Villa Kristine

Villa Kristine is the 8th book of the Kristine Series. It tells the story of Diana and Bernard as well as the proper introduction of Zandro Fortalejo and the death of Jewel Fortalejo.

The book begins with the birth of Emerald and Marco's twin children. Jewel wanted to tell the family in person the great news. She phoned the hotel to ask where Bernard was and the line was picked up by Zandro, Bernard's half brother. She told Zandro that she will be landing in Villa Kristine shortly.

Jewel upon arriving in Villa Kristine heard a mysterious voice warning her of danger. She also saw a person waving at her outside of the villa. Jewel thought she was imagining things and ignored them. She went inside the villa to find someone in Don Leon's room, the man's identity was not revealed but it was clear that Jewel knew him. The man wanted to rape Jewel but during the struggle Jewel snatched something in the person's body before declaring that she'd rather die than for her assailant to do anything to her body, so she jumped from the balcony and fell down on hard adobe.

Bernard meanwhile was then staying at Nathaniel and Jasmin's new home was feeling restless. He told everyone that he will not be staying for dinner and that he needs to go to Villa Kristine. Upon arriving he discovered Jewel's prone body on the entry way. Jewel murmured 'I love you' and gave Bernard a necklace before breathing her last breath, she died in Bernard's arms.

During that same night in Manila, Diana Montero was with her boyfriend, Kenneth. Kenneth was making advances at Diana that the latter refused. Kenneth tried to force himself on her but Diana struggled and escaped. Upon returning home, she heard her grandfather, Don Luis, arguing with someone in the library. She saw her uncle, Charlie, then shoot her Grandfather. Charlie and his henchmen saw her and tried to capture her but Diana was able to run away. That night both Bernard and Diana's life changed.

Six month passed and Bernard was a changed man. He remained working as the head of the Kristine Group of Companies but Emerald and Marco worried about him as they said Bernard was only existing but was not living anymore. Bernard vowed to them that he will do everything in his power to find Jewel's killer and make the person pay. He revealed to the de Silva couple the existence of the necklace Jewel gave to him before she died. It was a necklace bearing a letter 'Z' pendant. All three thought of Zandro. Bernard also supplied that it was Zandro who knew that Jewel was on her way from Manila to Villa Kristine. Marco asked Bernard what they will do about Zandro's claim as the rightful heir to the entailed property of the Fortalejos. Bernard said that he will be willing to pay Zandro money to relinquish his rights to the villa and if the latter insists in taking possession of the villa, Bernard and Nathaniel who legally own the land around the villa will make it hell for Zandro and his family. He declared that between him and Nathaniel, they are the law in Paso de Blas.

Zandro Fortalejo is Don Leon's son with Clarita, a daughter of an ambitious land tenant in Hacienda Kristine. Clarita was pimped by her own father to Leon. When Clarita got pregnant, Leon paid the father and daughter money to move to another town. Leon acknowledged the baby as his son and set up a trust fund for the child, money that he will get when he turns 25. It was revealed that Don Leon offered to take Zandro under his wing but Clarita refused eyeing Zandro's trust fund. Back to present, Clarita and her second son King, were adamant that Zandro insist to the Fortalejos that he is the rightful heir of Leon as he is older than Bernard. Zandro however was uninterested with the fortune but truly desired to be acknowledge by the family as a true Fortalejo. During a visit to Bernard at the KGC office, Mrs. de Lara was surprised to see Zandro. Mrs. de Lara who knew Don Leon as his secretary for many years mused at how much Zandro resembles the young Leon. Zandro wanted to talk business with Bernard but the latter flatly refused before hearing Zandro's offer. Before Zandro leaves, Bernard asked him if he really knew that Jewel was to arrive that night in Villa Kristine which Zandro did not deny. Zandro understood and was angered by what Bernard was implying and vowed that a Fortalejo does not harm a woman. Bernard contacted Andre, an old friend, to start investigating in Paso de Blas.

Bernard was visited by Sandra that night and the two went out to distract the former from his melancholy. At the restaurant, Bernard spied a woman entering the restaurant. He was attracted and intrigued with the woman until he and Sandra left the place. The woman was Diana who had been in hiding for the last six months. She was living from motel to motel and her money was running out. She recounted that few times she was almost captured and that she is already too tired, she also stated that the police was looking for her as suspect for her grandfather's death. She was suspicious of the man who kept on staring at her the whole time at the restaurant fearing that he was also one of his uncle's men.

Tired and afraid she got on a taxi to go back to the hotel but instead became a victim of a robbery. At a red light intersection, Diana tried running away to a gas station where Bernard Fortalejo was serendipitously in as well. Bernard saved Diana from the robbers and when police came Diana panicked believing that the police was also after her and are under her uncles order. She begged Bernard to take her away. Bernard bewildered by the events chose to help the woman recognizing her as the woman he was immediately attracted with at the restaurant. He accused Diana of being a prostitute running away from clients. He asked Diana what she was willing to pay him for his help and in desperation Diana agreed to pay anything so long as she was taken far away from Manila.

Bernard took Diana to Paso de Blas in Kristine resort, confused with his own decision but clear with his physical lust for the woman. He was surprised by the need he feels for the woman and was adamant that he sate his lust for her. They have sex the whole night to Diana's chagrin. Bernard was insatiable with his want for Diana while Diana was torn between desiring Bernard and her annoyance with his controlling ways leading to the two to continuously argue. Bernard was angry that Diana makes him forget Jewel but he still desires Diana.

Diana met King and Clarita the following day who were both vacationing at the resort. King's girlfriend Zeny was there as well. King immediately took a liking of Diana and immediately started flirting with her. Bernard on the other hand was suddenly reminded of something from the night of Jewel's death. He later confides to Nathaniel and Andre that on the night of Jewel's death he smelled something off Jewel, a scent that he smelled again on King when they met him earlier. The following day while King and Diana was away, Bernard started flirting with Zeny. Bernard allowed for Zeny to see the necklace he had in his possession and Zeny exclaimed that it was hers, a gift from her mother, which King had taken from her and eventually lost. Bernard gave Zeny money and sent her back to Manila. Bernard furiously tried contacting Zandro but the latter was unreachable for hours. When finally Zandro picked up the call, Bernard asked him to remember if there was anyone else who knew that Jewel was arriving and then Zandro recollected that after the phone call King had asked who called and Zandro subsequently answered that it was Jewel just informing them that she was arriving and landing in Villa Kristine.

Bernard, along with Nathaniel and Andre, raced to the resort to apprehend King but a mysterious voice directed them to go to the villa instead. Bernard asked Nathaniel to call and confirm Diana's location and they were informed that Diana was with King and that they were headed for the Villa.

At the Villa, King was high with drugs and had attacked the two maids staying in the Villa. Diana heard the same mysterious voice who warned her of danger. Diana saw King who had just stabbed one of the maids and started running away but King caught up and the two struggled with King declaring that this time he will be successful in taking Bernard's woman. Diana managed to get away but slipped and hit her head. She was jolted conscious by a voice again but this time a person was also there. The man led her to a secret passage under the villa. The two talked and when Diana asked who the man was, he said that he was the 'Lawin' of Paso de Blas. The man then started leaving when Diana's consciousness started slipping away with the voice telling her to not give up and leave the son of the 'Lawin'.

Bernard arrived in Villa Kristine. They heard King shouting and looking for Diana, relieved that Diana is safe for the moment Bernard started chasing after King who upon seeing Bernard started running away. Bernard made chase but was stopped by Nathaniel and started calling back King but it was too late as the latter fell down an open well to his death. Diana who was unconscious was woken up by the old man's voice once more telling her to climb out of hiding or she will die. Diana heard Bernard's voice and managed to climb out of hiding.

At the hospital, a worried Bernard was with Diana. Diana told Bernard, Nathaniel, and Jasmin that she was saved because of an old man who guided her into a hiding place, a basement under the villa. Confused, the two men denied the existence of a basement but Diana insisted telling them that the man introduced himself as the 'Lawin' which the other three were surprised and bewildered knowing the Diana was pertaining to Don Leon and that the 'Anak ng Lawin' is Bernard Fortalejo..