Chapter Twenty-Three

PERLAH'S POV

I sat up the whole night, contemplating on what I wanted to do.

"He killed my only family, there's no forgiveness for that," I thought to myself, making up my mind.

"I'm off to work Perlah, take care of yourself alright," Nikolas stated, walking out of his room.

"I will, you too," I replied, smiling.

I watched his back as he left the house.

I really envy the life he chose; no stress, no trouble.

"I didn't choose this life either, selfish people just kept coming after me," I thought to myself.

"What's next?" Datu's voice sounded out in the open air.

"You break Antonio out of prison," I retorted, emotionlessly.

"Isn't there a way to do this legally? I don't want this coming back to bite me in my butt," he protested.

"That's your problem, figure it out yourself," I responded harshly.

"Are you talking to me like that?" Datu asked, shocked.

"I will talk to you however I like. You are not the boss here, I am simply helping you get what you selfishly desire," I retorted, glancing at him.

He stood there frozen, and I sat there fearlessly.

"I know you are desperate for Rodrigo's property; you will do anything to get it. So if you dare treat me like your subordinate… I will treat your fuck up," I stated.

"I am not interested in his property, I want my father's property which legally belongs to me," he yelled out, clearly getting annoyed.

"But it was given to Rodrigo. I'm sure your father didn't spare you a penny because you were useless," I yelled back.

Upset, Datu ran towards me, dragging me up and pinning me to the wall, holding my neck firmly.

"Shut up you bitch!"

"I dare you! Hurt me and forever lose the property," I threatened.

At the mention of the property, he relaxed and released his grip on me.

"I thought so too," I declared.

"Get Antonio out of prison and tell me when you do so," I added, walking away.

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RODRIGO'S POV

"I need to talk to Perlah. This is all a misunderstanding and I need to clear the air before anything happens," I blurted out, breaking the silence between me and my agent.

"And how do you plan on getting to her, sir? She's probably strategizing on avenging the death of her brother that she taught you killed," he blurted out.

"Look, I don't know right, but I need to get to Perlah, she has to know she's making the wrong choice and punishing the wrong person," I replied, panicking.

"How about the murder of the rest of her family that you were involved in? How do you explain that? That poor person lost her whole family in a wink. I'm sure she's going crazy right now," he asked, staring at me, so I took the hint, and I decided to explain. I needed someone to talk to anyway.

"I didn't know he was going to kill them, there was nothing I could do about it when I heard he killed them."

"After my father died, I discovered who I thought was my family wasn't, and my mother had me for another man."

"I was scared, I knew if this secret had gotten out, everything my supposed father gave to me would be taken away from me."

"My uncle knew about this, so he came up with a nasty plan for his own selfish benefit."

"At first I didn't agree with it, I thought it would be cruel to wipe a whole family, but he threatened me with my identity because I wasn't the biological son of Mr. Bayani, so I swallowed my concern."

"The night I saved Perlah, I knew she was at the edge of getting killed and that was the exact reason I saved her. Hoping to get the code without her getting killed, but life happened, and I fell in love with her."

"Ever since my uncle knew she was with me, he began pressuring me to get the code. When Perlah's brother suddenly came into the picture, he threatened me and asked me to kill him, but I didn't. I wanted to explain all this to her, but she misunderstood and ran off," I confessed, taking a deep breath to suppress my frustrated mind.

"I hope she believes you," the agent responded, tapping my shoulders.

"I hope so too," I blurted out.

"But if you didn't kill her brother, who did?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

"We will have to find out about that," I replied.

"How do we get to Perlah," he asked, concerned.

"We will find a way," I replied.

PERLAH'S POV

I sat there grumpy like an old lady, calmly awaiting the return of Datu and his news concerning Antonio.

He would either get him out or break him out or neither of them, but whatever happens, I have made up my mind to avenge my brother's death, and I don't care if it's Rodrigo.

And just when I was giving up thinking he couldn't get him out, they both walked in.

"Perlah," Antonio said, rushing towards me.

"Don't touch me, Antonio," I blurted out, irritated.

"I missed you so much Perlah, all I did, I did for you," Antonio declared, staring at him.

Ignoring his statement, I stood up and walked up to Datu.

"Okay, he's here now, what do we do next?" Datu asked, staring at me.

"You broke me out of prison, now I'm in a bigger danger. Everyone out there is looking for me," Antonio replied.

"You are here on a mission," Datu responded.

"I won't do it. Whatever it is, it's a no," Antonio firmly stated.

"Then get back to prison where you belong," Datu yelled at him.

I stood there watching their drama, not in the mood to stop either of them.

"Antonio, we need you to help get Rodrigo," I declared, breaking the dead glance they were both sending to each other.

"I won't do it," Antonio repeated.

"What if you are doing it for a benefit? I believe I have something you are dying for," I asked, ogling at him.

"It depends on what it is you have to offer. So what are you offering?" Antonio asked.

"Me!"