Eris rubbed her head, the dull thud eased slightly. The slow drip of water coming from the roof brought her to her senses. 
Eris is a silent type of girl. She has a fair complexion and a charming monolid eyes. Her middle part straight bob makes her sleek and sophisticated, it compliment her round shape face. She studied abroad but she chooses to work for her beloved town. Her mother doesn't want her to go back to the Philippines because she will only remember how bad and frustrating her childhood was. Since she is a little stubborn, she didn't follow her mother's advice. She left her in America alone.
Her brown eyes widened as she saw Arya being in an uncomfortable state. Eris can't utter a word since her mouth was being shut by a cloth.
The two police officers pretended to be asleep when they heard some footsteps coming their way. They have been put in a dark, tiny place with a lot of trash and wood. They can't see any windows in the room. All they knew is that they had been dragged somewhere in the middle of the woods.
The woman's footsteps stopped at Sheryl's parents' location. Sheryl is one of the missing students whom Ythan's team have been looking for. Arya heard some glass breaking and a familiar voice. She knows that it was the voice of the woman who called her. 
"The culprit is Edlyn's mother?" Arya murmured as she can't believe what's happening.
Eris was surprised by what she heard. While she was talking to Edlyn's mother, she doubted her recent statements since she couldn't connect all the dots.
"So this is the reason why I never trusted that woman." Eris enunciated.
"I am so happy to see you here, Aida and Rodel. My daughter, I mean, OUR DAUGHTER wants to greet you Rodel." Edlyn's mother brought out gracefully.
Aida, Sheryl's mother , became shocked with what the woman said. Rodel requested the woman to let her wife go safely together with Sheryl but the woman disagreed.
"Ma, is Sheryl still breathing? She has been unconscious for a long time. Can't you spare her? I mean we are friends and we are sisters. I can't do this anymore Ma." Edlyn sighed woefully and hugged her mother.
"NO EDLYN! We have planned this for months, I can't give up your rights as an illegitimate daughter of this asshole!" The woman's voice cracks as she shouted angrily.
"I am okay with whatever we have Ma. I don't want Dad's money and surname. I am okay with us living together. Please stop this. You even called and kidnapped two police officers. Aren't you afraid Ma?" Edlyn cries as she begged her mother to stop.
"I called a police officer because I want your Dad, THIS ASSHOLE, to be imprisoned. He's been threatening me for years. He even begged me to abort you! Your Dad's family are worse than animals! I can't sit here and relax knowing that they are living their life happily while we are suffering! Your prig Dad promised to marry me but he married this bitch instead! I was pregnant that time and I can still clearly remember how depressing it was for us. I almost lost you due to stress and sadness. Sheryl is enjoying everything that was supposed to be yours. I am so frustrated and furious, Edlyn! We have gone through a lot. Their family doesn't deserve a happy life!" Edlyn's Mom burst into tears as she reminisced about every hardship she went through.
"I am sorry Imelda. It is my fault. Please let Aida and Sheryl go. I promised to become the best Dad for Edlyn and to give her everything. Just let them go please. I am begging you." Rodel cries as he begged for forgiveness.
"You are now willing to become a father and husband to us?" Imelda, Edlyn's mother, ascertained.
Imelda looks sick. She and Edlyn are malnourished since she can only provide one meal per day to her daughter. She always felt a surge of anxiety. For almost nineteen years, they managed to stay alive. They are very poor but Imelda works so hard to send Edlyn to school. She works as a maid for years and her income can't suffice even their basic needs.
Rodel nodded. "Yes Imelda, I still love you. You know how my family hates your clan. I'm sorry for all the bad things I have done."
"No. You are saying those things because you love these two bitches!" Imelda's eyes dilated as she went against Rodel's statement.
Eris becomes emotional as she hears the conversations. Arya wants to ask her the reason for her tears but since their mouths were covered, she can't.
~
Leo walks towards the log house. He wonders where the people go since it was just a small house. No one answered him when he called. He seemed perturbed about the silence around him. He kicked and destroyed the lock of the door so that he could enter the premises.
When he infiltrates the house, he can clearly say that the people who reside in the place are not privileged enough. There is only one wooden bed and chair. If those were not around, the house would be empty.
When he sets his foot on the restroom, he nearly throws up because of the foul smell. Cockroaches and rats can be seen around the itsy-bitsy kitchen. There are only two plates, two wooden spoons and two pots. They don't even have a gas stove. Leo wonders if someone is really living in the log house. There's no rice in the pot, no single stock of any instant and fresh foods. From what he saw, he can clearly say that Edlyn's family is very poor.
At the wall, he sees a picture of a baby girl and her mother. He roamed the room but he saw no one. He even went to the back of the house to look for his comrades. He was about to go back to his car when he heard the sound of a gunshot. He hastily followed the sound and ended up in the middle of the woods. Since he can't see any house around, he takes a rest under a big narra tree. He felt something under his butt so he stood up and removed all the withered leaves to see what it was and lo! He saw a small door. He became astounded when he heard another sound of gunshot. He was sure that it came from the cellar so he decided to enter the basement-like room.
~
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Rodel shouted as he witnessed how Imelda killed his family. Edlyn lost consciousness when her mother pulled the trigger.
Arya and Eris tried to remove the leash from their hands and feet but they failed. Eris couldn't do anything but cry.
"IMELDA WHAT HAVE YOU DONE! YOU ARE NOT THIS KIND OF PERSON. HAVE YOU GONE INSANE? I HAVE LOVE YOU BACK THEN BUT I CAN'T GO WITH YOU SINCE I CAN'T LIVE IN THE STREETS WITHOUT MONEY! I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL KILL YOU! UNTIE ME! YOU'RE A PSYCHOPATH!" Rodel demanded ferociously.
"If we can't have you, you can't have them too. Life is unfair but here I am, I am making it fair… For me and for Edlyn."
"YOU ARE NOT GOD TO DECIDE ABOUT OUR LIVES! YOU F*CKING BITCH!" Rodel's seething resentment finally reached boiling point.
Imelda laughs while Rodel becomes so enraged. On the other hand, Leo recorded the scene for solid evidence. After obtaining enough evidence, he attacked the perpetrator. He immediately puts handcuffs on Imelda then he quickly frees all the hostages.
In a snap, Rodel snatches his gun and shoots Imelda. He pointed the gun at the police and threatened them. He will kill one more person if they don't allow him to get Edlyn. 
Imelda shouted as she bleeds, "Don't you dare to touch my daughter!"
Rodel managed to get Edlyn before he fled from the scene. Leo hugs Eris and instructs them to go after him. He follows Rodel. Arya comforted Eris when she saw her crying. They took Imelda outside the cellar. Eris took off her clothes to stop the bleeding.
"Imelda, you have to stay alive. You have to pay for what you have done. You can live with Rodel inside the prison. There, you can take your revenge on him. Stay alive and watch how your daughter became a police officer." Eris said in a serious tone.
"Eris, are you okay?" Arya implied.
"Yes I'm good. No, I am not. I feel so sad for Imelda and Edlyn."
"Imelda planned this. She killed Aida and her daughter, Sheryl. She doesn't deserve any pity. She is a murderer and a kidnapper." Arya mumbled out of anger.
"No. If you have listened a while ago, you will feel how agonizing it is to be abandoned. She felt so sorry for her child. They didn't also deserve how Rodel treated them. Rodel's irresponsibility is the root of all of this. If I were in Imelda's shoes, I would not hesitate to kill them all."
Eris stood up and left to follow Leo. Arya became speechless. For her, no one has the right to kill someone no matter how bad the person is. She became curious about Eris. Does she suffer from the same scenarios? Eris looks exasperated the whole time.
Ythan and Divonne finally find Arya's location. Divonne helps Arya to carry Imelda in their car. Arya drives promptly to the hospital while Ythan went to the cellar to get Aida and Sheryl's corpse. After some minutes, the swat team arrived to find Rodel and Edlyn.