Effloresce of Lily

Prologue

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Disclaimer:
Everything in this story is only because of the author's imagination. Some said places and happenings here might not be true because like what I told you, they're only my imagination.

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PROLOGUE

Looking at the thousands of hectares of the Flower Plantation in front of me, only gave me nothing but anger and sadness to my Father. Anong karapatan niyang ibayad ang natatanging ariarian na mayroon kami?! Para lamang sa kanyang utang?!

Maaaring ito na ang huling buwan na mamalagi kami rito sa Hacienda de Clavería, dahil natalo si Daddy sa isang Casino sa sobrang laking halaga at dahil nga kami ay kinakapos ngayon sa pera wala siyang ibang maibayad kundi ang libo-libong ektarya na mayroon kami dito sa Atok, Benguet, kung saan ang isang malaking Old Spanish Mansion at ang napakalawak na Flower Plantation ay nakatayo.

I grew up always following what my parents want, they say that for a Spanish woman I am too timid maybe it's because of my Mom. I inherited her being prim and proper and for me it's fine because I believe that woman should be like a flower beautiful, steady and strong.

"Arturo! I warned you for how many times already, why didn't you listen?! How can we pay for this now?! I can't give up this Hacienda, this is the only property we have after you made our other properties as your payment for your debt! Lily is just 22! How dare you make her as your payment in exchange?! You are so cruel! You're a demon!"

Never in my life I've heard my mom be angry like that. She had been always so soft, she never raises her voice and omit to say foul words against others.

She's angry because my Daddy made me as his payment instead of Hacienda. Just wow. Just a little moment a while ago, I was thinking on how can I help my parents from this debt and little did I know na ako na pala ang ibabayad niya.

I can't even think straight, now we're sitting in a luxury Hotel and Restaurant that is owned by the Marques', waiting for the guy that my father is in debt with.

Yung buhay ko sobrang layo sa Okay. Yes, sabi nila ang swerte ko kasi maganda ako, kasi mayaman ako pero hindi ako masaya. And this? This is hell, a fucking marriage for convenience or rather say marriage because of a fucking debt. Looking back on how my father made me agree to this.

"Lily anak, I know that you've been wanting to have your freedom right?"

Napa-angat ako ng tingin sakanya. Yes syempre freedom, you've been wanting that for your entire life because you've been living like a criminal for being locked up in this Old Spanish Mansion, I may be can go out but with fucking bodyguards. Surely, he will use the word freedom to you.

"Listen to me, if you marry the Marques guy you will have your freedom forever"

And there I dragged myself into this. Ganon na ba ako karupok para mapapayag ng dahil lang sa freedom? Yes because it's freedom, I will do everything.

"Lily?"

"Anak, Lilliana"

Napakurap ako ng mahinang tapikin ni Mommy ang kamay ko. Ngayon ko lang napagtanto na kanina pa ako tulala at ang panauhin na aming hinihintay ay nasa harapan ko na.

Napatayo ako habang inaangat ang mga mata ko sa taong nasa harap ko.

And there I realize that the freedom which is the very reason why I agreed to this is far from my reach.

And yes, those eyes captured me and I know that even my devotion in freedom can do nothing about it.

Damn you, Joaquin Nicholas Marques.