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CELINE POV-• • • ( F L A S H B A C K ) • • •. . . 9 years ago . . .-After I got home from the university, I went straight to my room and checked my report card for this semester again. My final average is 93% which means I can take a full scholarship again and if I pass again, I won’t spend anything on my studies. My tuition fee and allowance will be handled by the university again. As long as I can maintain these grades or increase them even more, I will finish my studies without too much trouble.I jumped in surprise when someone opened my bedroom door.I immediately stood up when I saw my parents entered.“What’s that?” mommy asked the moment she noticed what I was holding. “Is that your report card?”I hide my smile. Just now mommy asked about my studies. Is she happy and proud of me because I’m a full scholar?“Yes, mom.”“Let me see.”I gave my report card to but when she held it, my dream burst like a bu
CELINE POV - TWO WEEKS WENT BY that I was only in the room. My parents don’t let me go out, even in the dining area to eat, they don’t allow me. My parents send my food to the maid. They have a time given to the maid and me, what time the food will be given to me and what time I should finish eating. If I miss the time by even a second, I won’t eat for the whole day. Three times I didn’t get food in time outside my room, so there were three days where I didn’t eat and even drank a glass of water throughout the day. Now I’m waiting for my parents to enter my room so I can tell them I need to go to university to take a scholarship exam. “Celine.” I stood up from my study table and approached my parents. I noticed they were carrying a big box. They put it on my bed and opened it in front of me. The contents of the box is A-line white dress with color white stiletto three inches high-heels. “That’s what you’ll use on the wedding day of your fiancé. Two weeks from now, you will ge
CELINE POV - I just pressed my eyes into the blink of an eye when daddy removed his belt and raised it to the air to prepare to hit my skin. “Dad!” I heard the footsteps of the heels towards me until I felt someone hug me. “What are you doing?” I opened my eyes, and I saw Sabrina. She hugged me to protect me from our father. “Don’t intervene here, Sabrina.” Despite the calmness in Daddy’s voice, a hint of annoyance lingered, and I knew it was aimed at me. “No!” Sabrina shouted to our parents. “Are you both out of your mind? Especially you Dad?” “What did you say!?” Daddy also shouted at Sabrina. It would only be on the finger how many times Daddy shouted at Sabrina all year long before, but now it seems like daddy’s anger towards me is passed on to his daughter, who won’t let any insect near her. “Efren, don’t shout at Sabrina.” Mommy’s disobedience to Daddy. “And you, Sabrina. Don’t just interfere with what’s going on here. We need to teach that woman a lesson. ” “My God!
LANCE POV - “Go straight to the Heavenly hotel.” I ordered Conrad. “I want to see Celine.” I haven’t been to Chicago for a few days because of the amount of work I’ve been taking care of, add to that my father’s brother who doesn’t stop and won’t accept that someone has given the illegitimate child all the property, money, and most of all, the power on the underground world. It’s understandable that they feel this way because even I was surprised when my half-brother left me everything, but I’ve proven myself worthy of it. I will not allow all of this to be lost until I find what I should be looking for, which is I need to find one legacy left to me. I miss Celine so much, but she’s also one of the reasons I didn’t go back to Chicago right away. I still had to calm down my whole body system before seeing her again. That sensation of heat almost drove me crazy, that I didn’t know how to release the feeling. But the most important thing is that I calmed myself down and I already kno
CELINE POV - ALONG WITH the quiet surroundings of the cemetery, Lance and I continued to be quiet after he asked. A question I don’t want to answer. I’m unable to figure out how to answer his question either. Is this all he knows? Is this all he saw? Does he have anything else he wants to address with his question? Are there more questions he’d like answered? I’m afraid that in one word, my mistake will not turn out well. “Why can’t you answer my question?” he asked as he maintained his eye contact with me. He clenches his fists and tightens his jaw. “Did you really abort our child?” he asked repeatedly, as if he was short of breath. “What kind of question is that–” “Don’t answer me another question.” he cut me off in his cold tone voice. “Then don’t ask me if the answer is obvious.” I tried not to make my voice raspy, but deep inside, I was terrified of how this conversation might end. “Don’t you remember how you accompanied me to that abortion clinic and waited for me
CELINE POV - Silence fell between Lance and me again. I still couldn’t open my eyes to perceive his reaction. I don’t know what he can do to me the moment I open my eyes. I also don’t want to see that maybe he looks at me darkly because of what I said. “D*mmit.” I heard his sharp whisper. “G*dd*mm*t.” I dared to open my eyes and then I saw that Lance’s eyes were wide and round, as if he had seen a ghost. He opened his mouth, but he also closed it and faced Starr’s grave. Lance stroked the tombstone where the name of one of our triplets was inscribed. I can’t figure out how I feel. A blend of anger, resentment, and pity washes over me as I observe Lance. I shouldn’t feel sorry for him, because in the first place this is exactly what he wanted–to lose our child, for me to abort them then. I didn’t have the strength to send him away and when I couldn’t stop the tears that fell from my eyes one after the other, I left Starr’s mausoleum. Starr’s mausoleum has three steps of stair
CELINE POV-I didn’t realize that for a minute I was just staring at Starr’s grave. I think I’ve been looking at it for almost an hour.This is usually what I do. I will clean Starr’s mausoleum, including his grave. I often eat lunch here with her. But this time I did none of those.I’m still nervous and scared about his discovery about Starr.“Celine.”Before I could look at the person who called me, he sat down next to me.“Are you okay?” Tristan asked breathlessly.“Tristan…”Tristan hugged me and once he hugged me, I saw that there was a police officer outside looking at us.———I stood outside the mausoleum while observing Tristan in the distance, conversing with the two police officers. After a few moments, Tristan shook hands with the police officers.Whatever they were talking about seemed to go well because the police left without taking Tristan with them.“What happened?” I worriedly questioned Tristan as soon as he was near me.“That’s nothing. Don’t understand it anymore.
CELINE POV-I’ve been thinking about what Tristan told me all weekend and I still haven’t decided what to do.Tristan’s words made me think again, even though I had already made up my mind. But Tristan might be right–Skye and Sunny, especially Skye, might find out about Lance in some other way and if that happens, they might be mad at me.Tristan didn’t force me to tell Skye and Sunny right away, but he suggested I tell as much as possible so that my children don’t make a big deal out of me—if it happens.I let out a sigh. I never imagined that this thing would happen. The last time Lance and I talked about this matter six years ago, he assured us we don’t need to meet again or talk again. “Celine!”I almost jumped in surprise when Sabrina suddenly appeared in front of me.“Did I surprise you? I’m sorry, I was just excited to see you.”“A little.” I answered involuntarily.“You’re thinking about something else, that's why you didn’t see me.”I nodded. “Yeah.”Despite the incident t
CELINE POV-I placed a pillow on Sunny’s back before sitting her upright and in a comfortable position. I took the salmeterol from her bag and put the mouthpiece on her lips.“Breathe quickly and deeply,” I instructed Sunny.After doing that, I removed her inhaler, then Skye counted one to six seconds.“Breath out slowly,” I instructed her again.After that, Skye held Sunny’s hand and counted again.“One… Two… Three… Four… Five… Six…”I glanced at Lance, who was on the edge of the bed. He is intently looking at Sunny, his forearm on his chest while his other elbow rests there where his knuckle was moving.“Sixty!”Once Skye’s count reached sixty, we repeated the procedure from the beginning. We did this ten times until Sunny’s feeling and breathing were normal.“She is okay now,” I grabbed Lance’s attention.His blue sea eyes widened as he looked at me. “What do I need to do?”“Get out of this room.”“What?”He asked in disbelief.“I’ll put them to sleep first,” I quickly added.“Oh…
CELINE POV-“Daddy Superhero, are you the one who will take us to our new house?”“Yes, sweetheart. I will take you to your new house.”Lance had two bodyguards with us carrying our two suitcases.“Do you want me to carry you?” Lance asked Sunny.“Yes!”I had no choice but to hand Sunny over to Lance. I didn’t want to cause trouble here and scare the kids.Lance picked up Sunny, and I carried Skye.“Does our new house have a big playground?” Sunny question as we walked towards the basement parking lot.“Do you want a playground?”“Yes! I want a big playground where Skye and I can play.”“We’re going to build a playground there.”Sunny clapped her hands in joy at Lance’s words.Once they arrived in front of a van, his people opened it, and Lance got in with Sunny.After he lowered Sunny from the seat, he looked at me. “Get in,” he coldly ordered me.I let Skye out of the car first, then we went to the second row of seats together.When we sat down, the door closed, and the driver got
CELINE POV-“Mummy, are we going to move far?” Sunny asked while I was fixing her clothes.“Not too far,” I replied.“Mummy, why are we suddenly moving?” Skye asked.Surely Skye was curious and felt that there was another reason why we were suddenly moving house, and he needed an answer.“The rent fee here is a bit expensive. Mummy found a better and cheaper apartment to rent .” My excuse.“I hope there is a park or playground where we are moving,” Sunny commented excitedly.I put on a face mask for them.I grabbed one large bag and grabbed two large suitcases. I tried to fit all our belongings into the two suitcases. I only brought the most important things.“Let’s go, sweethearts.”When we got out and got off the apartment, I immediately flagged down the first taxi I saw.“Mummy, Auntie Sabrina won’t be coming with us?” Sunny question as we boarded the taxi.“No, sweetheart. But she will visit us again like before,” I replied. “At the airport,” I told the driver as he got in.I won
CELINE POV-I pulled back the arm he was holding with a frown.I waited for him to speak, but after a few seconds, he did not clarify what he was saying; instead, he just fixed his gaze at me.“I don’t have time for this.” I broke the silence, and this is my saying goodbye to him.Before I could walk away to leave Tristan, the door opened again, and two men entered. The one with a name plate is the manager, and the one wearing the suit, I think, is the owner of the restaurant that Lucian Morgan summoned.“Sir Lucian Morgan?” The owner of this restaurant called in surprise. “I didn’t know you were here. Is there anything I can do for you?”I looked at Tristan. “Give me your resume,” he said as he extended his palm.”“Why?” I was confused.“To know why you will not get a job in this city.”I glanced at the two men who had just entered. When they stared at my face, the manager whispered something to the owner of this restaurant, who was circling with his pair of eyes after that.By tha
CELINE POV - “Thank you,” I told the tenant after she finished talking to me. Before entering, I let out a sigh. The tenant informed me that from today the rent for the apartment will be 10,350 dollars. Almost five times the rent last month. I need to pass the interview and get a job; that kind of rent is out of my budget. “Who are you talking to?” Sabrina asked as I entered. “Nothing.” “You sure?” "Hmmm,” I nodded. “Did you bring all your stuff?” I asked, changing the topic. Sabrina will be back in New York to focus on her review. “Yep. It will be a while before I get back here. I have an exam coming up, so I need to focus on my review. But—” she raised her one pointed finger as if she were stopping me from speaking. "But it doesn’t mean that if you need me, you’ll disturb my review. That’s a big no. Okay?” I just nodded. “Oh! Maybe that’s the one who will pick me up,” Sabrina said when someone rang the doorbell. Sabrina opened the door excitedly, and upon se
CELINE POV-After I picked up the kids and we were going out, we saw Conrad in the parking lot.When Conrad’s gaze caught ours, he immediately came over to us.“Boss Lance ordered me to pick you up.”“Didn’t Lance understand what I told him?”I clearly told him earlier before I got out of the car that I don’t want us to have any kind of connection and that even picking up anyone who has anything to do with him, he shouldn’t do it anymore.“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Madame. Boss Lance just sent me here to pick you up. Shall we go?”The weather was cloudy.I just nodded and went in the direction of Conrad’s car.“Where is Daddy superhero?” Sunny asked as we entered.“He’s busy,” Conrad replied.“He is just like Daddy Tristan, always busy.”I stroked Sunny’s hair and didn’t comment. It would be better if Lance got away from us sooner rather than later before Sunny got completely attached to him.The trip from school to the outside of the apartment building was quick, and a
CELINE POV-When we got down from the apartment, I shifted my gaze to Sabrina after seeing Lance here with the car we rode in yesterday.“Wow!” Skye couldn't help but marvel at the car again.“I don’t know. I’m just not in the mood to go outside.” She explained before I could ask."Maybe it was just a coincidence. Right?” I asked sarcastically.“Yes. Of course, it was just a coincidence.”I believed what Sabrina said.I sat in front of the kids. “Skye, do you want to ride in that car again?”Skye catches a glimpse at Lance. “No.”“Why?” Sunny asked. “You want that car.”“Yes.”Sunny held Skye’s hand. “Then, let’s go. We’ll be safe with him.”Skye and I both did nothing when Sunny pulled him towards Lance.“Let’s go to school, daddy superhero.”Skye looked at the ground.“I’m not here to just drop you off.”“Eh? Why?”Lance sat in front of them, then showed the car key in front of Skye. “I will give this car to Skye.”His voice is not so cheerful but not too dry either.Skye quickly l
CELINE POV - “Sunny, it looks like she really likes art,” Lance said as she stared at Sunny. We were at the Art Institute, walking around. It was surprising that apart from the four of us, no one else was here, or maybe because it was only a few minutes before seventeen o’clock, the museum’s closing time. Since there was no one else around, I let Sunny look at the art alone, of course with Skye by her side. We were about ten steps away from them so that Sunny could enjoy going here more and so that Skye wouldn’t be too nervous. Sunny held Skye’s hand wherever she went. “As she said a while ago, she’s not sure either,” I replied coldly. “Why isn’t she sure? She seems to be enjoying it now.” “Maybe because she’s just used to coming here, or because she appreciates everything she sees. In her condition, she can only go to places like this occasionally, to museums—when there aren’t too many people, the surroundings aren’t dirty, she won’t see anything that can excite her fe
CELINE POV-“Skye, are you okay?” I asked when he didn’t move or speak after seeing Lance.“I’m sorry, mummy.”“Why, sweetheart? Why are you apologizing?”“I am not brave.”I hugged Skye.I told him once that if he wanted something or wanted to do something but was afraid, he should go for it rather than regret it later.I don’t want Skye to be like me; there are many things I haven’t done because of fear of the people around me or what might happen because of fear.“It’s okay to not be brave sometimes. You can still feel scared.”“I want to go home. I want to see Daddy Tristan.”I bite my lower lip. If I had a hard time without him, I’m sure the kids have a harder time adjusting without Tristan. How many times have they looked for Tristan in me? I’m running out of excuses why we can’t be with him.I don’t want to confuse the children by telling the truth about why we can’t be with Tristan again.“Are you sure you want to go home? I thought you wanted to ride in this car?” “I’m scar