Chapter 8
1132 Words
*Title: Chapter 8 – The Father*
*Kain Corp. 9:00 AM.*
The email came in at 6 AM. Subject line: _“Re: Meeting Request – Rafael Morales”_.
Rafael Morales.
My father.
Alive. In Manila. Asking to meet me at Kain Corp’s 1st floor lobby in 3 hours.
I didn’t sleep.
Damian found me in my office, staring at the email for the 20th time.
“You’re not going alone,” he said.
“I’m 22, Damian. I can handle my own father.”
Damian crossed his arms. “The man who disappeared 20 years ago and suddenly reappears after Selina loses power? Yeah, you’re not going alone.”
I sighed. “Fine. You can wait in the lobby. But you stay quiet.”
Damian smirked. “I make no promises.”
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*12:03 PM. 1st Floor Lobby.*
He looked like me.
Same sharp jawline. Same dark eyes. Older, tired, but unmistakably family.
Rafael Morales stood up when he saw me. He was nervous. Hands shaking.
“Luna,” he said. My name sounded foreign in his mouth.
“Rafael,” I replied. I didn’t say ‘dad’. I wasn’t ready.
He nodded, like he expected it. “Thank you for meeting me.”
Damian sat two tables away, pretending to read a report. His eyes never left us.
We sat at a quiet corner table. Security stayed close, but out of earshot.
“Why now?” I asked. No small talk.
Rafael swallowed. “Because Selina contacted me. She told me you were in danger. That you needed me.”
I laughed, bitter. “Selina doesn’t care about anyone but herself.”
“I know,” Rafael said quickly. “I didn’t come because of her. I came because it’s been 20 years since I last saw my daughter.”
I flinched.
“My mother told me you left. That you chose not to fight for us.”
Rafael’s face fell. “That’s not what happened, Luna. Victor Kain threatened me. He said if I didn’t leave, he’d make sure your mom never worked in this country again. He’d ruin her.”
“So you left,” I said flatly.
“I left to protect you,” Rafael said. “I’ve been sending money every month. Through a contact in Cebu. Didn’t your mom get it?”
I stared at him.
Mom never mentioned money. Ever.
“Where is he now?” Damian’s voice cut in. He was standing behind me now.
Rafael looked up, startled. “Damian Kain.”
“Rafael Morales,” Damian replied coldly. “Answer the question.”
“I’ve been in Bahrain for 15 years,” Rafael said. “Oil engineering. I only came back when Selina called.”
Damian’s eyes narrowed. “And you believed her?”
“I believed I had a chance to see my daughter,” Rafael said, looking at me. “That’s all.”
I didn’t know what to believe.
“Prove it,” I said.
Rafael nodded. He slid a small envelope across the table.
“Bank records. Wire transfers. Every month, since 2006. To an account under your mother’s name.”
I opened it. The dates matched. The amounts matched what Mom said we used to pay rent with.
But she always said it was from ‘a friend’.
“Why didn’t you contact us directly?” I asked.
“Victor had people watching,” Rafael said. “I was afraid if I got too close, he’d find you.”
Damian spoke again. “And now?”
“Now Victor’s dead,” Rafael said. “And Selina just lost her power. I thought it was safe.”
I closed the envelope. “I need time.”
Rafael nodded. “Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
As I stood up, Rafael grabbed my hand.
“I’m sorry, Luna,” he said. “For everything.”
I pulled away. “Don’t say that yet. Not until I talk to Mom.”
---
*3:45 PM. Mom’s Apartment. Quezon City.*
Mom opened the door and froze when she saw me.
“You know,” I said.
Her face went pale. “Luna, I can explain—”
“You lied,” I said. “For 20 years. He sent money. Every month.”
Mom sat down hard on the couch.
“He told me not to tell you,” she whispered. “Victor said if I took his money, he’d know where we were. He said he’d come for you.”
“So you let me think my father abandoned us?” I said, voice shaking.
“I was trying to protect you!” Mom cried. “Victor was dangerous, Luna. You don’t know what he was like.”
“Neither do you,” I said. “Because you never let me meet him.”
Mom broke down crying.
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing.”
I stood there, torn between hugging her and walking out.
Damian, who’d followed me, stepped forward and put a hand on my back.
“Go outside,” he told me quietly. “Breathe.”
I did.
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*6:00 PM. Kain Corp Rooftop.*
Damian found me again.
“You okay?” he asked.
“No,” I said. “My whole life is a lie. Or half a lie.”
Damian sat beside me. “People lie to protect people they love. It doesn’t make it right. But it makes it human.”
I looked at him. “What if Rafael’s lying too?”
“Then we’ll find out,” Damian said. “But Luna… you have a father who’s been trying to reach you for 20 years. That’s not nothing.”
I leaned my head on his shoulder.
“Thanks,” I whispered.
“For what?”
“For not letting me do this alone.”
Damian wrapped an arm around me. “I told you. No more secrets. No more alone.”
---
*11:58 PM. Unknown Number.*
My phone buzzed. Unknown number again.
I almost didn’t answer.
“Luna,” a voice said. Male. Low. Familiar.
“Who is this?”
“It’s me,” the voice said. “Victor Kain.”
I froze.
Victor Kain had been dead for 3 years.
“You’re dead,” I said.
“Am I?” he replied. “Or did you just believe what Damian wanted you to believe?”
My blood ran cold.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“Your company,” Victor said. “And your father. He’s been working for me this whole time, Luna. The money? It was mine. He was my spy.”
The line went dead.
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*End of Chapter 8*
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- Writer
