INNOCENCE (First Book) *Completed*

Episode 3: Embarrassing Scandal

Daisy: Having an embarrassing scandal is the darkest part of your life. If you cannot own it and face it yourself, you cannot face anybody in the world.

These are the words running on her mind while Dolores is in the middle of shame and embarrassment.

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Few minutes earlier...

Daisy saw Jerome who was in a hurry to leave the event coming from the backstage. She is complacent that her plan to ruin Dolores is now ready. Therefore, the downfall of Dolores is about to start.

She also saw Dolores Chua before going to the stage that someone gave her a greeting card with an animal lamb design.

Waiter: Madam Chua, a greeting card for you.

Dolores immediately took the greeting card from the Waiter without even facing him. Then, the Waiter left right away.

Dolores: And what the hell is this?

She saw the greeting card design with an animal lamb in the middle.

Dolores: What a cheap greeting card design!

When she opened the card, it read,

"WELCOME to the DARKSIDE of INNOCENCE!"

Dolores: Excuse me-

After Dolores turned around, she never saw the Waiter who gave her the greeting card.

Dolores was not happy with the greeting card and was completely disgusted with it.

Dolores: Trisha!

Trisha: Yes, Madam Chua.

Dolores: Throw it away! I'm very disgusted about that card!

Trisha: Yes, madam!

Dolores threw the greeting card to her Secretary's face.

That greeting card came from Daisy White. She created it to give it to all members of SCORPIA. It signifies: A great misfortune or disaster is coming.

The Waiter approached Daisy and offered her a glass of wine.

Waiter: You want a wine Miss?

Daisy: Of course! Thank you so much.

Daisy took the wine and drank it while smiling and watching Dolores' annoyance over the card received.

Daisy: I'm enjoying the show.

Insert ➡ Dramatic suspense sound effect! ♬♬♬

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Veronica noticed that her friend Dolores seemed to be annoyed so she approached her immediately.

Veronica: Dolores, what's going on? Just relax, you have to be confident by showing your great masterpiece. This night is yours and will be an unforgettable night.

Dolores: How? I received an annoying greeting card!

Veronica: What card?

Trisha: Madam Chua, your masterpiece is ready to take to the stage. I think it's about time to start.

Dolores: Thank you. I'll talk to you later Veronica.

Veronica: Sure and Goodluck!

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Dolores stepped up to the stage and picked up the microphone.

Dolores: Good Evening Ladies & Gentlemen!

All the people's attention went to her as well as all the cameras.

Dolores: First of all, I would like to say thank you to all who attended the simple opening of my D'Exhibit. My goal is to continue one of my father's beginnings. His passion aside from Politics is also my passion. And that is Artworks and build an exhibit and more museums here in San Ildefonso City for education and enjoyment purposes. We collected objects and materials from our cultural, religious, and historical importance not just here in El Montego but for the whole country as well.

Everyone agrees with what Dolores said. So everyone applauds.

While Daisy at the same time applauding Dolores' statement, on her mind, she's saying this:

Daisy: Nice project Dolores. Make everyone here look foolish except me as I know, that this exhibition is dual-purpose. Unfortunately, based on my reliable resources who will betray you tonight, this event includes your personal interests, especially in politics! So, good job huh! Good job!

Dolores: And this time! This is what we are all waiting for.

The two staff released Dolores' masterpiece painting but it is still covered with a white cloth to surprise all her guests.

Dolores approached her proud masterpiece with a smile on her lips.

Dolores: Once again Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow me to present to you, my great masterpiece about my late father Benedict Chua.

Dolores removed the fabric so all guests could see her masterpiece.

After removing the fabric of her masterpiece, she surprised everyone out of the blue.

In an unexpected turn, her guests saw something different and not about her father's legacy and beginnings.

Something else came out of the masterpiece that Dolores was proud of. A large board that shapes like a painting for her father. However, the contents are filled with pictures of her s****l affair with Councilor Philip Dy. In other words, it describes infidelity and immorality.

Daisy secretly smiled and watched as the people were in shock and especially how Dolores was surprised.

Dolores, meanwhile, couldn't believe what she saw. She faces great fear and shame especially, people are not stopping taking photos and videos in the wake of the big scandal.

Dolores: This is a mistake! This ... thisss ...

Dolores shuddered in embarrassment as she saw Lorena stepping up on stage and approaching the said masterpiece.

Lorena couldn't paint her face in anger as she faced Dolores.

Lorena: Are you insulting me?! You're an animal, Dolores! How dare you sleeping with my husband!

Dolores: No, Lorena, you're wrong and please let me explain!

Lorena: Am I really wrong here?! You have no shame!

The slap on Dolores's face was so powerful. And Lorena wasn't satisfied with one slap so she followed it with a lot more slaps.

Daisy White is happy inside while witnessing the slapping event in front of her.

As a result, she recalled what happened 3 years ago about how humiliated and disgruntled Magda Soliman when she was exposed as the mysterious mistress of former Vice Mayor Ronaldo Salvatierra.

*****Flashback*****

Former Governor Benedict Chua was still alive and celebrated his 65th Birthday.

Magda Soliman was invited on the occasion as she was considered as a daughter by Benedict Chua even they were not blood-related. The reason was, Magda saved his life when he met a car accident.

Dolores is angry with Magda because her father's attention is almost always directed toward the woman who's not even related to them.

Dolores devises to get Magda out of her father's life or out of her life.

She set Magda up and publicly declares that she was the mysterious mistress of Vice Mayor Ronaldo Salvatierra.

It was also Dolores' way for Veronica not to doubt her that she is Ronaldo's real mistress.

At his father's birthday party, Dolores announced that Magda was the mysterious mistress of Vice Mayor Ronaldo Salvatierra.

The Birthday PowerPoint presentation featured a photo that once circulated on the Internet with Vice Mayor Ronaldo Salvatierra dating and kissing another woman.

The woman's face is not visible in the picture but Dolores confirms it's Magda because Magda was wearing the same clothes in the pictures that followed. But Dolores knows who's the girl in the photo and it was Miguela Paraiso, Ronaldo's ex-girlfriend before Veronica came to his life.

It was being used as a proof that Magda and Vice Mayor Ronaldo Salvatierra were together in a hotel.

Veronica thought her best friend Dolores was her husband's mistress. Veronica had even tried to investigate her once but didn't know that Dolores had succeeded in covering or hiding it.

And because Dolores has shown that she is not the mistress, Veronica has poured out her anger on Magda and mercilessly slapped her in front of many people and on the birthday of former Governor Benedict Chua.

*****End of Flashback*****

Before this commotion, the night before the opening of D'Exhibit, Daisy White met with Jerome.

Jerome could not identify the woman he was facing with a gun pointed at him as she was wearing a white long sleeve long gown and had a mask on her face of an animal lamb.

But Daisy sounded like a man with a deep and scary voice when she speaks as she was using a voice changer device. And the sound of the voice was horrifying and very sinister to hear.

Jerome: This is what you're looking for!

Jerome displayed a large board that shaped like a painting of Dolores.

It contains pictures of the s****l affair of Dolores and Councilor Philip Dy.

Daisy: That's more than a masterpiece Jerome. Good job! Now, make sure that Dolores will be able to show that masterpiece to her guests at tomorrow's D'Exhibit event.

Jerome: And what about me?

Daisy: A confirmation email from an international airline was sent to your address. A new artwork office is waiting for you in California.

And Jerome accepted the offer from Daisy as he was once working in California before and his visa has dual citizenship too.

That was the agreement that happened last night between the two of them.

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While Dolores was on stage, she did not know that her painting about her father was replaced by Jerome by a board containing her s****l affair with Councilor Philip Dy.

Afterward, Jerome left the event and immediately went to the airport so he could not be late for his flight bound for Manila then to Guam, then to Hawaii and the final destination is in California.

Jerome ordered another man to pull out Dolores' masterpiece and destroy it and throw it out.

After Jerome left the backstage, Trisha came in with two staff and had not been able to check Dolores' masterpiece again as they did not know that something had happened.

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Daisy: What goes around comes around and this is the best play I've ever watched.

This is Daisy's line she told to herself while watching the commotion on stage.

Veronica immediately called the guards to stop the commotion on stage and covered the large board with cloth.

Councilor Philip Dy went to the stage too to stop his wife for her sloppy and physical assault on Dolores.

Philip: Lorena, stop it! This is absurd! This is fake!

Lorena stops slapping and hurting Dolores and immediately slaps her husband next.

Lorena: You are one more! You are not ashamed and you are lying! Do you think I didn't follow you the day after my meeting with Daisy White at the cafe?!

Veronica suddenly looks at Daisy White when Lorena mentioned her name.

She saw Daisy White talking with others and holding her chest. She felt there is something to this girl and she has something to do with what is happening to Dolores now.

Lorena: You said yes, you're going to City Hall but guess what!!! I saw the two of you together and waiting in Jerome's office! You traitors!!! I will never forgive you and that snake too! And I swear to God that you two will go rot in hell!

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Meanwhile, Daisy White sees Atty. Cruz's daughter approaching Mayor Ronaldo Salvatierra.

The girl is worried and crying in front of Mayor Ronaldo Salvatierra because her father is nowhere to find and she's even unable to contact him.

Then Daisy feels Atty. Cruz's life is in danger.

Suddenly, someone approached Daisy and a letter came to her. She immediately opened it and read the inscription saying:

"I'm ready to help you if you'll help me tonight."

- Atty. Emmanuel Cruz.

When the crowd turns messy, Daisy could no longer find the person who reached out to her. So what she did, she tried to contact Atty. Cruz and she left the event she destroyed.

Atty. Cruz responded and told Daisy that he is currently in an abandoned multi storey car park.

Daisy was not scared and went straight to the area without even realizing the possible danger.

When Daisy reached the place, she immediately tried to find Atty. Cruz.

Daisy: Atty. Cruz, I'm here, show up! Where are you?!

There was anger and concern as she searched for Atty. Cruz.

Unfortunately, it was all too late when she suddenly saw that Atty. Cruz was already dead.

She saw him as bloody as if he had received many stab wounds on his body.

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Insert song: "The Devil Within" by Digital Daggers

It was late at night when Daisy returned to the hotel.

She's thinking very deeply when she entered her room.

Daisy: It all started with a very shocking and wrongful scandal. This kind of incident is very unforgettable and unforgivable as well.

She sat on the chair and looked herself in the mirror while she's getting the two pictures of Dolores and Atty. Cruz from the drawer.

Daisy: When you get involved in a scandal, how could you survive when you were at the center of the storm?

She burned two pictures together and looked at them until they became ashes.

Daisy: I may have embarrassed and ruined Dolores now, in exchange for it was Atty. Cruz's death who's ready to betray his brotherhood and blow the whistle on behind the bombings.

Since the room has a smoke detector, her room began to alarm.

Daisy: Revenge just like an art appreciation helps open up the mindset of the people by showing different perspectives, views, ideas, and interpretations of how round the world is. You reap what you sow, you get what you deserve.

Daisy remembered the moment she sent an attachment via email to Jerome which contains the s****l image of Dolores and Councilor Philip Dy days before the opening of D'Exhibit.

She also remembered how a Cashier in Ildefonso cafe gave Lorena a letter to look for her husband in the JAW office after their meeting. It was Daisy's order.

Inside the letter was: "Follow your husband. He's with his mistress in JAW office."

Daisy: What happened to Dolores was never enough. Because the truth is, I'm just getting started. Little did they know that the woman they were facing earlier was none other than Magda Soliman. In the name of vengeance, please allow me to say, WELCOME to the DARKSIDE of INNOCENCE.

These are the words burning through Daisy's mind as she watches the burning images of Dolores and Atty. Cruz.

What's next to Dolores after this embarrassing scandal? Will Daisy even buy Councilor Philip Dy's house after this incident? Does Veronica's instinct is right that Daisy has something to do with Dolores's embarrassment tonight? And who will be the next SCORPIA member to face Daisy's wrath?

These questions will be answered to the next episodes and don't you dare miss it! ⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇