9 - At the Reyes Mansion

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Althea travels with Santino and Rebecca going to the Reyes Mansion. Thirdy is waiting for them at the main door when they came.

"Welcome to our humble little kingdom, guys." Thirdy said while Santino assisted Rebecca and then Althea getting out of the service van. "Come in." He added.

The three guests get inside the house and Althea could not help herself but to admire its interior. She already admired the Reyes Mansion in Manila but she is more in awe seeing the Reyes Mansion in Cebu. And her eyes got glued at one corner of the house. "I make sure to put that painting in a place where all our guests will see it." She heard Dei uttered.

Dei is talking about Althea's painting which Thirdy gave her on her birthday almost ten years ago. Althea took a deep sigh and smile as she recalls the story behind the painting. "I make sure that it is well maintained. Baka magalit sa akin ang mahal na prinsipe kung mapapabayaan ko ang espesyal na regalo nya sa mahal na reyna." Dei meaningfully uttered.

"I'll just tour them around, Mommy." Thirdy said.

"Yes please, my prince, while we prepare the. It will ready by the time you come back and I'm sure you're Dad will be here by that time." Dei replied.

"Can I be excused? I don't think kailangan pa akong sumama sa pa-house-tour mo, Tres." Rebecca said.

"You've stayed in Manila for several years. Don't you want to see the changes?" Santino asked as he already senses that Rebecca is avoiding him.

"It is just the same as the last time I was here." Rebecca coldly replied.

"There were changes, Reb. Dad decided to add rooms for the kids. One of the guest rooms were converted to a playplace for the kids." Thirdy said. "Also, the library is bigger now than before, kasi hindi na magkasya yung mga books." He further explained.

"Did you hear that, Reb? There a lot of changes in this house that you might want to see." Santino said to convince Rebecca to join them in the house tour.

"It is not necessary to do that now, Santino. I can do that anytime I want, since pwede naman akong pumunta dito anytime." Rebecca said and Althea could not understand herself on why she felt a pinch on her chest.

Even when Thirdy and she were still together, she could not claim that she can go to the Reyes Mansion anytime she likes. She has that unexplainable awkwardness everytime she steps in the Reyes Mansion in Manila and she has the same feeling now.

The last time she recalls dining in with the Reyes couple was after the lock-in incident, when her family hosted a dinner with the Reyes Family. When Thirdy and she became a couple, she were unable to get a chance to dine with Thirdy's parents again as she were preparing for her trip to Italy and had very little time to fly to Cebu nor meet Richard and Dei Reyes in Manila.

"Sa kitchen na lang ako, Tita Dei might need my help." Rebecca said and walks away from them.

"Is she all right, Thirdy?" Althea asked

"Don't mind her, pagod lang yan, kasi dumiretso sa Royalties imbes na magpahinga muna sa bahay nila." Thirdy said and discretely throws a stare at Santino who is obviously aware at Rebecca's actions.

After Santino's talk with Rebecca over the phone, he started to distant himself to Althea because Rebecca made it clear to him about her discomfort. He does not want to upset his girlfriend because the real reason why he insisted on attending the convention is to meet Rebecca's family in Cebu.

Thirdy tours his guests around the mansion. The more Althea sees the different part of the house, the more she admires it. It is like a mini Royalties Hotel for her. After the house tour, they immediately proceed to the dining area where sumptuous foods are on the table.

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