Chapter 1

WARNING: R18

Some parts of this story may contain explicit words and mature scenes not suitable for readers age eighteen below. Kindly read at your own risk.

Disclaimer:

Character's names, personalities, businesses, places, events, and scenarios used in this story are just from the writer's creative imagination or used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual incidents is purely coincidence.

Copyright © 2021 by Zenith Reign (noonabii)

All rights reserved. No parts of this novel may be reproduced or adapted in any way possible without the writer's consent. Say no to plagiarism!

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Chapter 1: Anew

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"I love you so much, Mom, Dad. I promise I'll be back.”

I gently wiped away the tears on my cheeks and smiled bitterly. It's hard to leave the place where I have a lot of memories, but I had to go away to forget the past and regain myself.

For the last time, I looked at the tomb in front of me and caressed it. Then, I stood up and fixed myself. I heaved a sigh before turning my back at them.

I arrive exactly at nine in the morning at Bancasi International Airport. After getting off the plane, I directly went to the arrival lounge and look for Tita Beatriz—my father's stepsister.

I met her and her family two years ago when I lost hope of living. She said someone had called her to look after me and that's where I found out she was my grandmother's missing daughter. And she's the only relative I have because my mom is an only child while she's the only sibling of my dad.

Just like Mom, I'm also the only offspring she had with Dad. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when I turned eight. Since then, she never got a chance to bear another child. Until she died together with Dad in a bombing incident at the hospital they're in for a monthly check-up. That happened a day before my fifteenth birthday and I became an orphan at that age.

I was supposed to be at the orphanage but I run away. I had been in hiding for several months so the nuns in charge at the orphanage wouldn't take me until they gave up and let me go. I went back to our house and with the little savings that my parents left for me, I was able to go to college. That was when I met Yvor and fall in love for the very first time. 

He promised that he would never leave me but then . . . he lied.

Well, I should've known. Promises are meant to be broken.

I tightly held my luggage as my chest began to throb and my lips were shaking. I clenched my fist and bite my lips.

Remembering those memories still pains me. I know leaving that place is the right thing to do because I might drown deeper in pain if I just stayed there.

I need a new kind of living, a new environment.

I took a deep breath and harshly released it. Then I look around the place to check if my step-aunt is already waiting for me. But with so many people in the area, I find it hard to see her. Until I noticed the huge cardboard on the side and my name was written on it.

I smiled a little as I gazed in my aunt's direction. She's with her family. Beside her is my uncle, Tito Ronel. Next to him are their thirteen years old and five years old sons, Justin, and Kurt. And lastly, the one who's holding the white cardboard with a written 'Welcome to Butuan, Ate Elise' in it is Maegan, their fourteen years old daughter.

"Welcome home, Luli!" Tita Bea enthusiastically welcomed me with a tight embrace.

I cringed with what she called me. That was my nickname when I was a little. She accidentally saw it in our photo album and the moment she knew what it's for—even if I don’t want to, she still calls me that. I got tired of correcting her, so, in the end, I just let her.

I hugged Aunt Bea back and held her hand then tap the back of it on my forehead as a sign of respect. I also did the same to Uncle Ronel while I just smiled at my cousins. 

"How’s your flight, Hija?" My Uncle asked while we're heading towards their pick-up van.

"It’s fine, Tito. I’m just a little bit tired.”

"We will be at the road for at most an hour. So, you can take a nap later, Luli," Tita Beatriz suggested.

I just nodded at her and remained silent as we are already in front of the van. Tito Ronel went to the driver's seat while Tita Beatriz occupied the front passenger's seat. Then, the four of us settled in the back seat. Justin chose to sit at the left side near the window while his brother, Kurt, sat on his lap. Next to him is Maegan and I'm seated beside her.

"Are you going to sleep, Ate?" Maegan whispered, smiling at me.

I smiled at her and nodded. “Yes. Why?” 

She took something behind our back and handed it to me. “Here, Ate. You can use it so you won’t get a stiff neck," she sweetly muttered.

Oh, this gesture. . .

It reminds me of him so much. Back in those days when he was still alive, he always did this for me.

My chest tightened once again and my eyes became teary as I remember the days I was with Yvo. 

It's been two years, yet the pain he left me after his sudden death feels like it just happened yesterday.

I smiled bitterly while feeling the pain caused by the tragic events in my life. 

If I could just bring back time.

Indeed, life is too short. We must not take it for granted. Instead, we should treasure it while it lasts. We must not wait until it's too late to tell someone how much we love them and how much we care for them. Because the moment they're gone, no matter how loud we shout and cry, they wouldn't hear.

"What’s wrong, Ate Elise? Why are you crying?"

I was pulled back from my reverie when I heard Maegan's voice. I touched my cheeks. Just then I realized that my tears are flowing. I quickly wipe it away. I looked at my cousin and forced a smile.

"I'm all right, Mae. Just don't tell your parents what you saw, okay?" I pleaded because I didn't want them to worry more.

She nodded quickly and gave me a sweet smile. "Yes, Ate. I won’t tell. Here's the pillow," she offered.

"Thank you," I only replied and accepted the neck pillow then tried to take a nap.

After an hour and a half of travel, we finally arrive at Millano Residence. It's a plain two-story house painted with a mixture of grey and white, situated at a small subdivision in San Vicente.

I immediately went to the second floor of the house where the guest room was there to rest more. As soon as I entered the room I simply put my belongings on the side of the bed and it only took a few seconds for me to fall into slumber. 

It was night when I woke up. If Maegan hadn't knocked to invite me for dinner, I might not have gone up. I didn’t even feel hungry. I don't have an appetite either. But because I didn't want them to worry about me, I ended up eating dinner with them.

"Luli, do you want to do something tomorrow?" Aunt Beatriz suddenly queried.

I briefly wondered what to answer. I had no plans to do anything but I want to be busy. So that I could divert my attention to something else and stop locking myself up in a corner.

"I’ll try to look for a job," I replied because that was the first thing that came to my mind. I need to make money so it was a good choice. Also, I don’t want to burden my Aunt and her family.

"Are you sure? Don’t you want to unwind first?" 

I nodded and slightly smiled at her. "Maybe some other time, Tita. I've already wasted two years," I mumbled then drank water.

"Come with me tomorrow, hija. There might have been a vacancy in the firm where I work," Uncle Ronel offered and Aunt Beatriz quickly approved.

"Okay, Tito. Thank you very much. I'll go upstairs," I excused myself when I finished eating and went back to bed. 

The next day, as Uncle said, I come with him when he went to work. He was a financial consultant at a lending firm while Aunt Beatriz chooses to be a plain housewife.

When we arrived at the company, Uncle Ronel urged me to talk directly to their Supervisor. But I was out of luck today because they had no vacancies.

I left the firm with heavy shoulders after I thanked my uncle and say goodbye to him. 

I heaved a deep sigh when I got out of the building.

Where am I going now? It’s too early to go home.

It’s still ten o'clock in the morning so I thought about strolling around first. The weather is also good for a walk because it’s not hot and it's nice to look around the city. The pine trees at the side of the road are lovely to look at. Maybe it was meant to be there as an attraction.

I was walking for two minutes when I felt thirsty. So, I stopped at a coffee shop nearby. For sure, they have bottled water.

I was about to take a step inside the coffee shop when suddenly a car hovered in front of me. I hold my breath as my eyes widen because I was almost hit by the car. I was so surprised that I dropped the folder I was holding and the papers with it flew away.

"What the hell, Gavin?! You almost hit her!" A woman yelled at the man in front of her who had just gone out in a black Mercedes May Bach.

The guy irritably hissed. "It’s her fault. She's blocking the way," he simply uttered and went inside the coffee shop, leaving me and the woman he's with, dumbfounded.

The woman eventually shook her head and took a deep breath before she turned around at me.

I stood up straight when she looked at me my head to toe, seemingly analyzing whether I was hurt.

"Are you okay, Miss?" she worriedly asked which is now in front of me. I was unable to answer. She exhaled and suddenly bowed her head. "Here.” She then handed me something. When I looked at it, it was the folder that I dropped earlier.

"T-thank you," I stuttered and grabbed the folder from her with my shaking hands.

"You must be startled," she mumbled. "I’m sorry about my cousin. He's a jerk sometimes."

I took a deep breath to calm myself down and then, I slightly smiled at her.

"It's okay. I wasn't hurt.”

"I'm glad you're not." She sighed, out of relief. "Anyways, are you looking for a job?" 

My forehead creased. How did she know?

When she pointed at the folder I was holding just then I realized she must have seen my curriculum vitae.

"Ah, yes," I replied. "I need to go.” I was about to turn my back at her to go home because all of a sudden I felt tired when she held me in the arm.

"I can give you a job if you want," she proposed, smiling widely at me. "As a payment for what happened earlier."

I've got speechless. I don't know what to respond. I was wondering whether I would accept or reject her offer. But even before I could speak, someone interrupted our conversation—the guy earlier, whom I didn't even notice he's already at my side.

I was caught off guard when he suddenly came in front of me. He's too close that my heart leaped. But what caught my attention is his deep ocean orbs—his melancholic eyes that seem so familiar to me. 

And damn! Why does he smell so fucking good? I wonder—wait, why am I sniffing him?

I mentally shook my head. My God! I'm crazy.

"Here," he coldly uttered and puts a few thousand money in my hand then quickly turns his back at me. 

My round eyes grew even wider because of what he did. I was unable to move, it seems like I was glued in place.

"It's settled. Let's go," he told his cousin then smugly went inside the car.

The woman smiled at me then snatched the folder in my hand. "I'll just have this and call you for the interview. Take care, bye!" she promised and followed her cousin.

I was left in front of Q's Caffee, dumbfounded, and just watched them drive away.