Shadows On The Wall

Part 4: Marco's haunted past

Chapter 17:

Anita walked into her office, a 5.6 feet tall stunning blonde. She walked with an air of superiority. She owned her space.  Her employees did not understand her but they respected and admired her devotion towards the company. She was the love child of Marco, he himself did not know, yet she ran his company as if it was her very own. 

Anita was the daughter of Emilia, a beautiful Argentine woman whose husband was incarcerated for killing his best friend over a game of poker. At 33 years old he was in prison while Emilia had to work and make a living for herself.  She was desperately in need of money that night Marco invited her into his house.  She took the chance and over a few drinks she ended in his bed. Lonely for companionship they both understood each other and was ready to share what was left of their life together. Marco knew that she was  wholeheartedly committed to him but he was still not ready to be tied down by no woman. Despite his riches Marco was never a happy person. As a younger man he was very moody and at 58 things did not change much. When he started befriending Emilia it seemed that he had finally found happiness. He pampered her, showering her with affection and she in turned gave him her very all. Never once did she think he would leave her. She later realized that passion, love and devotion were not the characteristics that would keep Marco away from his wondering nature. For Marco a mundane life had never been his cup of tea.

San Miguel was not offering him much those few years.  Business was slow and the rum distilleries were not doing too good. He had waited five years for the economy to pick up but the new investors from the Caribbean Islands  who were  fortunate enough to have entered the business when the market was booming were doing better than him, all the rum businesses were knocking on their doors.  Marco was not one to accept losses easily therefore he met with Jose Darmanco asking to have all his assets consolidated as he planned to leave San Miguel and set root in Santa Fe. 

Never once during this important decision did Marco think of Emilia, the years he had spent with her did not change anything. He refused to be tied down. His business was his utmost preoccupation,  he reminded himself that he still had some more years to chase money over love. If he was able to forget the mother of his only child, he would in time learn to forget Emilia. Never in his wildest dream did he know that Emilia was also the mother of his second daughter. He was a manipulator and he knew how to play his cards  to the expense of others. He was already gone when Emilia realized she was pregnant with his child. She did not know where to find him, Anita's existence was never reported.

Anita grew up as beautiful as his first daughter Subrina. She was the spitting image of her father. She knew she had a sister somewhere but where, she was never told. Her mother had hidden her father's identity from her. She never questioned it and like any ordinary kids her age life went on but different from what her older sister had lived.  Her mother worked hard enough to make ends meet. With the money Marco had left her she started a small business as a florist. Anita would help her after school and during her holidays she would be in the shop arranging assorted bouquets for weddings, funerals and many other functions that required their services. She started very young in the business world. Although small compared to the other florist shops in the area, she knew she was helping her mother to make a better future for both of them.  Now and then her mother would hand her a dollar or two of which she would gladly put aside for hard times. 

Emilia had raised her daughter well.  After her elementary schooling, she enrolled Anita to a good school in San Miguel, the  St.  Mathew College.  As a young girl Anita was very smart, she knew at an early age that one day she would leave San Miguel to build her own empire.  Just like her father, Anita had the zeal to work and succeed. She took her education seriously and obtain her degree as a commercial director by the time she was 22 years old.  Seeking experience she worked part time in the many firms of San Miguel with the promise that one day she will leave her hometown to find fame from the busy town of Santa Fe.