Chapter 1 - Death

Death

"Ma'am Calliana! Ma'am Calliana!" I heard our maidservants calling my name and the loud knocks outside my room. Loud noises were heard on the first floor of our house.  

"For Pete's sake, Manang Lucing! It's 11:00 p.m. and I didn't even get enough sleep!" I opened the door of my room and shouted at her. 

Manang Lucing is our head maidservant in this big mansion. She has been serving our family for almost twenty years. I can see her shocked expression while holding our telephone. 

"And why are they so noisy below? I can't sleep with the noise," I scolded.

"Ma'am Calliana, t-there's an emergency. Someone called from a hospital and... and," she was gesturing me to get the telephone from her.

I took the phone and put it in my ear. "Hello, this is Calliana Stella Laurier speaking," I said.

"Hello, Ma'am Calliana, this is Nurse Maria from Good Health Medical Hospital. Ma'am, I just want to inform you that Sir Arthur Madrigal met an accident in North EDSA and is now in critical condition in the operation's room," I frowned at what she said. "The doctors are operating on him and currently doing their best to save his life. We need Sir Arthur's guardian to come here, please," the nurse on the phone added. 

"Ahem!" I cleared my throat. "Do I need to get there today? I'm busy right now, can I just come tomorrow?" I coldly asked the nurse.

"U-uhm, M-ma'am, we need your presence immediately because Sir Arthur's condition is c-critical a-and," the nurse was stuttering so much. I felt bad for the nurse.

"Okay, okay. I'll be there in an hour," I replied to her without hearing any more explanations. 

I handed the phone to Manang Lucing. "Manang, get the car ready," I ordered.

"Yes, Ma’am!" she hurriedly ran down the stairs. 

I sighed and closed the door gently. Arthur Madrigal is my jerk stepfather. He married my mom when I was eighteen years old. My biological father died in an accident when I was sixteen.  I don't get why mom got married to a two-faced jerk. When mom asked me if it was okay if she remarries again, at first, I was mad at her because how can she forget dad that easily? Then after that, I realize that mom was lonely for two years and I have to let go, so, I agreed with her the second time she asked me. 

Arthur was kind when they got married. I never called him dad or papa. Mom and Arthur understood it. However, as time goes by, Arthur gave me creepy smiles and stares whenever Mom is not in the house. 

When my father died, Mom took over the Laurier company that she and dad built. It wasn't easy for her and she got so busy for a year before she got familiar with everything the company handles.  When Mom and Arthur got wed, Arthur helped mom in the company. However, mom handles everything and only asks for advice from Arthur. And whenever he's home and mom's not, I always lock myself up in my room, never wanting to go downstairs. 

He started creeping me out when I was nineteen. It was when I got back from school, and he was sitting on the sofa at the sala. He was the one who gave me my snack and stared at me creepily. A lot of incidents like that happened that made me more scared of him. Every time I try to talk to mom about Arthur, he was always there saying that I should open up to him also to understand me more and mom agreed with it. So, I never got the chance to tell it to my mother. 

The most devastating that happened to me is when my mother died because of breast cancer. It was supposed to be a happy year because I graduated college, and mom suggested that I should work at our company. I was ready — no, my mom and I were ready to face the new mother-daughter relationship chapter of our life. However, was shattered when she died that same year.

I was so depressed at her funeral but that f*cking Arthur keeps bugging me. It was the end of mom's funeral when I got home. I was so depressed and went to my room immediately. However, Arthur knocked on my room and told me to open the door. I was so scared that time, so, I pretended to be sleeping. The scariest that time was when it was midnight that I heard someone is trying to open my doorknob. Luckily, I installed a second lock in my room. So, even if he has the key, he can't enter my room that easily. I cried silently that night, calling my mom and dad's names. 

The next morning, I begged Tito Alex, my mother's brother, to let me live on my own. He was against it at first but, when I told him that I don't want to stay where Arthur is, he eventually agreed. Tito Alex was one of the people who didn't agree with my mom marrying Arthur. I also promised Tito Alex to pay him back when I start working in the Laurier Comapny. 

I was just here because I need to get the things that I didn't pack last month. I didn't dare to get my things last month. 

When Manang Lucing told me that Arthur wasn't home for almost three days, I decided to get my things. I wasn't supposed to sleep here but, Manang Lucing forced me to sleep here for tonight. Now, I'm being forced to go to the hospital for that jerk. 

I went out of my room with two big suitcases with me. "Manang Lucing, where's Mang Robert? After I visit the hospital, I won't come back here anymore," I notified her. 

"Okay. I won't force you anymore. Just please take care of yourself, Calliana, okay?" her eyes were soft.

"Yes, Manang Lucing. Thank you so much for everything," I hugged and kissed her cheek.

I glanced one more time at my room and went downstairs. Mang Robert is already in the car waiting for me.

On our way to the hospital, I called Tito Alex to inform him what happened. Even though we both don't like Arthur, he still said that he will come. I was not considerate enough and didn't check the time. It's already midnight, I shouldn't have called him. 

"I'm sorry for calling you at this hour, Tito. You don't have to come right away. You can come in the morning."

"No, it's okay, I just got off from my overtime work. I'll be right there," he replied.

I felt more guilty when he said that. Tito Alex should be going home and resting right now but, he's coming to the hospital. 

"I am more than thankful, Tito. Thank you so much!" I sincerely said.

The call ended just right when I arrived at the hospital. 

"Hello, I'm here for Arthur Madrigal," I told the male nurse at the reception. 

"Hold on a sec, Ma'am." He typed on his computer looking for Arthur's info. "He's currently in the operation room. It's located on the third floor, right-wing, Ma'am," he gestured me the way. 

"Thank you."

I went to where the nurse told me and saw the light in the operating room. 

"How many hours has it been?" I mumbled. I glanced at my watch and saw that it's 12:30 a.m. already. I'll leave at 1:30 a.m., I guess.

After how many minutes of sitting outside the operating room, Tito Alex arrived.

"The doctor didn't come out yet?" he asked while sitting next to me.

"Hmm," I answered sleepily.

"You should go home after thirty minutes if the operation's not yet finished. I'll be the one to wait here," he said.

"No, Tito. I should be the one waiting. It's you who should go home."

"It's okay you should r—"

Tito got interrupted when the door to the operation room opened. 

"Are you the family of Mr. Arthur Madrigal?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, doc. How's he?" Tito replied.

"I'm so sorry to inform you, Sir. The patient had a lot of blood loss. It was too late to save him. He was suffering from severe hemorrhage when he got here," the doctor announced. 

I sighed. I didn't expect Arthur to have an easy death. I should have at least cursed him. I guess I'll be busy from now on. Laurier company is my responsibility now. 

"Sir Arthur Madrigal's time of death is 12:41 a.m.," the doctor said before leaving us.