It's been a week since Francine suffered the consequences of her betrayal. Her pretty pale face, a masterpiece destroyed by a bullet that fatally ended her life, with so much blood giving a different color to the gray pavement as if it was a canvas. It made me feel good and I don't know why. It doesn't matter now, does it? She's a demon with a face of an angel who deserved worse.
However, I cared for her. Yet I don't feel any remorse for what happened to her. Instead, I was satisfied.
Maybe I did not care for her at all?
"Agape..." I called out one of the maids watching me eat my lunch at the dining room. As usual, the house is quiet again with mommy and daddy at work. I was told that the men who helped us that day were his connections with the police. Francine worked for a syndicate that wanted to kidnap me for ransom but they failed.
"Y-yes?" Her tone alarmed me a bit. Why is she nervous?
I eyed her suspiciously while she looked fearful. Gulping twice, her slanted eyes widened before looking at me again, as if I knew something that would lead to her despair. "I... want milk, please."
"Right a-away... mademoiselle..." She replied and immediately left.
"Where are the others? Melissa? Tyreene? Suzanne?" I asked Sylvia who patiently waited for my commands.
"I-I'm not really sure, mademoiselle..."
I nodded, yet slightly cautious of the way they are acting right now. Did something happen again? "I'm done now. Just tell Agape to bring my milk to the balcony. I'll be waiting for her there."
I watched as they cleaned the table. Looking at it now, these people wear uniforms that further emphasized how powerless they are against people like us. I speak and they nod as I please. Francine, however, was different... like an annoying nail sticking out of the wood. She would scold me when I'm stubborn, praise me when my parents were too busy to even look at the fruits of my talent.
That's it. I liked Francine because she noticed me. She acted more human than these slaves of money in front of me right now. I never really cared for her but I was able to maximize her likable qualities as a person. She was more useful to me than Sylvia, Agape or others who were too scared of the name I carry. Unfortunately, the Francine I knew was fake. Ah, the power of money to make rational beings turn into slaves. It's sad and entertaining at the same time!
On my way to the balcony, I was stopped when I heard something break from the kitchen. I looked around to see that the others were busy doing their jobs. Curiously, I walked towards the kitchen, just to witness Agape and Maria having an argument.
"Diyos ko, Agape! Pinapatay ni madam Viona ang iba kagabi. Wala silang mga puso!" Maria tried to speak as softly as she could but to no avail. I could still hear them from where I was standing. What are they talking about, though?
Patay... dead...
Iba... others
Gabi? Night?
Others, dead, night?
What does it mean? Isn't that Filipino? And I heard grandma's name.
"Kasalanan to ni Francine. Kung inayos niya lang sana ang mga plano niya edi tapos na ang trabaho natin dito!" Agape sobbed at the countertop. Milk was all over the floor with shards of glass. The latter immediately took some gloves and picked the large, sharp pieces and placed them into a plastic bag.
"Tumahimik ka na.. baka marinig tayo nung bata!"
"Hindi niya tayo maiintindihan, Maria!" Agape's voice was louder this time. "Kelangan na nating umalis dito, ngayon din-"
"M-mademoiselle..." Maria spoke as she saw me walking towards them. I understood Agape's last sentence. Why do they have to leave? For what reason? Why are they mad?
"Wag kang lalapit!" Agape took out the kitchen knife that was conveniently near her and aimed it at me. How dare she aim a weapon against the person she serves. Are we being betrayed by these people again?
"Agape, walang kasalanan yung bata. Tumigil ka na!" Maria tried to stop the former by taking the knife away.
"Hindi! Demonyo ang pamilyang ito! Pinapatay nila ang mga inosente! Pinatay nila ang kapatid ko!" She took a plate and threw it at my direction, causing it to break in front of me. I felt some shards hit my legs, making me wince a bit.
"Anong ginawa mo?!" Maria pushed the other away and tried to attend to me, which I declined by stepping back a bit while glaring at her. I can't trust anyone, not even Maria.
"I don't understand you, Agape...Please stop this nonsense." I said as calmly as I could even if I can feel my knees shaking. She was one of the silent but diligent servants we had. To see her like this is unsettling. It's always the quiet ones, huh?
"Kita mo kung paano magsalita, Maria? Kadugo niya nga ang mga demonyong iyon!" She looked at me again with resent in her eyes. "You are a family of killers! You people are sick!"
I felt my tears forming again. Why are they like this? My family has never wronged anyone, unless they did something wrong to us first. I pointed back at her. "How dare you, ungrateful-"
"M-madame Margaux!" Maria exclaimed and Agape froze. Both of them were looking behind me so I did the same.
"Mommy!" I ran towards her, ignoring the sharp pieces of the broken plate on the floor and hugged her tightly. The sound of a knife falling caught my attention. Both of the maids are now on their knees, wearing expressions of guilt and regret.
"Please spare our lives. We're innocent. We weren't involved with the kidnapping!" Maria tried her best to make her voice steady but to no avail. Her voice cracked and tears started falling down her cheek. Two bulky men entered the room and restrained them as they continued to beg for forgiveness. They tried their best to get out by squirming, causing a vase nearby to fall and break. It was one of the flowers daddy gave mommy.
"Look at these fools, Fleur... They tried so hard to gain our trust. They earned it, yet they broke it too." She giggled as she caressed my hair, as if she was not bothered with it... like she was used to it. "Now, they get to taste the wrath of the Montecarlos."
"Madame Margaux! Madame ! We're sorry! Patawarin niyo kami!" One cried desperately.
"What will happen, mommy? Please don't hurt them..." Even if I'm mad... wait, I-I shouldn't feel pity for them. Agape wronged us. Maria, however...
"Ma cheri, do you remember how your father taught you to shoot?" Mommy asked, ignoring what I just said.
"Never miss the target. Aim for the head." I recited immediately.
"Madame! Please, maawa po kayo!"
"Can you show me again how you got a headshot?"
"Huh? I don't have a board, mommy."
She took out a gun and made me hold it. She held my hand to aim it at Agape, who squirmed more as she realized what was about to happen. "Show me, my Fleur..." She smiled sweetly and hummed. Mommy's calm aura amidst all these mess was scaring me. It's as if she is a different person right now.
Agape's tears fell on her cheek uncontrollably, making me feel pity. "Mommy.... I can't...and Maria hasn't done anything to us yet. In fact-"
"Oh, darling...Maria's worse." She laughed and shook her head. "You don't think I knew how you tried to poison us many times, Maria?"
"H-huh?" The person in question gawked, shocked at the accusation directed at her.
"Trinaydor tayo ni Sylvia!" Agape looked at Maria, whose expression changed. She clicked her tongue and smirked at me.
"So, nasilaw rin sa pera ng mga 'to ang gagang iyon? Tangina niya."
"Not really, Maria. She's... nah. There's no use explaining now. I thought you were clever enough to catch one of your own kind but you proved me wrong, ne-o-phyte~" Maria gritted her teeth at mommy's comment but she was no longer trying to free herself, like she has accepted her loss in this life.
"You see, my child... People like Maria are the ones you should avoid the most." She tucked loose strands of my hair behind my ear. "They tried to take my Fleur away from me... so we're getting even with them." I felt mommy's fingers pull the trigger.
My eyes widened when blood splattered on the dress of Agape and she screamed in pain. The men dragged both of the traitors out of the room. Mommy hugged me tightly as I noticed her shoulders shaking. "Mommy, please don't cry. I'm sorry for keeping a secret-"
"No. I'm the one who should be sorry, Fleur. I need you to be stronger now. There will be more people like them as you grow older. You can't trust anyone, no matter how good they are to you, okay?"
"Okay, mommy."
"I love you, my Fleur..." Her sweet voice returned to the way it was.
"I love you too, mommy." I replied amidst the screams I heard outside which was then followed by multiple gun shots. I stared at the white flowers getting slowly dampened and colored by Agape's blood. Somehow, that did not feel right. "It's dirty now."
How could I forget that?
"Are you tired? Kakasimula lang ng party, ah?" Donovan asked as he stood beside me. I looked at him and shook my head.
"Pagod lang ako. Hindi ako masyadong nakatulog kagabi." Sagot ko habang pinapanood si Psylocke na makihalubilo sa kanyang mga kaibigan. The theme of her party is masquerade, with gold and black as its theme colors. She emphasized that since she is almost at the legal age, she wants to be more elegant and sophisticated.
Oh well. This makes it easier for me to avoid the attention for now. Masyadong maraming gumugulo sa isip ko ngayon.
Simula kagabi, hindi na kami nagkausap ni Jacob and maybe he's right. I'm being a hypocrite for acting self-righteous when my principles are not exactly the best in the market. I should just mind my own business and let the night go as planned.
"Sus. How's my cousin, by the way?" Makahulugan niya akong tiningnan kaya tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.
"Ano namang kinalaman ko sa pinsan mo at tinatanong mo sa'kin?" I furrowed my brows as I watched Sheena overlooking us from the second floor. Even with her slanted eyes hidden through the mask, I could feel her judging stare. Problema ng babaeng 'to?
"Type ka kaya nun. Di mo lang alam..." He paused, intentionally not ending his sentence.
"Di ko lang alam ang ano?"
Tumawa siya nang bahagya. "Kunwari ka pa. You're also interested in him." Ugh. Nakaka-stress talaga itong taong 'to.
"He's five years older than me, Donovan. I'm not interested." I answered honestly.
"You blushed when I mentioned him, though."
"Ugh! Shut up." I flipped my hair and fanned myself because my body suddenly felt hot. Damn it! Why am I like this? "Maiba naman tayo, tutal chismoso ka... Ako naman. Kamusta na kayo ng girlfriend mo? Ipakilala mo naman ako." I grinned and poked him teasingly.
"Tss. She dumped me." His expression suddenly got serious as he took out his phone and dialed something.
My eyes widened in shock. "Oh my! What happen-"
"Hello. Yep, she's here. Actually, she wants to say something." Nagulat ako nang bigla niyang tinapat sa tenga ko ang cellphone niya.
"Hello?"
"I see you're having fun with my cousins. How are you?" T-that voice!
Para akong nawalan ng boses nang marinig ko si Damon sa kabilang linya. Labis na uminit ang pisngi ko at lumakas ang tibok ng puso ko. No, I hate this feeling!
Nakita kong tumatawa si Donovan sa tabi ko habang tinuturo ang mukha ko kaya naman kinurot ko siya sa tyan. "Aray, yung abs ko! Fuck!" He winced, catching people's attention.
"Bwisit ka talaga!" I walked out, fuming with anger. Bwisit talaga ang mag-pinsang iyon. Mga sakit sa ulo!
I passed a lot of people whose attention is now directed at the stage. I stopped near Psylocke's table to watch. Gayle Reese Gerhardt was gracefully playing a familiar, soothing tune with her violin as the audience watched in awe. Psylocke, especially, was taking pictures while cheering for her best friend. What a supportive friend, I say. Kung normal lang siguro ang buhay ko gaya nila, would I have someone like Gayle who I could trust and share secrets with?
Unfortunately, my life is laced with secrets that my family tried to hide from me.
Besides, I can't believe it. Even in this huge place, Donovan still finds a way to annoy the hell out of me by waving his phone at me and smirking like a bastard from across the room.
Wait.
Oh my, hindi ko nasagot si Damon. Tss... It's not like he'll be busy forever. Pero sayang...
After Gayle's performance, she returned to their table and Psylocke called my attention to come closer. "Ate Adora, This is Gayle Gerhardt, my bestest of the best friend in this world!"
I smiled and shook her hand. "Adora Montecarlos, nice to meet you."
"I-I heard about you! Papa was actually Mr. Alexio Montecarlos' business partner in the past so I was shocked that Psylocke personally knows you." Tiningnan ni Gayle ang katabi niya. "Locke, ang galing! Kilala mo pala yung unica hija ng may-ari ng LEFEBVRE at apo ng sikat na model nung panahon ni lola."
"Huh? Ate Adora, hindi lang ikaw ang model sa mga Montecarlos?"
"Yup. My grandmother was actually a better model than me in her prime years." It's true. She was my inspiration in modeling, the reason why I can carry myself confidently.
"Si Mrs. Viona Montecarlos po, hindi ba? Ang ganda niya po hanggang ngayon! Napakaswerte po talaga ni Mr. Alexio. A perfect match..." Gayle clasped her hands and sighed. "Locke, I believe your slam book na. Ipakilala mo ako sa iba next time, please?"
"Of course, ako pa! Malawak ata ang connections ko. Hindi kasi kayo naniniwala sa slam book ko, eh." Pagmamayabang ng isa na tinawanan na lang namin. Nagpatuloy pa ang kwentuhan hanggang sa may narinig ako mula sa aking earpiece.
"Dyosa to Queen, make sure they get to drink what we prepared later. I just hope we can get birthday girl to quit sticking to our target like glue." I looked up and nodded at Sheena who was watching us. Kanina pa kasi namin napapansin na hindi sila naghihiwalay kahit saan sila magpunta kaya gumawa na kami ng paraan.
"Ate Adora, we have a secret to tell you. Don't let other adults know besides kuya, ha?" Tumango ako.
Ngumisi siya, showing her cute dimple. "I convinced kuya kasi to pay the servers so that they can sneak alcohol into the drinks."
I acted surprised. Actually, it was Jacob who tempted her sister to do such a thing. "No need to be surprised, ate. Daddy won't know about this as long as kuya Jacob is on our side!"
"Oh, you sneaky girl!" I pinched her cheek. "Sumbong kita sa daddy mo, eh." I teased. If only you knew, Psylocke. Your brother, of all people is using you for revenge.
"Wahhh! My makeup! Huhuhu-huy, si kuya Lance ba yun?!" Psylocke exclaimed as she waved her hand at someone in the crowd. Gayle and I looked at that direction and I did not expect Lancelot Sevilla, my ex, with a pretty woman carrying a baby walking towards our table.