Heartless (Completed)

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

As planned by our fathers, after the wedding, Art and I were immediately whisked away to Palawan on uncle Victor's private plane. It was just the two of us, along with the pilot who silently flew the aircraft. The sky outside was an endless black canvas, and despite the plush interior of the jet, a suffocating tension filled the space between us.

We landed after a few hours, greeted by the cool night air. The world outside was cloaked in darkness, and all I could make out were the faint outlines of houses scattered along the landscape, their silhouettes illuminated only by the dim glow of streetlights. The peaceful, almost eerie quiet was punctuated by the occasional hum of insects, making the silence between Art and me even more unbearable. Neither of us spoke. I could almost hear the buzzing of my own thoughts, louder than the night around us.

Dad had mentioned earlier that the caretaker of the house would come to pick us up. Still, we stood there, wordless, waiting. Every second felt heavier than the last, the weight of unspoken things pressing down on me. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, headlights appeared in the distance, cutting through the darkness. A car pulled up, and a man, perhaps in his forties, stepped out.

"Welcome po. I'm Jaime, the caretaker of the house. Are you Mr. and Mrs. Monteleone?" he asked, his voice calm and steady. The name, Mrs. Monteleone, hit me like a wave crashing on the shore. It felt foreign, strange, and yet, there was a small part of me that found it oddly pleasing—until the guilt crept in, sharp and sudden.

I hadn't even processed that we had just arrived in Palawan, and already, the weight of it all bore down on me. Art had already slid into the backseat of the car, leaving me to finish speaking with Mang Jaime.

"How long have you been taking care of the house, Mang Jaime?" I asked, trying to fill the empty space between us with something other than my swirling thoughts.

"Just about three months, ma'am," he answered with a friendly smile. "The house took a year and a half to build, and once it was done, they immediately hired me to look after it."

He continued, "You also have a cook, ma'am—Beth. She went to the market earlier to buy groceries, so I'm sure she's prepared something for your dinner."

I nodded, though my thoughts were still elsewhere. I didn't even bring much with me to the house, just a backpack filled with a few essentials. Mang Jaime opened the back door of the car for me, and I thanked him before sliding in next to Art, who remained silent. Jaime started the car, and we began our drive toward the house, his voice the only sound as he described the place and its surroundings.

I stole a glance at Art, his eyes closed as if trying to shut out the world. My heart sank, and I bit my lower lip, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. I'm sorry I dragged you into this, I thought to myself, the guilt gnawing at me like a relentless tide. I know for him, this is hell. I turned my gaze away as he shifted in his seat, his eyes fluttering open for a brief moment, catching me off guard.

We arrived at the house not long after. I only realized we were there when the car came to a halt, and Mang Jaime stepped out to open the door for us. He grabbed my backpack and Art's guitar, along with his bag, before leading us inside.

The house was vast, and the first thing that struck me was its grandeur. The walls were made of transparent glass, allowing me to see the outside world, where the stars glittered like scattered diamonds in the sky. Below us, there was a garden, its lush greenery cradling a wide, shimmering pool that reflected the soft lights illuminating the area. The sight was breathtaking.

Inside the living room, two large sofas sat opposite a massive TV. There were plants placed strategically around the space, their leaves giving life to the modern, minimalist design of the room. On the far wall, abstract paintings hung, including a few pieces that looked strikingly similar to Van Gogh's work, their colors and strokes adding a burst of energy to the otherwise calm atmosphere.