Mess Series #1: Faded Smiles

Faded Smiles #15

Aryl's POV

As I open my eyes, I felt the heaviness of my body that is uncomfortably lying on my bed. I slowly looked at the alarm clock when it began to ring as I grab and turn it off.

As I took off my feet to the floor, I felt the dizziness that I felt a while ago that makes me holds to my side table for support.

"Cinderella!" I took a deep breath when I heard that name followed by loud knocks on my door.

"Wait for a while," I shouted for him to hear and compose myself and put a smile in my face as I walk towards the door and open it.

I felt my eyes rolling as I tried to walked outside so that I hold onto the doorknob to support my balance.

As I open the door, I saw him standing tall next to my door with a sarcastic grin that is formed on his lips.

I easily turn my gaze to the carpeted floor and walks silently to the stairways.

"What are you talking about an attorney?" My mom's angry voice filled my ears as soon as my feet step downstairs.

"So what? They are not blood-related!" I can feel the intensity of her anger base on her tone.

I glanced at the dining table where she sat and I saw her busy with the person she was talking to the phone while Yaya is preparing the table for breakfast.

She clenched her jaw and sharply looking at one direction.
"I don't care! I am his wife! I am the one who has the right to own his assets not her!"

My brows form a line in confusion as I heard what are they talking about.

Is this about dad's last will and testament?

"Do everything attorney! I will pay you!" she added and put her phone down.

I took a deep breath and compose a smile before intruding to my mom's sight and sit next to her as I get a sandwich silently.

"Are you not going to school?" a calm but terror voice filled the dining's silence without taking her eyes to the newspaper she was reading.

I glanced at her and feel the lumps on my throat as I tried to speak "T-timothy... Timothy and I are excused for us to prepare for the quiz bee."

She put the newspaper she was reading and look at me with a sarcastic grin. "Really? Do you think you'll win? You will just make your school a trash for the eye of others!"

I turned my gaze on the sandwich I'm eating and put a smile on my face as I eat it.

"Withdraw what you'd said! You can't win! You will make another scandal because of your loss!" she said as she stood up and hurriedly stormed out and left me smiling physically but crying emotionally.

Should I stop? Should I refuse to that offer again and make Miss Arabella bad? Is my mom correct that I should stop this craziness and face the fact that I'm a failure?

My mind is arguing and the three-fourths of it say that mom is right and I should stop and talk to Miss Arabella about this matter and the other one forth says that I am brilliant enough to win this competition.

As I stood up, I felt dizziness the drove me to fall to the floor and everything went black.

***

"It's not possible! I am his wife attorney!" My senses slowly coming back when I heard a woman who is talking next to the bed I'm lying on.

"It is, Mrs. Torres. Besides she is his daughter," a baritone voice of a man filled the silence.

"But they are not blood-related!" my mom answered as she was pissed. I can imagine her gritted her teeth while having the fire in her eyes while looking at the attorney.

"She is a Torres, and legally she has all the rights to claim what is hers," the man in a baritone voice explained irritatedly.

I hold the bedcover as questions flooded my mind.

What are they talking about?

Is Dad have his mistress?

I have siblings?

"I will do anything to fight for my rights as his wife!" she said and I can sense assurance in her voice before I heard the door slammed.

I slowly open my eyes and I saw our family lawyer whose sitting to the single sofa near my hospital bed. I compose myself as I crack my throat for him to know my presence.

"Attorney what are you talking about? Is daddy having a mistress?" I asked with my weak voice as I tried to sit and rest my back to the bed's headboard.

He uplifted his cheekbones as he walked towards me and helps me to sit comfortably. He even put a pillow in the headboard for me to feel comfortable. "You don't need to worry, Aryl. And no, your dad is always faithful and loyal with your mom."

"I overheard your conversation with my mom," I explained and I saw how he stunned and smile afterward.

"You are just stressing yourself. You need to gain your strengths. Your dad must be worried about you," he changed the topic and patted my head like my dad.

I gave him my weak smile and looked at him with my eyes full of sadness. "He is not. He will feel happy when he saw me gone. Besides he died because of me."

"It is not your fault. It's the gunman's fault. He pulled the trigger," he calmly said and holds my hand to feel his support.

I uplift my lips weakly and shook my head to prove myself. "It is. If I listen to him, he wouldn't be buried under the ground now. If I listen to him, he may live."

"Aryl, it's his choice. It's his way to prove how much he loves you. It's him protecting his princess." Attorney DelaManco said as he stood up and hugged me before my tears keep falling in my eyes.

It's him protecting his princess.

Yes. I am once his princess, but his princess turned back and betray him.

His princess killed him.

****
To be continued.