Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 174
In just half a day, almost every abalone was gone, scraped clean by dozens of hands across the reefs. Karlos's heart ached as he witnessed the shellfish gradually disappearing. More than twenty people ransacked the place without care, all they wanted was money.
No matter how many abalones inhabited the reefs, the area couldn't handle dozens of fishermen at the same time. Their combined greed overwhelmed the island. Karlos was not even sure if the reefs would spawn more tomorrow or if the place would remain empty for days, because the entire area had been cleared out, leaving nothing but seaweed.
"... Let's go." With a defeated sigh, Karlos carried their harvest. They had only managed to gather one and a half buckets before the rest were taken, yet the load felt heavy, or perhaps it was just his heart, filled with frustration and helplessness. It had happened too fast for anyone to react.
Karlos and Brandon didn't bother talking to Robin and Escudero, they simply walked away.
"Tomorrow's Sunday, let's take a rest. Then on Monday, we will go to the shrimp farm to help with the harvest," Karlos reminded Brandon. He tried to sound calm despite the bitterness.
"On Tuesday... let's go to the shipyard and look for a better boat," he added.
Brandon nodded, but his mood remained dark, his brows furrowed. It was heartbreaking to see the island they had relied on for months being depleted in a single day.
"... Let's hope I don't see Bastos today, because I'll destroy his ugly face." Brandon's voice carried a suppressed anger that he could barely hold back.
Luckily for Bastos, he stayed in his house the entire week because his face was still swollen after Escudero punched him. He was scared and ashamed of what he had done.
"What about our traps? Are they going to be safe? We got lucky today because we showed up early and no one touched them. But what about tomorrow?" Brandon voiced his concern while glancing back at the sea.
Earlier, they had seen boats approaching their traps with interest, their intentions unclear but suspicious. If not for their presence, those fishermen would have likely stolen their catch.
"... Let's take all of them." After thinking about it, Karlos decided it was time to leave the island altogether. For some reason, he felt like the island was no longer a safe fishing spot. Given its unique abundance, more fishermen would gather there, and they would eventually fight for the territory.
Karlos was right. Just a month after they stopped fishing around the island, two fishermen lost their lives battling over the territory. Most fishermen eventually realized the island attracted seafood and its surrounding waters were abundant with blessings. Because of this, more boats crowded the area, leading to frequent disputes. Fortunately, Karlos had already bought a bigger boat by that time, allowing him to move on.
The two pulled the traps and hauled them into the bangka. Brandon sighed as he realized this might be the last time they would catch lobsters in this area.
"Look at that. It was just a few hours, but we already caught lobsters." He laughed defeatedly and put the lobsters in the container. They wouldn't experience this again, at least not in this spot.
The bangka was filled with traps, making movement difficult, they had to be careful not to lose their balance.
"Let's sell our catch first," Karlos decided, wanting to wrap things up quickly.
Karlos and Brandon went to the fish port and sold the lobsters and abalones for 38,000 pesos.
They then returned to the beach and carried the traps to Karlos's house, hiring some local teens to help with the heavy lifting. After that, the two men divided their shares before Brandon bid his partner farewell and left, his mood still heavy. They were both grieving the loss of their secret spot.
Maya opened the door, and the kids excitedly ran to Karlos. Their laughter instantly brightened the atmosphere.
"I didn't let them out because you guys were carrying so much," she said, glancing at the traps stacked up in the shed.
"... So, what happened?" She sensed something was wrong.
"Let's talk inside," Karlos replied softly.
Karlos smiled weakly and carried the kids into the house. He gently sat them on the couch where their children's TV show was airing, keeping them entertained.
"Our fishing spot was discovered by other fishermen. We can't fish there anymore." His tone carried heavy disappointment.
"Is it that bad?" Maya asked with concern. She gave him a glass of water, and Karlos drank it down.
"We decided to stop going there to avoid trouble. I know it's only going to get worse."
"Take off your T-shirt, you're sweating. Here, wear this instead." Maya helped him change, and she swallowed hard as she stared at her husband's toned physique, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"... I'll prepare a meal for you. T- the kids are watching television, so you can eat in peace. I'll... sit next to you." She stuttered slightly and fanned her face.
Karlos was a fast eater, so by the time Arabella smelled the food, he had already finished. Arabella pouted and asked why she wasn't invited to eat.
"You're watching Zesame Street, we didn't want to disturb you." Maya shrugged and combed the little girl's hair, trying to soothe her.
"Papa, food?" Arabella asked again.
"I'll cook later," Karlos replied.
"Now?" she insisted.
"Later. Look at your tummy, you're getting chubby," he teased lightly.
"And?" She tilted her head, completely unbothered.
Karlos chuckled and prepared milk for them instead. He knew his daughter had been eating a lot lately, so they had to tone down the snacks.
The twins happily sipped their milk bottles while Karlos explained the day's events to Maya in more detail.
"I expected that you would want to buy a bigger boat. You've been curious about it ever since Antonio bought that commercial fishing boat," Maya said knowingly.
"... Is it really that obvious?" Karlos scratched his head.
"I just know you well." Maya giggled and leaned against his shoulder, feeling comfortable and content. Suddenly, an idea entered her mind. "Oh, by the way, how about we talk about our finances? Let's have a finance meeting in our room." She grinned, a hint of mischief in her expression.
"Okay," Karlos agreed. He was clueless about Maya's true plan and simply followed along.
Maya talked to her children, making sure they were settled. "Kids, your Papa and I are going to have a finance meeting in the room. If you need us, just knock on the door and call our names, okay?"
"Hm." Iñigo nodded, while Arabella just kept sipping her milk. Their show was still playing, keeping them occupied.
Maya excitedly pulled Karlos into their room and locked the door, her eagerness obvious.
"So, what are we talking about? Is it about our savings? Wait... why are you taking off your clothes?" Karlos was caught completely off guard.
Since then, the term 'finance meeting' has had a very different meaning in their household, one that made Maya smile secretly every time it was mentioned.