TLH2: Royal Comeback (Completed) #Wattys2016

TLH2: Chapter 17

Ivan's POV

"Alice, Serene what are you two doing there?"

Our attention turns to a middle-aged woman walking to where we are. Napako ang tingin ko sa kanya. She reminds me of someone. The way she composes her self shows grace and poise. She still has this angelic face that every man her age will turn their heads to her. Hindi siya matangkad o maliit, I say that she has an average height. But behind those beautiful features, power screams within her.

Nakalapit na ito sa amin. Our eyes met and I knew that I saw her once again in the person that I am looking at. Sandali lang kami nagkatitigan at nalipat na agad ang tingin niya kay Serene at Alice.

"May bisita pala tayo, bakit hindi niyo pinapapasok?" Tanong nito sa dalawa.

Pagkasabi nito ay nalipat muli ang tingin niya sa akin. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng hiya. Napatitig ito sa akin na parang inaalam kung kilala ba niya ako o nakita na niya ba ako. The way she looks makes me vision Eunica when we get older. Nagulat ako ng bigla itong ngumiti sa akin. Natauhan ako.

"G-Good Evening, Ma'am."

"Are you looking for Erin?"

I gulped. "Y-Yes, Ma'am. Is she in there?"

Muli itong ngumiti sa akin. "She went off to somewhere but I think pauwi na rin iyon. Come. Why don't you wait inside?"

Nagulat ako at kahit sila Alice sa sinabi nito. I didn't expect her to let me inside. I thought papaalisin niya din ako tulad ng ginagawa nila Serene but I was wrong. Hindi ko alam pero bigla ko hindi maigalaw yung mga paa ko. I felt like I was stuck on the ground. This is what I want right? Ang makapasok sa loob para makita si Eunica but I just can't seem to move! Naunahan ako ng hiya. Hiya from Eunica's real mother.

"Mom!"

Parehas kaming napatingin ni Alice nang sumigaw si Serene.

"What is it?" Mrs. Sanders calmly said.

Umiwas ng tingin si Serene. And I'm sensing there's something about the tone and how their Mother look.

"Why would you let him in? He's the bastard who almost killed Ate Erin!"

Nangunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. Almost killed? Si Eunica? I almost kill her? I felt like all my blood drained from my body. Nanlamig ang mga kamay ko. Mas lalo akong na-curious sa sinabi ni Serene. What happened to Eunica? Naguguluhan ako.

"Serene, watch your words. You're being impolite to our guest." Seryosong sabi nito habang nakatingin kay Serene na ngayon ay nakatungo na lamang. Alice is being quite.

Nagulat ako ng tumingin na muli ito sa akin. "My apologies for what my daughter said, Ivan. Ivan, right?" Agad naman akong tumango. She smiled at me once again. "Come inside."

She widened the door and I gathered all my strength to take another step inside. My heart is beating fast. I saw Alice and Serene through my peripheral vision. Alice was just looking at me while Serene was arching a brow. Napailing-iling ako sa isip ko. She was a tiger earlier but shrinked to a cat because of her Mom.

My eyes roamed around the large space that you'll see once you're inside. It has a Greek touched designs. The furniture are patterned with white and gold. I had to take a few steps to reach a large living room. The fire place was switched on and the sofa was facing to it. Centralized sa loob ng bahay nila. I found myself looking at the left side of the room and my eyes were fixed to a large family painting hanging perfectly at the center of the wall. It's the same as their family photo featured in a magazine but a different shot and position. I can feel the royalty and power in their family just in one picture. Contentedness was visible in their eyes. Parang ipinapakita nila na sa wakas ay kumpleto na sila. That's what I felt while staring at their picture. Kaunti palang ang alam ko tungkol sa totoong pamilya ni Eunica but the look on their faces in the portrait has a clear message of what they are feeling.