2 CHAPTER 2 - The Beginning 2
Continuation of Flashback
While looking at the beautiful girl…………..
For the first time in her life…………..
Suddenly her heartbeat quickened.
And feeling the butterflies in her stomach, rambling around…….tickling her.
How can she feel like this?
A question that needs an answer.….
And just one glance to this unconscious woman………she feels everything and anything.
HOW??!!!
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That was the first time the two met.
Correction…..that was the first time she met her.
When they report the said crime to the police, they take the unconscious girl to the hospital and left immediately.
The rich girl even acknowledges all the medical bills and other expenses of the young girl in the hospital.
After all the incidents that happened that time, the three men who almost raped the girl were arrested.
End of Flashback
While she was reminiscing about her past, the beautiful young woman was suddenly startled by the fast speed of a white car that was obviously owned by a well-off citizen, who almost ran over her.
Suddenly the car stopped and the woman driving it got out.
“What are you doing?! You want to die!” The woman immediately approached Althea and shouted at her.
Althea almost swallowed her tongue, when she saw how beautiful the woman who screamed in front of her face, wanting to strangle her to death.
She’s like an angel come down to earth just to grace her with her beauty.
“Hey! Answer me, are you mute?! Jesus Christ! For crying out loud! Next time if you want to die and kill yourself, don’t involve other people! Idiot!"
Shouted the woman, while Althea on the other hand was just dumbfounded by the woman’s beauty.
When the woman didn’t hear any answers from the girl in front of her, she harshly turned around with gritted teeth holding her anger.
She then goes back to her car, getting inside, and slammed the door so furiously.
While Althea on the other hand is still gawking at the woman looking like a goddess walking away from her, getting inside her vehicle, and just left.
And that’s the second time they meet each other without knowing.
“Althea dear!” Shouted the girl’s mother, who is now rushing towards her.
Her mother stopped in front of her while catching her breath.
“Althea?...Althea!” Shouted her mom again to get the girl’s attention who is still stunned.
The woman could not apprehend why her daughter was standing on the side of the road as if unconscious.
When she still couldn't get the girl's attention, she suddenly pinched her daughter’s side.
“Ouch!” Shouted the young lady rubbing her side where her mom pinched her.
“Mom, what was that for?” Complained the young lady.
“Because young lady, I have been calling your name still you’re not responding. As if you are being enchanted, what happened to you earlier?” Asked her mother disconcerted.
“Mmmmm……sorry mom it was nothing, I just thought I saw somebody familiar a while ago….’but instead I saw an angel’.” Whispering the last sentence to herself, while answering her mom and still rubbing her side.
“Ah, okay……are you sure? Anyway, you forgot to wear this.” The old woman giving the pair of white gloves to her daughter for her hands.
“Mom, That would not be necessary my sweatshirt is already too long to cover my hands, so it will be enough.” Answered the young lady to her mother while fixing the sweets resting above her head.
“Oh yes, you do. I will not allow you to go out without wearing these gloves, better to be sure, it’s just that I don’t want to happen again that horrible………” Objected her mother, but before she could finish her sentiment her daughter cut her off.
She doesn’t want to remember or even mentioned that horrendous event that occurred to her before.
As much as possible nobody or no one should mention those ghastly memories again…..God forbid.
“Okay…okay mom, it’s okay let me have it and I will wear it now……….Thank you, mom, really.” Sweetly answered and thanking her mom.
“Don’t mention it, darling, it’s nothing……..okay then be careful, come home early and don’t be late.”
Reminded the woman to her daughter.
“Yes mom, I will. I have to go now so I could sell more, goodbye mom, see you later, I love you to the moon and back!!” Shouted the young lady running towards the opposite side of the street smiling.
Even though her mom doesn’t see her daughter’s face because it was covered by a medical mask, she knows the young lady is smiling because she saw her eyes disappearing.
The woman just smirks, shaking her head because of her daughter’s childish behavior.
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When the sun almost setting, Althea immediately went to her avid customer, the last place she will sell the sweets.
What great about going there is that her last customer will surely buy all the remaining sweets that she has.
The young lady finally arrived at the exclusive subdivision owned by the Howell.
The Howell's are one of the wealthiest families in the country.
Their businesses are spread all over the world.
In the first place, how did she know the Howells…….truly it’s not the whole family she knows, only the matriarch of the family Mrs. Clara Howell.
Althea is now used to deliver sweets at the Howell subdivision when almost dawn.
It started when she accidentally got lost in the subdivision from selling……..the subdivision is only exclusive to family members, relatives, and some close friends of the Howell. Nobody is allowed to get inside without the family’s permission.
Because of the subdivision’s vastness, she forgot how to get out in the place. Althea almost lost hope, thankfully she saw a woman watering her garden, she instantly went to the gate and asks the woman for direction on how to get out from there.
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Althea ringing the lavish gate of the Howells.
Immediately she is welcomed by the Mrs. Of the mansion. Mrs. Howell opens her arms to receive the young lady with an embrace.
Althea is now accustomed to the Howell matriarch’s warm hug every time they see each other, it never fails to ease her tiredness from working hard the whole morning, she feels home.
“Good day auntie!” Althea greeted still hugging the Mrs.
“You are more beautiful than the setting Sun itself Althea.” Answered the woman with a mischievous smile.
The young lady doesn’t know, how casual and playful the Mrs. welcomed her, knowing how rich the woman is.
That’s why it eases her tired self, knowing she could come to the mansion without awkwardness.
"Auntie, you're naughty ... maybe someone will hear you I’m embarrassed." Shamefully uttered the lovely young lady.
Until now, she was still not used to being praised by the Mrs., she bowed down and blushed from embarrassment.
"It's true what I have said Althea, damn them if they can’t see it, now come here let's go inside to get a snack with the food you brought." The Mrs. replied happily and carefully pulled the girl inside.
"If that's what makes you happy, auntie, I sincerely agree with you then with all my heart." Onboard with the Mrs. witticism.
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Laughter filled the Howell Matriarch’s yard, where they are now sitting on bamboo chairs and a large table, with all the household workers in the Howell’s mansion.
Every afternoon, they have become accustomed to gather in the garden and sharing the leftover sweets that Althea did not sell.
"Dear, don't you want to take off your medical mask and gloves on your hands? Even your sweatshirt, it's so hot and I'm the one who's having a hard time watching you when you eat.” Suggested the Mrs.
In more than 3 years that the girl has been selling to them, she has never seen her whole face. She doesn’t want to make the girl feeling awkward or uncomfortable with her, that’s why most of the time, the Howell matriarch doesn’t want to insist.
She knows the reason why Althea has to wear such things, so the Mrs. just set aside her curiosity with the girl…...even though she was really intrigued by what the girl looks like.
Mrs. Howell knew that behind the medical mask is a very attractive maiden.
"It's okay, tita(auntie), I'm used to it." The girl's response, her round eyes narrowed, a signed that the young lady smiled.
"But there's no one else here but us." Reasoned Mrs. Howell, she is having a hard time seeing the girl having difficulties moving, especially when she put the food in her mouth and she can also see the droplets of sweats on her forehead.
“Come on now young lady.……I also want to see your face, and I know you are not doing all these charades in your house, do you? Especially when your mother takes you for a walk? Just think of us as your family? I know you’re doing this mascaraed only when you are going out alone selling the sweets right? Don't worry, from now on I will let my driver send you to your house, so you can get home safely.” Mrs. Howell long explained.
“But auntie I can’t take your offer it’s too much, you have already done so many things for me. You welcome me with open arms and treating me as one of your family. You even bought all the sweets from me and now you let your driver send me home it is so overwhelming tita…….I already take too much of your time, I can’t accept it.” The girl replied embarrassed because she felt like she was abusing the kindness of the woman that being showed to her.
“Don’t say that Althea, I think of you as my daughter…….so what I did for you is not too much. To tell you frankly hija, every time you’re coming here and just seeing you makes me happy…….you make me happy hija. So don’t you ever say that nonsense again, understood? Am I clear with this young lady?” Explaining to the girl while caressing her covered face.
“Thank you so much tita, thank you for your kindness.”
Embracing the Howell matriarch while tearing up.
Tightly Mrs. Howell hugged Althea back with so much respect and love.
