This Could End

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Si Mama?" That was my first question to the house help as soon as I reached the Ziegler residence.

"Nasa dining area na po. Ang Papa mo naman po, nandoon na rin."

I didn't answer nor smile. Nagpatuloy na lang ako sa paglakad. I couldn't bring myself to be polite. This house never failed to put me in a sour mood. It was an equivalent to the haunted houses shown in the movies except the monster here was real and it was my own father.

There weren't cobwebs hanging on the wall. No white clothes over the furniture. The entirety was well-lit and looked like a new house despite being years older than me. And yet I couldn't shake off the disdain I was feeling.

I was looking at everything through a a vindictive and cynical lens. Maybe because my perspective was bias but I was being rightfully bias. This was the place where I found out that nightmares were real.

We reached the dining area. The staff were still setting the table but my parents were already there.

"Nandito na po si Ma'am Kaia," the house help announced. It effectively caught my parents' attention.

My mother's face brightened at the sight of me. She stood up from her seat to welcome me with a hug.

"I'm so glad to see you, my darling," Mama exclaimed as she hugged me tight. That was enough for me to smile. True to the Filipino tradition, she's the only source of light in this cursed house.

"I missed you, Mama," I mumbled.

"Then why don't you visit more often?" She released me from the hug and playfully squinted her eyes to make a point.

Instead of responding, I just forced a smile. She wasn't ready to hear the answer to her question. Reluctantly, I faced my father to properly greet him.

He didn't bother standing up. I stooped down to his level for a cheek kiss. I was a banging actress but I couldn't fake my enthusiasm. Wala naman nakakita sa kawalan ng ngiti sa mukha ko kaya ayos lang.

"Good evening, Papa."

"You're not late. That's new," he noted. It wasn't a compliment. It was a jab at me.

I kept mum with my sanity in tact knowing that I was being the bigger person. I quietly sat on the opposite side of my mother.

"You know what else is new?" my father continued. I pursed my lips and readied myself for whatever would come out of his mouth. "Your rumored affair."

My jaw clenched. Of course, he summoned me for this. After all, there are only two reasons why my father would want to see me. Either he wanted me to do something or I did something that displeased him.

My father hired someone to keep an ear out on any negative news about me because he claimed it would directly affect him. I should have expected it but I was too preoccupied with trying to figure out the identity of my blackmailer.

"I'm sure it's just a baseless rumor. Right, Persephone?" my mom softly defended me. "You know how the media works."

"I have it under control," I simply answered.

"Good." Tumango si Papa. "You wouldn't want to stress out your mother, would you?"

It was a threat that he'd fulfill if things wouldn't go his way. I knew it very well.

I clenched my jaw and balled my fists tightly, trying to hold in the scream that was begging to escape from my throat. I counted until I finally calmed down and answered for nth time in my life, "Yes, father." 

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Unknown Number:
Time is ticking.

I stared hard at the screen of my phone. If I could materialize fire with my gaze, my phone would have been set into ashes by now.