Let the Light Begin

Chapter 38: Thank you

"Grandma, she is with me." I said while looking at my aunt Elizabeth, "I DON'T LIKE HER. GET OUT NOW." My grandma said. "Ma, I am the one who invited her here.", Tita Melissa said, "Why did you invite her tapped" She tapped the back of Elizabeth and tap her shoulder, "She is the one who told me to go home. Because of her, I went home safe here in the Philippines." my grandma looked at Tita Melissa in question. "She is the one I am talking about. I work with her when I come to London." She looks at me and my aunt, "Come, the food is getting cold." Tita held aunt Elizabeth's hand and pulled her to the dining area. My grandma didn't react to what my Tita did. I also follow them to the dine-in. I looked at the food and it all looked good. "Who cooks?" I said. If I knew no one in her house knew how to cook this kind of food. "My dad", Zach, came from behind. I didn't know that his dad had come back. I just know that Tita Melissa didn't have a husband when he had Zach. "Your father?" I asked and he just smiled and looked at the man in the kitchen wearing an apron, "Tita Melissa, when did your husband come home?" I said and looked at my site, I saw that she blushed, "they are not married." Zach said and laugh slightly. I am now more confused about their family. "Clyde came here and joined us. I will introduce you to you, my niece." Tita Melissa said, and the man that I saw from the kitchen came out and I think it is not shocking news to meet him because he looks like Zach and I don't see any features that he gets from my tita. "Clyde, this is my niece. Annie, and Annie, this is Clyde." We shook hands. "I can see that he looks like you, Zach," I said to Zach. Clyde came to the side of Zach and tapped his head. "Good morning everyone!" Tita came down and saw me after she said that. She looked at us and smiled "What is the occasion for today? I did not know that we had visitors" she went to the side of my grandma and sat on the chair. "Lavinia..." my aunt said and looked at Lavinia. She looks at Elizabeth with no emotion. I heard footsteps from behind and I looked at them. "Landry came to sit by my side," Zach said. Landry just looked at me with a cold stare. I think he is still not moving on about my uncle's death.

"Now we are complete. We missed you, Annie!" Tita Melissa said and looked at me. "And I wanted you all to meet Elizabeth. She is Divina's sister." Tita Lavinia's spoon dropped and she asked one of the maids to get her a new one. "Why is she here?" Tita Lavinia said and looked at Elizabeth. I could see in my aunt's eyes that she was hurt by what I am Lavinia, said. "She is the one who takes care of Annie," Melissa said. Clyde is putting some food on Tita Melissa's plate. I smiled because I had finally found someone who could take care of her. At my side, I saw Zach getting laundry food. I looked at them and Landry saw me looking at them. He holds Zach's hands and does not take away his look. "Why?" I heard Zach say and he gets on at what Landry is trying to say. Zach looked at me and said "so?" He said and held Landry's hand. "Annie here adobo. It is your favorite." My aunt said and put some adobo on my plate. I just smiled and mouthed thank you. "How are you, Lavinia?" My aunt said and looked at Tita Lavinia. She is just eating silently. "Tita Lavinia, aunt Elizabeth was asking you," I said., I can't take how Tita Lavinia was treating aunt Elizabeth. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Tita said and looked at Tita Lavinia. "They are like sisters to each other because Lavinia is their adopted child." I already know about that. I just act as if I don't know. I think Tita Lavinia was angry because of what Castro and Guillaume said. "Let's all have to eat quietly." My grandma said while eating, "This is the first time that we are all here sitting and eating this food. It is a blessing in disguise." My grandma said and looked at them. " Especially this is the first time that my Annie to join us here." I smiled at my grandma. "So Clyde and Melissa, when do you plan on getting married," grandma said while looking at Clyde and Tita Melissa "We are still looking for the free dates," Clyde said and looked at my aunt.

"I can't wait for both of you to get married." I said, "we are looking at the schedule you need to come home for that." Grandma said to me. I just nod, hoping that it is safe and I can sense that I should not get home because I already know that someone might want me to kill and it is for the safety of my family. I already know that someone is following me. If someone follows me at the time of my tita Melissa's wedding. It is my family who we are talking about here. "I will try grandma." I said and Melissa looked at me, " You need to come, Annie." She said. I smiled and nodded at her. I don't want to promise because I can sense that there might be bad something that happened that day. "Elizabeth, you also need to come. You are invited. I heard everything about you from Melissa. And thank you so much for that!" Clyde said. "Thank you, Clyde. I am happy for both of you. I will come to your wedding with a gift."

"I don't think she needs to come," Lavinia said while looking at Elizabeth. Elizabeth did not bother to look at Lavinia because she was tired of looking forward to she will be treated nicely by Lavinia. After they ate their food, they went to the garden. Annie is curious about Landry and Zach's relationship because she didn't see those two that close. "Tita Melissa" Annie went near to Melissa, out of curiosity. Because she can't take what is on her mind. She asked her Tita about Landry and Zach's relationship. "Yes, Annie?" She sat beside Melissa and looked her in the eyes, "It seems that Landry is not who he is." I said. Annie quite knows about Landry's appearance. She noticed that there was something in Landry's action. Though she already knows that Landry and Zach are not related to each other. "I think Livinia is the one who will tell you about that." She said and looked at Lavinia who was talking to her son, Landry. She pulled Landry to go inside the house. She ran towards Tita Lavinia and they were near the room when Lavinia threw Landry into the room. "You are so worthless!" Lavinia said while looking at Landry. When Lavinia was going to try to punch him, Annie went to Landry's front immediately. "Annie. Why are you here?" Annie holds her hand before she hurt Landry. "What are you doing? He is your son!" Annie said. Annie is very mad at what she saw in Lavinia's action. "He is worthless!" Lavinia said. Annie slapped Lavinia in full force. Lavinia holds her face because she is shocked at what Annie did. "How dare you!" Lavinia pulled Annie's hair and that's what Annie did. "You know what Annie! I haven't liked you ever since you were born!" Lavinia said while pulling Annie's hair. "The feeling is mutual!" Annie said and they pushed Lavinia. "WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?!" Sweeney said because they are now in the room seeing Lavinia and Annie in their war state. Landry is in the corner looking at them was not have a chance to talk or act to stop them. "Annie started this fight. She did not respect me!" Lavinia said while pointing at Annie. "I am taking action about what you did to your son! He is the only son that you have and that is how you treat him? He is not your employee to do that!" Annie said. Zach went to Landry and helped him to stand by holding his hand. "He is not my son! I don't have a son like him! Disgrace to this family!" Lavinia said while looking at Landry and Zach. "You have no right to say that to your son, Lavinia!" Sweeney shouted in front of Lavinia. Melissa supported her mother because she was scared that her mother would be stressed about what was happening in their house. "Mom, the doctor said. It is bad for you too", Melissa said.

"How would I calm down if Lavinia was hurting my grandson!" She said. "He is not my son! He is my daughter!" Lavinia said and pulled Landry and removed his polo in front of Annie. "Damn you, Lavinia!" Zach said to get a blanket and put it into Landry. "What's wrong with you?!" Annie said while looking at Lavinia. She just also looked at her, "I don't know. Maybe she is a woman! In the first place, his father, Bradley, is the one who decides to keep him." Annie slapped Lavina again and the rest of the family was shocked. "b***h!" Sweeney comes near to Lavinia and also slaps her. "In the first place, if someone who looks disappointed here is because of your own decision. If I only knew that you were the kind of woman who was married to my son. I don't like you in the first place." Lavinia looked at the people surrounding her and she did not believe that no one in the room understood her. "Lavinia.." Except for Melissa, but it turns out that it was from Elizabeth. Elizabeth did not expect that she would raise a son who was a woman. Melissa was also disappointed in Lavinia and the rest of the people in the room. "I order you to get out here of Guillaume's hacienda!" Sweeney said with a cold stare at Lavinia. "You do not belong here." She, adds, "What did I do ma?" Lavinia said. For her, she did not do anything, the reason why she ordered to get out of the mansion. "Let her explain to Ms. Sweeney," Elizabeth said and looked at her, "Don't butt in here Elizabeth. In the first place, I don't want you here, but it is my daughter who invited you. Even though you are the one who protected her. The feeling that I have now will never be change changed." Sweeney said and look at Lavinia, "You will no longer handling the Guillaume company. That company will be on Melissa's name and for the sake of Bradley, your daughter will still be an heir to some of Bradley's money." Lavinia looked at Sweeney. She wanted to kill the old lady because she is mad at what Sweeney is saying. "You don't have the right to do that! I am Bradley's wife!" Lavinia said, "No Lavinia! You are no longer her wife. Bradley is dead now and all of his money will never be yours. He did not deserve someone like you." Sweeney said. After she said that she went out to the room and get all the clothes that Lavinia had in the other room and throw it in Lavinia's face. "After what you did to my granddaughters. I will never forget you. If you want to live free, get out here before I will call the security." Sweeney said and walked out. Zach gets Landry and also went out to go to the hospital because of what Lavinia did to her. Melissa and Clyde look at her and walked out. In Melissa's mind, she thinks that Lavinia deserves it. Lavinia pick up all her clothes and also the other clothes that she had. "Let me help you," Elizabeth said while picking up all her clothes on the floor. Lavinia gets all her clothes and said, "I don't need your help." She said. "Let's go, aunt. Let her be." Annie said and hold Elizabeth's hands

ELIZABETH P.O.V

"I insist. I'll help you, Lavinia." I said while I picked up her clothes. “I said I don’t need your help!” Lavinia pushed me. I don’t want to see her like this. She is like a sister to me, and she is the one who, besides Divina, always. I am the one who will be mad at her because they left me all alone. They never ask me to come. “Why are you mad, Lavinia?” I aid, and I looked at her while saying that I wanted her to see how sincere I was. “You know that we need you, Elizabeth. Before this all happened, she contacted you, but you never answered!” I heard that my sister is pregnant and because I am scared that my parents will find out that I will help her. I decided to let her do the thing to solve it. I was damn jealous of her because I still didn’t know that my parents were the reason for everything that happened to her. If I only knew what happened that day, I would never leave her alone. And that time, I was stuck on marrying Ventura. “You know that I can’t help her,” I said to Lavinia. “You know that I also suffered from what happened to Divina. They imprisoned me !” she said while crying. “Thanks to Bradley. I am alive, and now that he is gone. I have nothing.” she said and cried. “Why do you treat your daughter like that, Lavinia. She is not a man.” She screamed and hysterically cried when she realized that it was her fault. “I am scared that Sweeney wouldn't consider my daughter to be heir of Bradley since she is a woman. But I loved her with all of my heart. I don't want to hurt her by any other man. It is for her good.” I hug Lavinia. I was more than happy with them when I saw that they had a child. While me, I never once hold my son. He was gone when I knew that Divina had died. I don't even know that I am pregnant. “But I know that I was too much. I did not consider what he felt. I was disappointed when I knew that she and Zach had something.” Zach is their cousin and it is Melissa's son. “I know what you were thinking. He is not the real son of, Melissa.” so whose son he is. “He is Clyde’s son and Melissa’s best friend,” she said. By seeing Melissa, she did not have a chance to have a child and find her loved one. But now that she is getting married, I think she deserves to be happy, “Lavinia, you have a niece from me. I was pregnant before Divina’s death. That time, I was excited to meet both of you because I had decided to come here to the Philippines. But when I knew that she had died. I never knew that I was pregnant at that time. When I had the news at that time. I cried hysterically.” when I remembered that day. I still can’t take it. I lost two loved ones on that day. I don’t even know what to do. “I just saw myself having blood flowing to my legs.” I looked at Lavinia and held her hand. “Your daughter is always at your side. Treat her well. You are lucky that you can still have her or see her. The happiest moment of life is to love our child. And that is what Divina can't do, nor I. You are lucky, Lavinia.” I said. Divine is dead; she has not even experience to be a mother well. She didn't see Annie grow as well as I did. I didn't share being a mother because I lost my child. “Come, let me help you. I have an apartment where you can live. But you need to tLk your daughter talk to her. Be a mother.” I said and smiled. She hugged me and cried again. “Everything is going to be okay.” I help her to put her things in her baggage. We went down, and there was no one downstairs. I think Annie went home because the car here was gone and after minutes came back.

“Did you wait for too long, Elizabeth?” Lexy said, “No, Lexy. Did Anie go home?” She nods. Let's look at Lavinia, and I smiled at her for her not to worry. “She is Lavinia. She is the one who I am talking about with you. She is essential to Divina. And she needs my help now.” I said and looked at Lavinia. “How are we going to help her?” Lexy said and called the guards to pick up her baggage. “I think we still have an apartment here in Philipines. For now, she is going to live there. “ Lexy nodded and went to the driver set. And I went to the passenger but Lavinia stop me “go sit at the back. I am going to sit here. “ she said. I just nod and smiled. We drove to her apartment. It was far away from Guillaume because this apartment is going to be my house when I decided to live here in the Philippines. It was made for two eras which are me and Divina. To go far away from our parents but now it is empty. Because the one that I am with is dead. “This place is very important to me Lavinia. This is the place that I have for Divina and me to live normally when she is still alive but now she is dead I want you to keep it. After all, we look at you as our sister, not no one. “ Lavinia hugged me. “I felt bad for everything. I did not treat Annie well when she is dead and now you treat me with all you have just for the sake of me. I’m sorry if I was mean to Annie. I just don't like her every time I saw her. I always see Divina and I am very mad at myself. Thank you, Elizabeth.” I hugged her tight I know to myself that she is still important to me. They are all important to me. After all, Lavinia is a victim that is in the hands of my parents. I know that she has no chance of deciding who she will side on. ''Let's forget what happened in the past. This place will look you in peace. Promise me that you will not let you into the Castro.'' I said she just nod and hug me again. After that Lexy and the others help Lavinia put all of her things in the house. I went to the car and wait for Lexy to get in. I will let her drive for now because I am not in the mood in driving. While I am waiting for Lexy. I got a call from Vabiera, I answered it, [How are you Elizabeth.] he said, ''Get to the point Vabiera. I have something else to do.'' I said to him, he laughed on the other line [I can sense that you are not in a good mood. Well I have some news for you and I hope this will help your mood.] He said I remember that I asked him about his family of Kyo. I hope I can find out more about them . I will take revenge on what they did to Annie. I wanted also Annie not to get along with them. [Confirm, they have been planning on Annie.] he said, I waited for him to tell more [We need to meet in [erson and of course my favorite. Gave it to me. You know how much I missed you.] he said. I rolled my eyes. Viera is one of my ex flings and we still have communication with each other because I needed him and of course, I am using my beauty for him. ''Where do you want us to meet?'' I said to him [ As of now I am still not in the Philippines, just wait for my call I will come home and we will meet.] he said. Why would I wait for him just to get the information that I needed ''Just tell me immediately I need to make an action for that.'' I said to him. He laughs again, [You know that I am not the person that I asked you to wait for me just for the information. Of course, I dig a lot and did more about that. Don't worry I will help you after all you are still important to me.] He said and put down his call. I don't know what to feel but I am very mad right now. By what he is saying it is confirmed that their family has something to do with Annie. I was thinking about the [lan that will make when someone is calling again on my phone. I answered it and I heard his voice again for the first time, ''Ventura.'' I said I can hear the voice of his laughing on this phone that I am very mad '[I will come there, honey. I miss you.] he said. I greeted my teeth because our marriage is just in papers, we ddint act as a married couple in the first place, and I am not accepting him as my husband. We didn't see each other that much and I am just using his name for protection from the Castro because that is what we talked about after we got married I will no longer be in the hands of my family. ''When will you come here?'' I said in a flirty tone, of course, I need to get along with him. I need to because if ever that he knew what I am doing here. That I am here for Annie, he might use Annie for me. I am just trying to stay on his side. [soon my Elizabeth, soon. I will just call you if I am in the front of your house.] he said and put down the call. I wanted to smash the phone but instead of doing what I am thinking, I calmed myself and smiled. I know that there is someone he hired to look for me so I must get along. Especially that I helped Lavinia, eventually he will know that and if he knew that maybe he will tell it to the Castro I don't want that to happen. ''What happened are you okay?'' I heard Lexy is in the driver's seat now. And the guards are in the back, ''All of you get down except Lexy, guard the house. Don't let anyone in or if they need to come inside. Call me. You are now under on Lavinia. Protect her at cost.'' I said and they just nod and went down. Lexy looked at me in question, ''What is happening Elizabeth?'' she said, I looked at her, ''Ventura called. He will come soon. I have the feeling that he will come here and try to get Lavinia or Annie.'' I said. I can feel that I am panicking inside. ''She controls yourself. We need to think twice about our actions and looked at our surroundings. I know Ventura well, he will act secretly. You must never trust anyone except us. As long as you are his wife he will never touch you. Leave to me the rest. If I am the one who acts, they will not touch you.'' she said. I nod. She has a point. She starts the engine and drives home. I need first think about Annie, explaining ehr why I help Lavinia. I know that she will be made after knowing that I help Lavinia. I know that Lavinia did so much to her family but I also know that Lavinia did something to protect her. I just know it to myself.