Billionaire's Diary "Carousel" (English Translated)

The summer heat was relentless, and the Marseille family decided it was the perfect time for a beach getaway. Zambales Beach was their destination, a scenic paradise where they could celebrate the birthday of their beloved son, Ednel Hernandez Marseille. At four years old, Ednel was living a life that many could only dream of. His parents spoiled him with love, care, and everything his heart desired. He even had his own museum of Avengers characters back in France, a testament to their wealth. His father, Evor Marseille, was a French business tycoon, while his mother, Liezel, was a well-known Filipina philanthropist. For Ednel’s birthday, they spared no expense, treating their entire filipino family clan to a grand celebration in Zambales province. Their generosity endeared them even more to their relatives, who adored little Ednel and the parents. As the clock ticked closer to midnight, the family started their journey back to Manila. The car hummed softly as Evor drove, his eyes focused on the dimly lit road ahead. “Ednel,” Evor began, glancing at his son through the rearview mirror, “are you happy that you’ve seen the best beaches in the Philippines and met all your Filipino cousins?” His French accent laced his words, but his smile was warm and inviting. “Yes, Dad!” Ednel replied, though his voice carried a hint of sadness. “Are we leaving already?” Liezel, turned to her son and look at him with a tender smile. “Are you enjoying what you’re learning about Filipino culture, anak?” “Yes, Mom!” he exclaimed enthusiastically. Liezel sighed contentedly and kissed Ednel on the forehead. “You’re so smart, anak. You learn so quickly. Hon, we’re so lucky to have him!” Evor chuckled. “Indeed, we are.” Suddenly, Evor’s eyes caught sight of an ATM machine by the side of the road. “Oh, hon! There’s an ATM. I’ll park the car and withdraw some cash. We’re running low.” Liezel frowned, she is unease. “Wouldn’t it be dangerous to stop here? It’s so dark and isolated. Look at the time—it’s 1 AM! I’ve seen stories like this on TV Patrol.” “Don’t worry, hon. I can handle myself,” Evor reassured her. “Yes, Mom! Dad’s the new Superman! He can fight off bad guys!” Ednel chimed in, his innocent laughter filling the car. Liezel couldn’t help but smile and planted another kiss on her son’s cheek. “Alright, just be careful,” she finally relented. Evor stepped out of the car, his confident stride illuminated by the dim glow of the ATM screen. He inserted his card, his focus unwavering. But before he could complete the transaction, cold steel pressed against his neck. “This is a hold-up! Hand over the money!” a gruff voice demanded. Evor turned, his sharp gaze meeting three masked men. Their makeshift weapons glinted under the faint light, their intentions clear. Back in the car, Liezel froze. Her heart raced as fear gripped her. “Stay quiet, anak,” she whispered, pulling Ednel closer and covering his eyes. “No! I won’t!” Evor’s voice was mad, defiant. “Oh, so that’s how it is, huh?” one of the thieves snarled before delivering a swift kick to Evor’s leg. He crumpled to the ground, but his resolve didn’t waver. Liezel’s tears flowed freely now. She held Ednel tightly, her hands trembling as muffled cries escaped her lips. She could do nothing but pray that this nightmare would end soon. “Well? Are you going to give it up now?” the leader of the gang barked, raising his weapon menacingly. “I still won’t! Not even if you kill me, you bastards!” Evor shouted, his voice filled with defiance despite the pain coursing through him. One of the thieves, clearly enraged by Evor’s resistance, pulled out a knife and slit his neck without hesitation. The gurgling sound that followed was enough to send chills down Liezel’s spine. She could no longer stay silent. “Please, don’t! Evor!” she screamed, pushing the door to open on the car and stepping out in panic. Her cry startled the three thieves, and one of them immediately ran after her. Liezel tried to flee, but her high heels made it nearly impossible to run. Within moments, she stumbled, and the thief caught up to her with ease. “Got you, nasty lady,” the man sneered, dragging her back to where Evor’s lifeless body lay. Inside the car, Ednel sat frozen with fear. His mother’s final instructions echoed in his mind: stay quiet, don’t make a sound. He covered his mouth tightly with his small hands, tears streaming down his cheeks as he watched helplessly. Liezel, trembling and desperate, caught sight of her son hiding in the car. With all her strength, she managed to signal him to stay foot and not make a move. But her silent plea was interrupted when one of the thieves yanked her to her feet. His cruel laugh sent shivers through her. “Well, well, what do we have here? A filthy wealthy hot lady all alone now,” he mocked, before grabbing at her blouse. “Don’t touch me! Let me go!” Liezel screamed, trying to fight them off. The other two thieves joined in, their twisted grins only growing wider. They stripped her of her dignity, forcing her to scream again as tears of helplessness fell from her eyes. Ednel clenched his fists, ready to leap out of the car and save his mother, but she quickly signaled him again, shaking her head fiercely even as her body was exposed to the cold, merciless night. “What should we do with her?” one of the thieves asked, chuckling as he looked at the sobbing woman. Another thief smirked, leaning on his weapon. “What? Leave her here naked. She can’t go to the police like this anyway!” The three burst into cruel laughter, their mocking voices echoing through the dark, deserted the road. “Wait, boss,” the second thief interrupted, his lips curling into a wicked grin. “Can’t we have a bang her first? Look at her. She’s sexy as hell and white as snow white—like she’s from another country. What a waste to just leave her like this.” The leader hesitated for a moment before giving a sly nod. “Fine. But make it quickie.” Without a shred of respect, the two thieves grabbed Liezel’s arms. One forced her to the ground while the other began unbuckling his belt, a cruel smirk plastered on his face. Inside the car, Ednel’s tiny frame shook uncontrollably. He watched in horror, tears streaming down his cheeks, but he remembered his mother’s plea: stay quiet. He bit his lip hard, suppressing a sob as his fists clenched tightly. Minutes passed, but for Liezel, it felt like an eternity. One after the other, the three men violated her. Her body, once full of life and love, now lay motionless, broken by their cruelty. “Damn it! The sun’s almost up!” one of the thieves hissed, glancing at the faint light creeping over the horizon. “Let’s wrap this up, Ricardo! Someone might see us!” “But she’s so damn good,” Ricardo said, running his tongue over his lips as he gazed at the trembling woman. “I could do this all night.” “Wait!” the third thief suddenly froze, his ears perking up. “Do you hear that? It sounds like… a kid crying?” The thieves exchanged glances, panic flashing in their eyes. They abandoned the woman’s limp body on the cold asphalt and started searching for the source of the sound. Ednel, hidden inside the car, heard their heavy footsteps growing closer. His small hands fumbled for his lunchbox, and he clutched the stainless fork tightly. His breaths quickened, his chest heaving as sweat trickled down his forehead. The darkness worked in Ednel’s favor. The thieves struggled to see inside the vehicle. One of them, determined, leaned in closer. Until his silhouette loomed over the boy. Without hesitation, Ednel let out a sharp cry and stabbed the man in the eye with the fork. “ARGH! MY EYE!” the thief screamed, stumbling back as blood gushed down his face. Hearing the commotion, the other two rushed to their injured companion. “That’s Roxas!” the second thief shouted, panic evident in his voice. “What the hell happened?” Roxas writhed on the ground, clutching his bloodied face. “A child! There’s a child! Get him! Don’t let him escape!” But as the thieves scrambled in confusion, Ednel seized the moment. He slipped out of the car and bolted into the shadows, his small legs pumping with every ounce of strength he had left. The two thieves sprinted, their feet pounding the ground as they chased the small child. T Ednel, though just a child, was fast—so fast that the two thieves struggled to catch up. He darted through the alleyways, his heart racing, his breath coming in quick bursts. His legs carried him, his small body determined to escape. Until—he saw it. The perfect hiding place. A large truck, parked under the shade of a tree. Without a second thought, Ednel squeezed inside, hiding among the crates of firewood. The thieves scoured the area, but after a few tense moments, they gave up and left. “Did you find the kid?” one of the thieves asked, his voice gruff and annoyed. “No, he’s gone. Forget it. He’s just a kid, maybe five years old. Let's clean up the mess we've made,” the other muttered, frustration clear in his voice. They turned and walked away. Inside the truck, Ednel finally allowed himself to breathe. He was safe. Exhausted from the ordeal, his small body collapsed into sleep. When he awoke, the sun had shifted, and the world outside the truck had changed. But there was something—someone—different. A figure loomed over him. A man. Strong, tall, and familiar in a way Ednel couldn't place. “Daddy! Daddy!” he cried, his arms reaching out instinctively. The man froze, looking down at the child with a mixture of confusion and something softer. Ednel, with wide eyes, clung to the stranger, his tiny arms wrapping tightly around him. The man didn't push him away. Instead, he gently lowered himself, his expression softening as the child’s words tugged at his heart. “Daddy...?” Ednel whispered again, his voice thick with emotion. The man’s heart melted. A rush of compassion overwhelmed him. He sighed, looking around. He could feel the weight of the child’s fear and confusion. “Come on, little one,” he said gently. “I’ll take you home.” The drive to the man's house was quiet. Ednel sat beside him in the front seat, his small face pressed against the window as he watched the world go by, still trying to make sense of everything that had happened. When they arrived, the man led Ednel into his home. It wasn’t large, but it was warm, and there was something comforting about the space. But when the woman appeared—Patricia, the man’s wife—things took a turn. “Why did you bring him here?” Patricia asked, her voice sharp, filled with suspicion. “Don’t tell me that’s your child with another woman. Bong! Just because I can’t have kids doesn’t mean you—” “Patricia, stop!” Bong interrupted, holding up a hand to silence her. “I couldn’t just leave him there. He was alone. He called me ‘Daddy.’ His parents…” He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. “His parents what?” Patricia asked, her arms crossing over her chest. “What do you mean by that?” Bong’s face softened, a sadness entering his eyes. “His parents are gone. I found him in the back of that truck, hiding. He wouldn’t let go of me. He called me ‘Daddy.’ He’s been through something awful, Patricia. We can’t just send him to an orphanage. I couldn’t…” Patricia’s expression faltered. Her gaze softened, and for a moment, she didn’t know what to say. Her heart ached for the boy. “What’s your name, little one?” she asked, kneeling in front of him. "I-I'm Ednel. They killed my m-mom," the child answered, his words broken and trembling. "Hush now. Don't be afraid, tell us everything. We're here to help you," Bong said gently, his heart aching for the boy. "We were coming from the beach until the sky turned purple, hhh-hh while we were in the car. The car stopped. My dad got out of the car, and then three people came near him. He suddenly fell to the ground after a big bang, bang, bang. Mom told me to stay in the car and she gave me this." Ednel raised a bloodied stainless fork, shocking the couple. "Mom told me to run and hide from the three bad guys, and I had to use this to stop them. I stabbed it in one of their eyes. Huhuhu." "What did they do to your mom?" Bong asked again, his voice trembling with disbelief. "My mommy, they made her take off her clothes, then they..." Patricia’s heart broke at the child's words. She couldn’t bear to hear him continue so she stop him. She embraced him tightly, trying to comfort him, soothing his shaking body. "Come on, let’s report this to the police!" Bong urged. "Wait, hon. Let me buy him some clothes. He might catch pneumonia. His body’s all sweaty, and his clothes are soaked in blood." After they bought clothes from a nearby boutique, they took the bloody fork from Ednel and made their way to the police station to report the incident. ------- “Child, what’s your name?” asked the police chief. “My name is Ednel, sir.” “What are your mom and dad’s names? Your full name and your last name?” “I don’t know their names. My mom, she’s Mama Lez, and my dad, sometimes my uncle calls him Evor. I call them mom and dad. My last name is Marchel, something like that.” “How do you spell your last name?” the chief asked, typing away on his typewriter. Bong and Patricia exchanged a glance. Ednel couldn’t answer. “I don’t know how to spell. I’m just five years old.” The chief sighed deeply, then asked more questions, his voice calm but serious. “The report says your mother and father were killed in front of you. Do you know where this happened? We also heard you were holding a fork. Could we keep that as evidence? Maybe someone could sketch the three men you say killed your parents. Do you remember what they looked like? And can you recall where your parents were killed?” “Hon, give me the fork. They said they need it.” Bong asked Patricia. “Hon, it’s not in my bag. I think I left it in the bathroom when I wrapped it his bloody t-shirt. I’m sorry. I’ll go back for it.” As the couple hurriedly discussed, Ednel suddenly interrupted, his small voice calm but firm. “Excuse me, mister policeman, I’m sorry if I can’t remember the faces of the two other monsters who killed my mom and dad. But the one I stabbed with the fork, I kinda remember his face. He had long hair, thick eyebrows, and his eyes were red. The place we went to was a beautiful beach until the sky turned purple and dim while Dad was driving. Before my mom got out of the car, she told me how much she and Dad loved me and gave me the fork to get rid of the monsters.” As the child spoke, he looked up at the ceiling, his eyes filling with tears before he continued. “Mom, Dad, if you’re watching me like in the movie Avengers, please help me answer them. I’m hungry now and I want to go home with you. I’m so tired, I just want to sleep and eat ice cream.” Patricia and Bong exchanged a look. They could see how exhausted the child was, both emotionally and physically. Patricia wrapped her arms around him, gently trying to soothe him. “Mr. Bong Cordovo,” the police chief said, his tone turning more serious. “We just want to inform you that without strong evidence, like the bloodied fork or even the clothes the child was wearing, and with the child not being able to recall the faces of the suspects, all we have are vague descriptions of a purple sky and a beach. Unfortunately, we can’t help you. You should take him to an orphanage so he won’t be a burden. We can’t confirm if what he’s saying is true.” “Don’t you feel sorry for him? His parents were killed.” “We don’t know where he’s from or where it happened, so we can’t be sure.” The couple walked out of the police station, the weight of the situation heavy on their shoulders. Ednel held their hands tightly, walking in between them. ------ “Honey, I don’t think I want to send Ednel to the orphanage. It feels better if we take care of him ourselves. We can give him a good life, a good home.” Patricia said, her voice soft but determined. “I feel the same way. He’s such a sweet and good boy. We should change his name. Ednel!” “Huh? Why?” Ednel asked, puzzled. “From now on, we’ll be your parents, son. Your real parents are probably with God now. Call me Papa, not Daddy. And your mama, Patricia, will be your Mama. And your new name, starting today, will be Neil. No more Ednel. Is that okay with you?” “Okay!” Ednel responded with a smile, happy to agree. He was just a boy, kind-hearted and eager to follow their lead. ----------- From that moment on, the couple felt like their lives had been blessed with a gift. Ednel, now Neil, brought joy and luck into their home. Their wooden appliance business grew rapidly, and Patricia, despite doctors telling her she couldn’t get pregnant, found herself expecting. It was a miracle—another blessing, it seemed, from the heavens above. And so, their new life together began.