1 Emergence

Happy Birthday, my Aya. You're 16 now. I'm not much for words but you have grown into an amazing young lady. You always shine in everything you do. You are this beautiful soul that came into my life and changed me. From you I have learned patience, I have experienced family, and I have evolved. I am a better person for having you in my life. I'm wishing you a million days that reflect the possibilities you see.

Love, Rosa.

It was Aya's birthday letter she got from her mother---her birthday letter for me. She died on my birthday and today's the 1st anniversary of her death.

All of what I have are packed in a box or two, and every room had been cleaned. Everything that I considered my home is now gone. All that's left are memories that I know would do nothing but remind me of how things would never be.

And I'm here all alone. Standing all by myself in a house I once call my home, with no tears left to cry.

I look outside the apartment window, letting the bright sun keep my tired eyes open.

So what now?

I have to move on. I have to get away from here. It reminds me of her too much. Of the people I failed to protect.

I have to let go.

I could probably afford to rent up a cheap apartment somewhere far from here with the savings I have left. I can take on part-time jobs but I know with the booming economy, it's not going to be easy, people are lining and it's going to be hard for me to find a decent job with a decent salary. I still have to think of a concrete plan if I'm going to survive the long run and days from now, I'm going to need to go back to school. I'm a year late already. I don't think I can fit in so much stuff into my schedule.

Everything's a mess and I'm back to zero. This is my reality now. I can't bring my mother back to life and I can't turn things back to the way it used to be.

But I know damn well I can't just sulk around and let life ruin me the way it's treating me right now. My mom taught me better than that. For her, I will carry on and I'm going to be better.

I will be better.

My mom raised me like she needed to. She set the foundation for the person I am to become. Everything I do is going to be for her and I want to make her proud till my very last breath; just like she did.

I may never change the past but I can still change the future. And that's exactly what I'm going to do.

I have to move on.

Three distant knocks on the door snaps me back to reality. I thought I was just hearing sounds since my neighbors have always been rowdy and the thin walls of the apartment's not helping. been days since my last healthy sleep so I wait for a couple of minutes for them to knock again.

It's the debtors.

Since we've always been financially unstable, my mom had to borrow money from different people just so we could make ends meet. Even with my two part-time jobs and hers, it wasn't paying enough.

I mentally sigh. I don't have enough energy to be dealing with any of them right now.

I put the letter back in one of my boxes and walk towards the door feeling a little hazy, I took a peak through the peephole and I see its one of them. Dark-haired, tall, and dressed in black with sunglasses on.

I can pretend that I'm not here and make him wait all day but that would be stupid since I don't have all day, an hour from now the train to Oakland would be leaving.

He knocks again.

I walk to the door and push it open, slightly applying force than needed.

I just hope that he would get my obvious dislike for his presence and leave me alone.

"Signore, la ragazza è qui." He presses into his ear as he speaks a language what I assume to be Italian and looks at me directly with a gaze that makes me freeze in place. He's intimidating. With his strong build and aura, if he wasn't a debtor I would mistake him for some famous actor who just finished filming an action spy film.

Seconds later, another man---older man, arrived. A menacing guy with a hard jaw and graying blond hair dressed in a velvet white suit while holding a suitcase in his left hand. Unlike your typical old man, he was oddly in shape and seems to be doing well despite his oldness.

Total opposite of me.

I'm not a typical 17-years old teenager and I'm not doing well despite my age.

It takes me a matter of seconds to put everything in place.

The old man's the debtor and this guy in front of me is one of his hirelings.

He looks straight through me with a smile of...familiarity? I'm not quite sure what he was trying to let out. "Hello, Ms. Coleman. I'm Mr. Julian Raines. Nice to meet you."

The man holds out his palm towards me.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Raines" It's apparent to everyone in the room that I'm thinking the exact opposite. I look at his held out hand for a second and take it with doubt. "I'm guessing you're here for my mother's debt? Unfortunately for you, I know well enough to tell you that I am not responsible with any business you had with her."

"It gets pretty tiring, huh? But no we aren't here for her debt." He looks at me then to my back. He's examining my apartment.

I give him a fix stare, suddenly feeling defensive. "Mr. Raines, look, whatever it is that you want, you aren't getting anything from me so I suggest you leave before I call the police."

He smiles at me again. "Can we atleast come in and have a thorough talk about this?"

'No' would've been a good response but this guy has been nothing but calm and kind. He hasn't done anything aggressive yet. All I had to do was entertain his questions for a bit and clarify my thoughts. "Just know, talking about it won't change anything and 40 minutes from now, you're going to have to leave."

I hold the door open for them and with my arms crossed, I follow as they walks towards the living room. The old man sits on one of the cushioned sofas while his bodyguard stands besides him and as for me I chose to stand on the place right across the sofa.

Seeing as they're all comfortable with their position, I initiate the conversation. "What are we supposed to be talking about?"

"We know Rosa Coleman. She knows you're in danger and I'm here to get you and you have to comply." He never breaks eye contact. "Luis Rodriguez, your grandfather, hired us."

Luis Rodriguez? My grandfather?

I falter. Just for a beat. Just long enough to let the shock filter into indignation. "Is this some kind of joke? Do I look stupid to you?"

He puts the suitcase he's holding, on the table. Upon opening it, he reveals a document and slides it towards my direction.

"With both of your parents dead, you're the only remaining heir to the Rodriguez Corporation. Take a look,"

Confusion takes over as I grab the piece of paper and read the highlighted information.

The old man noticing my bafflement, looks me straight in the eyes. "Those are the files of Rosa Day. The real name of Rosa Coleman. She's a retired high-ranking officer and she took you in her care after she found you in the woods. She's not your real mother."

My jaw tightens as I suddenly find it hard to breathe. I put the document back to the table and return it back to him. "I've lived with her since I was a child. Trust me, I know very well who my mother is."

Seconds later, my body starts wobbling and little black dots started appearing in my vision. I'm finding it hard to stand still.

I suddenly feel hands holds my waist up. It's the old man's bodyguard. With his arm on my back, he gives me enough support to stop my legs from turning into jelly. Adding to the shock, I know the lack of sleep and eating are finally taking its toll.

It's okay. Breathe, breathe, breathe...

Mind over matter. I am not fainting, not now.

"I suggest you sit down." His voice, deep.

I look up to meet his face and shake my head. "Thank you but I'm okay."

"You're pale."

"It's none of your concern."

Raines clears his throat. "Lucas, you can settle down now."

Lucas replies, "If I let her go now, she will likely fall." He looks at me, expression unchanging. "Give your body a few seconds to stabilize then I'll let you go."

He does have a point. For a few seconds, I look at his eyes.

They're grey. Grey as a steel and just as cold.

Then I nod.

I start to concentrate on my breathing. Slowing it down may make the urge to disappear. If I were to get out of this situation I need to stay alert.

"I'm okay now, please get your hands off me." With that, he nods and lets his arm drop as he goes back to his position.

Raines looks at me with concern for a second. "If you're not feeling well we can get you to a hospital."

"I said I'm okay!" I flare up.

"I get that this is aggravating to you but I can't do anything about it. We're not going until you cooperate. " Ignoring my obvious anger, Raines plucks another paperwork from the suitcase and gave it to me. "To further testify my right to be your legal guar-

"You're not making this easy, are you?" I mock a laugh out of frustration. "Mr. Raines, I don't want anything to do with that offer and I can't and don't want to accept it. I am not taking offers from a stranger and I am fully capable of living on my own. If you truly want to help me, all I need is for you to mind your own business."

"This is my business. Your well-being is my business."

"But your business is not my business so tell me, Mr. Raines. Why should I care?"

"Because Rosa knew too much of your life, people started noticing. She matters to you and she did everything to protect you. She died for you to live ." He looks at me with tired eyes. "I hope you care enough to understand that."

My breathe hitched.

Of course, of course she did and it was all my fault. I never believed in such things as being cursed but maybe I am. I could've done something to stop it. I knew I could have but I was stuck. I couldn't move.

It should've been me. I should've been the one to die, what am I if I can't even protect the people I love?

Then I mentally slap myself.

You know better than letting your feelings disrupt your thinking. He's exploiting your weakness so he can get what he wants. Don't fall for it. Rosa taught you better than this.

I swallow the urge in me to say something I would regret. "Sir, I've already made up my mind and I'm not going. So, if you're just going to waste your time here and harass me to come, then I suggest you just leave or I'm going to call the police."

"Aya," His sudden use of my first name catches me off guard. I sense his whole demeanor change. "You are the only heir to your father's company. I can provide you the information you need about your parents and your family---the truth. "

"It doesn't matter. The truth doesn't matter. The only thing that matters was Rosa and now she's dead."

"The papers I've shown you are all legally validated, you know that. I wouldn't be here presenting this to you if it were not the truth. What would be the reason?"

"You barged into my house like this, thinking it would be easy to bring me along just because you think I need your help. You're using Rosa to persuade me go with you. I don't know you, I don't know your true objectives, and now you're forcing me to come with you even when I said no" I raise one eyebrow in rebuttal. "I think that would be reason enough."

He looks like he's about to say something but his phone rings and he checks it out. He looks at his wristwatch and at me. "Look, I know all of these are not making sense right now but someday it will. I have still so much to talk with you about but unfortunately now is not the best time,"

He flicks his fingers towards the main door and his bodyguard follows.

They're trapping me in.

"If you're not going to voluntarily come then I'm going to force you to. I don't really have much of a choice."

I scowl at Raines. "I let you into my house and this is what you do? I already told you I am not going!"

He sighs. "You're pretty stubborn for a doll, you know that?"

"No, I was never one."

I'm not letting some piece of paper control my life. I'm going to get out of here and its either by a bullet through my head or a run for my life, there's no in between.

My hand directly goes to my necklace.

You can get out of this mess. You know you could. You've been doing it all your life, why stop now?

It's true that I can't win a combat with a professional but I have a gun.

With an idea on what to do, I glance at the drawer which is exactly two meters away from me. Rosa always have this guns around. I just thought she was just being safe since we're not exactly in a safe neighbourhood. I just never thought we've always been in danger.

So that was it, that's the reason why we always moved a lot and why Rosa had a thorough knowledge with guns and self-defense. She tries not to look like it but sometimes slip-ups happen.

I'm just glad she thought me enough about it. I shouldn't be using the gun since but I don't have any choice. I might as well go all out.

Okay, breathe.

"Aya," He stands up from the sofa and slowly makes his way towards me. "You can make this easier for all of us. All you have to do is cooperate. "

Pretending to look scared, I slowly back myself up towards the drawer until I feel it's knob poke my back. I just hope my acting abilities is working. I can tell the old man's getting frustrated at every tick of the clock so it's only a matter of time until I finally find the perfect timing to act out my plan, the old man just needs to move a little closer.

"What exactly do you want from me?" I couldn't careless about what they want from me. I don't usually talk when I'm in danger but I have to distract him.

He stares into my eyes with such intensity. "It's not about what I want from you, it's they want for you. You're a brilliant lady, Aya. You've shown to be competitive and smart; always top of your class. You're good at leading people to success. With your kind of mind and attitude, you can be one of the most influential people out there. You're going to be a successor and I'm going to help you. Your father, Giovanni, would be so proud of what a great lady you've grown to become."

I sneer. "He doesn't have any right to be. They don't have the right to be. I now they were just scared enough to actually take the responsibility of being parent. Pathetic."

His expression turns grim, "Careful with your mouth, young lady. You don't know what your parents have been through just so you could live."

"I would've rather died."

As soon as he was close enough for me to reach, I drag his shoulders down and muster up as much force as I can and knee him straight through the guts without second thoughts.

His bodyguard rushed towards him. I used his distraction to immediately open the drawer and grab the weapon.

A sudden flush of adrenaline tingling through my body. My heart beat started to sound like a bass beat that was gradually getting louder until it was the only thing I can hear.

I point the gun them, flicking the safety off with my thumb.

I started to slow my breathing down, trying keep the tone of my voice even. "Move and I'll fire."

The old man chuckles like he hadn't just been kneed. "I see, Rosa taught you well."

"Save your compliments, I haven't pulled the trigger yet." My hand can't help but twitch as I held the gun tighter. I've never pointed a gun on a person before.

"Ah, cunning. Would be great but we're trying to avoid as much trouble." The old man smiles like he hadn't just been kneed. They were both back on their feet, backing away.

Seconds later, there's a sound of breaking glass. Shards of it flying out and scattering everywhere. "I have 5 more bullets. Move again and the next one's going to be in both of your heads."

"Aya, we suggest you put the gun down."

"I suggest you get out and never come back, then."

There was a minute of silence until a knock on door tear through it. "Hey, Aya? This is Laura from next door. Is everything fine? I just heard glass breaking."

My eyes widen.

"Lucas, now."

In a blink of an eye, the bodyguard's figure pervade my vision and before I know it, he has the gun out of my grasp as he twist my arm to my back. I let out a whimper. I have my arm coiled into a knot around my back and suddenly numbness took over. I can't move.

"Let go." I calmly say. Trying to hide the mixture of panic and dread that's gathering in my stomach. "I said let go."

I thrash around, hoping he would eventually budge. He don't. Instead he did the opposite and twists my arm tighter.

A cry escapes out of my lips.

"Ms. Coleman? Are you okay?" Our attention shifts to the door once again. Shit,she's still here.

The bodyguard immediately covered my mouth with his hand, not giving me any chance to speak. I feel his lips on my ear and my breathe became heavier. The warmth of his breath tingling my skin, his voice dangerously low. "Scream again and she'll be joining you. Now, tell her you're okay. "

Think straight. You need to escape but you can't put her at risk. Never again.

I close my eyes and stood still for a while, trying to calm my beating heart. The adrenaline I once had was starting to wear off. My muscles suddenly weak.

Then I stiffly nod. The bodyguard takes off his hand and goads me with the muzzle of the gun to speak.

He's standing behind me but with his tall figure looming, I can still him. His eyes leering as he waits for me to say something. I clear my throat. "I'm okay. I just had an accident with the vase. One of it's shards grazed my finger."

"Do you want any help?"

"No, Laura. I'm fine."

"Oh...okay. If you say so."

Shuffling of feet were heard. Then a door closed. I let the momentary relief sink in, ignoring the searing pain I'm feeling all over my body.

She's safe atleast.

With a heavy sigh, I hunch over. Finally feeling fatigue take over my body. Lucas, who was still behind me, gave the gun to Raines.

"A princess shouldn't be playing with dangerous things." Raines looks at me with a smile.

"She shouldn't have her crown then."