Headstone

"Is it done?" Regina asked the butler.

"Yes, madam. The flowers are in the car." The butler bowed respectfully.

"Good. Let's go." Regina entered the car, wearing all black.

Vanessa was still coming down the stairs, still fuming after remembering what happened that previous day.

She wanted to have tea with Regina to calm her frustrations down. But when she was about to find her mother-in-law, she saw the car drive off.

"Where is mom going?" She asked a maid.

"She'll meet up with a friend, ma'am." The maid said, head hung low.

'A friend?'

Not thinking too much into it, she decided to look for her mother instead.

"Mom? Are you going somewhere?" Chantal saw Vanessa by the stairs. She had just emerged from her room.

"Yes. I'll go visit your grandma." Vanessa told her.

"Oh. I'll go with you then." Chantal went back to her room to grab her purse and went in the car with Vanessa.

The drive to the Carlton's mansion was not far. But before they even entered the compound, the matriarch Elaine Carlton was in the backseat of their family's car which is now driving away.

"Where is your grandma off now?" Vanessa huffed. First it was her mother-in-law, now her own mother.

"Follow them." Vanessa commanded the driver. She was curious about what these old ladies are busy with these days.

"Mom? Maybe grandma is meeting someone important?" Chantal said, getting bored already. There was nothing exciting about following behind her grandmother.

"Who could that be? Mom usually just stays at home. If anyone wants to meet her, they'll just go to the house instead of your grandma going out of her way to meet them." Vanessa crossed her legs.

Seeing that her mom got a point, Chantal just clamped her mouth down and just waited for the car to stop.

Ding!

Her phone notified her of Henry's message.

She opened it right away, already a smile on her face.

"Check this out.."

Henry sent her a photo from the party yesterday.

Chantal then typed some sweet words in reply.

"Play this.."

Henry sent her a slideshow of the photos with music in the background.

"Awww.. this is so cute.. Thanks babe.."

"Of course. Anything to make you smile, babe."

Just then the car stopped.

"Are we here?" Chantal asked. She didn't even notice as her attention was on her phone. She didn't notice that Vanessa's face went through changes of her facial expression.

She glanced at Vanessa who became quiet. She was looking at the view outside of the car's window.

Chantal looked around. They were at a Cemetery.

Her eyes widened in surprise. Just the fact that they were at a cemetery gave her the creeps. It was still daytime but she had never been to the cemetery before. Her grandparents and parents are alive and well. She also opted to not attend the funeral services of others.

After the people from the front got off from their cars, carrying bouquets of flowers, they also followed in.

Vanessa and Chantal followed a slight distance from Elaine.

Elaine kept walking with a butler in tow until they reached another old woman who was bowing her head in prayer.

It was Regina, Vanessa's mother-in-law.

Both old women, donned in black with exaggerated hats and gloves, looked like they were from an old movie.

The two matriarchs exchanged some words. The butler placed the bouquet of flowers next to Regina's.

"It's been 22 years." Elaine muttered.

"Indeed it has. Life would have been different." Regina said softly.

Today was not the death anniversary of the person buried under. But they had no choice but to choose a different day for a visit instead of the actual anniversary day.

After a few more words, the two agreed to go to Carlton's mansion to have some tea.

Just when they were about to leave, they saw Vanessa and Chantal looking at them with confused faces.

"Mom? Who are you visiting?" Vanessa asked.

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Chantal went near the headstone. It was well-maintained.

She gasped at what she saw. 'What is this? Same Middle name and last name.. that only meant that this person is her sibling. But same birthday as well? That could only mean that she had shared a womb with this person! What happened back then?'

"Mom? Grandmas? Who is this person?" Chantal asked, full of curiosity.

The matriarchs sighed. Their faces underwent different emotions. They looked shocked to see them, annoyed for being followed, afraid that they would find out their secret, and embarrassed that they were found out.

Vanessa was getting frustrated at their lack of reply, she hurried over to the headstone as well. She narrowed her eyes, thinking she was hallucinating.

'No. That's impossible. How can that be? This is not true! This is not real! How could this happen? Have they known all along? Yes, they must have, since they're even meeting up with each other. How could they keep this a secret all these years?!'

Sophia Carlton Winchester. Born on February 16, 1999-Died on February 16, 1999.

It was the same birthday as Chantal and Diana.

"Can anyone please tell me what's going on?" Vanessa was pale. Her body shook, hands trembling. She was feeling light headed.

Chantal was still dumbstruck and could only hold her mother's elbow in support. She was confused at her grandmothers' reactions. 'They both have known about this? Why did they have to keep it from us?'

"Let's go home first." Elaine said. She beckoned the butler to assist Vanessa in going back to the car.

Elaine was dreading for this moment to come all these years. They thought at that time that this decision was the best that they have come up with.

They had to live with this lie that have weighed heavily upon them all this time. The lie that sprung out of their love for their family member. It was a drastic solution but once it was done, they have to stand by it and see it through. The lie that they thought they would keep secret even after they die.

Vanessa's head was in a swirl of confusion. She didn't know what else to say. She didn't know if she should believe their next words.

However, Chantal was already starting to grasp the situation.