Solandis 1: Flame of Desire

24 ~ AUCTION

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

"I ALWAYS kept in mind my brother's words that helped me save myself."

Valeska simply took a deep breath as she remembered those words from her Kuya Keith.

She's in the middle of the stage. Telling her story how and why she got into Paraíso de Solandis in front of the people at the auction.

The theme of the event is a combination of black and red color. Every guest looked like belong to a high society. Women are wearing an evening gown. While men are on their suits.

She doesn't know if they are judging her behind their masquerades. But it really helped her the fact that these people doesn't know her or they wouldn't recognized her after her confession. Dahil kapareho ng mga ito, nakatago rin ang mukha niya.

To add to their privacy, the organizers turned off the lights on the stage. The only light there was the one that striking the canvas painting beside her.

The stage set up made her appear like a mysterious woman hiding in the dark while sharing the darkest chapter of her life to people.

Even the lights around were dimmed. Kaya tila mga diyamante na kumikinang ang ilang evening gown na nakikita niya.

Just right in front of her is the round table where Rashid and her friends' dates were sitting. It's one of the VVIP table.

Hindi niya pa nababanggit kay Rashid ang tungkol kay Keith. Now that he heard about it, she's sure he's going to ask more. And she's very fine with it. She wanted him to know the story of her life before she met him.

"His exact words were... Bravery is your weapon. Always use it to protect yourself."

A smile formed her lips after those words escaped from her lips.

"I never seen him again after his last visit in Paraíso de Solandis. But he always made sure that he remembered me by sending a gift or letter in every special occasion."

She got confused when Keith stopped sending her letter. The last one was three years ago if she wasn't mistaken.

"I realized then, that, some times, the love that you wanted to feel doesn't always comes from your family. It was a sad fact for me because I've been longing to feel that through my own mother..." she paused when she felt like she's going to be emotional.

Valeska just looked at Rashid. So that she would get the kind of strength and confident that he always gave her just by knowing that he's there with her. He supports her.

"...I am still grateful that even though my own mother didn't give me the love that I wanted, I met women who genuinely cared and loved me. It was as if they fixed the missing pieces in me by showering me the love that I never thought I would ever feel."

She turned her gaze to Visha and Racia's table. Magkasama sa iisang lamesa ang dalawa at ang iba pang kaibigan ng mga ito.

They nods their head at her to show her how proud they are to her.

Valeska took a few steps until she's near her painting.

"This painting is a reflection of the dark side of my life and how I found the lights."

It's a combination of black, red, white, and yellow. Every color has a meaning for her.

She painted a little girl figure. Walking in the middle of nowhere. Lost. With her white dress and long hair flowing on her back. She's holding a small bag on her hand.

She chose a red color for the foot prints. She painted a long rough road from afar. Then at the end of it is... the rays of golden sunlight. The light.

"Even though how many times I denied to myself that I wasn't the one in this painting, that I didn't painted myself as a child, I can't win with the fact. This was... me..." she chuckled softy.