Enchanted

Chapter 29

Sabrina

The ticking of the clock on the wall behind me was the only sound source ringing in my ear, reminding me it was four-thirty and I have already wasted 2 hours.

I removed all the books on the shelf and found nothing behind it. The high and low of this room and every corner that could possibly be a hiding spot have been rummaged thoroughly but there was not a single metal piece that could fit into this hole to be found.

I sat in the centre of the room with my knees bent to my chest. The last thing I wanted was to be a quitter but I have always sucked at the hide-and-seek game. I wrapped my hands around my legs and watched the second-hand move clockwise. Suddenly, a thought struck me. I did not check the drawer my aunt was searching through earlier. What if the information I wanted is right there in the living room?

I quickly got up to my feet and ran down the stairs. I was surprised there were not any papers inside but movie tapes that she probably watched when she was in high school or college. It was the same section where I found the Xiangqi board many years ago and that space was still vacant. Beside it was a small Balinese bamboo beaded box. I opened the lid and there it was, the metal key laying alone staring back at me.

I didn't need to rationalise my actions or allow the worst possible outcomes to make me chicken out so I picked it up and scurried upstairs again. My heart was pounding really fast and I felt the adrenaline rush beneath my skin that I have not experienced for such a long time. Well, I am not much of an athlete and neither am I prepared for this detective work.

I sat at the same spot in front of the drawer and fumbled the key into the hole. My heartbeat buried the ticking of the clock in the background and the speed of the blood circulation felt like my heart could burst out of my ribcage anytime soon.

At the very top of the pile was a transparent file containing several bank books, cheques and insurance policies. My hand shook a bit as I took it out and placed it on the floor. I didn't have any interest in how much money my aunt had in her account and my mind was too clouded with 'the deal' so it didn't occur for me to shift my focus onto another item out of curiosity. Then, there was a log book with receipts and invoices which I guessed were to keep track of her expenditures and used to calculate her taxes. I removed the thick green book and for a second, I wanted to pinch myself to wake up from my dream or nightmare. On the very bottom was probably the envelope I was looking for because there was a stamp labelled 'classified' and the red ink seemed to have become paler over the years.

I took it out gently with both hands. My eyes didn't blink or look away from it as if they might vanish into thin air. The envelope was sealed and I felt the papers inside mocking me silently for getting so far yet ended up with nothing. Was I trying to conduct an X-ray or what? I pushed away my foolish thought and peeled off the flap that was glued.

There was no reverse or break. I was going to drive this car straight down the path where the road twisted itself into total darkness.

I pulled out the papers cautiously and the words printed in black and white revealed themselves simultaneously. I didn't bother to check how many pages were there and started to read the first page. It was an email my aunt sent to Arthur 13 years ago when I was five. I didn't skip any of the words even as I re-read it the second time then the third. The email was written in a formal way back in the month of February. There was no mention of any deal but it explained why the deal was made.

Back in November, my aunt dealt with some unscrupulous people who bought run-down houses that have foundation water damage and moles everywhere. They painted over the walls, covered the floor with cement and sold them for a very high value. My aunt knew the tricks up their sleeves but decided to play along and signed the contract. She was no longer an entry-level real estate lawyer at that time so she should know the rules. Nevertheless, she needed a lump sum of money to pay off her debts, the reason behind it remained a mystery. Therefore, she accepted the offer and the seller paid her under the tables. The amount was unknown but it was mentioned that it was four times more than her salary. Months later, the cat was out of the bag and the buyer sued both the seller and my aunt. She didn't want to lose her job so she asked Arthur for help. She needed an experienced attorney to defend her in court but the cost was really high. Arthur proposed the deal by providing my aunt with whatever she asked for and giving her twenty thousand dollars if she adopt me.

My heart felt like it was at my throat. The 5th piece of paper was slightly crumpled at the edges because of how tight I gripped it. The heater was not on and I was not cold. But I was gritting my teeth so hard that they started to chatter.

This was not the Aunt Ann I knew. Involving in dishonest business and signing the closing because of her own advantage. Worst of all, being caught in a life-threatening situation because of owing people a great amount of money. As much as this confession sounded like a lie fabricated just to slander the name of someone as professional as her, I cannot deny the truth because I was holding it in my hands.

Then came the part of my own father, Arthur Chen threatening my aunt to ensure he gets his benefits as well while helping his younger sister. He would not want to participate in a 'charity' event if the outcome is not a win-win situation.

My aunt knew his personality. After all, they lived under the same roof for 18 years. She didn't negotiate further with Arthur but she did ask him why was he trying to get rid of me. Arthur explained in the 6th email that he and Jesslyn will be closing down their business because they were facing a major loss. Hence, he will be flying out of the country as he was offered a new job. Jesslyn will move in with Lola and work in an insurance company. They already agreed to sign the divorce papers in court and all my aunt had to do was apply for custody of me.

It took me really long to comprehend what I was reading but the words that I was reading felt like it was planned a long time ago and it presumably took Arthur a few minutes to type them. If he was facing a major loss, then how did he get twenty thousand dollars to pay my aunt? There were holes in the story but none of the party was willing to dig out for more information. Everyone was hiding something and I was never wrong when I said this was a game.

Arthur was part of the real estate agency so was he the one pulling strings? Was he the one who set up the business trap for my aunt and act as a hero? Was he secretly dealing drugs which gave him so much money? Does mum know Arthur was behind all these sinister acts? Was she part of the foul play or was she being threatened to cooperate as well? Why didn't she raise her voice instead of keeping quiet with her head down?

My mind was racing like a Ferrari speeding on the track in the Formula One World Championship.

If you are able to throw yourself with so many questions, your thinking must be very alike your dad's and your aunt's. A schemer. A crook. It's in your blood and you should be proud to be part of this family gene.

I arranged the papers to their original order and shoved them into the envelope. Just like how I was pushing my thoughts into a cage at the back of my mind. To a place where it is forever unreachable. It will stay there until the fire incinerates every living cell of me and only the ashes remaining will be thrown into the deep sea or carried away by the wind. Neither the existence of me nor the evidence will ever make its way into history or leave a mark on the planet because such menace deserves no place in this world.

I have my answers and I will go no further.

I returned everything to its place but my mind can never be the same. It was entangled like the roots that grow deep into the soil and will never resurface to see the light. The door was left ajar and my aunt didn't question me about it during dinner.

Whether or not she left the door unclosed and unlocked on purpose so that I could find the answers myself or unintentionally, the walls will not speak and silence is the parasite feeding on both of our untamed minds.

At night, I tried to distract myself with the revision of different subjects but they made me feel more frustrated. The faces of people I loved distorted and their voices cracked and turned into wicked laughter. I cried and screamed into my pillow until my ears were buzzing with white noise.

Have you forgotten the last piece of paper? A voice suddenly spoke and the static sound stopped.

Then there was nothing again. One second. Two. Three.

You'll be under guardianship only until the age of 18. The voice replied.

But it didn't come to nothing this time. Instead, the voice continued.

What's going to happen to you then? Do you think she will continue to keep you in this house or something worse is already blueprinted inside her head?

Before the next word could come out of the anonymous's mouth, I let go of my consciousness and travelled down the incessant loophole.

Dark. So dark.

It felt familiar.

It felt comforting.

It felt like home.