~~~ CHAPTER 55 - SOUR ~~~

"What?" I exclaimed shockingly.

I was just done cooking for our dinner when Nigel arrived from work. Immediately, he told me that his PI had already forwarded his findings about Dylan and Maria Stella. Facing each other and clasping our hands, we sat on stools beside the kitchen island.

"Yes, they're just not friends. They've been in a relationship for years," Nigel repeated like he also couldn't believe it.

I bit my bottom lip. What was I going to say?

"Obviously, they had really connived to get revenge from me... and the mission is to ruin you first, then me," he said gripping my hands harder, "The initial plan was to destroy me, then the company... but when you started to live with me here, they started to do research on who you are in my life. They learned you're my fiancée... and they diverted their plan. You became the subject of their interest, princess."

Oh, my God!

Trembling, I began to feel fear. Terrible fear.

"But Dylan has gone mental..." Nigel continued.

"What?"

"Yes, he's gone crazy. Three years ago, when I learned that he'd started to copy his father's acts and that he'd planned to work in the Corp after his graduation, I had him banned in the Corporate Building. Now that I learn that he has some psychological problems, Althea, it only convinces me more that I did the right thing. I didn't know he's been to a mental institution... and now, it looks like he has it again..."

"What? No wonder he appeared to be insane when I last saw him... it was because he was really insane... and he was roaming around the city in that state!"

Oh!

"But we have nothing to worry now, princess. He's been confined now back to mental hospital. You're safe now... so stop worrying about Fernandez. I was supposed to have my lawyer take care of the legal action against him for assaulting you in the bar just few weeks ago..."

Oh! Dylan Fernandez was mentally ill. How sad...

"But he is already in an asylum... I don't think you still need to do that," I said.

"Yeah, yeah... that was actually what I thought. Let's just let the institution take care of him..."

"It's so unbelievable, Nigel," I commented, shaking my head, "He had become a friend of mine and, in those times, he appeared sane. He even graduated from St. Louis. He was intelligent."

"Yeah... It's really unbelievable, princess."

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Nigel and I decided to deal on the bright side of life. It was a Friday the next day and, to prepare for the opening night of the painting exhibition, he accompanied me to shopping for a dress and accessories.

"Aren't you needed in the office or in the art gallery today?" I asked him as we held hands, entering a designer store.

"My men can take care of tomorrow night's event, princess. Anyway, advertisements, invitations, and all other things related to the exhibit are already taken cared of."

"That's cool," I said excitedly. "And, by the way, I'm so excited that mom's coming tonight. Do you know that I haven't told her of the proposal yet?"

"And why is that?" he asked.

Uniformed ladies welcomed us to the store and started entertaining us.

"We're looking for a pair of shoes," I said.

"Yes, ma'am, this way," the lady said, giggling while catching a glimpse of my Nigel Joaquin. The other girls also blushed as they looked at him.

"They've got a crush on you," I whispered, elbowing his side.

The brute smirked and put his left arm around my shouders. "Show them your ring then," he suggested, joking.

We followed the lady and he remembered our previous topic. "Why didn't you tell mom?"

"I just want to surprise our mom. Tonight, I'll tell her."

"Actually, there's no need for you to tell her," he said.

"Why?"

"She already knows... even before I proposed to you..."

"What?"

We reached the shoe displays and the saleslady turned to us.

Nigel got his arms off my shoulders and held my left hand. The lady was supposed to say something but refrained when she saw the PDA Nigel was doing with me.

"While we were in the South, attending your graduation, I told her that I'm going to propose to you," he said, kissing my hand.

"Oh, mom! She didn't tell me!" I said, very surprised.

"She's even frantic right now, you know. She's starting to contact a wedding planner and I told her she doesn't have to get herself very thrilled. She needs to be careful because of her condition. You have to advise her tonight, princess. I think, she listens to you more than me."

Oh, I could tell mom was very happy right now. But, yes, I agreed with Nigel. Mom had to take everything easy.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Truly, when mom and I saw each other when she arrived that night, the first thing that she asked was to see my hand. When she saw my ring, she hugged me tightly and she cried. Gosh, I was really like her and she was just like me. We really loved to cry. There was no wonder why we clicked.

Then, I did what Nigel told me. I advised her to just take it easy. She had nothing to worry on the wedding preparations because Nigel and I could take care of it.

"But I'd like to have lavenders in the wedding, darling," she said.

I hugged her. "Of course, mom, we'll have lavenders."

"And lots, lots of my flowers, okay?"

"Of course, mom!"

"Okay. You may take care of the preparations now," she advised me.

She really couldn't wait for it...

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

The opening night of the painting exhibition came. Mommy Carol, of course, attended the very important event.

I didn't expect how glorious and superb it had become. Painting collectors, celebrities, media men attended. There were serving of beverages such as champagne, wine and non-alcoholic choices, and offering of finger food on a buffet. There were friendly conversations among the guests. There was also music that was played at a low level. There were picture takings for the daily papers, interviews for TV shows, and bidding of Nigel's most valued pieces. It was a splendid night.

All through the night, Nigel didn't separate from me. He was holding my hand all the time and telling people, even the media, of our upcoming wedding. Photographers even tried their best to get a good angle of my ring in my hand.

Camera click here, camera click there.

Once again, I was brought to Nigel's real world. He was really famous and there was nothing I could do about it. The public would always want to know his private life.

One journalist even commented that with Nigel's announcement of our upcoming wedding, he definitely broke a lot of girls' hearts.

He's a heartbreaker after all... but not heartless... I said to myself.

The exhibits received positive reviews. All the guests marvelled at his works just like how I marvelled at them. I couldn't exactly gauge how proud I was of the man who was the star of the night. Once again, I came to ask to myself what goodness I had made to the world to deserve a man like him.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

"I'm sorry I'll come home late tonight, princess. Something came up in the office that I have to immediately respond. Please, just tell Suzana to stay tonight," Nigel told me in the phone. It was six in the evening on a Tuesday night and it was supposedly time for him to arrive at the condo.

"It's okay, Nigel Joaquin. I'll just find anything that will please me while waiting for you," I replied.

"No... just take a rest. Don't stay up late just to wait for me, okay?"

"O-Okay," I agreed even if I wasn't sure if I could sleep while he wasn't around.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

While Suzana was cooking for dinner, I decided to go out to buy for some fruits. I didn't know why but I felt like I was craving for something I couldn't exactly tell what food I wanted to take in. I just felt some weird palpitations in my upper stomach.

"But we have fruits in the pantry, señorita," Suzana told me before I went out.

"Do we have green mangoes or anything sour?" I inquired.

"Sour?" she asked, wondering. "I don't think we have something sour..."

"Then, I really need to buy something, Suzana."

She looked at me with a weird expression.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, wanting to know why she had that weird expression on her face.

"Why do you want to eat something sour?" she retorted back.

"I... I don't know. Just feel some weird sensation in my tummy... like... like I want to eat something sour..."

Her eyes widened but she just refrained from telling me what was on her mind. "I'll just buy it for you after I'm done cooking, señorita," she said instead.

"No, don't bother. I can manage, Suzana," I said as I headed to the door.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

I went to the grocery store located at the first floor of the condominium building. Seeing the green mangoes on display, my saliva started to be activated. I wetted my lips and started to get some pieces of it and placed in the grocery basket.

I really felt so weird today, starting from the time that I woke up, like there were some activities in my stomach that I couldn't quite describe even to myself. I felt a burning sensation inside me from the bottom of my breastbone up to my lower throat. I felt some kind of acid in my throat and my mouth which gave me some sour or bitter taste that I wanted to throw up.

Throw up?

What?

Could it be... a heartburn?

Though I tasted something sour inside my mouth, I couldn't understand why I still craved for the green mangoes.

Then, I thought of a yoghurt. Yeah, perhaps I could have some yoghurt, too.

I was so occupied in my thoughts when my basket hit some guy at my side just as I was about to find some yoghurt.

"I'm sorry..." I said and took a step to my left to give him a way. However, as I did it, the guy grasp my arm.

I looked up to him and I saw the very last guy I expected to see in the grocery.

"Hello, Thea," he said, grinning devilishly at me.

"D-Dylan..." I stuttered, looking at the guy who wore a hooded coat.

Right there and then, I was in panic mode!

How could I not panic? Dylan Fernandez was psychologically incapacitated!

"Great! You still recognize me," he quipped, tightening his hold of my arm.

"Why are you here? You are supposed to be in the asylum!" I said, remembering what Nigel told me.

He chuckled. "People in there are all stupid... and I'm not."

What?

"I'm here... so obviously, I'm not there. Why are they pushing me in there when I don't belong there?"

Oh, my God!

He'd gone out of the asylum? This soon?

How? Was he cured already?

"H-How did you---"

"Escape?" he caught up.

What? Escape?

Was it even possible?

"Did... Did... you escape?" I stammered, fumbling for words.

A smile flickered across Dylan's face. That smile reminded me of the Dylan that I used to know in the past. I swore, as I looked at him right now, he seemed to be having a sound mind.

However, in just a wink of an eye, that expression in his face changed abruptly. From a pleasant smile, he showed me again that devilish grin.

"To break away is easy... but to find someone is hard..."

No!

"But now that I found you..."

What? Was he searching for me?

God!

It was indeed a moment to panic! I felt immediately the cold sweat in some areas of my body. My heart raced frantically.

With the presence of several people in the store, I knew I could be safe.

"O-Okay... g-great to see you, Dylan," I tried to get along with him, knowing that he was not quite right in his mind. I had to try my best not to provoke him or else he might do something violent right now. "I... I need to go now... Excuse me..."

"No, you aren't going anywhere without me," he informed me and that again lose my control. It looked like this madman had been planning something stupid to me.

Oh, God! I needed to do something now!

"H---" Before I could shout the word 'Help', a handkerchief was pressed to my nose. In just a wink of an eye, everything around me went black...

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

A/N

So, that scene up there is the real creepy thing... What now?

I don't know.

For the meantime, just VOTE, COMMENT, and SHARE!

By the way, please watch the trailer attached here. It's for my other book WHY CAN'T IT JUST BE YOU?

Thank you, guys! Have a nice day!!!

Lovelotz,
(sapphiregirl22) ~_^