Revelation of secrets and lies

Standing in front of her mirror, seeing her own reflection was something Reese couldn't help but use as the only reason she won't call herself something hideous --- something she's not.

Reese wore a simple wrap dress for this morning's simple invitation from her own household.

Umupo si Reese sa harap ng vanity mirror niya at sinuklay ang sariling buhok at dahan-dahan na tinitignan ang mga mata niyang kulay kaki na naiiba kumpara sa mata ni Reema at mata ng mga magulang niya.

She looked at the bag she used yesterday and took it. She opened it and took the talisman she hid in her bag.

Reese looked at the necklace and it's ruby as red as a blood, it caught her attention and it was never something Reese thought of seriously.

She remembers what Kier told her about the necklace, it would affect the person who wears it and Reese wants to know about it.

Binalik niya sa bag niya ang necklace at kinuha naman ang libro na tinago niya sa cabinet.

She opened the book and looked at the page where she saw the woman who almost has the same face as hers.

Hindi normal na makita ang sarili niya sa isang libro at ang ikinakatakot pa ni Reese at halos wala silang pinagkaiba ng babae na nasa libro.

The man beside her was someone Reese found intimidated too.

"Young lady…?"

Reese was startled to hear a few knocks on her room's door so she immediately hid the book she was browsing and stood up --- he saw Ms. Ann on her doorway with a smile.

"Yes?" Reese said in a low voice.

"Young master asked me to fetch you, aalis na raw kayo."

Tumango si Reese at kaagad na binitbit ang bag niya, sumunod siya kay Ms. Ann pababa sa hagdan at nakita na nakahanda na ang kotseng sasakyan nila sa front porch ng villa.

Lumapit kaagad si Reese kay Severus na naghihintay sa front porch at binati ito.

"Good morning, sorry I took too long taking a bath." Wika ni Reese at ngumiti.

"It's fine." Sagot ni Severus, "Then shall we go?"

Tumango si Reese at pinag buksan sila ng pintuan ni Butler Mo.

Naunang sumakay si Reese at sumunod naman si Severus. Butler Mo was the one who drove the car, the car they used was obviously the one she always uses when she's leaving the villa.

Reese had her hands rested on her lap, she looked at the ring in her finger. The ring she never tried to remove after she wore it.

Though this marriage was pure arranged, hindi na iniisip ni Reese na masamang bagay ang nangyaring kasal sa pagitan nila ni Severus.

She wants to talk about this matter too to her grandfather.

He was the one who asked Reese to do a favor of not falling in love with her own husband and she agreed to it without thinking that she would fall for him.

Reese startled when Severus took her hand and he intertwined it with his.

Reese looked at Severus and Severus gave her a smile. It made Reese smile back because of it.

"You worried about something, Reese?" Severus asked her.

"I guess so…" Mahinang wika ni Reese at bumuntong hininga.

"Maybe you're worried about your sister…? She causes trouble for you all the time." Wika nito sa kanya.

Mahinang natawa si Reese at tumango. "I think that's the case."

Mahinang natawa rin si Severus at nanatiling magkahawak ang kamay nilang dalawa.

This is just a small gesture but Reese can't help but to melt inside.

A wide smile crept onto Reese's lips as she looked at their intertwined hands.

"Thank you…" Reese almost said in a murmur.

"Why are you thanking me?" Nagtatakang wika ni Severus sa kanya.

Reese chuckled and looked at Severus with her sweet smile.

"I just feel like saying it. Marrying you was not a mistake, I've found myself a gem." Masayang wika ni Reese kay Severus

Severus froze with what Reese told him and it was something he did not expect Reese would say.

Back then, Reese was an arrogant and cold person towards him. She was really hard to understand.

"Are you confessing to me right now?" Severus asked in a tone of excitement.

Reese shrugged her shoulders and gave a short laugh.

"I don't know. I mean," Reese paused for a moment. "why would I confess to my own husband? Isn't that a bit weird, Butler Mo?" Reese then looked at Butler Mo.

Butler Mo chuckled, so is Reese.

"I guess so, young lady…" Sagot ni Butler Mo habang nagmamaneho.

"But…" Reese said in a low voice. "Can I ask you something…?"

Severus looked at her with confused eyes, he was waiting for what Reese would say.

"Go on. Ask away."

Reese took a deep breath and looked at her husband, straight in the eyes.

"Would you still accept me if I did horrible things? Even if I am a bad person…?" Reese almost said in a whisper.

"Why are you asking me that? Of course, I will still accept you, you are my wife."

A simple answer coming from Severus was enough for Reese to trust and to believe.

She was a horrible person to begin with, but she kept it hidden for a very long time now.

"Young lady… young master, we've arrived." Anunsiyo ni Butler Mo.

They stopped holding hands and the two of them went outside the car.

The place where the car stopped was the front porch of the mansion and it was completely covered and it was safe for her to enter.

Before Reese could even get the paper bag where the gifts they prepared for visiting, her hands were already caught by Severus.

They both entered inside the Chen's mansion with a smile and they were welcomed by the maids and her sister.

"The two of you are kind of early…" Bati ni Reema sa kanilang dalawa.

Reema greeted Severus with her sweet smile, but as soon as Reema's eyes landed on Reese — it felt like she was throwing daggers at her.

"Where's grandpa?" Reese asked Reema.

"In the study." Simpleng sagot ni Reema sa kanya at binalik ang atensyon kay Severus.

Reese looked at Severus.

"Sorry, Sev. I have to go to grandpa, I have to ask him some things." Paalam ni Reese kay Severus.

"Is that so…? Okay then, I'll wait for you here." Nakangiting wika sa kanya ni Severus at hinalikan ang nuo niya.

Reese was caught off guard and she froze from where she is standing.

"A...Ah, then I'll be going…" Mahinang wika ni Reese. "Will you be okay here?"

Tumango si Severus. "Yea, I'll be fine."

Tanging tango na lang ang naging sagot ni Reese at iniwan si Severus sa sala.

She took a step on the stairs and every single detail of her memories inside this house slowly entered her mind.

Every step felt like a poison pricking her heart slowly but painfully.

She clutched her bag's strap as she finally got herself in front of the study. The study was open and Reese could see her grandfather inside.

She was about to call him out but she suddenly heard her mother's voice.

"What are you saying, papa?" Her mother's voice was too loud.

Reese silently stood there trying to hear what they were talking about.

"That's what I have decided during my stay in Italy…" Her grandfather said in almost a weak voice.

"Hahayaan mo na manahin ng bastarda na 'yun yung kumpanya ng pamilya natin? I am not in favor with her ever since the start!" Halos pasigaw muli na wika ng nanay niya.

Hindi alam ni Reese kung sino ang pinag-uusapan ng mga ito, halatang hindi sila pabor sa naging desisyon ng lolo niya.

"Letting a stranger's daughter take over our company is a bit…"

Reese gave a sigh and she wanted to leave, there's no point in getting herself involved in it.

"Reese is not a stranger to us anymore!" Her grandfather exclaimed.

Reese froze from where she was standing as soon as she heard what her grandfather said to her mother.

It felt as if everything just stopped.

"Reese may not be your daughter, but I consider her as my own granddaughter."

Reese can't feel anything, her hands were shaking and everything's getting blurry.

"Then why are we involving her in this?"

"Because I made a promise to her biological mother." It was a simple answer from her grandfather but it was enough for Reese to break down.

"You act all good, papa. You knew what we did to her, right? The way we tortured her back then, yet you kept quiet. Why is it?"

She is not a real Chen and she's not that hurt with it, but what hurts more was hearing that her grandfather knew about the torture they did to her.

"How cruel…" Mahinang wika ni Reese at napaluha. "How cruel!" Reese shouted and she saw how they flinched inside the study.

Reese's eyes met her grandfather's and worry was all over his eyes. Before Reese could even make them look at her, she left.

She left with anger and pain lingering inside her heart.

Hanggang sa makababa na si Reese unti-unting nagsisihulugan ang luha niya at kaagad siyang sinalubong ni Severus sa baba.

"Hey, what happened —"

Reese was a mess and she was confused because of the anger she was feeling.

Nilagpasan niya lang si Severus at nagdere-deretso palabas ng mansyon.

Hindi niya pinansin ang pagtawag ng mga ito sa kanya, they were stopping her from walking directly at the sunlight.

But Reese just wanted to escape.

Everything was too much for her.

Her walk slowly turned into a run, she wanted to escape and go into a very deep sleep where she won't have to think about everything anymore.

She can slowly feel the pain from her allergy, it was as if she was slowly burning in a pit of fire.

She can feel her body getting weak and heavy, her eyes are slowly starting to lose it's sense and everything was blurry for her.

She can't even hear their shouts anymore, everything was silent.

Reese stopped running and that's when her body gave up. She gave up her consciousness and she made herself lose her senses.

Everything's enough.