The Next Heiress

Chapter 11 - Truth

Like a whirlpool of mystery.

That's how Justin's words entered my heart.

In the last couple of weeks, there is a lot of things going on in my life, and the last thing on my mind is seeing my crush for three years standing in front of my house. With clouded heavy thoughts, I could just reject talking to him, and take a rest instead, but gazing at his piercing brown eyes and his lips shaped in a nervous mood, my subconscious says otherwise.

What is it about? is the only sentence that's spinning inside my brain.

"Uh...Seth," I turn to face my childhood friend, smiling at him awkwardly. "Thank you for accompanying me."

"Uhm, okay," Seth's forehead creases, probably wondering what the fuss is about. "No problem, Celine."

Justin stares at him in a frigid manner. For a moment, I've thought he would attempt to shoo my chaperone away because of his somewhat cold look, but that idea dissolves when he gives Seth a small smile on his thick lips. At least, there is a kind of friendly gesture from him.

"So, see you around, Celine?" Seth breaks the short silence between us three. "I'll wait for our mini reunion. The three of us again, please?" He presses his hands together near his shoulder with puppy-like eyes. Everyone, Seth de Asis, and his cringe-worthy act. Those things have used to annoy me a lot way back in our childhood days.

I hit my arm playfully at his, smiling back. "Sure! I'll let Elina know this."

Seth leaves me with a beam and a wave from his right hand. Before fully departing, he sends one more glimpse at Justin—the type where you wouldn't want to mess up with me, or else, my childhood pal will come to punch you directly on the face. This guy though.

I laugh at his silly action. "Stop it, Seth."

"I'm just making sure," he half-whispers before turning away from us.

My eyes focus as his five feet and eight inches figure becomes smaller and smaller due to distance. A few seconds later, I turn my head to face Justin Panganiban—the man of my dreams since ninth grade.

"So, what is it?" I cough in a polite manner, trying to look brave enough to handle a conversation with the boy I'm crushing on.

Using my hand, my hands brush the invisible dirt and dust off my school uniform skirt. This shouldn't be hard, Celine, I tell myself before letting out a sigh. To prepare myself for his answer even more, I blink my eyes rapidly. To my surprise, he only chuckles, and his head shakes, making my brows raise in a confused manner.

"Wait, did I do something wrong?"

"No," he smiles. "You just look cute."

Upon hearing his compliment matching with his radiant smile, my stomach suddenly bubbles. I could feel my heart skipping a beat, resulting in a scene where I'm touching my chest, and Justin continues to snicker while staring at me.

It really warms my heart when somebody expresses their flattering remarks on me, whether it's simple like this one, or the kind where you really feel special.

The kind where I really feel special...?

Suddenly, someone's gentle voice passes through my mind, echoing from within. "You are still the most beautiful woman in my eyes."

The realization hits me like a truck.

"No..." I gulp down, almost tripping myself from stepping backward.

There's a man creeping inside my head, and that is Tadeo.

Immediately, Justin grabs my arm to help me to stand properly. "Are you okay, Celine?"

I glance at him, still not believing that I've just thought of a different guy. When in fact, the only lad that I've been hoping to be with ever since in Junior High is in front of me, standing near my house and asking me nicely if I could have an interaction with him.

This is ridiculous.

My butt should be filling with excitement, and I could view myself spilling this good tea to Brielle at school the next day. However, that tall man in the painting bothers me. My encounters with him are starting to affect my personal life, and I'm not sure if I'm glad about that.

I might be a little caught up, right?

Or do I just need to be stuffed with answers?

"I...Uhm, it's nothing," I grin at him, being a little edgy. "Anyway, where were we?"

"Here, outside your new house," he answers in a sarcastic tone, then proceeds in laughing.

I scoff jokingly. "Wow, you're right."

I don't know that Justin can be sassy too. Well, he has everything, and I can see that with my two big eyes. The fact that he is a full package is as bright as the daylight. It is heartening that I'm learning new things about him. Thanks to Brielle's embarrassing scene in the cafeteria.

"Anyway, I'm just here to tell you that I'm really sorry."

The moment he says his reason, the atmosphere quickly changes. It becomes a little awkward, pushing us inside a bubble of silence. I could literally hear the crickets rubbing their wings together to give a signal that this discussion is getting ticklish, yet I have to develop my social skills, especially for this guy.

"What do you mean? You haven't done anything bad to me," I reply, being silently proud that stuttering isn't part of my vocabulary anymore when it comes to him.

He scratches his nape. "Remember the night of your eighteenth birthday? I didn't attend because of an appointment."

"Wait," I raise my hands in a middle level. "You came all the way here just to say an apology about that? And how did you know that I'm living here now?"

"It's because of Mrs. Suarez," he smiles. "I asked Seth yesterday about your address, and he gave me the old one. So when I came, I found your mom watering some Santan plants, then I asked her about you."

"Really?" My eyes widen, covering my mouth in a mixture of shyness and surprise. "Oh, Seth...that guy...I knew it! That's why he offered me to go home together. He knows all of this."

Once more, Justin gives me a smile. This time, it is broad, ultimately showing his pearly whites.

"Please accept this," he takes a medium-sized box out of his pocket. It has a black color with gold calligraphy letters on the cover written as Tala by Kyla. As he opens it, my eyes glimmer with adoration. I am welcomed by a sight of a golden pressed flower bracelet. It is a white Queen Anne's lace with gleaming Cubic Zirconia stones surrounding it—very dainty and elegant. Justin quickly puts the box back inside his pocket, and he gets my right wrist. My eyes widen at his sudden action.

"What are you d-doing?" I ask, perceiving that I have just broken the record of not stammering.

He giggles sheepishly. "Trying to put this on you."

Justin attaches the jewelry piece with no struggle. He stares at it without disconnecting his hand on my wrist, maybe relishing the view of it on my wrist. As I gaze unto him, I can't help but feel the little glinting clouds forming inside my chest. I could imagine there are angels singing in harmony with their harps. Some may sprinkle pinches of sparks around, or even one of them may shoot an arrow at both of us. Is this love supposed to feel like?

Yes, this is it, I answer to myself, beaming at the thought. I may sound corny, but I could really sense it.

"That's right," the voice of my subconscious suddenly teases me. "With a real man in a real-world," she adds. I could picture her smirking at me.

Suddenly, I find myself pulling my wrist from Justin's hold. The instant gesture causes him to startle from his position. His brows squish together in a slight frown. "You don't like it, Celine?"

In a swift manner, I shake my head. "Uh, n-no...no! I really like it!"

"You don't have to pretend. It's okay if you don't," his mouth releases a suppressed, fake giggle like he's disappointed, and he tries to conceal it for the sake of this conversation. "I'm still giving it to you. I just hope you will keep it."

If this guy only knows what's going inside my mind, and how my psyche surprisingly throws thoughts that would make me question the things that I'm doing in my life. This doesn't happen before. For the second time, I'm blaming that man inside that damn oil painting.

"Celine?"

"Uh...yes! I—Uhm, really appreciate your sweet gesture. Thank you so much, Justin," I reply awkwardly, giving a smile to convince him that my gratitude is genuine.

He stares at me blankly, flipping his lower lip inside while nodding his head in a repetitive manner.

I let out a huge sigh. "Please don't think that I don't like it. My mind is just...Uhm—I'm just a little tired."

At last, his poker face changes into a bright expression, leaving a look of a handsome boy who's grinning at me. "I was kidding, to be honest," his wide smile turns into a burst of stifled laughter. "Whether you like it or not, at least, you're accepting it, and that's what matters."

Hearing his thoughtful remarks makes me want to drop everything and just hug him already. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day, he would find me, go to my house, and even give me a ravishing bracelet. This guy is surely the sweet type, and my three years of adoring him from the distance are paying off.

All hail the cupid queen, Brielle Catapang.

To my surprise, Justin steps closer. "Hey, uhm...I really—"

Unexpectedly, a vibration coming inside my backpack agitates my spine. It is my phone ringing with the voice of a famous Korean actor saying "I love you" as its ringtone. I glance at Justin who's eyeing me, causing my cheeks to heat up.

"I think you have to answer it. It might be important," he suggests, pointing at my dinging gadget inside my bag. "He sounds familiar. Yoo Seung Ho, huh?"

"Yes, it is him," I nod. "Do you know him?"

"Just a guess. I never thought that I was right," he beams. "My cousins love watching Korean dramas."

"Oh, is that so?" I beam, chuckling nervously. "Uhm, wait. Could you give me a minute?"

"Sure," he smiles as he nods.

When I look at the screen, the name appears to be my mother. Quickly, I slide the gray button to the right to answer it. As soon as I put the phone on my ear, I hear her breathing heavily as if she's struggling with it. My eyes widen, and Justin notices it. He's about to open his mouth to ask something, but before he could do so, I stop him from speaking anything by raising my hand.

"Mom, are you okay?"

Her uneasy respiration continues. "Hey, mom? Can you hear me?"

"Dear, I just used my inhaler," she replies, restraining her small coughs.

"That's good. I thought you didn't," my shoulders fall calmly, letting out a sigh of relief. "Anyway, what happened? Why did you call?"

"Did you act like a fool yesterday?" Mom questions instantly, her tone is stern. "He noticed it, Celine."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" My forehead creases. I peek at Justin. He looks genuinely concerned at me.

"Don't pretend," her tone toughens. "You went yesterday in the painting to see Tadeo."

My eyes widen once more in surprise. "M-mom...how did you know that?"

She coughs slightly again before answering. "Because I went there earlier."

My phone drops from my sweaty hand. Luckily, Justin is there to catch it before it falls to the ground. He gives it back to me by putting it in my hand with worry laced in his brown eyes. "Celine, is everything okay?"

I don't utter any word. Instead, I let my mom speak. "Come here right now, and I'll explain everything," she stops the call.

Meanwhile, I look at Justin who's staring at me the whole time. Probably curious about what was happening during the phone call. As much as I want to cherish my precious time with him, I can't. I really have to talk to my mother.

I exhale, letting a frustrated sigh escape from my lips. "Hey, I have to go now."

His worried expression turns into a friendly face. "Are you heading to Mrs. Suarez? I could accompany you. I'm free today, Celine."

Ugh, I want to. Please, I whisper to myself, but the words that come out of my mouth are different. "No, it's fine! I can manage, Justin. Actually, we have something very important to discuss."

He tilts his head, showing curiosity. "Really?"

"Yes," my nose scrunches. "It's a family matter."

✥━━━━━༺◈༻━━━━━✥

My mother stares at me with coldness laced within her wrinkled eyes. Along with her furrowed brows, her expression is hinting at a great disappointment, like her daughter has sinned the worst deed. It has been a few minutes since I got here, and she hasn't stopped tapping the wooden table in a repetitive manner. It is so awfully obvious that she's in fury, and I'm afraid to speak first.

"C-Celine," her voice trembles; I could sense a clue of anger. "You almost ruined the plan."

"I'm sorry, Mom," I reply, bowing my head respectfully. "Please tell me what's going on. I'm so confused...I haven't even slept properly."

Her jaw moves. For a moment, she closes her eyes, probably collecting some thoughts. Eventually, she drops the bomb. "You must visit him every week, or else...you would have a deep wound."

"W-what? Wound? What do you mean?" My eyes widen in shock. "Tell me everything, Mom!"

"Here," she suggests, giving me a familiar, old-looking letter.

The position of my head goes straight. "Wait, did you just—"

"I have a duplicate key to your house. Since I went there earlier while you were having your classes, I talked to Tadeo," she pauses, coughing a little. "I know this day would come. You always seem to dismiss touching it. So now, I'm asking you to read it, please."

I stare at her thoughtlessly, like my brain is swimming in a pool of bewilderment.

✥━━━━━༺◈༻━━━━━✥

A Message to the Next Heiress.

August 7, 1948

Villa de la Familia Alcantara

Quiapo, Manila

To my next heiress,

They say that love is the most powerful thing in the world.

It can move mountains, offer deep sacrifices, and risk everything just for his or her beloved. Right?

As you receive and read this letter, please be informed that you are already a part of this eternal journey of love.

And, there's no way of turning back.

Drawing back to my story, I once fell in love with a man named Tadeo Caringal.

Tadeo didn't have a good family background. He never got to know his father, while his mother worked in a brothel. Because of hardships in life, she gave him to Hospicio de San Carlos when he was only two years old. Later on, my family adopted him to be one of our servants in the villa, and he began working at the age of seven. He was always used to be assigned to cleaning the vehicles and taking care of the nearby ranch, where we used to hang out during the days of our childhood.

A friendship that was full of warmth and sincerity ultimately led to romance. During the time when our love had bloomed, I was only eighteen, and he was twenty. We were very in love with each other. He even promised me that he would marry me when he finished saving up for our future.

But being the only daughter of the Alcantara family, I underwent difficult circumstances.

When they found it out, my parents, Armando and Barbara Alcantara didn't approve of our relationship. My father threatened me that he would kill Tadeo. In order to save our sugarcane businesses, I had to marry a Mestizo heir from a rich family named Aureliano Quiñones. My decision was heedless. He didn't know that I agreed with the proposal. I had to keep it a secret in order to protect him and his life.

But with the help of my personal servant, Asuncion Banal, everything had changed. She told me that she knew about black magic and other forms of witchcraft. After all, she genuinely supported my relationship with Tadeo, which resulted in a last-minute deal during a fatal moment.

Using a spell, she set my lover to be trapped inside an artwork. It was an expensive copy of an oil painting that was created during the 19th century by an artist named Fabián de la Rosa—one of the great possessions of my family.

Left with no choice, Tadeo agreed to live inside of it. I had to tell him that we were both immortals due to Asuncions's conjuration in order for him to agree. Because if I didn't, he wouldn't do it. Little did he know, I was going to die like any other human being, since I wasn't trapped inside of the painting like him, while he could stay inside, maintaining his age.

Since I can't bear to see him living all alone without knowing what's happening, I am obligating each of the first-born daughters in my bloodline to continue the endless thread of this love.

The moment you received the heart-like shape white scar on your ring finger, it is a sign that you must start fulfilling your duty. It only has three rules—love Tadeo at all costs, make him happy, and visit him every week, especially before the seventh day comes.

**. *******.

The traditional Chinese characters written above are engraved on the painting's wooden border. This is a spell that came from the inherited book of Asuncion's Chinese great-grandmother. She chose this as a safe pattern so that the Filipino or Spanish people living and visiting in the villa who may see the artwork would not understand its interpretation.

It simply means; "Open the door. Your lover is here." Use it whenever you want to go inside the painting. You can say it anywhere you like. As for returning to the real world, just snap your fingers once.

If you fail to do so, a cavernous wound will appear on your skin that would later emerge as an ugly scar. If it totals up to three scars, you and Tadeo will both die.

I will only say this message just once.

I am very sorry for doing this. This is too selfish to ask, but please take care of him for me. I promise you, he is a very kind person, and he could love you with all of his heart.

Like he did on me.

Sincerely,

Yolanda Alcantara

✥━━━━━༺◈༻━━━━━✥

Upon reading the old letter, my head slowly falls down in distress, as if every part of my body has lost its strength.

This can't be.

A growing heat of rage starts to enfold my nape, provoking me to crumple the thin, almost faded paper in my hands. It goes all the way up to my head as my teeth grit in fear of my unsure future. I can't believe that a stupid, messy piece of paper written by my dead great-grandmother would change my entire life.

In the weirdest way possible.

"N-no," my voice trembles in fear. "I can't do this, Mom," I swiftly toss the letter on the wooden floor. "I just can't..."

"Celine, my dear, listen to me," my mother rushes to me, cupping my round face. I stare at her brown eyes. Several wrinkles surround them. As I examine those evident lines of years on her skin, I could determine that this woman had undergone several experiences in her life. Grief, suffering, regret, big responsibilities, and all of the painful things that had contributed to her growth. Some of them may be successfully conquered by her, and some of them may not.

Including this one.

And I could tell it just by looking at her beautiful, old face.

Mom bends over to me even more. She wraps her arms around me, and her chin leans on my left shoulder, brushing her cheek against mine. "Your life is involved here. You can't just run away from this," she whispers softly in my ear. Along with those two haunting sentences, a thick, hot breath blows against my skin, sending chills down my spine. "You can't do anything but accept it."

I gulp, inhaling all the nervousness within my body. "And what if I don't?"

"You've already read it, dear," Mom says, detaching her head from my shoulder. She gazes directly into my eyes with a look that I can't determine if she feels sorry about my situation or not. "You will die."

As soon as my mother releases the bow of those three words, an invisible arrow strikes me straight to my heart.

I feel like dying already.

The only difference is that I'm sitting here on the wooden chair in the dining room of our old house, still alive but hardly breathing as my brain continues to swim in a deep pool of dark, negative thoughts.

"I know," Mom squeezes my palms in a gentle manner. My head lifts up to look at her. "I used to feel the same way, Celine, but look, we have no choice but to follow it."

With shaky eyelids, I glance at her. When I catch her eyes again, tears start to pour down my cheeks. "This is so unfair," I whimper, balling up my fists as my heart explodes in misery. "I can't choose whom I want to love."

With no response, Mom leans toward me once more. She gives me another hug, but this time, my senses are telling me that something is different.

It feels tighter than before.