, but all I could find were my black cards, which disappointed me. But yeah, if the worst does happen, these cards will come in handy. I got out of the car and stood there for a while. I'm thinking of getting inside as quickly as possible to secure my family first. I moved three steps when I was hit by a bullet.

Fuck!

Tama ang hinala ko... They're here to hurt my family and me! The fact that I am still alive suggests that they are not expert marksmen. They failed in their attempt to eliminate me; thus, they had better be prepared for my response.

The bullet only hit the side of my head. It deafened me, but I thank the devil they missed the shot.

A few minutes had passed, and I was still acting dead when I saw them get out of the car. There were four of them. Two of them went to the house's back door, and the other two started coming closer to me.

"Cosa stai facendo? (What are you doing?)" The man walking to the doorway asked the other, who stopped and changed directions, to get near me. They are speaking in Italian.

"Assicurandomi che questo sia morto. (Making sure this one is dead.)" The other one answered and aimed his rifle at me, drawing nearer.

And that's all there is to it...

I hooked the guy's legs with my right leg, and as soon as he lost his balance, I took his gun, pointed it between his neck and jaw, and pulled the trigger. I smirked as I saw blood spurt out of his head. Perfect!

I turned my attention to the man standing in the doorway next, and before he could fire, I let go with the second round of bullet that struck him square in the forehead.

"Damn good, Isidro!" I told myself with pride. I'm still good, 'ight?

Pupuntahan ko na ang pamilya ko sa loob ng bahay nang mapansin ko ang isang babae na tumatakbo patungo sa likod ng bahay ni Liza. She possesses a tanned complexion and long, straight, dark hair. Although I can't see her face, I can see that she has a tattoo on the top of her upper thigh. Large tattoo.

I narrowed my eyes. So they are five, not four.

I moved fast. Uunahan ko ang babae. I had just taken five steps toward the door when a loud explosion knocked me to the ground.

Stunned. I can't think of anything as fear envelops my system.

"Libby!!!" I shouted my wife's name, but the bomb's ear-splitting boom drowned my voice. I can't even hear my voice.

Libby... Millie...

"Deus! (God!)"

My eyes are bulging, and my heartbeat has doubled to the point where I may suffer a heart attack.

My family...

My mouth is agape at this unbelievable turn of events. The truth is starting to emerge in my system. I tried to get to my feet, but I couldn't. I tried to stand up, but the effect of the bomb on me made me weak.

As I was thinking of death and before I lost consciousness... the last thing I remember seeing was a tattoo on the woman's thigh, her blurry face as she pointed a gun at me, and...

Incognito.

Yeah, the woman had that word tattooed on her ankle.

I raised my eyes at her. Focused my gazes. And I don't know why it was her again that I could see...

Hope... Is it you?