8 The Call (1/2)
The article is soon published the following day. People are gathering to get a copy of our paper. So, the people are indeed interested in the life of Rex de la Rama. I thought he was just some heir that will inherit a fortune soon. Though Mateo risked the chance, I was proud that we managed to do it. The boss called Mateo and me to his office for some quick notes and comments about our work. I feel confident in what we did. This shall be the beginning for me.
”Rosanna, I would like to congratulate you and Mateo for a well-done job,” he says. ”For your story, I suppose I can now put you on the field. Who knew that the heir to a real estate fortune is betrothed to the heir to a telecommunications fortune? The oligarchs will truly do everything to keep their fortunes in the family. Find me news for within this week. Great work.”
We went out of the office after the event. Getting yourself out of being deskbound is easy. Staying that way would be difficult. You need to find a sensible story each time the boss requests it. We are journalists. We need to uncover the truth.
Suddenly, I heard my phone rang. It was an unregistered number. That was odd. I wasn't expecting anyone to call at this time of day. I answered the call hesitantly. This is strange. Who is this?
”Hello?” I say to the caller.
I can only here breathing sounds but no one is speaking. What is going on? I know that the caller is there, but why is he/she not speaking?
”Hello,” I say once more. ”Are you there?”
”Ah, yes, miss,” the caller says.
”How can I help you?” I ask.
”Miss, I say this to you right now,” she says. ”Are you still in the search of that third lover?”
”Pardon?” I say out of surprise.
”You know what I'm talking about, miss,” she says.
Hmmmmm... maybe this is Mary the maid. The question is how did she get my number? This is freaking me out. The voice of the caller sounds unfamiliar. I cannot pinpoint who this person is.
”Not at the moment,” I say. ”I am currently taking care of matters here for the paper. Usually, Eloisa and I would stage the search on a weekend.”
”Ah, you are quite the workaholic, aren't you?” she says. ”Anyway, I must warn you, miss, you ought to stop that search. Some things are ought to remain a secret and not be brought to light.”
”Miss, what do you know?” I say.
”Don't mind what I know,” she says. ”I mind you and your friend! I must warn you, miss, you have only been through the surface. You are walking on thin ice. One misstep and you will fall. This is dangerous, miss.”
”And, what, miss?” I say. ”Are you some kind of angel that tries to warn of impending danger? I tell this to you right now! By God, that little girl is a fool and wretched to keep that third lover of hers a secret from me! God knows whether she is hiding more! I shall bring this to light whether you or some kind of your minions stop us! Good day!”
I hang up out of anger. How dare she? I get the feeling that this is one of the people that want to keep that man's identity a hush-hush thing. Well, I don't care!
”What is your problem?” Mateo asks after the call.
”A lady asks to stop the search,” I say. ”I don't know who, but she is determined to hide the identity of the third man.”
”Well, if someone is determined to stop the search, then shouldn't we hurry up,” he says. ”We are racing against time, you know. Every minute, Emma, your friend, and sister, is dying. If they want so much to keep that man a secret, then certainly there is something they don't want us to know. And certainly, once this is over, it will be a great story for the paper. Don't you want that?”
I would say she only has a month to live. The words echo in my head. I remember what the doctor said to me. We only have 25 days. We are racing against time.
”Alright, what do we do?” I ask.
”We just need to ask Carlos who it is,” he says. ”Then, perhaps, we can know the reason why she hides it.”
”For one thing, Mister de la Rama said that he is a peasant,” I say. ”Maybe that is the reason why. Also, I admit, this is a great story for the paper, but it will cause a havoc within her father's company. Without the certainty that the wealth will pass on, his employees will grow anxious for a new heir. They have known all their life that Emma is the heir. She has trained her whole life for when the time came that her father shall die, the company will pass on peacefully.”
”Well, sooner or later they will know,” he says.
”They will know what?” the boss interrupted.
”Nothing, sir,” I say.
”Actually it is something,” Mateo says. ”It is about the dying heir.”
”Oh, right, that one,” the boss says. ”Well, what are you waiting for? You should make a story about that!”
”But, sir, it would cause unease in – ”
”Rosanna, a dying heir is the worse news for everything,” the boss says flatly. ”And that makes it great! Don't you want to be great, Rosanna?”
I could accept having to interview Mister de la Rama but making a story out of my friend's eventual death? That I could not accept! I sneaked out of the office by lunch break to inform my boss' plans to Emma. I took a bus ride to the hospital. When I got down from the bus, I saw Eloisa walking her way to the lobby. I ran to catch up to her. What is up with her?
”Eloisa, are you off to visit Emma?” I say after I catch up with her.
”Yeah, who else,” she says flatly. ”While you are out picking your nose on other people's business, I actually visit her every day and keep her company.”
”I had to do it!” I exclaim out of defense. ”You know that, and I thought you were on our side since you said everything to Mateo!”
”I said everything to him in the hopes that he might at least know what will become of his ex-girlfriend,” she says steadily. ”I told everything so that he might help us and give our friend, our sister, a peaceful death. I did not tell him everything so that you, two, would publish a story and make her life public! Goodness knows that every elite household talks about Emma and Rex's engagement.”