A Leap Of Fate

Chapter XX

Chapter 20

We stared at Don Leonardo while he stared long and hard at the almost worn out diary in his hands.

Seated in a big mahogany conference table in the Cruz family’s treasure room, everyone waited quietly for Don Leonardo to speak.

He was sitting at the head of the long table with Doña Beatriz on his left side and frowning Leonel on his right side. I sat beside Doña Beatriz just facing Leonel. Chico was beside me while Ciro beside Leonel. Siervo and Mariana were standing behind me.

The room was gloomy with a dim light given by two lamps which two servant held at both ends of the room. There was a servant beside Don Leonardo who was holding another lamp close to his so that he can read the diary easily.

Don Leonardo then raised his head.

“I have read some of the pages last night. And the other half I just finished now. From what I have read, there is nothing wrong written on the accounts. But there are some things that are quiet strange. Like how Monica occasionally mentioned about a plan, but it is so vague as to what plan it was, or how she thought she was in some sort of a danger sometimes.” He swallowed. It was as if he tried to imagine Monica’s situation but shuddered at the thought of what could that danger might be.

I bit my lip. If only I could help, if only I could remember what happened that night, then everything could be solved at once.

“Don Leonardo, can you tell me the date where Monica mentioned about a danger?”

“It is around one week before her sixteenth birthday, the day she disappeared.”

“Do you think she was already expecting something like that?”

“She must have done something if she knew,” Leonel frustratingly said, quietly.

I stopped and thought about it for a moment. “But… what if… there is something keeping her from getting out of there? What if… there is something important to here there as well? Who knows…but, that’s just what I think.”

Leonel’s eyes shot to me, a knowing look. He would most likely believe what I say, because after all he was the only one here who knew about my past life.

“Do you think so, Alix?” He asked, careful.

I nodded, slow and uncertain. But I knew it might be so, I had some feeling about it.

“Papa, it is a good theory. Monica was not a fool or naïve to not to know if she was in danger. She should have done something, or escape but there must be something… or someone that kept her from going.”

I bit my lip and nodded.

But what could that be? Was it possible that Bienve felt that Monica was getting to know their real intentions about her and so they threatened her so she won’t leave?

Or there must be someone important to her living in that house. Could it be Bienve himself?

I shivered at the thought.

“Yes, yes, that could be so. We should read more on this book, and study every little word, observation, plan. We must find out something.” Don Leonardo said.

“My dear, how about we give the diary to the children first for them to study? They are wise and bright, they will see into the words, I believe, since we have already seen the accounts last night and today. What do you think?” Doña Beatriz said.

He thought for a moment they nodded to himself.  “Yes, I believe so too. Here, Leonel, have this. Read it and study it with Alix, Ciro and Chico could do it too. I am expecting another lead from you, children.”