"Can you take me to the pier now? This will be the last thing you will hear and do for me," she said. The pier operates 24/7 and ships dock and leaves the pier every hour so she is sure she can hop into one of those ships and go back to M City.
She looked at Jackson one more time who was still holding Celine like a precious stone, not aware that Celine was only faking it. She was all smiles hearing the conversation at her back. No one saw the triumphant devilish smile on her face.
"I would like to ask one more time..... were you the one who brought the illegal substance here?" Joseph asked Christine.
"Yes! ..... I did!" replied Christine. She held her head high and looked at him in the eyes. She is certain that she will not be able to see him again. She felt a sudden pain in her heart, something she has been feeling lately whenever Joseph ignores or scold her.
Joseph squinted his eyes upon hearing it.
"If that is the case, then you must go", he said in a cold voice.
"Its already very late bro, can we at least wait until tomorrow?" Jolo protested.
"Is there a way that we can just forget this night? Can we start over as a family?'', Jackson appealed. His voice was low and uncertain.
Celine moved away from him, and her eyes are fierce like an eagle and stared at him in disbelief.
"What are you talking? I will not accept her as part of the family so if you will insist, then you must choose between me and our baby or her?", she was holding her tummy with her right hand and the other was pointing at Christine. She looked so aggrieved and pitiful which made Jackson feel helpless.
"Let's go!", Joseph said to Christine and walked toward the front door. Jolo followed him behind.
" Brother, do you really have to send her away? What if she did not bring the drugs in here? What if it was not her?" Jolo asked while he was walking fast, almost running to catch up with Joseph. They turned left toward the garage to get his car.
"She admitted it herself. And if it was not her, who did it?"
Jolo almost bumped into Joseph when he suddenly stopped walking and turned around to face him. Jolo hesitated and wanted to tell him but he was interrupted by Celine who was already at their back.
"Enough Jolo! Don't be stupid! Don't you see that she has brought this family shame and misfortune? This is not enough for what she did. She should be put in jail if not because of Jackson", she angrily said. She thought it was good riddance or she will have to spend thousands to get rid of her herself.
Jolo became speechless, he just looked at his brother who showed no emotion at all and has already got into his car. He can't tell them that it was Marlon and that he was part of it. How can he? He was too afraid. With a heavy heart, he gave up. He just sat on one of the stools in the garage and watched as Joseph drove the car.
Celine hurriedly went back to the front door and saw that Christine went into the passenger side of Joseph's car. She can't help but smile. Deep down inside, she was celebrating and if possible she would throw a party right there and then. But she can't do that or she will be too obvious. She has to continue her act especially in front of Joseph and Jackson.
Christine was silent while they were on their way to the pier. The moon was shining brightly and the stars are spread across the sky with diamond-like glitters. It could have been a perfect night for couples to go out, walk by the beach, stroll at the park or sit around a bonfire. The scenery was just so perfect that Christine forgot why she is alone in the car with Joseph right now. She enjoyed watching the stars from the window of the car. Joseph did not close the car windows so she could feel the light and cold breeze on her face. She could smell the grass, the flowers, and the salty wind as they were passing by the edge of a cliff. She could hear the sounds of wave smashing into the rocks, the crickets and all sort of animal sounds. She loves it, she loved everything in this place....
Joseph was also silent. He was in deep thought. His brows are creased, his hands steady on the steering wheel and his eyes focused on the road. He is not in a good mood, in fact, he is enraged. He wanted to stop the car and shake Christine hard to make sense out of her. How long has she been using drugs? She also saw her one time holding a cigarette. When she came, she was so sweet to everyone, especially to the boys. In a few months that she stayed with them, he saw her enjoyed the company of boys, she saw her smoking and now drugs? What else is she capable of? How can she maintain to look innocent and sweet?
"Don't you have anything to say to me? You know, my word is the law at the mansion. All you need to do it say it", Joseph said after a few minutes of silence.
What Joseph said brought Christine back to reality from dreamland.
"What do you want me to say?'' she provokingly replied and turned to look at him just the same time that Joseph glanced at her. Their eyes met and they locked for a few seconds before Joseph turned his gaze back to the road.
"Do you really want to play innocent with me?", his voice was harsh and his eyes became dark when he took a quick glance at her innocent face.
"I have nothing to say. I don't have to explain my actions to you or to anyone. You believe what you want to believe, it doesn't bother me at all", he voice quivered a little due to the flooding emotions she was trying to suppress.