ISLA AMORE || Vicerylle

Chapter 16 : The Other Side of Her

      Kay was deep in thought as she gazed outside the window of the car she was in.  Her mind drifted back to that day she left the island, Isla Amore.

      Her mother's personal assistant came to the island that day, very early in the morning and had convinced her to go  with  her to her mom's place in Cebu City.   Kay was told her mom, Isabelle, was in an accident and was taken to a  hospital in Cebu.  She should have known.  Her mom had pulled this stunt before in the past when Isabelle could not find Kay's whereabouts. She was trap again in her mom's lies just to make her come see her.  Kay was not sure if she should be glad and be grateful that her mom still checks on her even though she is already an adult and has her own life now. Or, should she be concerned and be sad that her mom has to do this  just so she could see  her daughter?  "Mom must be lonely. She's all by herself now that Uncle Jim (her mom's second husband)  has to spend most of his time now in Malaysia because of work. I need to see her and spend some time with her." she mused. 

      She thought of Isabelle, her mom. She was always beautiful in her eyes.  Always sweet and loving. She had wondered why her dad and mom separated when she was young.  She had been meaning to ask but somehow the opportunity never came.  Kay's dad and mom tried to talk to her about it when she was younger but she did not seem to fully understand the real reason behind the break up. They both have tried to give her the love and attention while she was growing up but Kay have always felt incomplete and lonely. She remembered spending most of her time with her dad where she lived but then her mom would take her on vacation and trips abroad without her dad.  A few months of living with mom Isabelle during summer vacation in her home in Cebu was also part of her memory as a young child.  She lived with them but it was always her nanny Rosa most of the time who was with her during meal times and even sa pagtulog.  At a young age, it was very confusing for her but then she later got accustomed to it and had seemed to accept it as a normal part of growing up in that kind of set up. Deep inside her she had always wished that her mom and dad would get back together again someday. 

      Karylle's mind then wandered into that day she had that long conversation with her mom about her dad, Luis Manuel Madrigal.  Her mom had told her that her dad is planning to remarry and that she was concerned that her soon to be stepmother is ambitious and wants a big  part of the company. "Pumapapel and nakikialam. I don't want you to lose your inheritance, Kay," her mom added. Isabelle was also concerned that Kay's soon to be stepmother already has kids from her previous failed marriage. One of her daughters was almost about the same age as Kay.  The other daughter just finished college and was into a modeling career.  She heard that the daughters were very much welcomed and adored by Manuel as well.  One of the daughters was even rumored to fill a high ranking position in his dad's company. "I need you to step up and shape up, Ana Karylle. You are the sole heir of your dad's company young lady. Don't be too complacent.  It's time for you to see your dad."

      That conversation was about a week ago. She thought long and hard about her choices in life and finally, decided to talk to her dad about it.  She decided to see her dad and flew back to Manila. But, even before she made that first attempt to contact her dad, Manuel  had already sent a car, his dad's personal secretary, Mrs. Ramos and his dad's personal driver to the hotel where she was staying at in Manila.   By now, she is already used to her parents' way or knack of finding her no matter how well she tries to run away or hide from them. And so, it was no surprise to her when Mrs. Ramos appeared outside her door in her hotel room.

     A voice coming from the front of the car interrupted her thoughts and she turned to look sideways to her dad's driver.  

Karylle  :  I'm sorry. May sinabi po ba kayo Mang Carlo?