“What are you saying, Dad?” I asked, bewildered.
He glanced at me briefly before returning his gaze forward. “Your mother and the head of the Clasiso family had an affair, Azora. I found out one night when I invited the Clasisos and other prominent families to a banquet for her birthday.”
“An affair?” I gulped hard.
Dad nodded, his brow furrowing. “I was furious when I discovered they were cheating behind my back. I forgave your mother but confined her to her room for months.”
“What?” I took a deep breath. “You locked her in her room?”
Dad snorted. “Yes, she needed to be punished for betraying me.”
“But I don’t remember any of that,” I furrowed my brow. “How could you do that, Dad? I can’t remember.”
“Don’t dwell on it. You were young. It’s not important, Azora.”
I gulped again. “And what happened to Clasiso?”
I saw Dad clench his fist. “I cut all ties with that family, Azora. We used to be friends, but after I discovered that secret, I barred anyone from that clan from setting foot on our properties.”
“That’s why you killed Anthony?” I asked, gritting my teeth.
“Azora,” he warned.
“Dad,” I said seriously. “I saw how enraged you were when you strangled him. You sought revenge by killing his son!”
“What’s wrong with that?” He smirked. “It was my way of getting back at him. No one can blame me when Anthony’s father did the same to him. Anthony should have blamed his father, not me, Azora.”
I gasped and looked away, tears welling up as I realized the truth sinking in. “You’re a murderer, Dad.”
He took a sharp breath and glared at me. “You shouldn’t accuse your own father, Azora. I did it to seek justice for your mother. Don’t you want that?”
“Did you hear yourself, Dad?” I exclaimed. “Maybe Mom and Anthony’s father had an affair, but Mom died in a car accident. It wasn’t the Clasisos’ fault; it was an accident, Dad! You shouldn’t have killed Anthony. You’ve made yourself a murderer!”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Azora.”
“I do, Dad!” I shouted in frustration. “I remember it now. It was just an accident!”
“It wasn’t an accident!” he roared, his eyes filled with annoyance and anger. “Someone tampered with the car’s controls. That’s why your mother lost control and crashed.”
I struggled to catch my breath as I watched Dad seething in his seat. His eyes darted around and his fists were clenched tightly.
“The investigators later found evidence that someone had tampered with the car,” Dad continued, his voice lowering. “Before she left with you that day, Azora, we had an argument. I had confined her to her room, and she was furious with me. She packed her things and drove off with you to escape the mansion. But she got into that accident.”
Dad laughed bitterly. “I used to think it was her karma for trying to leave. But after years of investigation, they discovered someone had sabotaged her car.”
“And you suspected it was Clasiso?” I asked softly.
“Yes. That night, Anthony’s father called me. He was furious because your mother had told him I had locked her up,” Dad squinted at me again. “That bastard said I’d never see your mother again. Minutes after that call, someone told me your mother had crashed on the road while trying to escape with you.”
I sank back into my seat, processing everything Dad had revealed. I shook my head. “It could have been just a coincidence, Dad. Just a coincidence!”
“A coincidence?” Dad laughed again, devoid of humor. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace. Showing it to me, he said, “I thought this was your mother’s heirloom, but you know whose necklace this really is, Azora?”
I looked at the necklace with a heart-shaped pendant, clearly meant for a woman.
“Who does it belong to?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
“Clasiso gave it to your mother on their first anniversary.”
“Anniversary?” I furrowed my brow.
A sinister smile played on Dad’s lips. “If I hadn’t hired a private investigator, I might never have known your mother had been cheating on me with Clasiso for nearly ten years, Azora.”
“Ten years?” I gasped.
Dad tossed the necklace in the air before tucking it back into his pocket. “I used to think she was the perfect woman. Beautiful, kind, faithful,” Dad shook his head. “But she betrayed me for ten years. She and that bastard Clasiso had been together since before we were even married.”
“H-how?” I gulped hard, looking away. “How did you not know for all those years?”
“Because I trusted her, Azora.” Dad’s voice softened to a whisper. “I loved her. I thought she loved me too. But she didn’t.”
“Dad… are you saying Mom loved Anthony’s father?”
Dad clenched his fist again, grinding his teeth. “She loved that bastard to her grave.”
“But… but I saw how much Mom loved you, Dad.”
“It was all an act.” Dad lowered his gaze, and I glimpsed sadness in his eyes. “She never loved me. That’s the truth.”
Minutes later, the car pulled up to Dad’s mansion. He had already stepped out. I sighed heavily and opened the back door, following him towards the entrance. Dad was waiting for me at the main door, and I kept my gaze lowered.
I had once thought we were a perfect family. The memories of my childhood were still vivid; I couldn’t believe Mom had never loved Dad.
I had seen it. Felt it. Their love seemed genuine over the years. Dad’s words were just…
“Rodrigo,” Dad called. I entered the mansion and walked past Dad, who was still standing by the entrance. “Get Azora and lock her in her room.”
I froze in my tracks at Dad’s words. I turned around and gasped as someone lifted me up and carried me towards the staircase.
I looked at Dad in shock. “Dad… Dad, you can’t do this! Don’t lock me in my room! Dad!”
I couldn’t believe Dad would do to me what he had done to Mom!