Chapter 10: Ripples in the Water
514 Words
Gran Santiago had always been noisy — jeepneys, street vendors, flashing billboards. But now, a different kind of noise filled the city.
Buzz. Whispers. Headlines.
> “Who is the Ghost Investor of Gran Santiago?”
“Salcor Holdings Shakes Up Real Estate Sector”
“Insider Source: The ‘Black Card Boy’ is Real — And Dangerous”
Social media exploded with speculation.
No one knew the name. No photos, no interviews.
Just reports of businesses revived, companies threatened, and properties disappearing from Villaridge Development’s reach — overnight.
But one blurry image kept surfacing: a young man, walking out of a lawyer’s office.
The comments were endless:
> “He doesn’t look rich.”
“It’s all fake — must be a foreigner behind it.”
“I heard it’s some dropout from Gran Santiago Tech.”
---
Meanwhile, at a high-rise condo overlooking the bay, Leira Mendez stared at her phone, rereading an article for the third time.
Her chest tightened when she zoomed in on the photo.
The posture… the face… the quiet defiance…
> “Tredy.”
She grabbed her bag and left without thinking.
---
At a quiet café tucked behind the university library, Tredy sat alone, flipping through files on his tablet. The waitress had just placed a hot cup of barako coffee when a familiar voice interrupted.
“Tredy.”
He looked up. Leira stood at his table, unsure, holding her own coffee.
“Can I… sit?”
Tredy nodded, but his expression was unreadable.
Leira took the seat, her voice softer than usual. “You really didn’t want anyone to know, did you?”
Tredy sipped his coffee. “Not everything needs an audience.”
She bit her lip. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
“Would you have looked at me differently if I did?”
Leira didn’t answer right away. “Maybe… I would’ve looked harder.”
Tredy leaned back in his chair. “I wasn’t hiding. I was watching.”
She swallowed hard. “I want to understand you. Maybe even… start again?”
Tredy looked her in the eyes — calm, quiet, but sharp.
“I don’t need apologies, Leira,” he said gently. “I just needed people to show me who they really were.”
He stood.
“Take care.”
---
At that same moment, inside the marble halls of Villaridge Tower, Vicente Villanueva slammed a folder onto his desk.
> “We’ve lost another block of land. The permits for the North Ridge expansion are suspended. Banks won’t renew our credit.”
Across the table, board members looked at him — anxious, silent, divided.
One of them finally spoke.
“Maybe it’s time we step down from Phase 2. If we keep pushing, we’ll lose everything.”
Vicente’s face turned red. “You cowards. We’ve ruled this city for decades!”
Marco sat quietly beside his father, eyes burning, fists clenched.
But for the first time, he didn’t speak.
The empire was cracking.
And someone else was already laying bricks beneath it.
---
© Treloce Amaris
- Writer
