Anna’s wedding day was filled with joy — not only because she was marrying the love of her life, Karlo, but also because her Grandfather Celso gave them a gift beyond belief: a two-story house in the heart of Quezon City.

“You’re so lucky, Anna,” the guests said. “Your grandpa must love you so much!”

And Anna truly believed that.

Ten years passed. She and Karlo lived peacefully in the house, raising two children, both with stable jobs, and everything seemed perfect.

Until one day, a power outlet in their bedroom short-circuited.

They called an electrician to fix it. As he removed the entire socket panel — that’s when everything began to unravel.

Behind the outlet, hidden among the wires, was something unexpected.

A small coin-sized device. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a microphone and miniature camera.

Both Anna and the electrician froze in place.

Panicked and disturbed, they searched the rest of the house.

And to their horror, they found four more similar devices — in the bedroom, living room, even inside the bathroom.

This meant that for ten years, they had been watched in their own home. Every conversation, every move, every intimate moment — all of it recorded.

And the most disturbing part?

The devices had been installed even before they moved in.

Only one person could’ve done that — the one who gave them the house.

Her Grandpa Celso.

“Why, Grandpa?”

Anna couldn’t sleep that night. The next morning, she drove straight to Batangas, where her grandfather lived.

She found him sitting on the porch, white-haired, holding a cup of coffee.

When she showed him the photos of the devices, he didn’t deny it.

He simply sighed, then began to speak…

A Secret Buried in Silence

“My child… do you remember your Uncle Jun?”

Anna nodded. Uncle Jun, Grandpa Celso’s youngest son, had died in a motorcycle accident over twenty years ago. Anna was still a child back then.

“Anna… Jun didn’t die in an accident,” Grandpa whispered, his voice heavy with pain. “He was murdered.”

“What? Grandpa?! What are you saying?”

“It was your husband Karlo’s family,” he said slowly. “Years ago, Jun fell in love with a woman — Karlo’s older sister, Carmina. They were deeply in love and planning to marry. But her family didn’t approve. They thought Jun wasn’t good enough.”

“They tried everything to separate them. And when Jun discovered a dark secret about their family — something that could destroy their reputation and wealth — he suddenly ‘accidentally’ died.”

Anna’s eyes filled with tears. “Lolo… are you saying my husband’s family murdered Uncle Jun?”

Grandpa looked into her eyes, full of grief.

“When you married Karlo, I was happy for you… but I was also terrified. I couldn’t lose another person I loved. I needed to know what was happening inside that house. I had to be sure you were safe.”

“I’m sorry, Anna. I know what I did was wrong. I invaded your privacy. But I did it out of love. To protect you.”

Anna’s Confusion and Heartbreak

Anna was speechless. For ten years, she thought her life was peaceful — perfect even.

But now, everything she thought she knew was falling apart.

She didn’t know whether to be angry at her grandfather, or terrified of her husband’s family.

What was the dark secret Uncle Jun discovered?

What really happened back then?

And the question now haunting her:

Is she — and her children — truly safe in a family she never fully understood?

Anna stood outside the old family house in Batangas, her mind spinning.

The morning sun was already high, but her blood felt cold. She thanked her grandfather with a trembling voice and drove away — not home, not yet — but to a place she hadn’t visited in years:

The police station where her Uncle Jun’s case had been filed.

Inside, the officer on duty was new — young, polite — but useless. “Ma’am, the accident happened over twenty years ago. Those files are archived in Manila.”

She left her number and a request to reopen the case, knowing deep inside it was pointless. No one was going to touch a case involving the De Vera family — Karlo’s family.

They were old money, powerful in both politics and real estate. Anna had always known they were influential. What she hadn’t known was what they were capable of.

That night, back in the house she now viewed with suspicion, Anna sat at the kitchen table pretending everything was fine. Karlo came home late — again.

He kissed her cheek. “Sorry. Long meeting.”

She nodded, acting calm. But as he went to the bedroom, she stayed behind, her eyes staring at the shadowy walls that had watched her for ten years.

A Visit to the Past

Two days later, she called Ate Carmina, Karlo’s older sister — the very woman her Uncle Jun once loved.

They hadn’t spoken in a long time. Anna didn’t expect her to answer. But Carmina did.

“Anna? Are you okay?”

“I just… wanted to ask you something,” Anna said slowly. “About your past… with my uncle.”

There was a pause.

A long one.

And then, Carmina whispered, “You know, don’t you?”

Anna’s heart sank.

Carmina asked to meet somewhere private.

The Confession

They met at a small chapel far from the city. Carmina wore oversized sunglasses and looked like she hadn’t slept in days.

“When Jun died,” she began, voice cracking, “I lost everything. Not just him… but my soul.”

“Was it… your family?” Anna asked, barely breathing.

Carmina nodded. “He found out about a land grab scandal. Documents that proved our father had bribed officials, forged deeds, taken land from hundreds of farmers. Jun had the files. He wanted to go public. My father begged him not to… but when he refused, they made it look like an accident.”

“I tried to stop it,” Carmina said, breaking down. “But I was powerless. They watched me for years afterward. I was never allowed to speak of it.”

Anna sat frozen.

“They’ll do anything to protect the family name,” Carmina warned. “Anna… I don’t think they ever trusted you either.”

The Real Danger Begins

That night, back at home, Anna did something she hadn’t done in years:

She checked every inch of her children’s room.

There was a sixth device. Tucked behind a decorative wall frame.

Her blood ran cold.

They were still watching.

Not just her — her kids too.

And the only person who could’ve installed it… was someone who had access recently.

Karlo.

Chapter Three Teaser:

Anna knew what she had to do.

But exposing the De Veras would mean tearing her marriage apart… and putting herself — and her children — in the crosshairs of a powerful family willing to kill for silence.

She couldn’t go to the police.

She couldn’t trust her husband.

So she packed a bag.

And disappeared into the night — with only one goal:

To uncover the truth… and survive it