BURNING RED

Chapter 30

TRUTH

The cold wind blew my long ginger hair away. It was spring time and the weather here was still a bit harsh.

I looked at the hills where I was about to go. I walked up slowly, trying to get my head around everything again. Pagkauwi ko galing sa ibang bansa ay palagi na akong pumapasyal sa mga grandparents ko. And my bodyguards were just everywhere. Aileen was so worried that Stephanie would do something stupid again.

When I arrived at their tombstones, I placed two bouquets of flowers. And offered my prayers.

I was still shocked when I found out the truth about my real identity. I felt like I've wasted my life chasing someone's love that wasn't really for me all along.

I gently wiped Papa's tombstone or should I say my real father.

After I landed in Scotland seven years ago, Aileen, who I thought was my mother already sent someone to escort me back in my estate. My father's wife Stephanie was also there demanding me that I shouldn't have come back.

Aileen, quickly arranged for our family lawyers to read my grandparents' last will, so kahit ayaw niya ay walang magawa si Stephanie kundi tiisin kaming dalawa ni Aileen dahil ang last will ay hindi daw pwedeng basahin kung wala ako.

It shocked us when we found out that ninety five percent of theirs assets and money was in my name. And the rest would be distributed to Aileen, James, Nana and Scott.

Stephanie was livid. She made a scene and demanded to read it for herself. She even wanted to take it to her lawyers to be checked.

She was laughing like crazy and insisted that her son was the only male that could continue the lineage of our family.

I was confused too. Kasi totoo naman iyon. The first born son dapat ang makakuha ng lahat ng kayamanan ng parents nila. And even if I didn't like her, her son who was nine years old that time had his rights. Since my father was dead, his first born son should get all the inheritance. To pass down again for the next generation.

Our family lawyer gave me and Aileen two letters from my grandparents, explaining everything.

And it shocked me to the core.

Since Mama couldn't bear a child, they adopted James without the public knowledge and gave him their name.

But even if they adopted James, Mama didn't feel contented at all as years went by. She got this sick idea to make Papa impregnate some girl with high standing in our society. Para mapunta pa rin sa totoong Hamilton ang kayamanan na pinaghirapan ng angkan namin.

Later she found out that my real mother, Anise was in love with Papa so she carefully made her plan to work.

She drugged Papa and made him spend the night with Anise. Papa got angry at muntikan nang magkahiwalay pero ipinaliwanag ni Mama ang mga insecurities niya at mga iniisip. They got back together but this time they have to tell each other their thoughts and never hide anything from each other.

The news came that Anise, the social butterfly was seen throwing up kaya mabilisang ipinatawag ni Mama si Anise at ang pamilya niya and offered her big money to continue her pregnancy, and she could also marry James, her adopted son to cover up her humiliation.

Blinded by the money and our family's power, she took her offer. But just right after she gave birth to me, she died with complications.

Now with both families involved, they have dreaded their secrets would be exposed so they forced Aileen to pose as my mother. That was the reason why she had to put thick make up on, to copy my mother's features. Aileen is my grandfather illegitimate child with a bar girl back in his early days.