Mending Heart's Affliction [Phoenix Countesses: ETHEREAL MAIDENS SERIES I]

Chapter 8

Changes

"Girl, parang hindi ka naman nabuntis at nanganak niyan. Ariah is turning six years old, but you still look so sexy. Anong sikreto mo?" Puri sa akin ni Aurora habang pareho kaming nakaharap sa malaking salamin na ito.

Ngayong gabi na kasi ang social party ng Percepta Group. Kanina pa nasa tower sina Mom and Dad along with Oliver kung saan gaganapin ang event, habang si Aurora ay nanatiling kasama ko rito dahil hindi pa naman kami tapos mag ayos.

Aurora is one of the representatives of their company. Si Kim ay hindi makakapunta dahil kasalukuyang nasa business trip.

"Hindi naman. Ako pa rin 'to." Kontra ko sa kanya kahit pansin ko rin ang malaking pagbabago ko.

"Nah. You've changed a lot, Ce, believe me. The old you is nowhere near what you are now," she said, facing me. "Who picked out your gown?"

"Syempre ako."

"Pupunta rin ba si Ariah?"

"No, but she'll be staying in one of the suites in the tower with Benj and her girlfriend," I replied, giving myself one final look before I felt satisfied with my appearance.

"Benj? Oliver's younger brother?"

"Yes. Magkasundong-magkasundo naman sila kaya hinayaan ko na," I said, referring to another son of Mom and Dad.

"Your new family is really amazing. Hulog ng langit. Sobrang laking pasasalamat din namin ni Kim sa kanila kasi sila yung nandyan para sayo nung mga panahong hindi ka namin masamahan."

Napangiti lang ako at napatango. She's right. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa mga ginawa at binigay sa akin ng pamilya Fuentebella. Sila ang naging pamilya ko sa Spain, lalo na ang mag-asawa.

They did so much to help me, especially for my daughter Ariah, and I feel like until now, I haven't been able to repay them even a little bit.

Sila ang nagligtas sa akin noong mga panahon na hindi ko alam kung makakaahon pa ba ako o hindi na. They saved me from my own fire that almost consumed me back then, and now, they're still here for me and my daughter.

"They even gave you the Percepta Group of Companies to manage. I heard that even their eldest son Oliver wasn't allowed to have it by Madame Harper," Aurora continued.

I laughed. "Oliver has a different industry. He doesn't like managing their parents' businesses. Matagal nang inooffer sa kanya yon ni Dad pero tinatanggihan niya palagi."

"Kahit na no. Percepta Group is one of the leading companies in the world, right? Second only to the Rioflorida Empire."

Natigilan ako nang marinig ko na naman ang panglana na iyon. Tila napansin naman ni Aurora iyon kaya hindi na niya ako tinantanan hanggang sa nasa byahe na kami.

"I'm not sure if it was him. He was wearing a cap and had long hair. He looked rugged and miserable. Ibang-iba sa itsura niya noong huli ko siyang nakita bago ako manirahan sa Spain," kwento ko sa kanya habang inaalala ang nakita ko sa restaurant noong nakaraang araw.

As I glanced out the window of the car, I realized that the rain was getting stronger. Buti na lang ay hindi na sumama pa si Ariah.

"Really? When?"

"The other day, when I picked up Ariah from daycare. I'm not entirely sure. Nabanggit din sa akin ni Liam noong nagkita kami na matagal na siyang nawawala at walang contact kahit na ang family niya sa kanya."

"Girl, that was big news back then and until now. After Mrs. Rioflorida's death, their son suddenly vanished. He left everything, including the company he was managing. Ang tanong, babalik na kaya siya ngayon dahil nakita mo siya? Anyone who tried to look for him back then couldn't find him," she said, causing me to look at her.