08:58 A.M.
Sayuri Memorial Garden Chapel II.
June 25th, the year 2018. Monday.
3 days after Margo's murder.
Carmela tucked in her handkerchief back inside the pockets of her jeans. Nanny Margarette, the maid that served Margo, sat beside her quietly. The second chapel at the Sayuri Memorial Garden was still eerily quiet.
The different broadcasting stations, including Margo's ASN Studios, were filming her funeral. The reporters were on the side, taking down notes for another report. They placed Cameras on both sides of the room, and it was there since yesterday. It had also bombarded her with questions. One reporter even announced she was the famous Carmela Torres. The only child of the owners of the Torres Productions.
Her supportive fans were also there early in the morning. Carmela thought some strangers cared about her. Even if they didn't know what Margo's personality was. The fans were wearing a cobalt shirt with her smiling and beautiful face printed on the front.
They have been there since last night. No matter what Carmela lectured they should go home and get some rest. They reluctantly mumbled that they wanted to be with their role model for her last hours.
Her Manager, Ines, stayed the whole night in the chapel. She clutched Margo's big picture that was like the one in the center of the room. She was sitting on the long, wooden chair at the side next to Carmela's seat.
Carmela glanced at Margo's former manager, and she saw she was still staring out of space. There were no tears in her eyes, but they saw only the sorrow there. Maybe she cannot believe that Margo was dead right now, and neither was Carmela.
If she were there the day they would murder her, Carmela would be there to be her shield.
She still thought of how Katrina threatened her. She can't believe that her best friend would say that to her rival in show business. Even worse, she didn't regret it. Carmela cut off her connection with Katrina since the day she had killed Margo.
She had been getting frequent calls from Mina, Marcus, Zoey, Abbey, and Matthew every day. She declined all of it.
Marcus also talked about how he assumed Katrina was also one of his suspects for the case. She always hung up the call whenever Marcus explained. Carmela didn't want to think about who was the killer now. She wanted to wish Margo's soul to be peaceful despite the murder that she attained.
"You know, Carmela, I always think about how Margo would grow old. With that white hair and saggy face," Nanny Margarette mumbled. They both stared at her smiling picture beside her cremated body inside the marble jar.
Lilies were blooming. Representing the restored innocence of the soul of the departed. Alongside the gladiolus, carnations, chrysanthemums, roses, and orchids in an enormous vase. Margo was smiling in between those flowers.
"I thought about how Margo would grow old. As her nanny, I saw how she was childish over things. She was always giddy about what her breakfast was before going to work. Whenever she got home, she would always hug me at the back. She would say her day was the good day she ever had," Nanny Margarette mumbled. Heavy tears emerged again from her now puffy eyes.
Carmela removed her stare from the marble jar and looked over at Nanny Margarette. She saw how she put her hand over her mouth and cried silently. Carmela bit her lip and said nothing.
"But now, she's gone. I didn't even have the chance to say a proper goodbye to her before she went. The last time I saw her was the day she let me go home to my province for a few days," Nanny Margarette howled after saying it.
Carmela also heard the loud cry of Margo's former manager on the side and the weeping of her fans. They again filled the whole place with people who were suffering at her death.
Carmela put her arms over Margo's nanny and patted her hair as her tears were also trickling down her cheeks. She observed how the fire on one candle get extinguished by the air outside of the chapel as they cried. Carmela's cell phone vibrated after a while.
She got out her cell phone and saw that it was from Mina. She swiped the green button and put it over her ear as she sniffed.
"Hello? We're on the way there," Mina mumbled through the phone.
"We? You have someone inside your car beside you?" Carmela asked while controlling her sobs from coming.
"Yeah. I am with Abbey and Zoey," Mina muttered, and she heard a noise from the background. Carmela nodded even if she knew Mina couldn't see it.
"Take care on the way here. I'll be waiting for you three," Carmela said, looking over at the exit. The woman from the outside pushed the glass doors of the chapel.
She stood up hastily and widened her eyes when she saw Sammy Carbonel Santos. She paved her way towards the center of the hallway of the chapel. Carmela hung up suddenly. Mina got confused about why Carmela ended the line rapidly.
Sammy Carbonel Santos walked to the center of the room. She was wearing blueberry slacks, a white off-shoulder top, loose hair on both sides. A designer bag was slinging in her right hand.
Carmela was only wearing tight jeans topped with a simple white collar shirt. It made her look like a beggar beside Aunt Sammy.
The reporters mumbled to each other. They were staring at the international theater actress. She observed the center of the room where Margo's body was cremated in a jar.
The cameramen alongside the reporters all turned on the blinding lights to her. It made the entire room shine from the outside. They all prepared their small notebooks in case something controversial came up.
She halted right in front of Carmela. Her eyes on the marble jar that was holding Margo, and whispered, "Can my son see her on the second day of her funeral?"
Carmela averted her eyes slowly from the doors to Xian's mother. They both stared into each other's eyes. Carmela's surprised to see Aunt Sammy at the doors of the chapel. It's the only time they saw each other after she broke up with her son.
"It's been nice to see you again, Carmela," Sammy muttered, which made Carmela knuckled her fists. Sammy pursed her lips and asked the same thing again. The doors of the chapel opened again.
Carmela shifted her eyes from Aunt Sammy to the person who was in the wheelchair right now.
A bodyguard was wearing a commoner white shirt showing off his big triceps and biceps. By the looks of it, he can knock out someone with that kind of muscle. The bodyguard rolled the wheelchair in the center. The reporters who were observing the scene chattered much louder than earlier. They all saw the famous painter and Margo's boyfriend before they killed her, Xian Santos.
Xian gritted his teeth as Carmela observed the black slacks. She knew it was for the purpose to cover the injured leg underneath. He was also wearing a long-sleeved polo shirt. Xian's elevated right arm pictured it recovering.
Carmela looked down at Xian while clenching her jaw. She felt the anger rising as Xian connected his eyes to her.
"We are here to wish Margo a peaceful death, Carmela, if you may permit us to be here for a few hours," Sammy muttered to her. Everyone knew what they were witnessing. Xian and Carmela both stared into the depths of their eyes. Carmela panted and closed her eyes. She shook her head aggressively and pointed towards Xian.
"He's the reason Margo received a threat. I do not want to see his face right here and there while we were mourning for Margo's death," Carmela hissed. She glared at Xian. She took a step towards Xian and slapped him hard on the right cheek.
Sammy widened her eyes and opened her mouth wide. She crouched down immediately beside her son. The people were gossiping about what Carmela did. Sammy looked up at her as Carmela said something.
"You cheated on Margo and you want to show the hell up off your face here after what you did to her?! How thick your face must have been now, Xian!" Carmela yelled as Xian looked up at her with tears in his eyes. She felt the hotness on her cheeks as angry tears streamed down.