~~~ CHAPTER 1 - ENGAGEMENT ~~~

In all the years of my stay in The Fields, I knew I found the perfect place to settle for the rest of my life. Who would not love this place when all we could see was a place of perfect serenity and beauty? The Fields which I came to love all these years was the vast estate owned by my foster mother, Mommy Carol, who adopted me, though not legally, after I lost my parents to a car accident when I was eight. The Fields, located just outside the country village called La Carlota, was the name given to the wide tract of land where Mommy Carol's ranch; flower plantation; mango, pineapple, sugarcane and coconut plantations; the forest garden; and the Sarmiento River were settled. And in the middle of that very wide estate stood the magnificent mansion of Mommy Carol which was more popularly known in La Carlota as Palacio de Sarmiento.

Why had I loved this place very much? Aside from its beauty, there I found everything... I found silence, I found new life, I found dreams, I found love...

I found Mommy Carol who became my second mother. From her, I received full attention and love from a real mother. She gave me everything --- a bedroom fit only for a princess, nice clothes, extravagant accessories, private schooling, a prodigious allowance... name it, I had practically everything, anything any girl from La Carlota would ever dream to have. And to top it all, Mommy Carol was even willing to grant me what my heart truly desired --- her son, Nigel.

Yes, Nigel.

His name meant Noble. It really suited him for he was the king of my heart.

When I first came to The Fields, and when I first saw him, I knew right away he was special. I was only eight at that time but, young as I was, I already felt that admiration for him... He was actually five years my senior. He was a dashing teenager at that time and had lots of admirers in his school. Many girls went gaga over him; many boys longed to become his friends. He was indeed noble. My feelings for him started as a little girl's infatuation until it developed into something strong and powerful. Spontaneously, I went head-over-heels in love with him!

But he was an aloof teenager. He often spent time alone. Every afternoon after school, he would always go to the Forest Garden, his private space, where nobody was allowed to interfere with him there while sketching or painting. So, you see, aside from his being perfectly handsome, he was at the same time, a gifted painter.

Among all others, he was the greatest treasure I found in The Fields.

That was why I loved this place very much. I got everything here.

The problem was, however, Nigel's treatment to me. He was totally apathetic to me --- as in totally, totally uncaring, indifferent, and cold to me. It was obfuscating at first but now it became crystal clear to me that he never liked my presence in The Fields. He rarely talked to me and never set his eyes on me except during those times when I would follow him, or should I say, stalk him to the Forest Garden where he would often turn to me with a glare and reprimand me to go away. In the mansion, he made it clear that we should keep a distance between the two of us. He really hated me and I couldn't figure out why.

Since I couldn't be with him wherever in The Fields, I managed to find a space for myself. It was a perfect place for meditation or contemplation for it was some kind of secluded. It was a flat area at the bank of the small lagoon adjoining the shallow part of the Sarmiento River. There, with the breathtaking scenery of the distant mountains where the sun always closed its precious adorable eyes before taking its rest at the end of each day and with huge mahogany trees and lovely flowering shrubs surrounding my haven, I would always lie with my back on a blanket laid out on the ground filled with dried mahogany leaves and just watch hundreds of butterflies of different colors hovering over me. There, I would dream about the future, about Nigel, about him and me being together.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

I was lying and trying to take a nap on my favorite blanket near the lagoon one Saturday morning when I heard familiar steps coming towards me.

I remembered that time very well because it was my thirteenth birthday. I was actually very sad at that time since it was a week before Nigel's moving out to the capital city to study in his ever-dreamt university.

I was trying to take a nap to forget temporarily his imminent departure, but I was awaken to take notice of the slow and calm paces coming towards where I lay. When I opened my eyes, I saw Nigel's face drooping down on me. His tall stature of eighteen shadowed over my then petite figure.

"So... this is what you're up to all this time, Princess," he spoke in a low tone but I could sense the mockery in his voice when he spoke the word Princess.

"H-huh?" I asked innocently, confused of what he meant.

"While everybody's busy preparing for your party tonight, you're here busy tasting a time of your life. That's just so nice of you, right?" he stated wryly.

"Huh?" I muttered again bewilderedly until I realized that, indeed, everyone in the mansion was busy preparing for my thirteenth birthday party.

What did he mean by that? Did he expect me to help in the preparation? Was it the reason why he just called me Princess because I acted like one when I didn't have the right to be one?

Arising from where I lay, I sat down to fix the pleats of my miniskirt.
When I stood up, he caught my elbow. "Where are you going?"

"T-to the palacio..."

"No need," he said while pushing me to sit on the blanket again. This time, he was kneeling down across me.

I sat looking at him. I couldn't read his expression.

Still kneeling but bending down his legs so that his buttocks met his heels, he looked around... the trees, the flowers, the butterflies, the sparkling water in the lagoon.

"You know, I'm just too happy that I'll be finally out of here," he declared as he stared at me.

"What do you mean?"

"Next week, I'll be going to the capital. Finally, I'll be out of here."

"You're happy that you're leaving The Fields?" I asked very surprised. "Why? Don't you like it here? T-this is your..."

I was interrupted when he stretched down his body and leaned down to meet his eyes with mine. I just felt the nerves rocking inside me. What was he doing now? He was drawing his face close to mine as if he was going to kiss me...

With eyes opened widely, I stared at him and observed his cheeks getting redder than ever, his eyebrows meeting each other, his eyes piercing mine.

I noticed the rapid palpitations in my chest. I was out of breath.

"I'm happy because I won't see your face anymore," he mumbled under his breath.

His eyes still gazed at mine intently. They were like daggers thrown directly to my very heart and soul. He really hated me this much. Why?

"W-why do you hate me?" I asked as tears fell down my cheeks.

Suddenly, he inhaled and exhaled hard as if grasping for air. I could smell his fresh breath as his face was still drawn close to mine.

"Don't you get it? I will never accept you as my sister. You will never ever take the place of Annie!"

Annie... Anita Caroline, oh, he was talking about his younger and only sister who died a year before I moved to The Fields. As I was told by Mommy Carol, Nigel and she were the closest of siblings. They often spent together in the Forest Garden to paint. They were both geniuses in this artwork... until she died of cancer.

Oh, no! I never intended to take the place of Annie in his life. What did he mean by my taking Annie's place?

"W-what do you mean?" I asked astounded.

He finally stood up and diverted his eyes at the shining water in the lagoon beside us.

"I've just heard mom this morning that she's going to adopt you legally. Tonight, on your party, her lawyer will bring the needed documents. Can't you see, Althea? I can't accept you as a sister, okay?"

I didn't know that mom was planning to adopt me legally.

No, I couldn't accept it, too. I had never wished in my life to have Nigel as my brother. I loved him... yes, I loved him but not as my brother. I loved him more than that!

"Talk to mom!" he demanded furiously. "Tell her we can't be brother and sister! I can't accept it!" And, just like that, he walked out of my sight after his angry outburst.

I could never forget that day... because that was the day that he finally conversed with me... and even stared at me. I didn't care whether he was angry or not at that time as long as he talked to me and finally called me by my name.

That was also the day that I made the craziest thing in my life.

That was the beginning of my stupendous journey on love.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

When I went back to the mansion that afternoon, I immediately went to Mommy Carol to talk about the adoption. I found her in her office. Without hesitation at all, I confronted her and she admitted the news.

She was upset, though, to know that I already learned about it because she had been planning about this for a long time and she wanted to surprise me on my thirteenth birthday. She was fond of surprising the ones she loved. That was the kind of woman Mommy Carol was.

"No, you can't adopt me, mom," I blurted out after her litany of explanations. I didn't want to hear all of those. All I would like to communicate was the demands of my heart at that particular moment.

She was surprised to observe my expression. "Why, Althea? Don't you like me to be your mother?"

"Of course, I like you, mommy. I love you and I can't imagine life without you."

"Then, why don't you want me to adopt you legally?"

"B-because..."

"Because what?"

"Because... because Nigel can't be my brother."

She looked at me confusedly. "Nigel may be aloof and cold but he's not mean. He can be a good brother."

"I know, but I like him to be more than that, mommy."

She wrinkled her brows as if to ask me to explain what I just said.

With trembling hands and feet, I pronounced what I really wanted, "I want Nigel to be my husband in the future, mom."

Heaven knew what had just gotten into me but it was not an impulsive idea. This was what I wanted all this time. I was just being truthful to Mommy Carol.

I knew it was definitely a bolt in the blue for I saw mommy's dumbfounded look. She was speechless for some time and she stared at me like I was out of my mind.

"That's what I want, mom," I pleaded.

When I spoke again, I immediately sensed that it rang a bell on her head. Her expression gradually changed from shock to confused, then to illumination. I finally saw her form a smile on her lips.

"Is that what you really want?"

I nodded.

No turning back now, Althea, I reminded myself.

"Okay, then, that's going to be it! You are going to marry my Nigel! Let's announce the good news!"

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

And so, because of that, it was declared by mom, in front of all our guests during my thirteenth birthday party, that I, Althea Molina Ruiz, would be the future wife of her only son, Nigelito Joaquin Saavedra Sarmiento.

I was engaged at thirteen, what could you say?

During the announcement, Nigel was caught unprepared. He was, I guessed, ten times more shocked than Mommy Carol that afternoon when I talked to her.

Was it a bombshell, Nigel?

He looked at me with so much hatred that if only his gaze were a dagger, I might have been stabbed mortally. I could totally see his disappointment...

He didn't finish the party. He went outside and I was like a crazy idiot running after him. No, he didn't freak out. He just turned to me with an icy insensible stare and spoke in the iciest tone I had ever heard from anybody, "You will never ever win this, Althea." Then, he walked with big strides disappearing into the dark path.

The following day, he left the mansion to go to the capital. I guessed he was so angry at both mom and me that he couldn't wait for the next week to move out. He had finally left.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

It was summertime when he went away and there was never an iota of sign that he would be coming back to The Fields. This time, he was living at a condominium unit in the capital. I realized that, maybe, that was the kind of life he wanted to have... to be alone by himself... to be finally out of the mansion where an ambitious little girl was finally out of his sight.

I waited for him to come to The Fields during Christmas. He never came.

I waited for him to come home the next summer especially during my fourteenth birthday. He didn't come.

I waited for him the next Christmas... and summer... and another Christmas... and another summer. Still, he didn't come home.

Mommy Carol said he was too busy with his studies. His course, Business Administration, became his number one priority.

And so, I wondered why he didn't take up Fine Arts. Mom said that Nigel, being the ony heir to the Sarmiento fortune, had no choice. After college, he would take over the family estate and businesses so he had to take a course related to business.

Mom also said that Nigel, being engaged to me, had no choice but to marry me in the future. For my sake, mom would do everything to give me what I wanted. After all, I was the daughter she wanted to have.

You bet, you could tell I was selfish. Yes, perhaps, I really was selfish. And, for the meantime, I didn't care.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

It was during my seventeenth birthday when I received a very nice gift. I didn't know if I deserved such gift when all I could think about myself was a spoiled, selfish brat. Anyway, I thanked God wholeheartedly for this gift.

As usual, I took my afternoon nap on my favorite side of the lagoon. It was my seventeenth birthday and I was supposed to have a big party that night but I told mommy I didn't like any party. Ever since the time when Nigel walked out from my party four years ago, I no longer celebrated my birthdays with the big bashes. Anyway, it was summertime, and all my friends in school were away for vacation so there was absolutely no need for me to throw a big bash. So, I just promised mom to dine with her that evening... just a private dinner like what we always did for the past four years. Dinner with mom would just be enough with me. Anyhow, she understood and we kind of agreed to that sort of celebration.

Since there was no party for me to fret about, I just wanted some time for myself in the lagoon that afternoon.

It was already dark when I woke up. So I hurriedly fixed and put my blanket and all my stuffs in the basket. For sure, mom was already waiting for me for dinner. Bringing my basket with me, I ran on the narrow and rugged pathway leading to the concreted pavement that headed towards the mansion. It was so murky out there on that rugged path that I stumbled on a rock by the wayside. It caused me to lose my balance and, eventually, fall to the ground. It was just on time when Diego, a boy of eighteen and a son of one of the mansion helpers, passed by riding on his bicycle.

With his quick moves, he immediately pulled me up from the ground.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked with much concern in his voice.

I didn't feel much hurt in my body except for the slight scratch in my left ankle.

"I'm alright. Thank you," I said while trying to find my basket on the ground.

I was always not comfortable being with Diego for I learned from some of the mansion helpers that he had a crush on me. He was, yeah, handsome and charming but he was not my cup of tea. Everyone knew in The Fields that I was to marry the Young Master in the future.

When he found my basket, he offered me a ride to the mansion.

"No thanks..." I said with the awkward feeling of being with a boy alone in the dark wayside.

Insistently, he took my arm so I could sit on the rear seat of the bike.

That was indeed an awkward scenario, Diego holding my arm, when an unfamiliar car passed us by. Plus the fact that it was already dark, the car had also dark tinted glasses that I could not discern who was inside.

Who could be visiting mom at this time? Was it someone who would join for dinner?

When the car reached the bend, it halted for a while. I wondered why it stopped so, leaving Diego behind, I ran after it to ask its driver the matter. I had the feeling that it was a guest who got a problem with his car.

When I almost reached that car, it started its engine and ran its way to the mansion.

It was almost 7:00 o'clock in my watch when I arrived at the mansion. The car I saw earlier was parked at the garage.

Who could be my mom's visitor at this time of day, especially during my birthday? And why did my chest suddenly feel irregular beatings?

That I had to find out.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

A/N

So there you have it, guys. Please tell me what you think. How do you find Althea and Nigel? Your comments will surely matter to me a LOT. But don't be too harsh on the first timer, okay?

Hope you liked the first chapter.

Please VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE.

Lovelotz,
(sapphiregirl22) ~_^