Point of view: Bella Isabel Chávez Reyes and Luis Vargas Morales..
I still couldn’t process the fact that Christian Reyes wasn’t my biological father; whenever I recalled his words, a lump would form in my throat—after all those years spent searching for answers about my past.
And now that I had them, I didn’t know what to do with them.
That morning, I walked through the halls of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde wearing headphones, trying to ignore the stares of other students.
But it was impossible; everything was changing too fast.
Meanwhile, Luis Vargas was watching me from the other end of the hallway.
Ever since Christian’s revelation, he had been more concerned about me.
More than usual.
And that concern was starting to confuse him.
“Are you still thinking about Christian?” he asked as he drew closer.
I looked down.
“I don’t know what to think.”
Luis remained silent for a few seconds.
“You don’t have to figure everything out right now.”
I looked up.
For the first time in days, someone spoke to me without demanding answers, and it brought a faint smile to my face.
At the same time, Jessica was in the improvised crime lab that Jeremiah Jones had set up in one of the school rooms; she was wearing a white mask and blue gloves, holding a folder filled with photos related to the Lucía Castro Herrera case.
“We should be seeing something here,” she whispered.
She picked up her phone and immediately called Jeremiah.
“Dad, I found something strange in Lucía’s files.”
“What did you find?” Jessica looked again at a photo taken near the parking lot..
—A missing piece.
Someone had removed some of the evidence before the police arrived.
—Send everything to me right now.
—I already have.
When the call ended, Benjamin appeared before her.
—You’re working too hard.
Jessica smiled faintly.
Benjamin kissed her affectionately on the cheek.
—You need to rest, too.
—After the killer is caught.
—Of course… after that.
However, something more significant occurred.
Following pressure from teachers, parents, and authorities, Rafael Aquino’s immense influence within the school had waned but not vanished—and that was the danger.
That very afternoon, a new figure appeared on campus: tall, elegant, dark-haired, with a calculating gaze.
Juan Dela Cruz Villanova.
Many students knew him as Rafael Aquino’s adopted son; only a few were aware that he shared deeply in his stepfather’s ambitions.
Juan observed the students from the main courtyard.
Especially Jessica and Bella.
—So, these are the women ruining Rafael’s plans, — he murmured.
A smile appeared on his face—not a kind one.
It seemed like a calculated move.
Hours later, during a student council meeting, Ressell, Luis, Jessica, Bella, and Ana María were reviewing new evidence regarding Lucía’s case when Gabriel Flores rushed in.
—We found something.
Everyone looked on as Gabriel placed a small USB drive on the table….
“This was hidden among Lucía’s belongings.”
Jessica immediately turned her gaze toward him.
“Did they examine it?”
“No. Resell picked up the drive.
“Then let’s do it now.”….
Haruki connected the device to a computer; the screen lit up, and a file appeared—a video.
The recording showed Lucía speaking to someone off-camera; I felt nervous and afraid for her, wondering if she knew she was being watched.
Then, she uttered a phrase that left everyone frozen:
“If anything happens to me… find Juan Villanova.”
The video ended abruptly, and silence filled the room.
Luis and Bella exchanged glances; Jessica felt a chill run down her spine.
Resell slowly closed the file, realizing that for the first time, they had a direct lead—a clue pointing toward someone who had just arrived at the school.
Meanwhile, from a dark office on the other side of Manila, Rafael Aquino looked at several photographs on his desk—Jessica, the beautiful one; Luis; and John.
He picked up his phone and made a call..
“It’s time to begin the next phase.”
“What do we do now?” an unidentified voice asked.
Raphael smiled.
“Get close to them, make them trust you, and when the time comes…”
“Destroy them from within.” The call ended, and the war was just beginning.