Veritas: Venom, #3

By Arielle Alia

Cannon avoids love because of the threat of danger from Miss Venus Omega.

 

Miss Omega has sworn to make Cannon and his brothers pay for their father's sins.

 

But when Cannon met Cinder, he finds himself in love and unable to deny his feelings.

 

Cannon is made to choose between the life of Cinder and his brother, Code, by Miss Omega.

 

After making his choice, he discovers  the truth that breaks his heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arielle Alia
• Release date: Jan 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393316572

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Cannon was ten years old when he first met Venus Omega. He mistook her as one of the teachers in his grade school because she was wearing the white blouse and green skirt uniform of the female teachers. When Miss Omega called for him while he was playing in the school's playground, Cannon didn't think anything was wrong and immediately went toward her. When she led him away from his playmates, he still wasn't worried. But he knew something was wrong when the woman suddenly clamped an odd smelling handkerchief on his nose and mouth.

After that, Cannon no longer knew what happened next. When he woke up, he discovered his hands and feet securely tied. Even his mouth was gagged. He also found himself lying on the grass while the woman he thought was a teacher was bending toward him.

Hello, Cannon, said the woman. My name is Venus Omega. She helped him to sit and braced his back on a tree trunk near them.

Cannon blinked and looked around. He was on a hill. And from where he was sitting, he could see a section of the road below them. A deep cliff was on the left side of the road, protected by metal railings.

Do you remember how your daddy died two years ago? Miss Omega pointed at the deep cliff. That was where your daddy's car fell. He died below the cliff.

Cannon became confused. He stared at the woman. He couldn't understand why she was telling him this. What did the woman want from him?

You are a smart boy, so I am very sure that you will understand everything that will happen today. First, let me tell you that your father’s death was not an accident. I killed him.

Cannon grew cold, he almost stopped breathing.

Do you know how he died? I put poison in his food. It’s a slow-acting poison. And by the time he reached that section of the road, Miss Omega pointed at the road before them, he couldn't move anymore. He could no longer control his car. Because of that, his car went over the cliff.

Cannon wanted to run away. But he was securely bound and he didn't have the strength to escape. He realized that he was in danger and that his life was in the woman's hands!

I am not an evil person, Cannon. The one who was evil was your father. I gave him everything, but he hurt me and threw me away like garbage when he no longer needed me. He left me because I wasn't able to give him children. He replaced me with your mom who was then already pregnant. And for that crime, he paid with his life. Miss Omega gently touched Cannon's cheek. But you don't have to be afraid. I will never hurt you. I never kill an innocent child. But I want you to learn a lesson today. A lesson you must never forget. Because if you don't learn this lesson, you will become like your ungrateful father, her face darkened, and you will also suffer his fate.

Cannon suddenly heard the noise of an approaching car behind them. He wanted to scream for help, but he could barely produce a sound because of the gag in his mouth.

Venus Omega turned her attention to the incoming car. The car stopped near them.

Cannon! Cannon! called out a voice.

Canon knew that voice. It belonged to his mom!

Hello, Aurora, said Venus Omega as Cannon's mom rushed toward them.

Cannon started crying when he saw his mom running toward him.

Venus! Leave my sons alone. They have nothing to do with this! This revenge of yours is only between you and me! cried Cannon's mom.

Your sons were the product of Philippe's infidelity and your sins, Aurora. Philippe's and your evil blood runs through their veins. Venus produced a syringe from the pocket of her skirt.

Cannon saw fear appeared on his mother's face. She became desperate.

This is the antidote for the poison I have given Cannon. If after ten minutes and he still hasn't received the antidote, he will die a horrible death.

Cannon's mother fell on her knees. She began begging Venus Omega.

Venus, please don't do this! I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn't have seduced Philippe, I shouldn't have taken him from you. We both hurt you. And I am so sorry for everything that we did to you. I ask you for your forgiveness.

I don't need your repentance, Aurora. What I want is justice! You must pay for what you and Philippe did to me! Venus demanded.

Tell me what I need to do to save my son. Tell me, and I will do it!

Kill yourself! Venus commanded.

Cannon's mom was shocked. She lost all color on her face. When her eyes locked with Cannon's, he saw the sadness and fear in them. Cannon wanted to scream, to run to his mom and hug her.

My sons need a mother, Aurora begged.

Those sons of yours would just grow up like you if you raised them. They would become selfish and evil!

Venus, please-

You know where Philippe died, right? Drive your car into that cliff and Cannon will live. But if you won't do that, then you will watch how your eldest son will die today. After Cannon, I will go after Code and Revo. Both of them will suffer the same fate Cannon will soon face today. You have a choice, Aurora, your children's life for your life. Choose! Venus Omega commanded.

How can I be sure that you will keep your word? That you will let my sons live?

You know me. I always keep my word. I do not want to kill innocent children, Aurora. And your children are still innocent. I want them to remain that way so my vengeance wouldn't touch them. But if you will be the one to guide and raise them, they would just become like you and Philippe. So, if you are not going to kill yourself right now, I am going to kill your sons before they become like you!

Cannon's mom stood up.

Can I please hug my son?

Venus nodded.

Just make it quick. The minutes are ticking. And the poison is spreading throughout his body every second. Cannon will not receive the antidote until I see you dead.

Cannon felt his mother's embrace. She kissed him on his face as tears ran down her cheeks. Cannon was also crying. He didn't want his mother to die!

Be strong, Cannon. Always take care of your brothers. Whatever else you discovered about me and your father, always remember that we both loved you and your brothers very much!

After Cannon's mother let go of him, she turned away and ran back to her car. A few minutes later, Cannon saw his mom's car speeding through the highway. In seconds, the car crashed through the railings and went over the cliff!

Cannon wanted to scream, but all he could do was weep.

Well, that takes care of her. Now then, Cannon, Venus Omega turned toward Cannon. I am going to tell you a secret. She smiled. I didn't put any poison in your body. I simply used a drug to make you sleep so I could get you into my car without any problem. You will live, Cannon. Your brothers too. Her eyes suddenly became serious. "But if you tell anyone about me and what happened to your parents, I will go after your brothers and kill them. And I will make sure that you spend all your life inside a mental hospital. Though, even if you tell this to anyone, no one would believe you. No one would ever think that I was the one responsible for your parents' death.

You must also keep in mind that the reason you and your brothers are still alive is because you three remained innocents. But the moment anyone of you commits a sin against any woman or if any of you hurts a woman who will love you in the future, then I will come back and kill that person, she warned.

CHAPTER 1

Y ou don’t succeed in life because of luck. The success of any business always depends on your own determination and by continuously working hard. You cannot give up even if your first business failed. You learn from all the mistakes you committed and try again. This time, try to correct whatever mistake you did before. Do more research and never stop trying to be better. Only those who learn from their failures eventually succeed! Cannon emphasized his last words as he finished his speech.

The inside of the coliseum of the Edgar Santiago University exploded with loud claps from the students. Cannon was one of the guest speakers for the symposium for young entrepreneurs. This wasn't the first time Cannon was asked to speak in similar events. He had been receiving invitations from schools and universities ever since his name was featured in a newspaper article about the ten youngest millionaires in the Philippines.

There were currently three guests in the symposium and after everyone had made their speech, the open forum followed. At age twenty-five, Cannon was the youngest of the speakers. Not to mention the most handsome. Most of the student's questions were directed at him.

Cannon was game. He tried to answer each of the question as best and as truthfully as he could without sounding arrogant.

How were you able to put up Electronics Haven after you graduated from college? asked a female student. Where did you get the money?

Cannon gave her a smile.

I borrowed from all of my friends and acquaintances.

The coliseum erupted with laughter.

My godfather, Derek, took me in after me and my brothers became orphans, Cannon began. My godfather was a soldier and he was usually assigned to different places all over the Philippines. And where he went, I accompanied him. I often found myself in different schools every time we moved. So, I got to know a lot of people and made several dozens of friends. By the time I have graduated from college, I have more than a thousand friends. These friends of mine became my first investors. So, if you really want to start a business, you must never forget your friends.

A male student raised his hand.

Are you saying that even at a young age, you were already planning on putting up a business?

Every child has a dream, right? And since I was ten years old, my dream was to become rich. And the best way to get rich was to go into business. Cannon's answer was a half-truth. Because the real reason he wanted to become rich was to have enough money to fight Venus Omega and protect his brothers. Cannon had never forgotten what the woman did to his parents, and he knew that in order to fight and defeat someone like Venus Omega, he would need to make himself very rich at the soonest possible time!

How did you manage to make your business grow? asked another student. You started with one shop and now, Electronics Haven has ten branches.

We always make sure that the products we sell are good and affordable to regular consumers. Electronics Haven always made it a point to be the first store to offer the latest gadgets and appliances in the market. And unlike other appliance stores who could only offer a two-year free repair, we give our customers a lifetime free repair. The thing is, we always make our customers feel that they are important. And that they could always count on us.

Don't you lose money with your lifetime free repair? asked the same student.

Cannon smiled.

I told you before, we are always the first to offer the latest and best gadgets and appliances in the market. If a regular customer of ours would come back to our shop to have, let's say, have his cell phone repaired, he would also see the latest version of that phone. Although we repaired his old cell phone, he would also become interested to own the latest version. So, in the end, since our clients come back to us, we also get to sell them our other products.

It was already past five o'clock when the symposium ended. The organizers brought all the speakers to the school canteen where a special early dinner was prepared for them.

Cannon found himself seated with Cinder, one of the organizers of the symposium. Cinder was the president of the Entrepreneur's Club who organized the symposium. She was also the one who contacted Cannon and convinced him to become a guest speaker. Since Cannon arrived in the university, Cinder had served as his guide.

During dinner, Cannon discovered several things about the young woman.

You’re taking up nursing? Why are in the Entrepreneur's Club? That's not related to your course.

Cinder laughed and began explaining.

When I enrolled in nursing, nurses were still very much in demand abroad. Unfortunately, that's no longer the case. Other countries have stopped hiring nurses resulting to too many nurses in our country without a job. After I graduate, I would become like those nurses, jobless. I would then have two career choices, to work as a call center agent or start my own business. I plan to do the second one. So to prepare, I joined the Entrepreneur's Club to learn everything about starting a business.

So, what kind of business are you planning to start?

Cinder lowered her eyes.

I am too embarrassed to tell it to you here. But I will show you my business plan when I take you back to your hotel.

CHAPTER 2

It was normal for Cannon to get business proposals and ideas from those who attended his lectures. He usually received these business plans in folders or in envelopes. Most of the people who gave him these proposals often expected his advice on how to improve their plans. They