Chapter 19
The next day, Isabella and Tyron went to the hospital to check on the old Don. Ricardo is shocked to see them there again; he is not expecting them to come again. "How is he?" Isabella asks.
"He is okay now, his breathing and heart beat is stable." Ricardo answers.
"That's good." Isabella said while looking at the unconscious Don; she doesn't know what to say nor do. She stares at the old Don and her heart clenched at his state, the once powerful man is now lying unconsciously on the hospital bed with machines attached to his body. "Does the Don know about his illness?" Tyron asks, breaking the silence.
"Yes." Ricardo sighs. "It has been five years, he even undergo an operation so that he can live long enough to protect the young miss." Ricardo said as he glances at her. "But last year, he mentions that he cannot live long enough to protect her that is why he comes out with a decision."
"And that decision is to marry off his granddaughter to me." Tyron said expressionless.
"Yes." Ricardo agrees. "Until now, I don't know why he wanted to leave the young miss to you. But he once told me that she will be safe under your care and that you will care for her."
"How sure can he be?" Tyron asks sternly. "Our families are arch enemies, what if I will play dirty? Agreeing on marrying and then once he died, I will rob off the wealth from his beloved granddaughter."
"...I believe that you are humane enough not to do that, Tyron." The Don suddenly said. All eyes on him.
"Don Samuel!" Ricardo exclaimed. "Are you feeling okay? Should I call the doctor?"
"There's no need, Ricardo." The Don said and tries to remove the oxygen mask.
"D...don't remove the oxygen mask." Isabella stutters.
"I'm okay." The Don said and smiles. "Now that you're here, you need to learn the truth. And I hope after these, Tyron..." He glances at Tyron. "I hope you can keep Isabella safe."
"What do you mean by that?" Isabella asks, curious. "All night long, all I've heard is that you just want to keep me safe that is why you are acting like a heartless villain."
"Because that is true, sweetheart." The Don answers and hearing his endearment to her makes her heart warm. "Where do you want me to start?"
"From the start." Isabella answers firmly. "I want to know everything from the start, did you really hate my mother?" She asks making the Don sighs.
"Your mother, Esperanza is a wonderful woman, ever since your father, Hernan brought her home, the house become brighter and livelier." The Don smiles. "And I never regret letting them married."
"But there are rumors and speculations that you hated my mother. You even tried to bribe her so that she can stay away from my father." Isabella said.
"The bribe part is true." The Don sighs. "But that was before Hernan introduced her to me. I tried bribing your mother to stay away from my son. At that time, I believe that my son deserves a woman from the same family background. But I was wrong." The Don smiles. "Your mother rejected the money I offered her; I still remember the things I told her that day. I told her that she's a calculative woman, and of course, she would reject my offer because compared the million I will give her, when she married in to the family, she can get more."
"My mother is not that kind of woman." Isabella said.
"Yes, she's not that kind of woman," The Don smiles. "I knew that the moment I stared at her eyes for the first time, it is no wonder that your father fall for her."
"But the rumors said that you hated my mother even though they were married." Isabella said.
"That's not true." The Don answers. "We didn't try to clarify those rumors and I am glad that we didn't, because of that you and your mother is away from danger for more than a decade."
"I don't understand..." Isabella said.
"Your mother is a wonderful woman, Isabella, and there is no doubt about that."
"Then why did you chase us out of your life after my father's death?" She asks, her voice is full of seriousness and rage. "You're telling me that my mother is a wonderful woman but why didn't you once go to the hospital to see her? Even when she died, you were never seen! Why?" She asks. "I didn't really chase you out of my life!" The Don insisted. "When your father died, I promised myself that I will protect the two of you, that no one will lay a finger on you as long as I live!" The Don added, his voice is full of emotions.
"Then why?" Isabella shouted. "Why didn't you come and see us? Why didn't you even bother visiting my mother in the hospital when she's ill? Why didn't you help us? There are lots of questions that I wanted to asks you and I bet you already know what are those!" Isabella burst out and she can't help not to cry.
"Believe me, Isabella, I really wanted to but your safety comes first." The Don sighs. "Your father and Tyron's father died not because of an accident; they were murdered!" The Don clenches his teeth. "And believe me when I tell you that it was not me who caused it." The Don glances at Tyron who is clenching his fist.
"You don't have to lie anymore..." Isabella pauses and sigh. "Enough with the lies and please just tell us the truth. You are nearing your deathbed and yet you are still telling lies!" "What I said is the truth, sweetheart." The Don said and bitterly smiles. Upon hearing her grandfather's endearment, Isabella felt a pain on her chest.
"If what you said is true, then who is the person behind our father's death?" Tyron asks, suppressing his anger. A decade already passed and there is still no justice for his late father.
"That..." The Don sighs as he slightly shakes his head. "You will not believe me even if I tell you, Tyron. The enemy is closer than you think, Tyron." He added making Tyron puzzled.
"Why won't just tell us?" Isabella asks. "Don't you want justice for your son, my father?" She added with tears on her eyes. "If what you are saying is true then why won't you just speak up? That way everything will fall into place."
"I'm afraid that it will be difficult, Bella." The Don answers. "As of this moment, there is still insufficient evidence against..." The Don pauses and took a glance at Tyron making the later frown in puzzlement.0000