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A Widow's Daughter

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"EARTH TO Ann Lobris!" Sera hissed, snapping a finger in front of the petite girl's face. This immediately pulled the Lobris heir out of her own thoughts and back to reality. 

Napakurap ng ilang beses ang dalaga bago tumingin sa kanyang mga kaibigan na kunot-noong nakatitig sa kanya. She then saw Queenie still sitting down on the white bed, a hand hovering above her stomach, and remembered that she was still in the clinic after the cafeteria mishap that happened earlier.

"Girl, okay ka lang ba?" demanda ulit ni Sera, a hand on her hips. "Huwag mong sabihin ikaw rin nakakain ng panis?"

"Sabi sa inyo nakahanap 'yan ng pogi si Ann eh."

"Shut it Jarrell," Rein snapped back at his friend who raised both his hands guiltily before murmuring to himself. "Bilis naman magselos."

"I'm fine," Ann said quickly, folding her arms as if suddenly feeling cold. "Bigla lang ako nahilo, that's all."

Before they could further pester Ann,  dumating naman na ulit 'yung nurse, dala-dala ang gamot ni Queenie at isang baso ng tubig. 

"This should do the trick," the nurse said, giving the medicine to the curly-haired girl who drank it with the water. 

"Buti dinala niyo agad siya sa clinic. Food poisoning, though it can happen any time, may be fatal if not attended soon," sambit ng nurse bago kinuha ang baso. She then gave a few more instructions to the friend group before finally giving them privacy.

Ann tried to take another peek of Elysia and Enzo but the nurse had closed the curtain too soon.

"Do we think this is the culprit's response to us taking up the case?" seryosong tanong ni Quinn habang ipinahiga ang kanyang kapatid.

"Like a threat?"

"Yeah."

"But that would imply they have connections with the cafeteria," Sera pointed out.

"With everything that happened to us with the Cortez case last time, walang imposible," Rein said bluntly. 

"In that case, we need to start moving quick. Kailangan may nakabantay na sa mga suspects natin — lalo na kay Emerie na nakasabay ni Queenie kanina. She could have distracted Queenie while falling in line before poisoning her food," seroyosong sambit ni Ann. "Quinn, ikaw na ang magbantay kay Em—"

"I wanna do it," Queenie insisted, sitting up on the bed until her head was resting on the headboard. "Kung si Emerie nga ang nagbigay ng panis na carbonara, then I want to be the one to capture her myself."

Nagkatinginan ang lima.

"Pero may sakit ka pa—"

"I'll be fine by tomorrow," pagpupumilit ni Queenie. She then turned her head to Ann. "Ibigay niyo na 'to sakin. It'll be my own kind of revenge."

Ann took a deep breath, rubbing her arms in thought.

"Fine. But I'll task Quinn to start keeping an eye on Emerie today habang nagpapagaling ka," the Lobris heir finally said. 

"Thank you. I won't let you guys down," Queenie smiled back faintly.

"'Yan kasi sabi ko naman sa'yo mas maging alerto ka," Quinn reprimanded his twin sister as Ann turned around to face Rein, leaning down to whisper.

"I'll just get Queenie another glass of water," the girl muttered.

"You okay?" bulong pabalik ni Rein, his forehead furrowed in concern.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ann snapped before exiting the curtained cubicle and heading towards the water dispenser next to an empty bed. Habang nilalagyan ito ng tubig ay nakaramdam siya ng tao sa likod niya.

"I hope nothing bad happened to the Campus Sleuths' president?"

The petite girl whirled around in surprise to see a tall, young man hovering behind her.

"Ah," she muttered. "Mr. president. Curious to see you here."

"I could say the same to you," Enzo frowned. "Ba't ka nandito?"

Hindi mapigilan ng dalaga na matawa, considering the sketchy scene she had saw earlier of Enzo himself with a writer of the Castillian Gazette.

"You don't have to worry about me, Mr. president," Ann waved a hand in the air. Queenie and Sera however, may need reparations and final compensation after eating spoiled and cockroach-infested food."

"Ah," Enzo said grimly. " So marami palang Castillians ang apektado."

The student council president then massaged the temples of his forehead out of stress before sighing. "No worries, I'll look into this immediately."

He then looked up to meet Ann's gaze again who was looking at him suspiciously. "I wish, however, to speak to you about the vandals."

Napataas ang kilay ng dalaga. "And what about it?"

Enzo frowned. "You're not going to like what I'm about to say, pero kailangan na nating linisin ang mga dingding. Baka mas maging mahirap ang pagtanggal ng pintura pag pinatagal pa natin ito."

Dahil dito ay agad na lumaki ang dalawang mata ni Ann. "But they are crime scenes!" she hissed at the president, clutching Queenie's glass tightly. "Pa'no pag kailangan naming balikan 'yung mga vandalized locations??"

Enzo let out a scoff. "Miss Lobris, do you really expect us to leave the vandalized walls of Castillo High untouched until you've found the culprit?? Kailan pa mangyayari 'yon? Hanggang ngayon nga wala pa kayong binibigay na bagong update sa akin."

"We're working on it," Ann snapped back. "Meron na kaming list of suspects. You'll have your culprit soon, Mr. president."

"However close you might think you are to catching the vandal doesn't change the fact that we'll be asking the maintenance to clean the vandals starting tomorrow," Enzo said dryly, placing both hands inside his pockets.

The two then stared at one another, kinakapa ang magiging reaksyon ng isa't-isa.

"Fine," Ann finally said hastily. "Quinn and the photojournalist from the Gazette took photos of the crime scenes anyway."

Enzo nodded, a slight satisfactory smile on his face. He was about to turn around and leave when Ann cleared her throat.

"Careful Enzo," the young girl warned sharply. "Hindi lang ikaw ang nakabantay sa amin."

Agad na napatigil ang binata, turning back to face Ann with a creased forehead.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I saw you," Ann said accusingly. "You were visiting Elysia here in the clinic earlier."

She then stared at the tall, young man, waiting for Enzo to flinch or react defensively to her statement. Enzo however did not move an inch — his cold, gray eyes boring right back into her.

"Is there something you want to say to the student body? Hmm?" Ann taunted the president, stepping forward as if a predator cornering its prey. "What were you doing visiting a prominent writer of the Gazette, Mr. president?"

Enzo clenched his jaw. "If it makes you feel at peace to know, Miss Arcedes was interviewing me earlier nang bigla siyang sumuka sa opisina ko. She told me she had just eaten food served by the cafeteria," Enzo replied curtly. "Out of courtesy, and as her president, I brought her here."

This time, it was the tall teenage boy who stepped forward, causing Ann to slightly stumble back. "Don't think you can scandalize my reputation, Annaliese," Enzo muttered under his breath. "I'm sure you, of all people, know what it feels like when others make false issues and accusations about you. Isn't it right, little miss perfect?"

Ann grimaced at the nickname, one of which reminded her about the constant death threats she still received as daughter of a famous senator. "Whatever you say, Mr. president," she spat back. "I still have my eyes on you."

"Be my guest," Enzo said coldly. And with a curt nod, he then left the clinic, with Ann still standing by the water dispenser, heart beating nervously as she realized that she had just butt heads with the most powerful student in the academe.

---

"Mr. president! Tingin po kayo dito!"

The sound of a series of clicks and flashes was what greeted the campus sleuths as they entered the senior high building the next day.

There at the hallway leading towards the grade eleven classrooms were the student council, led by Enzo, a group of other Castillians, and the press swarming around the event. May iilan ring mga maintenance staff na naka red jumpsuit na makikita sa corridor.

Most of them had buckets filled with soap water as well as sponges in their hands — both of which were used to scrub off the vandalized writings on the corridor. 'Yung iba naman ay may dala-dalang timba ng mga pintura, painting over the other areas which could not be washed off anymore.

"Enzo, did you organize this clean-up drive event or was it a group effort made by all student organizations?" tanong ng isang news writer from The Winged Herald, whose phone recorder was raised up towards Enzo.

The student council president wiped the sweat off his forehead, his hands full of paint. "This clean-up drive was actually my idea, but would not have happened without the support of my council, and the many Castillian volunteers who had the initiative to sign up to help bring our alma mater back to its pristine glory," pagpapaliwanag ni Enzo sa press.

His eyes momentarily met the Campus Sleuths who passed by quietly, trying to avoid the scene.

"Ugh," Sera scoffed as soon as they were out of earshot. "Hindi ka dapat pumayag, Ann. This is going to taint our reputation as sleuths. Sasabihin ng buong student body na we're useless, or ang bagal natin kumilos—bla, bla, bla!" she ranted in irritation as the six of them squeezed together through the crowd.

"It's not like I had a choice," Ann hissed back. "May point rin naman siya, and who was I to play against the president's wishes??"

"It's doing a lot to his reputation as president, that I'll say," Rein observed, glancing back to Enzo who was now ignoring the press to return back to work.

"It's sketchy, but until we have any evidence against the most powerful student himself, then we focus on Emerie and our other suspects," Ann replied grimly.

Nang nakarating na sa kanilang mga classrooms ang mga ito ay nagpaalam na ang anim sa isa't-isa, promising to see one another later at lunch time.

"God, I can't believe I'm stuck with you for the rest of senior high," Ann muttered under her breath as she plopped down to a seat inside 11-Prudence, with Rein taking the chair beside her.

"Don't act like you don't enjoy being my classmate, Lobris," he responded playfully as Ann scowled, opening the textbook for their Operations Management class.

Napatango naman ang binata sa librong hawak ng dalaga, a curious expression etched on his face.

"I haven't seen you open a fictional book this school year," taas kilay na sambit ng binata. "Is your parents' dreams so important you forgot to read for fun?"

"Tantanan mo 'ko Maccio ha," Ann snapped back, not looking up to face her rival. "Wala akong panahon makipag-bardagulan sa'yo."

"Was just asking," Rein scoffed, playing a pen with his fingers.

Ann rolled her eyes, ignoring her rival as she highlighted a sentence from her textbook. Sakto naman na biglang pumasok si Emmy Santolan, ang secretary ng 11-Prudence. The girl, whose hair was always tied up in a tight, high ponytail, was holding a stack of test papers on her hand.

"Guys, nagka-emergency meeting daw si Professor Asturias kaya 'di siya makakapasok ngayong umaga," Emmy announced to the class who cheered almost immediately, fists bumping the air and others exchanging high fives.

"Pero huwag muna kayong umalis kasi ibibigay ko 'tong test papers natin from last quiz," Emmy added, handing out the papers to each classmate.

"See?" Rein smirked to her rival who closed her textbook in irritation. "You're so uptight. Have a little fun once in a while. It'll do wonders to the wrinkles on your forehead."

"Shut up before I actually kill you," Ann retorted, jamming the large book back in her bag.

"Hey Rein, Ann!" Emmy greeted the two cheerfully. "Here's both of your papers. Congrats guys, ang taas niyo!" she chirped, handing out their tests before moving on to the next row.

Nang tinignan ni Ann ang kanyang score sa itaas na bahagi ng papel ay napasandal ito sa kanyang upuan nang may matagumpay na ngiti.

"Take that, Maccio," she remarked snarkily, raising up the paper with a grade of 98 using her one hand, showing it proudly to Rein.

Napalingon naman ang binata at napasipol.

"Damn, Lobris," he nodded, smacking his lips before raising his own test paper. "But I unfortunately beat you again."

With a smirk, he then showed his test paper with a perfect score, prompting Ann's triumphant smile to fade away into a scowl of misery.

"Arrogant asshole," she snapped, with Rein chuckling at her reaction. Just as she was about to place her paper into her organizer, bigla namang nakarinig ito nang pagkanta.

"Oh my god!" A classmate of theirs shrieked, causing Ann to raise her head to see what all the ruckus was about.

Sakto naman ay biglang pumasok ang isang grupo ng mga Castillians — all of which were falling in one straight line.

Nakahawak ang mga ito nang isang illustration board sa kanilang mga kamay habang papasok sa platform ng 11-Prudence.

"What the hell is happening?" Ann frowned as she whirled around to see another batchmate of theirs enter the back door of their classroom, playing the guitar to the sweet song that the students were singing.

Sa labas ay makikita naman ang ibang mga Castillians na nagtitilian at nanonood sa nangyayari.

Nang natapos na ang pagkanta ay ibinaliktad ng mga estudyanteng nasa platform ang kanilang hawak-hawak na illustration boards — each person holding one letter from the alphabet.

Mas lalong naghiyawan ang mga tao nang natapos ang mensahe, the letters spelling into "Dance with me."

"It's a promposal!" Emmy screeched to a friend as they watched a batchmate of theirs named Denny Tan, enter the front door of the classroom with the last part of the spelled out message: an illustration board with a large question mark pasted on it.

Denny, who was a lanky boy with long arms and legs, smiled nervously as he stood by the end of the message. "Cassidy Fuentes," he said, causing the friends of Cassidy to shake the girl by her shoulders.

"Will you go to the Castillian Dance with me?"

Agad na nagsi-hiyawan ang mga tao, with Cassidy blushing as she was pushed towards the front of the room.

Ann didn't know why but she could feel her face turn warm even if she wasn't the one being asked to the dance. In her peripheral vision, she could see Rein paying his due attention to the whole event transpiring before them. Pansin nito ang pagkatahimik ng binata.

She wished she knew what he was thinking at that moment.

Nang tumango na si Cassidy ay mas lalong lumakas ang tilian sa classroom, rinig na rinig hanggang sa hallways at kabilang sections na nakatingin na rin sa 11-Prudence.

Both Cassidy and Denny shared a hug, and Ann wanted to shrink down into her chair, knowing that the one person she wanted to ask her for the dance was sitting right beside her — oblivious and unreachable.

---

"Grabe, ang rami nang nagpo-prompose!" Jarrell exclaimed as soon as he entered their office, plopping his bag into the sofa. "Kanina si Richard rin eh, tinanong na si Mira."

"Well, the dance is fast approaching," Sera pointed out as she closed the door behind them. "Kailangan na nating mamili ng damit, girls. I can't wait to personally glam you both up!"

"I-I don't think I'm going," Ann muttered as she sat down on one of the chairs around their conference table.

"Ay nako, tigil-tigilan mo 'ko Annaliese Gracielle Lobris," Queenie, who was now feeling much better than yesterday, retorted. "Hindi pwedeng hindi ka sasama."

"But—"

Ann's reply was cut short as someone knocked on their office door. Napabuntong-hininga naman si Quinn bago tumayo at binuksan ulit.

"Who is it this time—?"

Nagulat ang binata nang biglang bumungad ang mukha ni Kai, holding up a large cartolina paper in his hand with the scrawny letters "Dance?" written hastily across it with permanent colored markers.

Hawak niya sa kanyang kanang kamay ang isang tangkay ng bulaklak na medyo payuko na.

"Uhh, Queenie?" the young man said sheepishly, ignoring her twin brother and stepping inside the office with the props in hand. "Do you want to go to the dance with me?"

Queenie, who had froze in her tracks by the television, wanted to disappear almost immediately.

Ann turned her head to her friend. Sensing that Queenie might need help, tatayo na sana ito nang biglang umubo ang dalaga.

Collecting her bearings, Queenie let out a deep breath before marching towards Kai and pulling both of them out of the office.

Nang isinarado niya ang pintuan ay hinarap niya muli ang binata.

"Kai," she said hesitantly. "I'm sorry to have to do this, but no. I don't feel comfortable going to the dance with you."

Agad na nawala ang ngiti ng binata at saka ibinaba ang hawak-hawak nitong props.

"Why?? May iba bang nanliligaw sa'yo—"

"No," Queenie replied sharply. "I just think I'll have more fun if I go with my friends."

"The sleuths?!" the boy asked incredulously. "Eh lagi mo na nga silang kasama eh!"

"Maybe that says something if I want to spend more time with my friends than you," she frowned. Queenie was then about to step back inside the office when she turned around to Kai whose face was now red in embarrassment.

"By the way, I want you to stop courting me too," Queenie said curtly. "You and I are better off with someone else. Sorry, Kai."

And with that, she went back into the room and closed the door behind her.

All five of her friends were staring at her expectantly, confused about what just happened.

"Did you say yes?" Ann whispered in a low voice, as if afraid to touch upon the sensitive topic.

Queenie scrunched her nose before shaking her head. "No. I dumped him too. It was for the best."

Her twin immediately jumped up from where he was seated with a punch of his fist, screeching as if he had just won championship for the IT Cup Quiz Bee.

"The jerk is finally away from my sister!" he exclaimed victoriously before wrapping a hand around Queenie who shuddered.

"Wag ka mag-alala kapatid, ako nalang date mo sa dance."

"As if may iba kang choice," Queenis scoffed, causing the others to laugh. "Another reason why I turned him down is because I know your pathetic ass doesn't have a date to the dance."

"Ah, babawi ako sa'yo," Quinn grinned back.

Ann smiled to herself as she stared at her friends, glancing towards Rein who was teasing Quinn with Jarrell.

There was something about the way her rival was smirking, the dimples in his cheeks deepening as he did. For a moment, time seemed to be slowing down as Rein laughed at what seemed to be a joke from Jarrell, his wavy locks falling perfectly down his forehead, dark eyes twinkling mischievously.

Ann could feel her breath caught in her throat before she looked away hastily, cheeks reddening.

"Curse you, Ann," she muttered to herself, pretending she was busy scrolling through her phone.

Falling for her rival wasn't a weakness she could afford. In the long run, whatever emotions she was harboring right now could turn into a liability if not taken care of it.

Bigla niyang naalala ang sinabi ng kanyang mga magulang.

"Huwag mong sabihin na nakalimutan mo na kalaban natin ang mga Maccio? Masyado ka na bang nalilibangan sa pagiging detective at nakalimutan mo na ang responsibilidad mo sa pamilyang ito?"

"May we remind you that there's no room for friendship when it's our family on the line."

Ann swore once more under her breath at the voice of her parents echoing throughout her mind, cursing Rein and wishing he was dead — but also cursing herself for whatever she was feeling lately.

Kailangan niyang lumayo sa kanyang karibal as much as possible. Or better yet, get even more angry at him in an attempt to push him away, until any hope that lingers inside her chest was gone for good.

With a dry throat, she then glanced up again to Rein, surprised to see that the young man was staring right back at her with a creased forehead.

"You okay?" he mouthed from across the room. Ann glowered immediately, irritated that he was even one bit of concerned about her — a feeling that made her stomach do somersaults.

"I hate you," she mouthed right back, flipping her rival with her middle finger.

---

The sky overlooking the campus had turned into a soft shade of blue as Queenie left the Campus Sleuths' office. It was only three in the afternoon, but she had bid her friends goodbye to fulfill her promise.

Pretending she was opening her locker, the brown-skinned girl was looking at Emerie using her peripheral vision.

Emerie could be seen smoking from one of the corners of the senior high building's courtyard, brandishing a cigarette in-between her lips.

Even after Enzo's attempts to reprimand her, the rebellious girl seemed unable to stay away from smoking.

With one last huff of smoke, Emerie then dropped the cigar on the ground, stepping on it with the heel of her loafer to stop the smoke from wafting further. Placing her headphones back on, Emerie then left the courtyard, heading out of the senior high building.

Queenie slammed her locker door to a close before following the girl from a few steps behind.

Outside, the campus grounds were dusted with leaves falling from the trees. Malapit na rin kasing magsimula ang tag-lamig sa bansa, the afternoon breeze turning colder with every day closer to December.

Sa malayo ay patuloy pa ring sinusundan ni Queenie si Emerie na nakikinig ng malakas na music.

"Where the hell is she going?" Queenie muttered to herself, opening a book to pretend she was reading while walking in order to cover her face.

Emerie seemed to be heading towards Castillo High's parking lot instead of the girls' dormitory, walking towards one of the white Jaguars parked near the campus gates.

Kunot-noong pinanood ni Queenie ang dalaga mula sa likod ng isang puno, watching as Emerie stepped inside the back seat of the car. A few minutes later, the vehicle then exited the campus grounds, leaving with Emerie inside.

Napakurap si Queenie bago inilabas ang kanyang phone that contained a few personal details she had researched about her.

"Where are you headed off to, Emerie Louise Castrana?" she murmured to herself, scrolling through the profile she had created for their primary suspect.

---

Emerie's heeled loafers made a loud tapping noise as she walked up the marble steps leading up to the Delacega fashion house, the very where she was asked to go. There was a prominent scowl on her face as she entered the main lobby whose ceiling stretched out to the middle like a cone. The place was filled with people rushing to and fro, measuring tapes around their neck, holding pin cushions and sketches.

There were a few models here and there trying on different patterns and cloths, with designers pinning the rough designs on white, faceless mannequins. Stretched across the room were long tables with sewing machines placed on top. Sa kabilang dulo ng kwarto makikita ang naglalakihang mga cabinet at drawer kung saan makikita ang iba't-ibang kulay ng tela.

"Donya Antoinette is right here Miss Emerie," Dotty, the wide-eyed secretary of her mother, said meekly, opening the door at the end of the fashion house.

Inside the room, a tall woman whose hair was slicked back into a tight bun decorated with a pearl head dress, looked up from her sketch pad. Between her fingers was a lit cigar whose smoke wafted throughout the room.

Emerie clicked her tongue. This was the woman who had subconsciously taught her to smoke.

A great mentor indeed. Emerie said sarcastically to herself.

The woman had a pair of eyeglasses on top of her nose which she pushed back into her hair when she saw Emerie.

"Em, darling," the woman said, gesturing for the young girl to enter the room.

Emerie rolled her eyes, stepping into the room and removing her headphones. Behind her, Dotty had closed the door gently.

"You're not going to greet your mama with a kiss?" the woman asked with a raised eyebrow, putting down her pencil.

The young girl let out a deep breath before walking towards her mother and hovering her lips on the woman's cheek as some kind of attempt to a cheek kiss.

Anyone else would be more appreciative having the Donya Antoinette Delacega Castrana, a major fashion designer in the country who owned the Delacega luxury brand and fashion house, for a mother.

But not Emerie — who now stood in front of the woman expectantly, her face almost contorted in contempt at the fashion accessories that surrounded her.

"Stop scowling," her mother hissed, standing up from her seat to reveal her white cotoure dress that was embedded with real diamonds on its waist — one of which Emerie's mother had designed herself. "You'll age faster with the wrinkles."

"Let's get this over with," Emerie said impatiently.

"I'm going to pretend your impatience is because you've developed a passion for sewing and you can't wait to make your own design," the designer said, picking up an empty sketchbook and pen which she handed to her daughter.

"But no sewing lessons today. I want you to sketch," sambit ng kanyang ina. "Be creative! Loosen your mind and conjure up a statement piece!"

The young girl couldn't help but roll her eyes as she sat down on one of the stools and plopped the sketchpad on the sewing table, not caring for the different types of cloth strewn across it.

"Emerie, I know you can make me another piece," the woman said gently, placing a hand on the young girl who stiffened at her touch. "You have great talent for the arts — something that you should invest on."

Nararamdaman ng dalaga ang init ng kanyang dugo na umaakyat papunta sa kanyang mukha. "Eh 'yun lang naman 'yung rason kaya mo 'ko inampon diba?" she scoffed, shrugging off her mother's hand. "You saw my talent, you needed an heir for this forsaken fashion house, and bam — you decide to adopt me."

"Emerie!" the woman snapped, her tone high that made the young girl flinch.

"I want you stop this rebellious attitude right now," sambit ng matanda. "Hindi ko alam kung kailan mo 'ko titigilan sa ugali mong 'yan. It's already bad enough that you're causing trouble at your school! Rinding-rindi na ako sa tawag ng principal at discipline officer mo!" her mother exclaimed in exasperation.

"But the fact that you're also bringing that attitude to me, here of all places, is just too much. Ano bang gusto mong gawin ko para tumino ka na??"

"Maybe if you stop trying to set me up with that asshole son of whatever fashion designer, I'll give you a little peace of mind!" sigaw ni Emerie, napatayo na mula sa kanyang upuan.

"You mean Jaden??" kunot-noong tanong ng matanda. "Jaden is a respectable young man! He's set to follow your tito Jose Carlo as a great fashion designer! Bakit ba ayaw mo sa kanya?"

"Because I'm lesbian!" Emerie shouted in frustration, her face hot and red with anger. "You would know that if you cared to listen to me!"

With that, Emerie threw the sketch pad across the room and broke the pencil given to her in half. She could feel her heart drumming hard against her chest in anger. She had only ever felt this consumed by wrath when she was with her adopted mother who she felt had never truly paid attention to her.

"Hindi kita pinalaki ng ganyan Emerie," the woman said coldly, disappointment etched in her tone.

"Oh shut it, you didn't raise me at all!" Emerie spat back. "Yaya ko ang nagpalaki sa akin, hindi ikaw!"

"Oh so what now? Gusto mong ibalik kita sa walang kwenta mong ama??" her mother challenged, stepping forward with the cigar still in-between her fingers.

Dahil dito ay agad na naalala ni Emerie ang kanyang totoong ama, whose face haunted her whenever she walked past the walls of Castillo High that showed photos of prominent alumni.

Marcus Fernandez, the first captain of Castillo High's basketball varsity team, was the biological father of Emerie. He was a famous figure in the sport, something which he loved so much to the point that he had left Emerie to pursue a basketball career abroad.

"Ano?! I can call him up now and remind him of the daughter he left here in Ylando," the fashion designer retorted without mercy, taunting the young girl who felt like she was nine years old again, left alone in the orphanage to fend for herself amongst a sea of strangers.

"You're a monster," Emerie choked back a sob, snatching her bag and storming out of her mother's office — running until she was out of the fashion house with tears streaking down her face.

---

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