My Words Are Law

Caught in the spiderweb (4)

Amaryllis stared at the picture of her aunt in the folder. She was much younger there, a spark of teenage angst could have lit her eyes, but a calm mask subdued it as she stared at the camera.

It was how Amaryllis remembered her in the past, excluding the calmness that dyed her childish face.

Rosa Vicente
Decker Juvenile Detention Center

Offense: Stealing and tampering with confidential documents.

Amaryllis sucked in air sharply. There must've been a mistake. Rosa isn't like this.

She'd know.

She hoped the following document would explain what she'd just seen as she took a deep breath and turned the page, only to be bombarded by a picture of a middle-aged woman entering a car. The hurried snapshot of the scene did little to help her recognize the person's features. The next picture, however, showed Amaryllis her side profile as she sat in a cafe, probably discussing something with the man across her. A stocky male in his early 50s wearing a suit and a watch that glittered under the interior lights. A neatly trimmed beard and a mustache covered most of his lower face as he stared at her with a calm expression. 

Who are these people..? What do they have to do with Rosa?

Then there was a family picture cut out from a newspaper article.

It was the woman, slightly younger, and a boy in his teens who, unlike the other person, wasn't so happy to have his picture taken. He stood beside her with a steely expression as if mocking the title of the article that read, 'Caddel family harmoniously attended the evening gala hosted by the Grants.'

It finally dawned on Amaryllis. The boy is her aunt Rosa's boss and the woman beside him... his mother.

In the next file, all their names were laid out in front of her. The old male is one of T.Corp.'s director, Mr. Norman Gibson, Mrs. Lorraine Caddel, and finally Mr. Caine Caddel. She could more or less guess now that they're related to the rumors surrounding her aunt. Amaryllis immediately fished out her phone, pictured the information on the table, and sent it to the man who might or might not be part of her aunt's problem.

I want an explanation.

With the evidence in front of her, he may have to come up with a good story to convince Amaryllis otherwise.

~~~

"I know that my mother is behind all that's been happening. However, I can't do anything rash, lest I jeopardize my position."

The displeasure must have been heard on Amaryllis' huff because he smiled tepidly.

"I've been meaning to do something, but my hands are tied. If I help your aunt openly, the situation will only get worse."

"How do you know that when you didn't even try?" She snapped, feeling angry that she might have been tricked into thinking he was yet another good person when he's not.

"It's because I tried once and failed that I'm unwilling to do anything rash."

And then Amaryllis finally understood. The final piece of the puzzle. "...Aunt Rosa's juvenile record is because of... you?"

There was a visible tension in his jaw as he searched for words to say. 

"Like I said. I was rash." Then he sighed as if in difficulty. "My mother didn't like me associating with Rosa. She was the one who-"

"So if my aunt were to resign, all of this would stop, right?" Amaryllis cut him off, already running down her schedule as soon as her injury heals. She saved some money enough to cover rent and groceries for six months. Then she could apply to be a student worker to get a full scholarship, but she would need to lay off a few units... Even then, she'll have to continue working outside the school. Something that wouldn't require active work, but-

"This career is your aunt's dream."

Amaryllis wanted him to shut up. Tell him she doesn't need to hear any more of his words, but he continued speaking anyway.

"So I pulled some strings behind my mother's back. It was risky, but it was the least I could do for her at the moment."

Unfair...

Everything's so unfair.

Rosa is so kind. Why do these people think they can ruin someone's life just like that? Just because they disapprove of her social interaction. Just because they have the power to do so.

Why?

In the end, she found herself in front of Taylor's unit with red-rimmed eyes. Why does everything work so well for him? What's so good about him? He already has everything.

He doesn't need anything anymore.

The door opened, and a newly showered Chryses greeted her. Thankfully, he's fully dressed compared to the first time she came here.

"...Amaryllis?" He seemed genuinely surprised.

Looking at him, living comfortably with everything at the reach of his fingertips, he poured gas on her anger. She wanted to shout at him out of spite but could only feel tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. She'd never been this angry before, and her body was trying to cope up with the stress. Unfortunately, tears seemed to be the only thing it could come up with. Not wanting to cry in front of him, she steeled her face as much as she can.

"...I'm sorry for intruding..." She replied, looking a tad bit lifeless as she stared ahead listlessly.

He paused, slightly faltering as his grip tightened around the door handle. They stood like that for a while, and it seemed like he doesn't have any plans to invite her inside, so she opened her mouth to ask.

"...Do you want to come inside?" He suddenly asked before she could say it, the words coming out slowly as they rolled on his tongue unfamiliarly. 

Do you want to come in, not come in?

Ha. Is he trying to be considerate now? Somehow, it made Amaryllis even angrier. When he stepped aside to give her way, her eyes reddened even more, but she sucked it up and walked in silently.

The stack of documents was now gone, and only the minimalistic gray sofa set filled the living room. She stood stiffly under the bright lights, waiting for the clicking sound of the door closing, but it never came.

"Have a seat." Only the baritone voice resonated from behind.

Amaryllis gritted her teeth.

***