Chapter 2 La Muertè

Three years later,

The fast step on the wooden stairs made a stomping sound as Lorraine hurried down at the news about the safe birth delivery from her favorite horse, she nicknamed her the she dragon, it was a gift from her father when she was only eight.

"How is she?" Lorraine asked, referring to her horse that was still sore from giving birth, she walked closely to where the foal was laying beside her mother. "What should we name her? Daniel" she asked one of her father's companion who has been loyal all his years and was now serving Lorraine after Demitrio's death.

"I was thinking we name her Gwen" Daniel said with hopes that she would accept the name.

The fact that Lorraine asks for an opinion on something doesn't make her love the response she is given, the last time she sent one of her workers to the secret dungeon beneath the Garcia Mansion and made sure no food or water be served to the man for a whole forty eight hours just because he didn't get what she had been thinking.

"Gwen... Gwen..." She repeated trying to feel the name if it fit the newly born. "Good" she tapped his shoulders before setting out to check on the issue that sought her attention even before finding out about her horse giving birth.

Walking swiftly, Lorraine tied her hair in a bun before dropping her veil to cover her face, the only person who knew what she looked like was Daniel though he was there at the very day she was dubbed La Dona, most of the men present that very day had died along with her father during a shoot out with Don De Leon, a family that has been a rival ever since Lorraine was brought to this world, Daniel was the only one who escaped with an injured leg and broken arm.

"How is the harvest coming along?" She asked, without waiting for a response she jumped into another issue, "The strawberries are about to go off the market and yet we've been unable to make two hundred percent profit, you know I hate it when we are below the margin" she sat on her high seat, that inscripted the word La Dona on it, it was the only chair that was higher than the others as a round table discussion was set in place.

Fabio the accountant and controller of Montoya ranch in Bogota spoke, "Dona, we are currently working towards it.... Our men have manage to spread the word about how bad Don Fabian's crops are and he is already losing his customers, very soon our....."

"Very soon? Very soon...." Lorraine repeated the words of Fabio before taking out a pocket knife from Daniel shirt pocket and targeted it at Fabio forehead, making him shiver with fear for his own life....

"La Dona... Please it was only a slip...." Fabio tried to beg as Lorraine dropped the knife on the glass table, dragging it, which made a screeching sound loud enough to block the ears of its listeners but not Dona, even as her men covered theirs, Lorraine was very much open to hear.

"Very soon" Lorraine repeated again, "Daniel, over the years how has very soon work for us?" She asked still staring at Fabio, her target was still on his forehead though she had no intention on killing him, he did do a good job at tarnishing Fabian business.

"Never... It is Immediately or nothing" Daniel replied in a simple way and Lorraine nodded her head.

"Then explain why Fabio here is expecting me to wait, is it that my patience and silence is giving you all the audacity to do as you please.... Daniel!"

"Dona.... Your mercy has been sufficient and we very much appreciate" Fabio spoke in place of Daniel, falling to his knees and crawling all the way to Doña's feet, begging that she forgives him.

Lorraine covered her eyes to reduce the steam of anger that was building up "Fabio... When should I be expecting that our two hundred percent is ready for this season?" Lorraine asked in a bid to forgive him.

"A week, I will make sure of that" he lifted his head and said to her before kissing her feet again. "Please forgive me, Dona"

"Horatio..." She called out to the last man on the edge of the seat, who was managing a small part of Esmeralda owned by Lorraine.

"Dona" he stood up and bowed to her.

"From now on you shall temporarily handle all the affairs of the Montoya ranch in Bogota until Fabio completes his duty and if he doesn't you are free to kill him and take over permanently.... That will be all" she said to the rest of the table as Fabio begged for forgiveness again, he knows that if Horatio gets greedy his life won't be spared.

Lorraine was almost taking a step on the stairs leading to her room when one of her men rushed in, sweating profusely as he had ran all the way from the gate to warn the Dona of an intruder.

"Speak to me!" She said to the man who was still trying to catch his breathe, not wasting any much time, Lorraine turned to Daniel, "Tell the men to get ready...." Seeing the supposed intruder, Dona relaxed her insecurities as she gave a laugh, it was an enemy who "tried" to put up a fight with her.

"Dona! I greet you" Juan Pablo bowed before the Dona, Lorraine folded her hands to her chest as she looked at what she'd made the almighty Juan Pablo become, she felt good.

"Why are you here? Don't tell me you are here for your lands cause as far as I am concerned I now own it, which makes up to ninety five percent of Esmeralda as mine" Lorraine pride herself as she gave a mockery glance at him, "Juan... Juan... Juan I don't see any of your men, have you run out of money to pay them?" She said and all of her men laughed. "You know I can loan you some right, and I promise there won't be any collateral and you can also pay when you have it only that each of your body parts will be sold for payment when the time is right" she said.

"Enough!" Juan's voice echoed throughout the mansion as Lorraine eyes turned cold every form of playfulness disappearing. "When you hear the news I have, I don't think you would be glad"

"It's like you haven't been well acquitted that nothing other than myself scares me, so tell me, what news do you have or do you want that I pay for it"

"Not necessary, I am very much satisfied that money wouldn't even please me for this satisfaction" Juan smiled as he began, "I know you've been trying to purchase De Leon's land ever since his death but hasn't been able to, would you like to know why?"

Lorraine interest in the topic triggered her to want to listen more, she knows Juan won't come all the way to blab rubbish and leave, so it was best to listen, she herself wanted to know why there was a strong resistance from De Leon family to sell off his land, despite him not having anybody to pass the fortune to, she has even asked and pressurize the lawyer to sell the land triple the price it was worth just so she could finally control all of Esmeralda and it's Emerald mines, of which is situated in the remaining five percent.

"Since you've come all the way here, then I guess I would have no choice but to listen" she said offering a seat to Juan but he refused it.

"I know your men must've told you that there is a man who controls half of Bogota and the isles of Vinba, he is the one who currently owns all of the late Don's properties" Juan said as yet again a smile grimaced on his lips.

It was a first for the Dona to feel that there might be another person who might threaten her position as the top Don of Esmeralda, she did hear news of a man that had bought half of the large expanse of land in Bogota but didn't see it as a problem since Esmeralda was her only focus but now....

"Who is this man you speak of? Tell me!"

"La... Muertè" the name oozed out of Juan's lips as a cold breeze swept through the open doors of the mansion, sending cold shivers down the spine of her men, who were bewildered at the choice of name given to this said man.

"Death?" Lorraine translated, a bit unsure. "I'll repeat this again, nothing in this world fears or scares me more than myself not even death itself has a chance with me"

"I know you will act like you aren't concerned, I should have you know that I am now one of his men and as good as I am would like to warn you that he is around so watch out" Juan turned to heel in a motion to leave but paused as he remembered another piece of information, "I will have you also know that, his first agenda is to build schools for Esmeralda, something you refused to do.... Oh how can I forget that you demolished the only school in Esmeralda and left the children illiterates.... " He said before hastening his steps to leave before Dona will offer a death sentence on him.

Her choice to burn down the school of Esmeralda was a revenge she kept hidden in her heart ever since she was bullied, she had since felt hatred for education for many. Out of rage she burnt the school of which up till now she was still pleased with herself and now a certain main was about to trample on her peace, turbulent life.

Turning to see her provincial workers still at the table, Dona dismissed them with a message to Daniel that he create a meeting with La Muertè before she returns from the lake, a call for a warm bath under the scorching sun was all that she wanted, away from the troubles of being La Dona, for today she wanted to be Lorraine as she takes off her veil and through a secret door had snuck out of the mansion and guided herself to the lake.