Power isn't a gift; it's a gravity that bends everything around it.
Six months into the new regime, the "New Tenorio" brand was a global obsession. Alliana was the darling of the business world, her face on the cover of Forbes Asia for her "Resort-to-Restoration" initiative. To the world, she was a visionary. To the Tenorios, she was the perfect camouflage.
But the push and pull of their new reality was a constant, low-grade fever.
The Resort
In the penthouse office of the Blue Marlin, Alliana slammed a ledger onto Joie's desk.
"Explain the 'Emergency Medical Procurement' for the Palawan resort, Joie," Alliana demanded, her eyes flashing. "Three million dollars for specialized trauma equipment in a luxury spa? I'm trying to build a brand here, not a mobile war zone."
Joie didn't look up from the digital scans she was reviewing. "The Palawan site is a high-traffic zone for Matthew's 'clients' coming in from the West. They don't just need massages, Alli. They need the kind of care that doesn't go on a public record."
"You promised me the resorts would stay clean!" Alliana stepped closer, her voice dropping to a hiss. "I'm out there pitching 'wellness' while you're stocking body bags in the basement."
Joie finally looked up. Her eyes were colder than they had been on the train, but there was a flicker of something desperate in them. "I'm keeping you clean, Alliana. By handling the mess before it ever reaches your desk, I am protecting your 'brand.' Don't push me on this. You know how Stephen gets when the logistics are questioned."
The pull came a second later. Alliana's anger softened into a pained sigh as she leaned over, resting her forehead against Joie's. "I hate that I'm starting to understand why you do it. That's the scariest part."
Joie reached up, her fingers tracing the line of Alliana's jaw. "The higher we climb, the thinner the air, Alli. Just keep breathing."
The Lab
At the St. Jude-Tenorio Research Center, Pat was living a dream that felt increasingly like a nightmare. He had successfully pioneered a new Immunotherapy protocol for pediatric leukemia. He was a hero in the medical community.
But every Friday, Timothy would visit the lab.
"The new data on the cellular regeneration looks promising, Pat," Timothy said, leaning over a microscope. "The way you've mapped the Neural pathways to bypass the immune system is... revolutionary."
"It's for the kids, Tim," Pat said, his voice weary. "Just for the kids."
"Of course," Timothy smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "But you know, a system that can bypass an immune system to deliver medicine could also... theoretically... deliver something else. Something that leaves no trace in a Toxicologyreport."
Pat froze. The vial in his hand felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. "No. We had a deal."
"We did," Timothy whispered, stepping into Pat's personal space and kissing him softly on the forehead. "And as long as you keep producing miracles for the 'Soul' of this family, I can keep Stephen from asking for 'other' things. But keep the pace up, Pat. The board is getting impatient."
The push was the threat; the pull was the kiss. Pat was saving hundreds of lives, but he was doing it with a devil perched on his shoulder, whispering about the lives he might one day have to take.
The Coronation's Cost
The tension reached a breaking point during a private dinner at the estate. The six of them sat around the narra table, the silence heavy with the things they weren't allowed to say.
Stephen raised a glass. "To the family. Expansion is up 40%. Our legitimacy has never been higher."
Matthew smirked, glancing at Cheska, who was dripping in emeralds Matthew had "acquired" from a Parisian vault. "And the 'Main Work' has never been quieter. It's amazing what a little charity can hide."
Suddenly, Alliana's phone buzzed. She looked at the screen, her face going pale. "There's a protest at the gates of the Manila resort. They're saying the land was seized illegally. They have names, Joie. They have documents."
Stephen didn't even look up from his steak. "Timothy, handle the digital footprint. Matthew, handle the leaders. Joie... check the medical records of the protesters. Everyone has a pre-existing condition if you look hard enough."
Alliana looked at Joie, her eyes wide, pleading for her to say no.
Joie looked at Stephen, then at her leg—the permanent reminder of what happens when you fight the family. She looked back at Alliana, her heart breaking as she realized that to keep Alliana in the light, she would have to push someone else into the dark.
"I'll pull the files," Joie said, her voice a hollow monotone.
Alliana didn't scream. She didn't cry. She just picked up her wine glass and drank until it was empty, the taste of the expensive vintage suddenly turning to ash in her mouth.
The "New Tenorio" was exactly like the old one. The only difference was that this time, the monsters were the people they loved.