Jake now found himself face-to-face with Chesca, his full cousin from the Fuego family. He remained silent as she looked at him, unsure of what to say.
"I—is Mikaela here?" she asked softly.
Her memory had indeed returned. Jake's thoughts raced. He had chosen to become a teacher at the same school Chesca attended just so he could monitor her movements discreetly.
He signaled to Charles to call Mikaela.
Charles complied, and moments later, they heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching.
"Chesca..." Mikaela's voice echoed.
"Mikaela." Chesca immediately embraced her tightly.
Jake stepped back, allowing the two to reunite. It had been months since they last saw each other. He could feel the sincere joy radiating from both of them. They still regarded each other like real sisters, as if Chesca had never been separated from them.
Jake cleared his throat to get their attention. The two slowly pulled apart, finally noticing his presence.
"Welcome back, Chesca Kaye Fuego," he said, unable to hold back his relief.
Chesca didn't respond. Jake sighed.
"Treat me as your cousin while you're here, Chesca. We're not at school now, so you don't need to feel awkward around me," he added.
She only gave a small nod.
"What are you planning to do now, Chesca?" he asked directly.
He noticed her gaze shift to Mikaela.
She took her time responding, clearly torn about what to say. Jake understood—she wasn't ready to face the weight of this challenge, let alone help pursue the elusive justice they all sought.
"Chesca, don't force yourself if you're not ready," Mikaela gently offered.
Chesca looked at Mikaela, still conflicted.
"I need to make a decision now, Mikaela," she finally replied, her voice still filled with hesitation.
"Time is running out. We need to take action," Jake urged.
"If that's your decision," he replied calmly. He respected whatever choice Chesca would make.
"You'll go in tomorrow—but you'll still use the name Ruth Dalia Dionson. You can't reveal your identity as Chesca Fuego," Jake reminded her.
"Will I live there again?" she asked.
Jake shook his head. There was nothing left for Chesca at the Dionson residence. According to Felix, the Dionson couple and even their innocent workers had been murdered.
He had also learned that the driver who escorted Chesca to their mansion had been killed.
That could only mean one thing—Giovane was already making his move.
Jake looked toward Charles.
"Get some rest for now, Chesca," he said. "Mikaela, please stay with her for a while."
"Yes, sir," Mikaela replied immediately and guided Chesca out, leaving Charles behind.
"What's your plan, Charles?" Jake turned to him.
Charles didn't speak—just kept fiddling with his phone.
"You—I don't trust you," Jake said bluntly. He was convinced his cousin had a hand in these tragic events. Slowly but surely, he was proving that Giovane and his father were behind it all.
"I don't care if you don't trust me, Jake. I'm a freelance informant," Charles replied coolly.
Jake didn't push further. He'd act only when absolutely necessary.
"You can go now," he said dismissively.
"Aren't you going to ask what the father and son are planning?" Charles questioned.
Jake sighed. He knew Charles always provided bits of useful information while still managing to serve his own agenda. But he wasn't sure how much Charles truly knew about his own involvement.
"The information you give is enough. I've already taken precautions in case anything happens to us," Jake replied. "You're Mikaela's personal chaperone, and I know Giovane is aware of that."
Charles didn't respond. He was always cautious with his words.
"If you've finished doing business with me, you can leave," Jake said again.
"Yeah," Charles muttered as he walked toward the door.
Once Charles disappeared, another man emerged from behind a wide wall.
"Are you sure about that, Jake?" the man asked.
Jake recognized the voice instantly but said nothing.
"We need him," the man added.
"Let him move on his own. He'll uncover the truth without my help, William," Jake replied, still focused on his laptop.
William didn't push further. "How's the task I assigned to you?" Jake asked.
"You're a cold-hearted sibling," William muttered.
"Felix confirmed that the Dionson household was massacred. It was brutal. Whoever did it has terrifying capabilities," he added.
"Who was responsible?" Jake asked, his tone grim.
"Well… aside from the driver Giovane personally killed—Giovane really doesn't like getting his hands bloody—his henchmen did the rest." William handed Jake an envelope.
Inside were photographs showing the driver being targeted—evidence linking him to the murder.
"Why was he killed?" Jake asked.
"To confirm something. Giovane used the driver to find out if Chesca's memories had returned," William explained.
"It's unfortunate—the driver's family was also wiped out. No survivors. Just like what he did to Fernan's siblings."
Jake clenched his fists. The pain of it all—the senseless deaths, the cruelty—hit him hard. He was sure this incident would be all over the news again, adding to the string of atrocities already committed.
"William, follow Zenne's lead. Go back to the warehouse as one of the organization's members and observe Giovane's movements."
"Why are you so cold to your own brother, Jake?" William asked again.
"Just follow the mission. Be careful," Jake replied flatly, avoiding the question.
William let out a long sigh. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, man."
"And contact Felix about his next move," Jake instructed before returning his attention to the evidence.
But it still wasn't enough—not against a powerful enemy driven by greed.
He clenched his fists tighter.