Chapter 48 Revelation

Dino and Carlos were both in an unfamiliar place… "Dad, where are we? I thought it's Ice cream time already?", Dino complained when he noticed there is no ice cream bar in the place where they are at. "Few moments, Dino. I just need to talk to someone for a moment.", Carlos explained as they were about to enter a place that seemed to be like an office when someone familiar opened the door as he was about to go out. Both men were surprised to see each other. "Rico.", Carlos greeted the man who just went out from the office while still clutching Dino's hand possessively. Rico immediately recovered from being surprised and went to glare directly at the man who took his wife away. He hates this man so much. Dino got scared of Rico and instinctively hid behind Carlos. "Don't be afraid. We're here to see him.", Carlos said to Dino as if he was persuading him. Dino slowly followed what Carlos said and he showed himself to Rico. "Why are you here?!", Rico hissed, letting the visitors feel unwelcomed. It was obvious that he's not in the mood to talk with Carlos, but upon seeing the kid, it somehow made him calm down. For some reason, his eyes start to wander, expecting the child's mother might be just around, but he failed when he sees no traces of Dina. "I need to tell you something.", Carlos initiated the conversation. "Tell what you need to tell to your lawyer. We'll meet in court. I won't be settled.", Rico answered and was in a hurry to left. "Rico.", Carlos intervened as he stops Rico from leaving. "Get out of my way you prick!", Rico yelled as he pushed Carlos away. Carlos was not feeling well, the push made him fell down easily. "Dad!", Dino cried. "I'm okay.", Carlos said, trying to calm Dino. "No, you are not okay. Dad, he is not my real father! He is bad! I don't want him to be my real Dad!", Dino cried as he hugged Carlos tightly. Rico was stunned by what he just heard from the boy. "He is just angry with me Dino because I did something bad.", Carlos tried to explain. "What do you mean...", Rico trailed off, confused. Carlos slowly stood up to face Rico. "Yes, Rico. This young boy here is your son. He's your child with Dina and this is what I want to talk about with you. I really need to talk to you.", Carlos was being sincere. "M—my... My son? He's my son?", Rico stuttered, he couldn't believe it. His knees feel weak as he knelt down to see the child clearly on his level. He stared at Dino and caressed his cheek. He was filled with mixed emotions and he doesn't know if he wants to be happy or to doubt. He doesn't know but a part of him wants to believe it's true. "No! I don't want you to be my Dad! You want to hurt my Mom!", Dino cried and slapped Rico's hand away from his cheek. Both Rico and Carlos were surprised by his actions. "Dino, don't do that!", Carlos reprimanded. "But—- but!", Dino tried to complain. Rico stood up to face Carlos again. "You want me to believe that after years of deceiving me? Do you think I would fall stupidly just like that?", Rico smiled sarcastically. 'You have money… it's easy to have him undergo a DNA test and you will know the truth.", Carlos answered. 'Of course I would do that---' "But even though just by staring, you can't deny his strong resemblance to you.", Carlos interrupted what Rico was supposed to say. Rico just stared at the child who is seemingly his own exact replica when he was still young. There are a certain pain and longing in his heart that he keeps on ignoring while looking at the child. "I want you to stop, Rico. Stop your revenge---' "So, you are scared. And you're using this kid to escape, huh?" "No. I am not using anyone. I am doing this because… they have no one to run to and I know you are aware of that.", Carlos explained. Rico knew what Carlos was talking about because Dina has been estranged from her family for a long time already. Her father died and her family treated her as an outcast. "You should go inside your real Dad's office, Dino because I need to tell something very important to him.", Carlos said to Dino. Dino nodded and followed what Carlos instructed him to do. In a few moments, Dino was already inside the office, sitting by the lounge area while staring at them at the glass window. "I'm dying, Rico. If I die, there's nowhere they can run to anymore. I am the guilty one. I admit… it's all because of me. So, please spare them of your anger. Why do you think we returned when everything was seemingly okay in Canada?", Carlos seriously said. Rico just laughed bitterly and sarcastically. He doesn't believe an ounce of what he was saying. Carlos sighed, he doesn't know how to convince this man full of hate. "You must be kidding me!" "I am in no condition to joke around, Rico… Cancer had spread all over my body already. I am a living time bomb. I could die anytime... and leaving both Dina and Dino alone with no one… it truly scares me. How much more they could take if you won't spare them of your hatred? How will your wife and son live?", Carlos said as if every word he is saying pains him even more. Rico stared at Carlos, still controlling his anger, controlling the urge to punch this man in front of him. 'This is the payment of all my wrongdoings… for all the sins I have committed against you. That's why I beg you to please spare them of your hatred. Dino and Dina are innocent.", Carlos humbly begged but Rico is not budging. It is not easy for him to forgive them easily. It's not easy to just let go of his hate he had held on to for almost three years. He couldn't just let it go just because of what Carlos had said. 'I don't know how to convince you but please listen to me. Please accept your son and wife back. I am now returning what is rightfully yours.", Carlos said bitterly, taking Rico's silence as an opportunity to talk. "What makes you think I will accept what you stole? Were you fed up with my wife already? Was she boring? Wasn't she able to satisfy your lust and desire? I am not stupid to accept anyone's thrown away trash.", Rico hissed while gnashing his teeth in anger with his words. It was painful, it was as if he was stabbing his own heart while saying those words. "Because I know... you still love her, as I do. I am not throwing Dina away. If I'm not just sick… if only… then I wouldn't have to return her to you. I want to defend Dina's dignity against your allegations. It hurts me to admit but all those years that Dina and I were together, she hasn't love anyone… but only you, Rico.", Carlos admitted defeatedly. Rico stared at Carlos's eyes directly and he saw his pain… that pain of being dejected… of losing someone really dear to him. Rico wasn't able to answer. He was caught off guard with what Carlos had just said but a part of him feels extremely happy with what he found out… that he is Dina's one and only love. 'The truth is… that day at the airport, she tried to look back at you. She was hesitant to go with me but I tricked her. I stirred her up. I told her and convince her that the one you truly love is Alice and not her. I forced that idea and made her believe me because I love her so much that I just couldn't let her be with you. Yes, I stole her from you and that's not all because I also stole your son away from you.", Carlos added while Rico was still silent. "YOU—-!!!", Rico angrily grabbed Carlos by his collar. He couldn't find the rightful words to express his anger and hatred towards this scumbag. "Don't do that! Your son is watching us.", Carlos tried to stop Rico as he talks about Dino watching them from a distance inside his office. When Rico saw the child, he was forced to calm himself down. 'Dina wasn't able to move on from you when we arrived in Canada. She constantly locks herself up in her room… staring into nothing, doing nothing…", Carlos casually said after Rico had calmed down. Rico remembered how desperate Dina was when her father died. She was also locking herself in her room, that's the typical Dina he knows would do when she is in a bad mood. Now, he couldn't imagine the pain Dina had to endure in Canada. He could paint a desperate and lifeless Dina inside his mind and it tortured him. It pains him to think that Dina had to endure that again… and again, it's because of him. He feels like his heart is crumbling into pieces. My Dina!, Rico cried on his mind but he kept silent as he saw Carlos was about to say something again. 'And because she was just in her room, I was the one who holds all the means of communication for her. Your parents had tried to contact her but I prevented them to talk to her. I made them believe that Dina doesn't want to talk to them but the truth is, Dina doesn't know. She never knows all about these even up to know, she doesn't know anything. I did all I could so all of you couldn't contact her anymore. I was so scared that if she talks to any one of you, she might change her mind. I was afraid your parents might convince her to go back and be with you. Actually, Dina thought you are happy with Alice because you didn't even do anything to contact her. That's what she truly believes even up to now. That is why she was surprised to see you with another woman, introducing her as your girlfriend that day.", Carlos confessed. "WHY?! Why are you telling me this now?! Why?!", Rico hissed and wasn't able to contain his emotion, he cried. He cried because of too much pain in his heart. He was seeking revenge and tried to persecute his innocent Dina… when all she did was just to love him. 'I need to let you know all my sins against you… Dino and Dina as well. I tried all means to steal Dina away from you and I was successful in splitting you up… but I failed to steal her heart away from you.", Carlos said in a very defeated tone. Rico feels like he was about to explode with all the things that Carlos had confessed to him but he was forced to control these emotions due to the pair of eyes looking at them from his office's glass window. 'Right after stealing Dina from you and when I found out that she was carrying your baby, I even tried to instigate her into committing abortion because I couldn't accept that the woman I love is pregnant with another man's child. I couldn't accept that Dina gave herself away for you… I couldn't accept that you're the one she loves.", Carlos said. Rico teared up even more with what he just found out. He was both angry and sorry for what he had said and done to Dina. "You're an evil prick! You even tried to kill my son!", Rico furiously said.