Adela froze as soon as she stood up from her seat. At this very moment, the mother felt like the whole world fell apart.
Adela found it odd how her company, which had been smooth sailing for the longest time, would encounter multiple issues all at the same time. At first, she did not give it much thought because she had another concern.
And that was Raymond.
Everytime she would find time off work, Adela's husband would come out of nowhere to invite her to dinner and such.
"You got free time? Wanna join me to dinner? Just the two of us."
"... I guess I will."
The mother didn't think it was problem to go out with her husband from time to time. She definitely enjoyed her time talking with Raymond about things other than the MDF or Callisto's situation.
"Now that I think about it, I guess it's been quite a while since the last time we talked with everyone. I wonder what they're all doing nowadays?"
"That's right. I heard recently that Oner finished renovating the whole apartment. Hermes is... I guess he's still Hermes. Selly's store is doing well these days, too."
"I see. I guess we all just got busier and busier as we get older, huh."
"Now that you mention it, how's the company doing, Adela? Do you need a hand, after all? You know I can help."
"No, I'm fine. Thanks for your concern, Raymond. And also, for taking me out to dinner lately. It feels nice to do something and not think about... you know."
"Of course. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."
But as time passes, Adela grew impatient about not getting to visit her daughter in the hospital. Eventually, the thought of her husband possibly trying to keep her away from Callisto crossed the mother's mind.
Not wanting to downplay Raymond's good will out of suspicion, Adela asked her assistant to find out the truth in secret. And that was how the mother learned Callisto underwent the Mutated DNA Fusion behind her back.
*
*
*
Shortly after getting the information from her assistant, Adela arrived to the hospital and met Phillip at the entrance.
"Adela? What brings you here?"
"Cut the crap, Phillip. I already know the truth. Where's that idiot?"
Thanks to her assistant, Adela learned that Raymond dragged Phillip from overseas just like he said he would back then had she given her husband the permission to do the MDF on Callisto. On top of that, she also learned that the reason behind the issues the White Lotus Trading Co. were facing right now was caused by Raymond who was pulling the strings in order to keep Adela at bay while the MDF's process takes time.
"He's waiting at the elevator," said Phillip calmly to Adela before telling her to follow him.
Before long, they arrived to where the elevators were, and like Phillip said, Raymond was there waiting for them.
Unable to hold her anger, Adela approached Raymond and threw a fist towards his face. "Why? Why did you do it, Raymond?!"
"I wanted to save our daughter," Raymond replied, catching his wife's fist with one hand. "That's all the reason I need."
The last time both of them had an argument about performing the MDF, Raymond did take the words Adela spouted to heart. He decided to forget about the operation, thinking that it's success wasn't guaranteed to begin with. Before committing the deed, the only thing in Raymond's mind was to be by his daughter's side, just like Adela wanted.
What they did not know was that Adela's exact words was what brought Raymond closer to the person that would give him the push to slap himself in the face and attempt to save his daughter.
That person was none other than Callisto.
Gritting her teeth, Adela remarked, "You can't save her, Raymond!"
"But I did. Phillip and I did it."
Adela raised her eyebrows at Raymond. "What?"
"The operation was a success. Callisto is alive."
To no one's surprise, Adela did not believe any of what her husband told her in her face. When Callisto stood right before her very eyes, what she saw wasn't her daughter.
What she saw was a figure that instill fear into her heart by reminding her of a painful past. A monster.
*
*
*
Going back to the present, it was already evening and Adela was still doing a lot of paperwork in her office.
This was her way of trying to forget what Raymond and Phillip did with Callisto. An attempt to move on from her youngest daughter she believed to have already passed away.
"Mama! Mama!"
Unfortunately, as much as she wanted to believe that to be the case...
"Mama!"
She could not shake off hearing Callisto's voice from within her mind. The same has been happening since she left the hospital that day and it didn't show any sign of stopping at all.
Bam!
Slamming the pen she was holding on her desk, almost causing her family picture from falling off its holder, she asked herself, "Why? Why do I feel regret not answering her back then?"
Right now, Adela's mind was in the middle of a great clash. Her fear towards Callisto against her regret for not answering her call back then.
Knock knock!
Out of nowhere, the mother heard the sound of someone knocking on the door outside her office, helping her recompose herself.
"It's me, Miss Adela," a female voice sounded from behind the door frame.
"Karen? Come on in," Adela said in reply.
The door opened and Adela's assistant entered the office.
"You got something for me?" The CEO of White Lotus Trading inquired.
"Yes. Callisto got discharged from the hospital today."
"Discharged, you say?"
"I also heard that she moved and will be living alone in an apartment. It's in Barangay Silangan, not too far from the Mandjet residence."
"What?!"
Slamming her desk with both hands and a bit more force than before, the papers cluttered around and the family picture finally fell of its holder, laying on the desk upside down. She could feel her heart racing before trying to calm herself down with a sigh.
"Keep an eye on her," Adela ordered her assistant.
"I understand."
Accepting her boss's order without a second thought, Karen took her leave.
As she was left alone in her office, Adela proceeded to reorganize the papers on her desk. Only to halt herself as she took notice of the family picture that fell off its holder.
She took the frame and looked at it, questioning herself internally about what she just told her assistant to do, as well as the beat on her chest.
Unable to find the answer to her own question, the mother put the picture back on its holder in defeat and resumed reorganizing the papers.