"That's all?" I asked Vince from the door. Four days have passed, and I am still abducted.
I ordered him to look at the alley where the accident happened 11 years ago, and four days have passed since I ordered him, but he has not been able to gather even one thing related to the accident.
"Andra, what are you expecting? It's been 11 years." He cynically asked, "Of course, a lot of things have changed."
I don't want to wait any longer! I'd want to know!
"How about those surveillance cameras on that corner?"
Since we returned to the Philippines, this has always been our routine. When it comes to it, there is a significant stumbling block. We only chatted once in a while at first since Daddy was constantly at home, but now that he isn't, we talk more frequently. We don't know where he goes when he vanishes, and neither do I.
When it comes to my mom, my rage toward her never fades, and whenever she comes to visit me, I always push her away. I can forgive him, but I don't know when. Even though I didn't hear her entire explanation, I know it's impolite to conclude, but it's all her fault in my opinion. If she had just let the two of us chat, none of this would have happened.
If we could talk that night, Whatever her reason is, I'll forgive her.
"11 years ago, Lex! So what do you expect?"
My teeth gritted in anger. "So, it's been erased? What they say is, they were forcibly erased to lose the evidence!"
The person who bumped into my mother was attending the most prestigious school in the Philippines.
"In that case, the people against you are not normal," Vince said as if he was announcing a threat.
I don't have any power, and neither do the Reyes', so how can I plan out my plans?
Oh, fuck it! I secretly whispered at the thought.
I have no choice left.
*****
I awoke to a flurry of knocks on the door. I leaped to my feet, thinking it was Vince, but all I could hear were Daddy's heavy breathing.
"D-Daddy?"
"Oh, my daughter..." he mumbled inebriated. "Wasn't your brain still changing after a week?! Dammit, you're just one of the worthless and useless pests I'm feeding!"
My hand clenched. See? I have no hope of them! So I also had no reason to turn down his offer.
My decision was further strengthened by the news brought by Vince. Soleil Camero, the woman Selena killed, is the fiancee of BIS's sole heir. The school where the man who ran into my mother was studying which means I already have a great chance.
I slowly stood up and braced myself when I heard the door open. Daddy's angry eyes met mine, obviously impatiently waiting for my answer.
He was about to slap me...
"I agree. I'll bear her face," I said hard, causing her hand to hang in the air.
A wicked smile appeared on his face. It was as if he had lost his intoxication with my decision.
I'll do everything to get my revenge, even if I'm still at stake.
*****
"Pack lightly, I don't need those clothes anymore," I ordered the butler who was packing my clothes as I looked at myself in the mirror.
I haven't seen Soleil Camero yet, but based on Vince's description, she appears to be a true goddess. That's better, and it made me feel less pathetic.
I don't know how and why Selena killed her. I don't have time for the two of them. Like her, I will not allow my mother to die without paying.
Maybe I'm too late, but wherever my mother is now, you can rest assured that I'll get my sweetest vengeance on them.
I'm dressed in a black halter-strap top with a black cardigan, skinny jeans, and over-the-knee boots.
When I heard a loud slamming door, I straightened my hair. Because I accidentally let go of the straightener, I missed and wounded myself. When I saw Vince visibly upset, I was ready to reprimand whoever did it. On the tip of his lip, there was a small amount of blood. It appears that he is aware of my plan.
I silently gasped as I saw her chest rise and fall, and stood up to help the butler pack. I could feel his presence behind me.
"Is what Tito says true?" he asked emphatically.
My lip was pursed. I figured he wouldn't go along with my scheme, so I didn't tell him. Even if I told him the plan and he didn't agree, nothing would change my decision.
No one can change my plan.
When I still didn't look at him, he forced me to face him. He held my shoulders tightly.
"Is it true, Andra?"
"Yes, it's true," I answered calmly, and he gently removed his hands from my shoulders.
Out of frustration, he pulled himself together.
"Why are you doing this, Andra? Do you know what the price will be for your decisions now?"
"Do you think I didn't consider it, Vince?"
"You considered it, but that's not a good idea! Consider it carefully, Andra! Imitating her face entails-"
Our quarrel ended when we heard about the broken ones. We both looked at it. We both saw my mother's shocked face; her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. He ignored the ones he broke because he immediately came closer to me.
"Andra, is it true? Is what I heard true?" No one answered her. Vince and I both averted our eyes because of his question.
"Tita, you heard it wrong—"
She immediately turned to face me. "No! Never, ever, ever keep a secret from me—"
My jaw clenched. "Yes, you heard it right"
She didn't let me finish by slapping, and it took a few minutes for me to recover from what she had done. It's the first time she hits me; she's always been soft and gentle with me!
"Auntie!" said Vince.
I shook a few times, and I could see the guilt in her eyes for what had been done. Every step she took, I also retreated.
"I'm sorry, Andra..."
"You slapped me..." I nodded, trying not to cry in front of them. You slapped me! How could you do that to me, Mom?" My voice is up now.
"Andra!" Vince said again, scolding me for shouting.
"Vince, what are you talking about? You two have no idea how I'm feeling right now! You don't know anything, so you have no right to overturn my decision!" My make-up is no longer important to me since I cried so hard. "It was so close! I'm talking to it, I'm holding it, but in a flash, she's gone! Died! " I glared at my guilty mother. "If you just let us go..."
She attended to me while I was crying. My vision is now blurry because of the tears.
"Are you asking me why I did that? It's because I love you, Andra. I want to be selfish…"
"If you love me, you won't hurt me! I pushed her softly, but she immediately lost her balance.
Andra, you're a witch! Instead of attending to her, I averted my eyes. I have to turn my heart into stone. Because, as I said, I don't want someone to have access to my heart, I have nothing to lose at the end of this.
My chest went up and down as I pulled my suitcase away from that room. I cried, even more, when I heard her footsteps and her call to me, begging me to come back. She will also benefit from my decision. She can have her treatment abroad.
Daddy turned off his phone call when he saw us. His brows furrowed before his gaze shifted to my back. I handed my luggage to him and got into the car.
After hating her and putting all the blame on her, I thought I was the worst daughter, but watching her weep right now feels like there are so many daggers in my heart.
I immediately raised the car window. I don't want to hear her cry. I'm hurting. A few minutes passed before Daddy got in the car, and I immediately put on the shades.
"Let's go!" I commanded the driver without glancing at Mommy, who was punching the car window.
My fist clenched when I saw that Mommy was still chasing us, crying. Behind him was Vince, who was also chasing her until I could no longer see her.
My phone rang. Daddy and I both looked at each other. He raised an eyebrow when he saw the caller, but I still picked up the call.
"Let's forget about our shared memories. Andra is going to die anyway and Soleil will come back to life." He hung up when Mom inquired who he was phoning.
I slowly lowered it into my lap. I am not going to regret this, right? I insisted on this
"After the operation, bring her abroad for treatment," I whispered while looking in the rearview mirror. My forehead furrowed when I saw the small scratch on the side of his lip.
Did Vince punch him? Oh my god!
"Of course, that's what a husband does to his wife."
*****
The plane landed smoothly in South Korea. I didn't think I would get back here right away. Sad because this is the first time I've been here but Vince isn't. I brought Dad to my old penthouse.
I drink all my loneliness away. I am drinking now with a glass in front of me.
The operation will be held tomorrow because Daddy doesn't want to waste any more time.
Instead of doubts, I feel nothing right now, even though I've processed everything on my mind.
"Why are you drinking? Tomorrow is the operation," said Daddy, who had just entered the balcony. He took a brown envelope and threw it on the table. I stared at it.
"I just wanted to drink," was my simple answer to his first question. "What's that?" I asked about the brown envelope.
"Take a look at Soleil's picture. That will be your face tomorrow," he said in a strict voice, before sitting down in front of me and translating his shot glass.
I didn't know that he brought his shot glass. I didn't even notice that. This is the first time a Should I call this a father-daughter bond? I don't know.
We both looked up and admired the beauty of the moon. When I was a kid, I used to call myself "Luna" because that's the name I wanted. Luna means "moon," and I wanted to be a moon. Just like the moon, I want people to look at me with admiration in their eyes and not pure disgust. Even the maids didn't treat me just like how they treated Mom and Dad, because they said I was just adopted. I just picked it up. They say I didn't deserve their service, but it's okay because it's true.
That's why I'm so fond of Yaya Delia, who turns out to be my real mother. That's why she defends me from those witches. She named witches on those people who bully me.
A few minutes later, I still hadn't opened the envelope Daddy had laid out in front of me. I don't have the guts to open it. My God!
He cleared his throat. "Why are you not opening-"
"I wanted to surprise myself tomorrow," I said, gulping down the wine.
He said casually, "I didn't know that I had a daughter who drank even harder than me."
I don't know, but my heart suddenly grew fat at what he said. He addressed me as "daughter"! It may be nothing to him, but for me, damn!
He heavily sighed before standing up. "Don't drink too much, you still have surgery tomorrow," he reminded me before leaving me.
My thoughts were now jumbled, ladies and gentlemen! I'm both flattered and disappointed at the same time.
I'm flattered because he called me "daughter" for the first time, and we just had a few minutes of the bonding, but still...
I'm disappointed because of his reminder. Every time he reminds me of the operation, I feel like I'm in pain. Because like then, and for him, I was like a tool that would cover up all the problems that Selena brought.
*****
I don't know how many hours or days have passed since the operation. My face is still wrapped in a bandage, and it's now irritating me!
I gasped. Can't Vince forgive me anymore? He didn't even call me! It's okay, I'll win him back again.
Minutes later, the doctor arrived with my father. The surgeon is Daddy's cousin on the maternal side. My hand turned into a fist. This is it. There's no turning back, Andra. As I slowly removed the bandage wrapped around my face, I could hear
Daddy's heavy sighs.
What's wrong with him?
"Open your eyes now, Andra," he said while handing me a hand mirror.
I opened my eyes as slowly as possible.
I immediately lowered the mirror after seeing the new face.
My lips pursed.
I am no longer Andra; I am Soleil now.