The Calm in the Chaos (Trazo Real Series #3)

Prologue

Prologue

Wearing my black dress, I stared at myself in front of the full-length mirror in my room. My eyes were swollen so I mentally reminded myself to put on some ice pack before I sleep. I forced myself to smile but why am I fooling myself right now? I know that even if I force myself to look okay, I will still not feel okay.

"Why didn't you wait for me?", a tear escaped from my eye and I immediately wiped it off.

I didn't know what caused my tiredness. We just landed from our flight from the US and we headed right away to Nasugbu for Ate Samantha's wake. I was tired from the ride but nothing can ever beat my exhaustion from crying.

If this was just a dream, then please wake me up now.

"Adi, hinihintay ka na ng Mommy mo", Ofelia knocked.

"I'm coming", I said.

I carried my sling bag and walked out of my room to join my parents on the living room. The Buenconsejo Mansion was as grand as how she described it to me. There were chandeliers for every part of the house – dining area, living room, the veranda, and even on the grand staircase of this mansion.

The whole mansion looked classic. It screams power and majesty. I heard that my great grandfather's friend, an architect, designed this mansion.

I smiled bitterly. Despite all these things that will slap anyone with power, how can they not protect her?

"Maraming tao ngayon. May mga kasamahan si Papa sa pulitiko. Ipapakilala ka niya mamaya dahil ikaw na lang ang... nag-iisang apong babae", my Mom said.

I nodded at my Mom. She's as white as a snow and my Dad's complexion was the opposite. He's bronze – the perfect embodiment of tall, dark, and handsome. It's where Ate Samantha got her morena skin. She had it from the Buenconsejo genes.

Maybe the mixture of my parents' complexion resulted to my cream-like skin color, just between white and tan. Not too dark, not too white.

She walked me towards the veranda and there were too many... formal people. We had relatives who looked familiar. I took their hands to receive a bless and kissed their cheeks. There were also politicians like what my Mom told me.

"Sigurado talaga ako na may halong pulitika ang pagkamatay ni Samantha", I heard one said. Even at a young age, I know what they were talking about. I shrugged the thought off my mind. Maybe I'll just think about it when I'm alone, not in a suffocating place like this.

"This is Adi, Rebecca and Samuel's only child", my grandfather introduced me to some politicians. Papa, my grandfather, is the current governor of Batangas. It's his second term of service as governor of the province. If he wins this coming election, that will be his third and last term.

Manuel Ermita Buenconsejo. Papa's parents were too powerful. The Ermitas are influential families from Batangas and so as the Buenconsejos. So, it was no longer a secret why our family has always been active in politics.

Even my late grandmother is from a political family – Stella Louisa Leviste.

"Hello, dear. I am Congressman Eduardo Fuentes. I'm a good friend of your Lolo and your Dad", the congressman smiled at me so even if I have no energy to smile, I did.

"Ilang taon na siya?", the congressman asked my Mom.

"She just turned 12 years old last February, Ed", my Mom answered.

"Kung ganoon... will you stay here for good? Kausap ko nga kanina si Samuel at baka may interes na pumasok sa pulitika. 'E ayaw talaga. Nariyan naman daw si Emilio at iyon naman daw ay mayor na rin".