Chapter 223 - Islet Mystery 39

Jane and Cherry huddled together, moving closer to Mr.& Mrs. Lopez. Their hands and knees were already shaking, competing to the loud thuds of their heartbeats. Their eyes fastened to the man whose muscular physique held a threatening aura despite his age. His threat against Mr. Dioko darted through their senses like a bolt of thunder, leaving them staring silently at him. He may have handsome and powerful features, but he didn't have any resemblance to Ryan. Listening to what he revealed, they cursed inwardly the officer who sullied his reputation over the glitters of silver.

"Son, aren't you going to invite your dad in?" Mr. Te shifted his attention to Ryan, who stood motionless, not far from them.

"Dad, why are you here? You know it's dangerous if someone finds this out." Ryan knew that if he was able to trick this warden out, not all officers could be bought with money.

Mr. Te's expression changed, and his face turned red. He threw Ryan a glare and threw his arm out, pointing the finger at him. "This is your fault. I am already losing my patience with you. What are you waiting for? You already have these people in your hand." Mr. Te moved the finger he aimed at Ryan then moved it around, pointing all of them.

"Relax, dad. I'm already on the last steps. As I have always been telling you, I make a different approach."

Mr. Te laughed again as he fixed his eyes at Mr. Dioko, moving it next to Mr. Lopez, who sat as motionless as a statue. He was glad though that his wife did not wake up despite the noise.

"I agree, or else, you won't be able to gather them all together in this Death Island. Have they known already that no one goes out alive once they are here?"

"No need. They will soon realize it."

Mr. Dioko's trembling voice, rivaled with his sharp gaze, broke into the stale air.

"What do you say?" Mr. Dioko moved his eyes between Ryan and Mr. Dioko.

"I'm sorry, uncle," Ryan replied with a smirk, running his eyes from Jane to Mr. Dioko, "I'm only wearing a cloak. All those you see and feel from me are not real. I have been your enemy from the very beginning, in disguise of  an investor." 

Cherry felt every cell in her body was quivering in anger and fear. She was the one who introduced Ryan to them, the first victim who jumped innocently into his lies and deception.

"Ryan, how could you?" Cherry shouted hysterically at Ryan, tears gathered in her eyes immediately, blurring her vision.

Ryan laughed, but his face held no expression. "I kidnapped Chloe, and you easily believed in my lies that the suspect was found. You were so trusting that you did not even investigate."

"It was also you who sent fake diamonds?" Mr. Lopez roared in anger.

"Fake diamond. Why should I spend for a warning?"

"How could you, Ryan? Why do you do this to us?"

Mr. Te laughed louder, enjoying their confrontation. "A tooth for a tooth and parents to children..."

Parents to children. Mr. Te's arrest to the revenge against Mr. Dioko through his children...At the thought of this, they all snapped to the reality of Allie and Ajie's loss.

"I got them last night. What do you think? I can no longer wait for Ryan to make a move. That woman who is too fearless to put me into jail must face her judgment now."

"Mr.Te, in favor of those years that I allow you to operate, please shift your revenge against me, instead. Release my children. They are innocent."

"Whose kidding, Gerald?" Mr. Te's eyes bulged out as his voice quivered in anger. "She released the blueprints to the beasts. Now, she must see who is the real beast."

"She's only a child then, and could easily get frightened over threats," begged Mr. Dioko, his voice softened as he pleaded. "Released them and take me instead."

"You're taking the fun away, man. And wait, whoever said that anyone of you could get out alive?" Mr. Te smirked and raised his brow, running his gaze to each of them. He then turned toward the huge men who stood behind him.

"Shoot them now!" 

The men pulled their pistols from its holsters and aimed it quickly at them like a flash of lightning. The ladies held their breaths and crouched to protect themselves. Mr. Lopez threw himself over his wife, and Mr. Dioko jumped to the center to block them with his body. Just as they all closed their eyes, waiting for the men to pull the trigger, Ryan"s voice rang into the hall.

"Relax, dad. Entrust them to me. I'm going to let you see my perfect way of executing the revenge you entrusted in my hands."

"How?" Mr. Te turned to the men and gestured for them to put down their guns.

"I also want to make sure that you fulfill your promise to me."

"About the transfer of the ownership of the coffee plantation? Ryan, my dear, you're my only son. Transferring it or not right now makes no difference. You are our only son and the sole heir to my businesses."

"I'm sorry, dad. I want to put everything in writing because there are families out there who also want this property."

"Ryan, why the coffee plantation alone? It is just a speck against our massive properties."

"I don't know why, but my heart is in it."

Mr. Te called his lawyer right away and instructed him to send the copies he prepared ahead for the transfer of the said property. Ryan then had it scanned, and once the papers came out, Mr. Te immediately signed it.

"At this time of the day, I have declared the transfer of Hacienda Te to your name," said Mr. Te in a mocking tone, knowing that Ryan was doing a secret video coverage.

"Thank you, dad."

"It's your turn to fulfill your promise!"

"Sure."

Ryan led the five of them outside, parallel to the Chara pool. Mrs. Lopez was still asleep, and Mr. Lopez carried her out in a bridal style. Because of their fright, no one remembered that they placed Chloe inside a room to sleep.

As if nature sympathized with the evil plan, thunders began to roar, and lightning hit the skies in quick succession. The blue-and-white-painted skies suddenly turned dark, and black clouds appeared. Big drops of rain started to splatter, making Mr. Te and the men ran for shelter under the canopy of the tree beside the Chara pool.

Ryan ushered them fast into a boat, its size enough to contain them. He then instructed them to fasten their seatbelt, and with shaking hands, they complied. Their fear and anguish took their chances to cry and mourn ahead for their impending death.

"What are you planning to do to them?" Mr. Te's loud voice echoed into everyone's fainting hearts except Mrs. Lopez, who remained in a deep sleep.

"Look ahead! Do you see the whirlpool?" Ryan stretched out his arm and pointed out the extensive coverage of the mighty vortex.

Mr. Te looked out and laughed hard as he imagined them drowning and suctioned into the bottom of the vortex and possibly, buried into one of the many caves under the sea. The five of them also looked out, and their breaths stopped right away as the reality of their soon-coming death became almost palpable. The feeling of dread immediately wrapped their whole beings as their eyes got wide when the boat's engine powered to life. 

Before they could think, they watched in horror as the strong whirlpool caught their small vessel and sent them whirling fast into the center of the vortex. In a blink of an eye, the raging current suctioned the boat and plunged it down, until the waves muffled the sound of their desperate screams.