Third Person Point of View
Arthur disapprovingly flicked his tongue and sighed, "Things would have turned out better if my firstborn was a boy." He shook his head as if it was the most disappointing thing that has ever happened in his entire life.
Hurt and affliction was written all over Celestine's already pale face. Arthur never fails to inflict even the slightest pain in her in every single way.
Piles of business related papers are all over Arthur's wide and shiny hardwood table. He sat down on his swivel chair , rested his elbows and clasped his hands together.
Celestine's breathing became shallow and rapid, gritting her teeth while her fists were shaking on each side of her body.
Outside, Ryan is patiently waiting for him to be called inside Arthur's office. Despite his calm and composed face, thoughts are running around his mind as to what their father might be doing to Celestine, his only and beloved sister.
"What is the reason you called me here?" Celestine barely gathered her voice altogether to ask such an inquiry because she badly wanted to exit his office.
Arthur scoffed, looking surprised by his firstborn's impatience and intolerance with beating around the bush.
Through the years, Arthur looked practically the same as Celestine remembered since she last saw him. The same arrogant and cruel Arthur Lim that respected no one.
"I want you to go back to school immediately. Your late mother did not have the resources to send you and Ryan to school but I am different. I don't want people to ridicule me for having illiterate and incompetent children." Arthur slammed his fists on the table which resounded in the entire room.
After hearing it, Ryan grew worried as to what Arthur may have done to Celestine and barged inside his office.
Arthur's eyes widened and raised his eyebrows, "My son, Ryan. How dare you barge inside my office without my permission but since this is the first time," he took a glance at the whip hanging on the wall which was solely reserved to give his children a good beating should they misbehave and deviate according to his standards.
He continued, "Come here." his cold voice undeniably sent fear to Ryan.
Ryan stood erect next to Celestine who did her best to conceal her worry over his brother. She knew too well that Arthur could be so brutal and pry on her brother should she show any fondness over him.
"As I was saying, I want you two to undergo academic acceleration since you have fallen extremely behind among your peers. I am hoping for your cooperation on this matter and pass the series of tests. You are my children after all, so I expect you to at least show some signs of your deemed beyond average intellectual capacity like me." Arthur maintained a threatening focused eye contact with the two of them.
In contrast to Arthur winning in every aspect of life and achieving a lot of things than most people could possibly achieve and own altogether, he lacks one thing in his seemingly perfect and orderly life, gifted children.
As if the universe was making things balanced and equal, Arthur's favored children with Ingrid are lacking and stupid which aggravates the wise and all-knowing Arthur Lim who seemed to have absolute control with his life.
Celestine laughed sarcastically which made Ryan gasp, "Unfortunately, you have dumb children taking after their imbecile mother. You took us in, your gifted and way more knowledgeable children, to embellish your picture perfect life." she spoke softly but it carried enough weight to almost choke Arthur.
Arthur's face turned red and his veins throbbing in his neck. "GO OUT, NOW!" he scowled so loud it echoed in the entire mansion.
The corner of Celestine's lips rose as she and Ryan exited Arthur's hellish office. As soon as they got outside, Ryan quickened his pace to keep up with her older sister's huge strides along the hallway on the way outside.
"What was that, Celestine?!" Ryan gesticulated, expressing his confusion over how his sister acted earlier.
They have made an agreement to just wait before attacking Arthur but Celestine seems to have lost control of her lethal tongue.
Suddenly facing him when they reached outside where no one could hear them, Celestine gritted her teeth.
"Don't worry. He can't do anything bad to us. Ryan, he needs us," she explained and it was like an aha moment.
Finally coming to understand Celestine's point, Ryan's expression changed. "Do you think he is up to bigger ambitions which is why he is doing everything he can to portray himself as having a perfect and faultless life?" His expression turned grim.
"Senatorial ambitions," Celestine specified. She added, "He needs to win the public in this democratic country," She said.
Much to his word, the very next day, Arthur arranged an academic acceleration test for Celestine and Ryan to go directly into college should they pass multiple tests to assess their overall intellectual ability.
Arthur felt attacked by Celestine's bold statement that night but got appeased when the results of the academic acceleration tests came out. Celestine and Ryan are truly gifted thus granting them a fast pass to college.
"Damn, these children are gifted" Arthur's eyes almost bulged out of their socket while flipping through the multiple pages result of the test.
He thought he would have to pull some strings should Celestine and Ryan fail like his children with Ingrid but it turns out that his legitimate children are more than capable of acing the test.
Arthur always knew that Celestine and Ryan could be a great arsenal for his political ambitions. After building his business empire, securing a seat in the senate is going to be the cherry on top.
From tending to the farm animals and doing household chores, for months now, Celestine and Ryan are now mostly spending their time in their university, the most prestigious in the country personally chosen for them by their father.
While walking by herself back home at night, Celestine noticed that a black car was following her behind as she can see in her peripheral vision. She kept on glancing sideways to check if it is indeed following her or she is just being paranoid.
With all her might, Celestine decided to sprint between alleys and run as fast as she could, sensing the danger she was in. Her heart is thumping wildly while her head begins to spin as she runs out of breath.
Passing multiple alleys, she thought she already lost them but Celestine fell on her back when a man in black stood in front of her, panting heavily.
"Please come with me inside the car. We will not cause you any harm." The man then took a step aside and revealed a woman standing behind him wearing an all black dress.
Celestine squinted her eyes for a clearer view because they are all situated in an alley illuminated with only one flickering lamp post, "Aunt Beatriz?" she spoke out of shock.