The Fake Heiress

Chapter 18

Astonishingly Beautiful

"I know now, that what isn't mine will never be mine however what's mine will always be mine."

"Zyan and my men found you unconscious on that side of the road. It took a while because Lylian's men had that taxi block you for a while. Mukhang plinano niyang patagalin ng ganoon ang pagkakahanap sayo upang maubasan ka ng maraming dugo at ikamatay mo." Ryle started explaining.

True to his words, agad nga siyang bumalik. I listened to every word he said, loathing Lylian even more so.
Is she even human? Does she even have a heart? How could someone like her be my known parents' daughter?

"We rounded that block a few times and discovered you after some group of people were gathering around to try and help you." Zyan added.

Tumango ako, just really so grateful na sila ang nakahanap sa akin sa oras.

"The police came after we took you to the hospital and they're currently investigating. Everyone knows now that your death was a fake." Ryle looked at me straight. Hindi ko mawari kung nag-aalala ba siya o sinisisi ba niya ako sa kabobohan ko.

"Mr. and Mrs. Candelanza tried visiting you here but Zyan would not budge and let them."

"I told them what a rotten criminal they're protecting and even told them we have gathered so far about Lylian's crimes but they wouldn't believe it. They're not going to see you until Lylian is behind bars." With clenched jaw and mad eyes, he stated.

"Tinanong mo ba 'yung pamangkin kung okay lang sa kanya?" Ryle teased.

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. Pamangkin? Sinong pamangkin? Bumaba ang tingin ko sa kamay ni Ryle na may hawak na envelope kanina pa. He smirked and handed it to me.

Nanginginig ang kamay kong binuksan iyon at binasa ang laman ng dokumento. I gripped it tight, when I read the result at the bottom of the paper.

"Yes. The avuncular DNA test is positive. You are Saffirah Louise Candelanza, the daughter of Lloyd Candelanza, your uncle's, older brother of course, and Amarra Candelanza." Ryle's announcement made my ears ring and my eyes tear up.

My real biological parents are the once I thought were my aunt and uncle who died in that car accident 20 years ago, with their only daughter. I remembered hearing the story from my Grandmama. What really happened? Why am I alive? And who was that baby girl they found along with my parents' body?

"Melynda did all horrible and disgusting shits just to carry out her revenge on your dad. She instigated the car accident as we already know, bought a dead baby girl's body from God knows where and swap it with Lylian, I mean- Blaire. And then she placed you on your aunt's and uncle's car. That's how you became Blaire and the dead baby became you. She then raised Blaire and poisoned her mind into thinking you stole everything from her. And that you are Melynda's daughter and she swapped the two of you to give you the best life and make her suffer. Melynda abused her, beats her when she makes mistakes or doesn't obey what she wants. She grew up in a very harsh environment with a drug addict and an alcoholic mother figure. Kaya ganun na lamang ang galit ni Blaire sayo."

"That doesn't justify her crimes!" Zyan interjected.

"I know. She should be behind bars, of course." Sang-ayon naman ni Ryle.

It all made sense now. Blaire and I went through all of these horrifying things just for Melynda's more than 20 years revenge plot. She's insane! She manipulated her and toyed with her thoughts and emotions. She abused her, made her to be my most sworn enemy.
And she's my cousin!

Suddenly, my anger and hatred for Blaire lessened. I understand her now. Although I still think she needs to be punished for attempting to murder me twice!

Napatingin ako kay Ryle at kay Zyan nang may maalala."How did you find out all of these?"

Ryle looked at Zyan, urging him to answer.

"We talked to your Grandmama." Zyan smiled warmly at me, knowing I'd be so d*mn happy about the news that my Grandmama is awake now.

I felt so ecstatic indeed. Gusto ko na agad puntahan siya ngayon.

"Don't worry. Her room is right next to yours. She told me everything about the accident and the strange thing about it. She remembered how the doctor estimated the baby girl's death to be hours earlier than your parents'. Which means the baby had been dead even before the accident. She had it investigated but found no clues because that spawn-of the-devil-Melynda made her crime squeaky clean. Ilang taon din siyang naglaho nalang bigla at kahit anong paghahanap ang gawin ng lola mo, ay hindi siya mahanap. She kept it a secret to Mr. and Mrs. Candelanza to protect them and for the company as well. She carried the burden herself. Kaya ng araw na biglang sumulpot si Lylian, revealing she is Blaire Fenella, your grandma had a heart attack."

Naiyak na talaga ako ng tuluyan dahil sa pinaghalo-halong emosyon."My poor Grandmama... she must have been so despaired..." I sobbed. Zyan reached for me and comforted me by caressing my back.

"She almost had another heart attack when she found out about what happened to you. And she's blaming herself for it coz she was the one who unfroze your accounts."

I looked at Ryle in disbelief."How could she think that?! It's no one else's fault but mine!"

"I agree. A hundred percent." He mocked me and smirked evilly, making me glare at him.

Binato rin siya ni Zyan ng car keys."You should leave."Walang pag-aalinlangan at walang awang diretsong sinabi niya.

Ryle made a fake surprise face and then raise his eyebrow before saying, "Gladly."

Finding out the hideous truth , made me feel a variety of emotions. I feel sorrow for my parents who I never even met. I feel agony and pain for my aunt and uncle who were separated from their own daughter. I feel devastated for my Grandmama who endured and carried the truth with her just to hide the hurtful truth from the people she wants to protect the most.

I feel empathy for Lylian, who had committed crimes based on lies she believed as truth. She is also a victim of someone's blackened heart.

However, no matter how hideous the truth is, I feel free. Like I've been released from the world of fantasy and nightmares that I had been living on. Like I've been born as a new person. And that couldn't be any more true.

Now, I will no longer wish to have the right to claim and scream the name, Blaire Fenella Candelanza. A name that isn't mine from the beginning. Because now, I know my identity, who I really am.

The only name I should be screaming and claiming as mine is the name Saffirah Louise Candelanza. And that sounded astonishingly, beautiful...