A Little Help from Destiny Chapter 17

A little help from destiny

Chapter 17 – The Rich and Infamous

It was already a written fact that Kim came from a wealthy family. It was obvious with his cars, their houses, and how they spend their money. Of course, it was also obvious from Kim and Sam’s upbringing. With just one look, it would be easy to tell that they’ve come from the upper class.

I’ve always thought that they are 3 levels higher from dad’s when it comes to money and 5 levels higher from mom’s. However, I thought wrong. They are much higher than I thought.

Now I wonder, could they be the same level with Mr. Henry Sy and Mr. Tan? Could they be more powerful than the His Excellency Mr. President?

Those kinds of questions just kept on popping into my head ever since I learned that they were really rich, not only money rich but power rich also.

It was the day I was supposed to meet up with Kim at his house, we were going shopping and then play tennis at the club and so he picked me up from dad’s house and we went over to his place, nang nakarating na kami something came up at kailangan umalis muna ni Kim, so he asked me to stay and so I did.

Wala si Tita and Sam sabi kasi ni Kim they had to go to the Embassy, I really didn't know what they were doing in the Japanese Embassy and also the US Embassy. Back and forth lagi sila sa embassy. And so walang tao sa bahay nila kundi ako lang dahil kasama din nila Tita si oba-sama.

Nanuod nalang ako dahil bored na bored na ako, then habang ako ay busy sa paghahanap ng makakain sa kitchen may tumatawag, dahil feel at home ako sinagot ko ito.  “Yes hello Montenegro residence.” I answered the phone, ganyan kasi sa bahay namin and Tita Elise told me before how to answer their phone calls.

“May I speak with Ms. Montenegro?” tanong nang lalaki over the phone.

“I’m sorry but she’s out at the moment but I can convey the message.” I said at kinuha ko na yung pad para isulat yung sasabihin nung guy.

“Ok. Please tell Ms. Montenegro that the private jet had already set foot at Clark.” Sabi nung lalaki over the phone, but he kept on rambling about fuel tanks and the schedule flight and pilot but he already lost me sa private jet. It already meant that they owned a private jet!

After that I hang up already. I didn't quite understand the situation, how rich was the Montenegro? They own ed a freaking jet! Philippines didn't even have a presidential plane but the Montenegro had.

I knew for a fact that a jet is worth millions, and its maintenance is also worth millions when it comes to Philippine Peso. How could they afford a jet? That was all I could think about the whole day.

Dumating si Kim and we didn’t go out because pagod na daw siya, we went nalang sa movie room and nanuod ng Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I’ve always forced Kim to watch my favorite classic movies with me. Kaya kahit ilang beses na namin itong pinapanuod ng magkasama hindi siya nagrereklamo.

Pero my mind was preoccupied with the whole jet thing. And so humarap ako kay Kim and he paused the movie and humarap sa akin “What’s wrong?” he asked

“You own a jet.” Diretso kong sabi sa kanya, it was a very fast approach ayoko na kasing paligoy-ligoy pa I want it straight!

“Yes, we do.” He answered like I was just asking him if he has a pen. Yung bang parang wala lang sa kanya yung tanong ko. Tinignan ko lang siya ng diretso, nairita na siguro siya kaya tinignan niya ako “Do you want to ride it some other time?” he asked, it was as if asking me for a car drive.

“No.” well my mind was telling me hell yes dahil I’ve never been able to ride a private plane, wala naman kasi akong kakilala na mayroon private jet si Kim lang. “Paano kayo nakabili ng jet?”

“Dad is a friend of the Airbus manufacturer, they offered and we bought one. Why?  Do you want to buy? I could tell dad….” He didn’t finish what was saying because pinalo ko na siya agad.

Ako bibili? We didn't even have that kind of money. “Hindi ko tinatanong kung saan niyo binili.” I said “And hindi ko kailangan ng eroplano.” I added.

“Oh, you’re asking how we afforded to buy a plane.” Kim said “How did you even know we have a plane?” he asked na parang ngayon lang siya natauhan na alam kong may eroplano sila.

“Long story short, may tumawag.” Sagot ko “So paano? Don’t tell me you guys are doing something illegal in the black market.” I said and looked at him with disgust.

And so he laughed so hard. “You wouldn’t go out with me if I am to be a son of a smuggling lord?” he asked sarcastically.  Sometimes Kim’s humor is not that high, walang nakakatawa but he laughed. Medyo baliw na siguro siya.

“Answer me nalang.”

Umupo siya ng maayos and then he cleared his throat. “First we’re rich.” He said and looked at me with a  grin in his face. “Second we’re rich.” Really Kim’s humor was very irritating well I get his point in being rich, sila na mayaman sila na may eroplano. I sounded so bitter. “Third we’re really rich.” He boasted.

“Enlighten me Mr. Montenegro.” I dared him.

And so he explained it all to me. Their family was influential. Yung mga government officials, ang mga iyon daw may mga backing at sila daw ay isa sa mga nag baback sa mga politicians not just here in the Philippines but also in Japan.

He told me na si oba-sama ay galing sa isang influential Japanese family na nagpakasal sa isang Pilipino. Ang family daw ng lola niya ay dating pinakamayaman na pamilya sa Japan. Isa sila sa nag-fund sa Japanese Empire noong World War II. Kaya until now, they’re still the most influential family in Japan.

Sa father side naman daw, ang mga Montengero daw ay simpleng mamamayan ng Pilipinas, business tycoon na sila dati pa pero they never got involved in politics, hindi sinabi sa akin ni Kim kung bakit basta way before his dad married his mom, the Montenegro never got involved when it came to politics, tahimik lang ang pamilya nila dati. Pero that all changed nang pinakasalan ni Uncle Rick si Aunt Sachiko, mas lalong naging mayaman ang mga ito at nakikisali na sila sa politics although they were never mention in any news. Ayun ang isang ayaw daw ng pamilya nila ang mapunta sa kanila ang spotlight.

Kim told me they could never run in the elections kahit pa sila ay maimpluwensya dahil sa family background nila. How could the Filipino accept a family that funded the Japanese way back? Kaya haggang pagsuporta lang sila at ayun lang.

“Kung mayaman kayo bakit wala kayo sa list ng pinakamayaman sa Pilipinas?” I asked him, he told me na mas mayaman pa nga sila sa president ng Pilipinas eh, at kung tutuusin kalevel lang nila si Henry Sy. Which I don’t really believe. Yes they own a private jet pero bakit nga wala sila sa list diba?

“I told you oba-sama doesn't like our family to be published in the papers.” Pagsasabi niya. Dagdag pa niya na yung mga balitang yung mga kurakot na politicians na may mga Swiss bank account ganun din sila, yung pera nila nakatago sa Swiss banks at wala sa Pilipinas. Dahil nga sa Switzerland meron silang tinatawag na bank secrecy. Talagang private at kahit gaano kalaki yung pera na ilagay mo ok lang. It’s the best banks to conceal all your evil doings if you’re a politician or a illegal business magnet.

We spend the whole afternoon talking about their richest. Madami na akong nalalaman tungkol sa pamilya ni Kim pero si Kim, he only knew a pinch sa aking pamilya. Madami pa din akong tinatago sa kanya, pero siya open na open kaya parang nakokonsensya ako dahil I’m still concealing things to him.

“Akala ko mga sindikato kayo.” Pagjojoke ko sa kanya.

“What if I tell you we are syndicates? Would you still let me love you?” he asked.

Napaisip ako kung nga masama silang tao, will I still accept him? Sympre ou, wala naman perpektong pamilya. Ano naman kung gumagawa sila ng illegal? Kung hindi naman sila pumapatay diba?

“Ou naman. Kung ikaw yung magmamana edi magiging Queen of Syndicate ako diba?” sabi ko sa kanya

“Yeah Queen Mary. The queen of all syndicate all over the world.”

“We could conquer the world!” I laughed mga inisip ko talaga pero siguro nga no maganda din iyon, kung may isang group na kayang kaya i-conquer yung mundo tas ako magiging reyna ng mundo! Whahaha. Imaginations takes place.

“You’re vicious.” He said and acted like he was disgusted.

Pinalo ko siya at sabay kaming tumawa “Eh gusto kong maging reyna eh. Alam mo naman ang pangarap ko sa buhay eh.” I reminded him.

Pangarap ko sa buhay ko? Gusto ko lang naman na makapagasawa ng prince. Kahit anong prinsipe sympre basta gwapo or wag na gwapo basta may title na prinsipe siya ok na at magiging prinsesa ako. I’ve always wanted to be a princess, siguro sa dati kong buhay prinsesa ako kasi haggang ngayon nasa veins ko parin ang kagustuhan na magrule ng isang bansa, that’s why before my dream was to be the President of our country. Pero no one believed that I can, kaya isinantabi ko nalang ang pangarap na iyon.

“Yeah marry a prince. But why marry a prince when you could marry me?” he said “I could buy you anything you want.” He said, pero there are  things that he can never buy me.

I just smiled at him.

The day goes on like that. Nagusap lang kami at nagkwentuhan.

Little did I know I asked him the wrong question.