Valentine’s story with a twist

Nora Soriño

ILIGAN City — Love conquers all, they say. And many times, “too much love will kill you,” says a winning song. And here’s one this writer offers this so-called Valentine month. I read this from some ah, “unusual” story book, the author of which escapes me now.  Some details are just revised.

At 43, Artemio “Artem” Torres was still seeking for his one true love. Not that he did not meet any desirable women. There were plenty. But he saw through them. Who would not want somebody like him, he who had enormous wealth, being a successful businessman in this City of Golden Friendship?

But that was before he met Daisy Callaghan.  A banker in Dublin, Ireland. She was equally successful like him. Problem was, she had another partner there. “Do you love him?” Artem had asked and he was disappointed when the answer was a “yes, but…”” But he needs me very much, she said of her partner.

Was it possible that a woman could be in love with two men, one of whom was him? Artem’s huge ego could not allow that. He must have her. Daisy must become his wife. At 43, he must have a wife now.

He had met Daisy during a business forum in Cagayan de Oro where she was an “imported” speaker who talked on investment banking. During the two weeks that she stayed in this city, they had become a twosome.

At 43, he had found true love at last, or so Artem thought.

But it was not to be. She had to come home to Ireland. During their last night together, no amount of pleadings could make her decide to leave her husband in Ireland and marry him afterwards. He would take care of the legal processes, Artem assured her.

“If you weren’t married, would you consider marrying me?”

“Yes,” was the immediate answer.

With that, he allowed her to leave. And at least communicate with him. But without definite promises.

A shrewd man like Artem had plans in mind though. At this stage in life, he did not get this wealthy if he did not employ “all” means.

This was no different. Even with the company mergers, consolidations, initial public offerings that kept him in his toes all the time, the thought of Daisy consumed him. For she had owned him from the day he had set eyes on her. So, he called out his Brunito. And he laid out his plans to him.

“Do away with her husband,” he said to his hatchet man. “No witnesses,” he stressed. “But hers is a foreign land,” Brunito retorted. “I spare no expenses,” Artem stressed and that was that.

So, off to Dublin, Ireland, Brunito went. Because, “no expenses was spared,” the guy soon found Daisy’s place.

At some balcony shaded by overgrown big trees, he saw him, Daisy’s hubby. A lean man was poring over his laptop one early morning. That was good, Brunito thought. And climbing into a tree, it was easy for him to slay his target. The target was able to give out a deathly scream, prompting a woman to run to the rescue. Brunito targeted her too in due time.

“No witnesses?” Artem asked when he had returned to CDO. “No, I killed the witness, too, a woman, the wife probably.”

Artem could not believe what he heard. Never in his life did he feel very defeated.

I told this story to Efren, a friend who just said, “that song should have been titled ‘Too much love will kill her.’” And he gave out an exaggerated “hahaha, huhuhu.”

For a  few moments, I could not say anything to that.