CHAPTER 1

THERE'S a lot of blood in the dark room, in the dark forest.

Sobbing and pleading that you can hear from us.

His blue eyes give me goosebumps, especially when I see what he's holding. A wide, sharp metal that can cut you into pieces. His gaze makes me feel more nervous. Afraid.

His face was full of fierce yet attractive expressions. I saw it. My two eyes saw how he killed those innocent people in front of me. On how he brutally killed them, on how he shot them using his deadly weapon gun.

And how he looked at me, asking me to marry him, asking me for his needs, and asking me for the love that he wants in his life and that he wants to feel.

But I just can't believe that I, myself, changed his beast behavior into a soft.

—————

TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Prince Clever “Clev” Del-Vago is sitting in front of the Columbarium Niche in Memorial Park, where his family is. He lit candles in all the cremation niches where the cremation urns of his parents and siblings were. He also gives them different flowers—the favorite flowers of his parents and siblings.

Inamoy niya muna ang mga ito bago niya binitawan.

“It’s been seven years since I was last with you, embracing and descrying you. It still hurts me to this day to see you here, which is just ashes.” A sad simper is visible on his lips, harking back to his dark past. Nakahalukipkip ang kanyang mga mata.

Pitong taon na ang nakalipas, naalala niya pa rin ang pangyayari. Dalawampung taong gulang na siya noon. Siya ay nasa kolehiyo, at tinatapos niya ang kursong business management.

Umuwi siya galing school na pagod at haggard. Hinalikan niya sa noo ang kanyang ina at ang kanyang nakababatang kapatid na si Clayden pagdating niya. Si Clev ang papalit sa pamamahala ng negosyo kaya't siya ay nagtataguyod sa kanyang kurso kaya palagi siyang abala. Samakatuwid, wala siyang panahon na makipag-bonding sa kanyang mga kapatid at pati na rin sa kanyang mga magulang.

Hinanap agad ni Clev ang kanyang ama, ngunit ang sabi ng kanyang ina ay ilang araw na ring hindi umuuwi ang kanyang ama at sobrang abala sa kanilang kumpanya, ang Vagorians Corporation. Pinaginhawa niya ang kanyang ina sa pamamagitan ng pagsasabi ng mga positibong salita upang hindi siya mag-alala.

Nasanay na si Clev na kapag darating siya ng kanilang bahay, ang kanyang ama ang sasalubong sa kanya.

“I know my dad is fine, Mommy. Don’t worry, he is as strong as I am,” Clev convinced his mother. She just beamed and inclined her head.

Suddenly, the purple car entered the gate, and it was Calvin, his father. He looked jaded, but he still managed to smile when he saw his whole family immediately welcoming him with kisses and hugs.

“Daddy!”

“Hon…”

Napawi ang ngiti ni Clev nang mapansin niyang may mga pasa at sugat si Calvin sa mukha. Habang nagtataka ay nilapitan niya ang kanyang ama.

“What happened to you, Dad?” Calvin looked away and gulped. Clev felt uneasy because Calvin didn’t even say why he had the wounds.

“I fell downstairs yesterday, son,” he answered, still looking away. Clev half closed his eyes, as he didn’t believe him.

He followed his father as he walked into their hideout, not far from their main bedroom. Calvin knew that his son would doubt him, so he explained why he had those bruises and wounds. He had a friendly war.

“Are you sure, Dad?” Clev asked, not convinced about his explanation.

“Yes, son.”

Clev ascertained his father’s involvement and secrecy in the mafia gangsters organization. His dad is the leader of an organization called the Black Dragon Mafias, located on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay. His palace is made of marble, an attractive yet dangerous palace.

Kinuwento ni Calvin kung paano at kailan siya sumali sa mafia and gangsters organization. Clev was worried because he could know that his father was hurt by his involvement in such organizations. Nilinaw niya sa anak niya na dati ang mga organisasyong iyon ay masaya at walang patayan, hindi tulad ngayon. Napupuno ng inggit ang bawat miyembro.

Ang mga mabubuting tao sa mafia and gangsters organization ay nawawala na. They are now greedy, and they are not the same members that you can play along with.

“I hope, son, you won’t have any curiosity about joining these groups. It’s dangerous, and I know you can’t fight,” his father said while tapping Clev’s shoulder.

“I am not interested, Dad,” he says, giving his father a small grin.

“Good.”

Isang gabi ay ginising ni Calvin si Clev upang ipakita ang sikreto na itinatago niya sa loob ng isang abandonadong kwarto. Clev was amazed because he didn’t know that the back of the shelf had an unknown room that required entering a password.

“Wow. I haven’t seen this before, Dad. This is cool,” he said, amazed.

“I know. Take a look at this, son.”

Clev was flabbergasted because he saw inside the room hundreds of weapons, such as guns, blades, bombs, etcetera.

“Wow! This is a lot, Dad! How can you get all of this?” Clev asked with wide eyes while pointing the weapons one by one.

Natawa ng mahina si Calvin sa reaksyon ng kanyang anak at ipinaliwanag na nakuha niya ang lahat ng mga weapons na ‘yan nang makipag laban siya ng patas dahil mayroong rewards na ibinibigay sa kanila. Although he is the leader of one of the most powerful organizations, they still have someone in a high position. At ginagalang nila ang taong iyon.

Inilagay ni Calvin ang isang makapal na libro sa palad ni Clev. Ito ay ang book of codes, at mula sa salitang “codes,” ang mga nilalaman ng aklat ay nakasulat sa iba't ibang mga code. Ang lahat ng nilalaman ng libro ay mga sikreto ng pagiging mayaman, malakas, at isang mahusay na pinuno. Hindi naintindihan ni Clev noong una, ngunit unti-unti siyang naliwanagan sa ipinapaliwanag ng kanyang ama.

Nag-alinlangan si Clev, ngunit hindi pa rin niya lubos na naiintindihan ang ipinapaliwanag ng kanyang ama tungkol sa mga grupong kinabibilangan niya.

“But Dad, I am not good at this.”

“Me too. Just trust the process of learning, son.” Calvin coldly smiled, and Clev nodded as he stared at the book.

That night, Calvin left words as if he were saying goodbye to Clev. They both cried because Clev felt strange about the words Calvin was saying to him.

“Dad! Stop saying nonsense words, will you? Are you going to die, huh?”

Clev couldn’t help raising his voice.

“Son, all I want is for you to be strong. You are stronger than me. I love you, okay? ”

“Dad!”

That same night, they were attacked by the group of Jerico Atarato Sandoval, Calvin’s greatest enemy. Clev is incredibly afraid of what happened. He made an effort to help his father, and he strived to use guns despite knowing nothing about them.

“Dad! Where are you? Sh*t!”

The house became disorganized, and a lot of glass was scattered because of the gunfire. Sandoval is furious and wants Calvin to come out of his house.

“GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE, LOSER!” Sandoval wants to knock down Calvin Del-Vago immediately. “Are you scared?!” Sandoval shouted again, followed by his evil laugh.

Calvin appeared, and they had a heated argument until Sandoval got mad because he was defeated and offended by Calvin’s iconic and savage words. That night, Clev never forgot what he saw—the death of his father—and how Sandoval tortured Calvin in front of Clev.

That was why he lost himself all the time. He even forgot about his studies because of what happened. He just cried every day and every night.

Clev’s mother is also affected by what happened to Calvin. That experience was extraordinarily painful. Clev’s mother, Carissa, became ill after Calvin’s death. That same night, Prince Claver “Clave”, Clev’s twin, fainted because he saw too what happened until he woke up and did not remember everything that night.

Binalak ni Clev na ipadala si Clave sa Australia para magpahinga sa 'ospital.  Iminungkahi rin ni Jenny Lim, kaibigan ni Carissa Del-Vago, na kailangan niyang ipadala ang kanyang kambal sa Australia para makabalik sa dati niyang sigla. Dahil hindi alam ni Clave ang nangyari, pinili ng kanyang kambal na itago ang lahat sa kanya tungkol sa nangyari sa kanilang ama.

Alam niyang may sakit ang kambal niya, iba ang sakit sa ulo niya niya, at ayaw niyang dagdagan pa ang sakit na nararamdaman ng kanyang kapatid. Walang malay ang kanyang kakambal sa kanyang karamdaman.

Nalaman ng mga kapatid ni Clev na sina Claire at Clayzon ang katotohanan. Hindi nila matanggap na ang kanilang pinagmumulan ng lakas ay pinatay na lamang ng ganun-ganun lang. Nakonsensya sila at napopoot sa kanilang sarili dahil wala man lang silang nagawa para iligtas ang kanilang ama.

Makalipas ang ilang buwan, biglang dumating si Sandoval at ang hari ng Underground of Knights na si Mico Hasero Velasquez, na kalaban din ni Calvin. Balak nilang sirain ang buong pamilyang Del-Vago.

Until Clever watched with both of his eyes how they gradually erased his mother from the world, His suffering tripled. All of his siblings have almost lived in their parents’ graves, especially Clev, who himself witnessed the loss of his parents.

Princess Claire, the third eldest daughter, lost her job as a nurse, and Paul Clayzon, the eldest son, company, which he held, nearly fell. They almost want to kill themselves because of what happened. They are forcing themselves to answer why their parents died all of a sudden.

Until another incident happened. This is the worst part that his sister experienced. When Clev arrived late, he could no longer save his sister. They sent Claire’s body naked and lifeless. They also sent a video of how they tortured, raped, and murdered their sister.

The man who did that was Miller, one of the members of the UOK, and Sandoval.

Clev almost gasped because of what he saw. He realized that they were being reduced little by little.

Every face Clev sees, he remembers and swears tirelessly. He couldn’t do anything. He is weak, and all he knows is to cry and cry.

Because Clayzon was the eldest, he wanted to do nothing but safeguard his remaining siblings. He planned to take his siblings away from their place one by one, so he first took Pheonix Clayden, their youngest sibling, to go to his aunt to take Clayden with him.

While they are on the jaunt, Clayzon doesn’t expect Delfin, Sandoval’s partner, and Calvin’s opponent, to catch them where they are.

Clayzon was very confused because he didn’t know what to do; he was still holding a child!

But in the end, Clayzon was tortured and beaten until he lost his breath. Clev found out all that, so he was extremely furious, and at the same time, he was awfully screwed.

He was losing hope, but he was still thinking of his two brothers. Iningatan niya pa ang mga kapatid na kasama niya sina Patrick Cloud and Clone, for a few days. He didn’t let them out of his sight.

A couple of months had passed when Clave went home to spend three days with them. Clev still doesn’t tell him the truth; luckily for him, Clave just knows that their parents are just staying abroad for business purposes.

Until Ronnie Linga, Kenny Mercado, and Renie Alfonso came. They had two children, Clone and Cloud. Sinubukang lumaban na pabalik si Clev ngunit sadyang mahina siya. Sinubukan din ni Clave ngunit katulad ng kanyang kakambal ay mahina rin siya. Clave was so frightened by what he saw again because his brother Clone was whipped in front of him.

Nagtutumakbo sa kwarto si Clave at napansin niya sa bintana na mayroong isang lalaki na buhat ang kanyang nakababatang kapatid. He quickly hides in the cabinet, slapping himself and bumping his head out of confusion.

Sinubukan ni Clev na hanapin ang kapatid na si Cloud ngunit siya ay nabigo. Nawalan ito ng malay sa loob ng bahay.

When he woke up, he wept because he was weak, and he thought that they had taken his other siblings again. All he knew was that they had all his siblings except him. Fortunately, he searched the entire house and found Clave unconscious inside the cabinet.

He sent Clave back to Australia and begged Mrs. Jenny Lim to let his brother stay there and take care of him while he was in the hospital.

Until his best friends, Ivo Syd Lim and Philip Ace Mariano came to be him. He almost committed suicide because of the tragedy that happened for his family, but fortunately, his friends stopped him.

He promised himself that he would strengthen and train himself in all kinds of fighting. There was nothing else on his mind but to practice.

Until he met Nathaniel Salcedo, who taught him how to fight manually because he is a martial artist.

He met Rudy Bernard Agoncillio and Joshua Caleb Gonzales to teach him how to hack accounts and track people, vehicles, and devices.

Furthermore, they helped him learn how to use technology. They worked for Clev until they were together in the same house.

They stayed with Clev until he learned and got strong. He continued his studies and he needed to be smart so that those people would not think about him as a fool and stupid person.

He departed their old house and moved to one of their mansions in the middle of the forest, which Calvin had built in case someone ruined their land. Clev took good care of the assets he inherited from his father.

Since then, he has promised that he will take revenge for his family. With the help of his friends, he became a strong mafia boss and formed an organization. Everyone fears him, but the cheerful former Prince Clever Del-Vago has reversed.

His father’s opponents altered him into a devil.

In his eyes, then, you could see joy and no problems at all. Nevertheless, there is currently anger and pain. That is the only thing that marks him, and that is what you can see in his eyes.

He exhaled deeply and walked out of the Columbarium. Before going to the store for the alcohol, he folded his long-sleeved white shirt around his wrist.

He was admired by a lot of those who glanced at him, but he ignored them.

Kung dati ay mahilig siyang makihalubilo ngayon ay hindi na. Ni isang salita ay ayaw niyang makipag-usap.

He stared at his wallpaper. The photo of him with his ex-girlfriend, whom he still loves dearly. He beams when he catches a glimpse of the girl smiling.

Sa kasamaang palad ay naghiwalay silang dalawa. Naniniwala siya na kaya niyang ayusin ang nasirang relasyon. Siya lang ang babaeng kinababaliwan niya. She was his first.

“I will always love and care for you, my Danica.”