Parent Trap

The Ugly Truth

KC's POV

"What am I going to do with you, Ken?" Lea asked tiredly at me when I finally closed the door behind. Now, it's just us. Two strangers with an untold history.

"You're not obligated to do anything for me. To tell you frankly, I don't understand why you took me in the first place." I said quietly but remained standing. An stance I have learned through the years which give advantage to quick escape.

But I am not running. Not anymore.

"Remember the collaboration concert project? I didn't understand why you hesitated to continue upon seeing me. I tried and tried to come up with an excuse but all logic tells me is that you don't like me. Maybe I offended you somehow." She said solemnly.

That's a fact. When that project was offered to me, I was excited. It was a another milestone of my professional singing career but during that time, I found out a shocking revelation that hindered me from pushing through.

I only met her once then. But once is enough to satisfy my curiousity. Tabloids made noise on the success rate of the project majority because we're of Filipino descent. It's not everyday that they got to see Asians taking the stage of performing arts.

"I pretended not to know anything about you. That your name doesn't ring a bell. Unfortunately, my twins took a liking on you. And they are quite persistent and stubborn when it comes to matters like that." She continued, without eye contact. Seems like she's talking to the floor. "So when an opportunity knocked, I didn't hesitate to take you in. I want to understand you, Ken. I want to know your past, your life.."

Am I that interesting?

"So that's the reason why you invited me to your home." I said without any trace of sarcasm because I wasn't that sarcastic kid I used to be. I'm done with that. I'm now into taking vengeance in action. "You could have succeeded in learning about my past. But unfortunately for you, I found a more disturbing discovery about your seemingly perfect family."

This time, Lea's eyes met mine. They aren't worried, those orbs aren't angry either. There is an emotion visibly shown in the way she stare at me.

"I'm not trying to hide my daughter." She said.

"Then why only now? How many years had it been? And  is she even your husband's daughter?"

Lea's nose flared in that insult.

"We are not talking about my family." She said indignantly.

"Says the woman who tried to do a background check on me." I hissed. There's no point hiding my anger. "Do you really want to know why I left yesterday? Because at the dead of the night, someone send you a full detailed report about my origins. You hired a private investigator, Lea. And you got an axcellent person to do the job."

She was taken aback. Guilt is written all over her face, making it whiter than usual.

"Oh, yes. I read the report. And I'm impressed on how valuable the information he managed to acquire. Information which might cause you and your family a great trouble. You see, meeting me is not a coincidence, Lea."

"What do you mean?"

Should I tell her? Ah! It would be perfect to ruin everything. Her long lost daughter is finally home. I bet she'd been rejoicing all night. And her reprimanding me is just a front to cover that she doesn't care what happens to me now that her family is complete.

Well, if that's what she thinks, she's mistaken. I am not going anywhere until I am satisfied with the way things are.

I took a step closer towards her. We're at the same height. So we stood face to face, eye to eye. "Everyone has a secret that we would rather want to be buried with us when we die. Yours, I guess has come out to the surface. But mine is something I will carry to my grave. And trust me, at least just this once. Whatever the things I have to keep... will keep your family safe."

***

Lea's POV

I blinked several times. Her words do not make sense. Why would her past has the power to bring such peril into my family?

But seeing Kendra at this state brings out a relief in my wounded heart, my wounded pride. The private investigator's initial report about her is that, she's been adopted at age five into a rich noble family in London. In a twist of fate, the matriarch is a Filipino woman who owned vast lands in Tarlac. And the wife of an British businessman.

Kendra grew up with the proverbial silver spoon in her mouth. Which makes me wonder what's with the attitude? There is bitterness and of suffering.

"What happened to you?"

Her reaction instantly changed, from hatred to confusion.

"Were you abused as a child?" I don't know where that came from but it's what I could think of. "What made you the tough young lady you are now?"

"Tribulations." She answered. "Betrayal and rejections. That's basically the foundation of my personality today."

"You said that your secrets might bring harm to my family. What do you mean by that?"

She sighed and pulled the vanity chair and sat cross legged.

"It means that whoever knew my secret will have to die. And I'm so sorry for the fate of your private investigator. I believe that a funeral was being held for him." She said casually.

My eyes bulged in utter disbelief and fear.

"Did you......did you....kill him?" Even the word 'kill' dries my throat. Thinking that this beautiful yet broken soul sitting in front of me has the ability to take someone else's life makes me cringe, in horror...and in terror.

Kendra laughed with mirth. "Oh, how I wish I could but, he's just plain unfortunate."

"What happened to him?" I asked trying to calm my nerves. At least, she didn't kill him. Kendra is proud when she did something out of the ordinary. So she's telling the truth.

"Car accident." She replied.

"When did this happen?"

"Last night."

I felt dizziness washed over me. If the accident happened last night and Kendra disappeared the entire night, could there be a possibility that she's involved with this? I grab my cellphone and dialled the number of the private investigator but he's not answering. Kendra is silently observing me.

On the third attempt, someone answered. It was his wife. And true enough, the poor man is already dead. With trembling hand, I pressed the end call button.

I slowly shifted my gaze on Kendra. Her eyes which usually hold unfathomable coldness now dancing with delight. She's clearly enjoying this.

How could someone rejoice in other people's misfortune? Someone died and yet, she felt no remorse with what she had done. 

Then it hit me like a sharp arrow straight to my heart, that this young lady in front of me is a devil's spawn.

~🔱~

A/N: Hello po! It's been a long weekend. And this chapter is giving me the chills. I think watching too much suspense, psychological and horror movies is rubbing off in this fanfic.

Drop a comment. Let me know what you think. Thank you. ️☺️