Gloria Regali

Chapter 10

He thought she was an underhanded girl. Her crying was just an act of desperation. Alejandro looked at the side of the marital bed. He already felt the empty feeling without her. Casa Ladrillo felt different without her.

He spared her, as not to shame her.

To his guilt, he let her go. Was this his punishment then? She got what she wanted. Was that a fair decision? Does she believe her fiction is hard to know?

Was it her innocence? Was it guile? Or just being reckless?

He doesn't know he needs her, as the general thinks she willfully misleads him. She trembles like a frail flower, but the general sees power in her:

He sees that now.

He was nothing but a man. A man but with orders to fulfill.

But it was his heart that replied. His mind paid for the consequences of letting his emotions getting the best of him. His feet led him towards Casa Maranao, in which she was held captive according to his orders. He opened the door to her temporary room.

It was a stark contrast to how Casa Ladrillo is. Casa Maranao feels gloomy, knowing the history of the place.

She laid there sleeping soundly. Alejandro reluctantly tried to caress her soft brown hair but finding it unbearable for himself later on. She did sense his presence, which was quite odd for him as he knew Anastasiya was a heavy sleeper.

He slowly stepped back and prepared to leave. As he was about to turn the doorknob, he stopped in his tracks.

He faced her sleeping form,

"Patawarin mo ko, Stasiya." he whispers his sentiments through the wind.

A single tear fell from the duchess' eyes. Somehow it gave her a sense of hope that he was not loathing her entirely.

Turns out, she was awake all along.

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The youngest infanta sat infront of the piano disinterested. Maria Beatriz loved music but she was not really in the mood and her governess failed to see that.

Or Countess Dela Cruz played blind to the youngest infanta's musings. Maria Beatriz dramatically pushed down the keys of the old piano.

She was known for being the sweetest and not temperamental, it was a sudden change for her teacher.

"May problema po ba, Infanta Maria Beatriz?" Dolores asks calmly.

"Ayoko mag aral ng musika. Gusto ko makita ang Tita Stasiya ko. Ayaw ko nito..." The youngest infanta said she hopped off the bench and gave the book to her instructor.

The youngest infanta got out of the study room. The instructor followed her shortly. It was until Maria beatriz got out that Dolores got ahold of the young infanta.

"Makinig po ikaw sa akin, mahal na infanta. Kasalukuyang nagpapahinga si Dukesa Novales dahil nagkasakit ito. Hindi rin pinahihintulutan ni Senorito Alejandro na may makalapit sa dukesa."

The countess then took pity with the youngest infanta's big glassy-like eyes. Dolores bent down to the young child's level.

"Sige na nga. Pero ngayon lang, Infanta Maria Beatriz. Huwag mo ring babangitin ito kahit kanino at malalagot tayo." Dolores said as she hoisted the child up in her arms and attempted to board the kalesa.