The Genius' First Love

Just as she knew what such bankruptcy implies, she also knew how to stop it. She only needed Darryl to comeback; they all needed him to comeback. All of this started with the failed takeover, and to give L Empire a chance, the rightful president had to take his place—Darryl had to go back to his place.

"Dee," Dannah called as she made full hasty strides to where Darryl sat. Without waiting for him to respond, she immediately added, "I need you to come back to the capital with me,"

Darryl heard this plea a couple of times from all different people—his grandpa, his father and even his own sisters and yet none of them had managed to persuade him. This time, he was about to give Dannah the same refusal he always do.

Darryl turned to look at his sister and saw her already tearful face. It was still a mystery to him how Dannah had a change of heart and decided to become a good obedient daughter when previously, six years ago, she was the total opposite. She was very elusive and rebellious back then and yet now, in front of him, she appeared no one like she was previously. She wore different clothing now, one that reflects a dignified Lagdameo third miss. She had allowed her hair to grow longer than her usual shoulder length cut and the scars and bruises she usually have, were all gone and left no trace in her smooth ivory skin.

"Dannah, if you came here for the same reason, you already know the answer," Darryl told her straight, with finality in his voice. With all that had happened with Darryl"s wife and son, he had enough of being the Lagdameo heir and the last thing he wished was to be away from where their bodies laid to rest.

"This is not the same reason anymore Dee…" Dannah"s voice cracked up a little, signifying her recent crying. Darryl wondered what could have kept Dannah crying these days—was it all because of the L Empre chaos or about something else? It seemed that the joy that previously dwell in her green eyes were all ripped away, just like his. "L Empire is going to declare bankruptcy, we are all gonna lose it,"

Darryl quieted at the announcement for a brief moment before he answered, "We all know it"s coming,"

"No Dee… it should have not been this way if you didn"t run away from the take over," Dannah confronted in a less harsh tone. It wasn"t her intention to blame Darryl of what had happened to L Empire yet Dannah was all feeling bad about Darryl"s apathy that she wanted to force some truth to him.

"I did what I need to do at that time," Darryl answered in a hard tone. "And look what the takeover got me. It gave me my son"s grave,"

"What happened in the past cannot anymore be changed," Dannah reasoned, "There is nothing more we can do about it. But there is something we can do for our present and for our future—"

"I don"t have a future anymore Dannah!" Darryl exclaimed, "Can"t you see? Look at my son! Look at what being a Lagdameo heir brought me? There"s nothing more appealing in the future with all that L Empire had robbed me!"

"This not L Empire"s fault! This is no one"s fault!" Dannah shouted back at Darryl with tears. "Look Dee, I know you are hurt and mad and frustrated and..." She swallowed some welling lump in her throat while her tears fell mercilessly, "But please… please… please be at least reasonable…L Empire would never ever hurt a Lagdameo heir…especially now,"

"That was before they knew my wife was carrying another Lagdameo heir!" Darryl retorted frustrated. Truth was that Darryl wasn"t blaming anyone for what happened to his family but himself. However, as human as he was, there was some force within him that undoubtedly blamed L Empire for putting him in a situation where he was unable to protect his family.

"Do you really think L Empire was that ruthless?" Dannah questioned his reasons. "Do you really think that L Empire was to be blame for all if this? And that L Empire deserved this bankcrupcy? Provided that all of these are true, shall you let the hundred thousand of employees take the fall for it?"

Darryl stared at his sister"s face, seemingly thinking about the last words she uttered. Dannah was somehow right, but then Darryl was still grieving to the point that he cannot think of others at this point. Besides, after what happened to his family, Darryl lost all his faith and trust even to his own self and capabilities "I was not able to protect my own family Dannah, so what makes you think I can protect the employees of L Empire,"

"You still have the chance to protect your family brother, whatever what"s left," Dannah fervently pleaded.

"I lost them, my son and Xhemin, there"s nothing left of me," Darryl closed his eyes as if the words he uttered pained him thoroughly "They were all taken from me,"

"I"m still here," Dannah cried more, "Am I not a family too? How about Dian? Is she not a family to?"

Darryl halted, as he watched her sister pleaded him. Something in Dannah"s words brought some s.h.i.+ver within him, as if his sister"s words were something he kind of not expecting, but true.

"Dannah—"

"I see," Dannah gasped bitterly when she saw Darryl"s reaction. He seemed caught up by her words that she kind of suspected what was running in his mind. "You never thought of us anymore. But, are we not family too? Is Dian and I not enough to keep you from moving forward? Are we not worthy to be protected from all of this misery too?"

"You are a family Dannah," Darryl cleared. "You know right now, I care for you and Dian apart from anything else in this world. You are the only thing left of me,"

"If that is true, then Dee please… I begged you please…." Dannah pleaded more than ever. She sat on the ground with his brother and clung onto him as if he was the only thing can  save her from everything that was making her miserable, "Please comeback… even just for me and Dian… please. We need you. We need you now. We have waited long enough, please Dee just do this for me and for Dian if you truly care for us both,"