If fate never plays tricks, maybe Oneil will never realize what great treasures he has after all this time. His eyes cannot believe that a silent mansion was waiting for him. The attendants in the manor are more formal than him. But they were ever so hospitable to him and it scared him that they follow him wherever he goes.
“Do you like your mansion, Sir Oneil?” Frederick asked that bothered Oneil. Why does he ask as if Oneil forgot everything? “Sir, I led the effort on renovating this. We called the best interior designers to fuse their talents to make this place more likable to Madame Essi.”
Oneil glanced at Frederick. He wanted to ask if Essi has ever stepped in this place.
“Don’t worry, Sir. This is still kept from her. We don’t want to spoil your surprise for her. So we diligently renovated the place.”
“It’s all great,” Oneil felt relieved. Without bearing any remaining suspicion on Essi, Oneil has often wondered that if he owns a company, why do
Life, as it seems for Gwyneth, is to answer many questions. And its answers are not bound to be rendered to the one who asked. “Do you have other plans in life?” Paco asked her for the second time. He asked it out of concern. For they are already heading to the second semester of their senior high school life. But Gwyneth is still in Bayanihan, like a carefree spirit, spending money to support his team and use time on training. “When are you supposed to go back to pursue your studies?” “Why do you ask me about these things?” Gwyneth has never been an enthusiast of academics. She was leaning toward her vocation although everyone around her seemed to push her shifting careers for better wages. Paco is no different from her family. “I’m just concerned,” Paco said while looking away. “You told me that your purpose in staying in Bayanihan is to help Essi. Your mission is now done. You can leave the two deal with themselves without your intervention. Yo
Perhaps, it would have been a thankful farewell. A night of priceless gratitude and appreciation, even just for the little kindness and welfare that Captain Arturo has advanced for Oneil. The young man has finally adopted the ways of Bayanihan Town by moving out in the night to not get feasted by the nosy neighbors. He wanted to approach the man to hear something from him. But after all the grief, distrust, and regret that he caused Oneil to bear, Captain Arturo shamefully questions himself if he deserves it. Maybe Oneil is transferring his luggage to the van with a promise to never look back on his experiences with the Sanchezes. Well, the captain cannot blame Oneil if he would think in that manner. If only Marika had just given up on Oneil and respectfully return him to where he belongs, then his daughter might have earned respect from Essi and Oneil’s family. If only Marika was not selfish and did not insist on her interest, Captain Arturo’s family wouldn’t have e
Even at the business of the night, Essi still had protected Oneil. How can he not look at her after what she had done? He cannot even tell the reason for admiring her at this moment.“Do you have something to say?” Essi asked while looking around. She was waving at those greeting her.“Nothing,” because where can he begin? “Are they your friends?” he asked.“I don’t know. Just keeping polite. Maybe they know me.”“It seems like everybody likes you and they want to meet you.”Essi shrugged. “It’s impossible. Everyone has a critic.”“You’re right,” Oneil uttered, still negotiating i
The schedule of Gwyneth’s flight is already set. Oneil’s house is unlike any other day. It is messy for business. Housekeepers are walking back and forth, preparing meals and sharing the hectic day that their boss also has. They are also excited as Oneil for receiving a special guest. “Wow, you prepared all of this?” Essi commented while looking around, finally realizing that the rest house is owned by Oneil. The French interior didn’t fail to match the modern touch. The table before them offers many platters of savory delicacies and recipes. “This is for Gwyneth, right?” “Nah, he’s trying to make an impression on you,” Gwyneth inserted while rolling her sleeves in front of a dim glass wall. She made a lot of pictures posing with her reflection then sighed. “I can’t believe that I have to wear simple clothes. The sense of fashion has gone away from me.” “You still look good, though. Just pair it with a yellow vest, it will make a difference,” Essi suggested.
The defective red light of the boulevard blares intensively. It didn’t matter as vehicles are taking the intersection at their own discretion. Victor’s car is remaining on the side of the lane, waiting for the trailer truck to finish crossing. Traffic congestion has become a convenience for Essi to look back at how things have gone into trouble. But the splatters of raindrops against the window and the persistent glint of the red light hint to her that there is no other way to find out what happened but to visit the world that her youth has forgotten about. She made sure that Victor was not looking at her. Yet her secretary knew what she was planning and advised her to not look at the comments. Essi nodded before skimming the post. The post declares that Essi took Oneil away and it ruined Marika. This kind of malicious content is nothing new to Essi. However, it is amplified by the promises of technology and the intrigue of the people. Marika had revised so many stories and
Events are all fast-paced that Gwyneth cannot grasp it to the summarizing effort of her conscious. She arrived at the airport of Bordeaux with a bunch of men, all to weird for her to even recognize. They told her that the Mercators purposed them to fetch Gwyneth. The young lady cannot protest because her family immediately contacted her with a plea that she must tell nothing but the truth. She watched the road that they are taking and found out it heading towards the mansion of Oneil’s family. She cannot even joke around because everyone of them are in their gloomy faces. Right after they let her sit, they bombarded her with many questions. At first, it is about the possibility that Oneil indeed cheated. But later on, it is about what Essi might have done to the point of haunting Oneil’s past lover to secure her relationship with their son. “This is not impossible given that Oneil followed Essi to the Philippines. He probably did that to stop her from antagonizing Oneil’s pa
Essi has always been good at this, to make you feel guilty even without doing anything. But none of these events were products of her manipulation, neither did she apply any tactics at all. She did nothing but forget to take care of herself. She did nothing but fear the night sleep because of the dread of what must be done on the next day. The news about her roadside injury is but an additional devastation, an optimum riff off of the two families’ talking game. If it were not for Gwyneth who sought her to ask forgiveness, they wouldn’t find out what happened to her. She is confined in a hospital. Curtains are her partition from the people discussing among themselves how they must deal with the issue about Oneil. Essi chose to keep her eyes shut while imagining that the words of their conversation are but low background symphonies of the orchestra in her mind. At first, her heart was beating along with the sweet imagined music. But its violent rhythm took over at the
Essi woke up at the crisps and careful scratching of stickers from hardcovers. The noise came from Victor who silently spends his time clearing the hardcovers of each book on the coffee table. She knew even the slightest sound since it is her same habit to keep the books clean after a distracting price sticker was attached to it. She didn’t call him. Essi’s eyes are on Victor’s company, the men in suits whose likes were probably tailing her grandfather somewhere not far.“Are you hungry? What can I get you?” Victor asked after having the sense that a pair of eyes is watching him.“Why are they here?” Essi replied with another question. She didn’t dislike them. She just knew that they were probably here to implement her grandfather’s prohibition --as if she would disobey him.“Mr. Arlelle wanted to make sure that you are safe. That is why they are assigned here,” Victor said while stacking the book