CHAPTER 1
1262 Words
"WELCOME to legality, Sol! / Happy 18th birthday, ate ko!" echoed simultaneously from a youthful woman with curly hair and a small boy with cheeks as rosy as tomatoes.
Suddenly, the surroundings fell silent, interrupted only by the passing breeze. The woman with curly hair, a mix of black and ash, turned away from the two greeters and casually wiped the tears that continued to flow from her eyes.
A deep sigh was heard next from the two before the woman faced them.
"Mrs. Nerry, Kade, what are you two doing here?" she asked as if nothing had happened.
The two widened their smiles. The elderly woman lifted the balloons she was carrying in her right hand and flowers in her left. Meanwhile, the young boy approached, first lighting the number "18" candle on it before finally reaching the woman.
She wore a plain V-neck shirt and a black skirt with a pair of white sneakers.
"Mrs. Nerry and I were right when we thought you would be here visiting mom, so we came straight from the party needs. My ate, you should try this cake; this was from the shop you pointed out to me when we were going home last time," answered the young boy, raising the cake again with a broad smile.
"I hope you didn’t bother, Kade, I don’t have the energy to celebrate my birthday," his big sister replied, but he remained in front of her while holding up the cake.
"Sol, do you know that all girls your age are busy celebrating their 18th birthdays? And here you are? Ano ba! Malulungkot ang mommy mo kung nakikita ka n’yang gan’yan mula sa langit. Come on, dear, you should try to be considerate. Kade made an effort for all of this," the woman exclaimed.
"Mrs. Nerry is right, my ate! Today marks your transformation into a real woman. Mom would be happy to see you celebrating, ‘di ba?" added Kade.
"Mom?" Soleil asked with a teasing tone.
"Soleil," Mrs. Nerry immediately cautioned.
"My ate, naman," Kade said softly.
Soleil stared at her younger brother for a long time, straight into his eyes for several long minutes. Before returning her gaze to their mother's grave.
She smiled bitterly.
“Mom would be happy if she saw us complete, Kade. She would be happy seeing if dad was here, too, to celebrate my f*****g birthday,” she said.
“But, my ate, I’m sure mom would be happy if you blow the candle before this cake melts. Mom will haunt you after wasting the effort of her youngest child, bahala ka! Mumultuhin ka n’ya mamaya sa pagtulog mo!” Kade answered, trying to convince his big sister while Mrs. Nerry stood by, smiling and caressing his shoulders.
“Soleil, you should listen to your ‘younger brother’,” Mrs. Nerry added.
Reluctantly, Soleil faced the two of them again, tucking her hair behind her ears with two studs.
Kade started singing happily while playfully dancing with the cake in his hand.
“Kade, you need to have a voice lesson,” his sister said seriously yet playfully.
“Whatever, ate, make a wish before blowing the candle,” Kade replied, still smiling. It was evident he was accustomed to his older sister’s tone devoid of emotion, leaving it up to the listener to interpret.
“Wish for me instead, Kade,” Soleil instructed her brother before he tousled her hair.
“Okay! Kahit ano, ha? Ako na ang bahala ‘wag kang kokontra!” Kade enthusiastically agreed before closing his eyes.
“I wish that my big sister will find her happiness soon,” Kade said briefly but deeply before opening his eyes again and raising the cake towards his sister.
“You should at least blow the candle, ate.” And she did.
Soleil quickly took the cake from her brother and placed it on a nearby table inside the mausoleum before tightly hugging her younger brother, who was smiling at Mrs. Nerry, who was watching them.
Soleil buried her face in her brother's shoulder until he felt the tight hug back from his sibling.
“Thanks, Kade. Mom would be proud to see you grow like this, don’t grow up so fast, please,” she said.
“Mom would be happiest seeing you smile, my ate. Dad won’t be here but Mrs. Nerry, mom and I are here with you. Dapat masaya pa rin tayo kasi birthday ngayon ng pinakamagandang ate sa mundo!” he replied.
Their embrace didn't last long as one of Don Alessandro's trusted bodyguards suddenly arrived.
"Mrs. Nerry, young lady and young master, we need to return to the mansion," he said.
"Pero kakarating lang natin dito, ‘di ba?" Mrs. Nerry immediately protested.
"Mrs. Nerry, si Don Alessandro mismo ang tumawag, hindi rin natin kasama si Sir Lorenzo kaya huwag ka na lamang umangal pa at pareho lang tayong malilintikan kapag hindi pa tayo gumalaw. Hinahanap n’ya si Miss Soleil at mukhang may importanteng ibibigay sa kan’ya ang Don Alessandro," he replied, separating Soleil and Kade from their embrace.
"Put all these back in the car; we'll eat at home," Soleil ordered before walking ahead.
"Alam mo, my ate! I think dad prepared something for you!" her brother exclaimed eagerly before running after her to hold her hands.
Hindi umimik si Soleil sa kapatid sa halip ay hinawakan lang nito ng mahigpit ang kamay ng kapatid bago sila parehong sumakay sa itim na van ng pamilya nila.
THE RIDE was brief for the three of them. The guards opened the van for Soleil and Kade, who walked straight into the mansion's living room and stopped in front of their father, seated on a high stool near the bar counter with a glass of whisky in his left hand.
"My daughter! My son! Nandito na pala kayo! Kanina ko pa kayo hinihintay," Don Alessandro welcomed warmly.
"I wonder what Dad's going to give you, ate," Kade whispered at Soleil's side while giggling.
"Dad, you asked for us?" Soleil said, breaking the silence.
"Oh, yes, daughter. Today is the 22nd day of the month, and that means today is your big day," he replied.
"Big sister just turned 18, dad!" Kade informed him.
"That's good news, son, and I've prepared something for your sister. Dalaga na siya and I assumed na kayang-kaya na n’ya ang mga bagay na nais kung pagawin sa kan’ya," Don Alessandro announced, turning his gaze towards Soleil.
"Open my present, Soleil."
Soleil didn’t bother to reply as Mrs. Nerry retrieved the box from the table, wrapped in pink with a dusting of silver.
"Handle with care, heiress," Maximus, the third-in-command, reminded her.
“Matalino si Soleil, Maximus, hindi siya tulad ng akala mo,” depensa naman ni Lorenzo.
"Heiress?" Kade asked, but received no answer. Instead, Soleil began to open the gift, unsurprised to find many kinds of gun, knife, and ammunition inside.
"Starting today, you'll be leading Maximus and the team. This will be your first mission, and I expect a clean and successful transaction, Soleil," her father reminded her firmly.
"Don Alessandro, Soleil just--"
"Mrs. Nerry, Soleil turned 18, and this is her reality. She will be next in line after me. She should make herself at home."
"But, Don Alessandro--"
"It's okay, Mrs. Nerry. Don’t worry; I've been waiting for this day to come. So, what’s the plan?"
“Tonight, you’ll be delivering 100 million worth of our product. Prove to me that you deserve this; you are now the heiress of the Verona Clan.”
- Writer
