Echoes of Fall's Farewell

Chapter 5: Illegitimate Child

Chapter 5

Illegitimate Child

That dinner was quite daunting and intimidating. The place was all fancy, and the people seemed so glamorous and high-and-mighty that it made me uneasy. They kept looking at me intently, which was awkward. I ended up tapping my fingers on my knees, trying to avoid their penetrating gazes. Breathing felt suffocating, and I was afraid of making even the slightest sound that might displease them.

Suddenly, Mr. Bellafiore broke the silence. "You kind of look familiar... What's your name again?"

"I-I'm Freesia..." I managed a shy smile, my voice betraying my trembling nerves. "Freesia Yaretzi Huelva, Sir."

"Huelva?" Mrs. Bellafiore echoed, her curiosity sparked. Her husband set down his fork, leaned in, and focused his full attention on me. "Any chance you're related to Schuyler Huelva?"

I nodded, feeling the tension rise. "He's my father, ma'am..."

"He's your what?" the mother exclaimed, her face filled with shock.

"M-My father - "

"Oh, my God!" she interrupted. "He's your father? Seriously? Oh, God! What a coincidence!" she exclaimed, causing some raised eyebrows. "He's my ex!" she blurted out, and my eyes widened. The oldest son even choked on his food. "That's why you look familiar! Yes, exactly! You're his daughter! Dear Lord. How am I supposed to process this..."

"And how do you expect us to react?" The oldest son ran his hand across his throat and reached for his glass of water.

"Wow... Really..." Even Addi turned to look at me.

"No wonder. She's Schuyler's daughter!" Mrs. Bellafiore exclaimed, playfully nudging her husband's arm, clearly excited by the revelation.

It didn't surprise me that they knew my father as he was intimately acquainted with everyone in the corporate world. But... this woman's ex?

"Hold on - Schuyler? The one Dad used to get all jealous about?" Addi inquired.

"Addi!" his mother scolded.

"What? I'm just asking! But whatever, he's dead now."

"Addison!"

"Oh, my apologies!" She looked at me, remorse in her eyes. "Sorry! I didn't mean to offend you, okay? The words just slipped out! My bad!" She lightly brushed her thumb against my dress sleeve.

I managed a smile. It didn't bother me. It had already been three long years since my father's passing. While I couldn't claim to be completely healed, I was gradually finding acceptance. I had learned to cherish the precious moments we shared and embrace his absence. True, there were still nights when I longed for his presence, but a glimmer of hope resided within me. At least now, I had something to look forward to, didn't I? Unlike before when, given the choice, I would have preferred not to wake up at all.

Eyco, whom I assumed to be Addi's brother, interjected with an accusing tone, "No wonder. You were never this warm to people you've just met. She reminds you of your ex, huh?"

"Right? I can't believe she's saying this to my face?" Addison chimed in.

"Hey, come on, you two! Ease up! I didn't mean it that way! You're being too harsh. Your dad wouldn't react like this," Mrs. Bellafiore reprimanded, attempting to defuse the tension.

Eyco responded with an exaggerated eye-roll. "Sure, sure. Whatever."

He must have felt someone checking him out because he started scanning the room. The moment his eyes connected with mine, they went all intense, adding this heavy vibe. Well, his eyes were naturally deep, but this was a different level. I swallowed nervously, a wave of unease hitting me, and I quickly shifted my gaze, searching for a bit of comfort elsewhere.

"I'm sorry about my kids, Freesia. They can be like that sometimes. Ugh, I don't know where they get it from. None of my ancestors were ever... sick in the head," Mrs. Bellafiore expressed, exasperated. "Don't worry, though. You'll get used to it as we spend more time together."

"She'll never get used to it, then," Eyco retorted.

"Eyco," Mr. Bellafiore's stern voice cut through the tension. "Mind your manners."

"Dad, I almost got arrested because of her. Do you really expect us to get along?"

"You can't be sued for almost hitting someone. Stop overreacting," Addi chimed in, trying to bring some reason to the conversation.

Eyco persisted, undeterred. "Still!"

Mrs. Bellafiore let out a sigh. "Oh, dear. I told you. By the way, Schuyler was a good friend of ours back in college. His brother also worked as the marketing director at Bella Fiore. It's unfortunate we couldn't attend his funeral. We were in Germany with Elyzeo at the time. We only heard the news from Clementine," she explained, her voice tinged with a mix of remorse and nostalgia.

"It's alright. His passing was sudden," I replied.

"Cirrhosis, right?"

I nodded, acknowledging the painful truth.

"I see. Rafael also mentioned that he kept his illness hidden from all of you. That must have been a heavy burden to bear."

It's true. That's why his passing hit me so hard. I often think about whether I could've done more, even at that young age. There's this lingering guilt in me. I should've kept asking if he was really okay during his time in New York. Even though I knew he'd brush it off, blaming his busy work life, I should've pushed to see what he was truly feeling beneath the surface.

"We actually thought he was staying in New York for his business. Rafael mentioned he planned to extend his stay up North. Little did we know he was there to regain his health. It's quite disheartening. He should have at least informed you and Clementine," she remarked, a tinge of sadness in her voice.

"Speaking of Clementine, how is she doing?" Mr. Bellafiore dabbed his mouth with a napkin after taking a sip from his wine glass. "The last time we heard from her was when she informed us about your father. It has been a long time since we last saw her. Back when she was still married."

"She's good, sir. Right now, she's in Australia with her daughter. Ate Khloe took her there to help her move on and deal with our dad's loss," I said.

The couple exchanged puzzled looks and then redirected their gaze towards me.

Mr. Bellafiore just shrugged and went back to eating. Acre and Addi kept staring at me, like really giving me the eyes. I got this lump in my throat, wondering why they were checking me out so hard. Good thing the littlest one was off in his own world, busy chowing down on his roasted chicken.

"What do you mean by 'her daughter'?" Mrs. Bellafiore inquired.

"Ate Khloe... she's their only biological daughter together," I nonchalantly replied.

A flicker of shock crossed her face. "What-"

"Nevy," Mr. Bellafiore interrupted, his voice calm yet firm. He shifted his focus to me and offered a reassuring smile. "It's all right."

I pursed my lips, sensing that Mrs. Bellafiore wanted to delve further into the matter. However, she appeared to have decided to respect my silence. Acre and Addi returned to their meals, though their eyes still lingered on me. Mrs. Bellafiore's gaze remained fixed on me as well. She wanted to ask, yet something seemed to hold her back.

"I am an illegitimate child," I revealed in a casual tone.

Her jaw dropped in surprise. She exchanged glances with her husband. Mr. Bellafiore, however, seemed unperturbed, calmly continuing his meal as if nothing extraordinary had been disclosed.

Addison mustered a forced smile. There is nothing wrong with it, is there? I hoped they saw it that way too. My father always taught me never to be ashamed of not having the same mother as my sister, Khloe. So, despite enduring instances of bullying at school due to my parent's past, I refused to let it affect me. Being an illegitimate child is nothing to be ashamed of. It was never my fault.

But when my eyes locked with Eyco's intense gaze, I felt as if I had committed a heinous transgression. His furrowed eyebrows bore into my soul, casting a judgment that made me question my very existence.

"I..." Mrs. Bellafiore appeared to regret her inquiry. "I'm sorry... I didn't know. I thought..."

"It's all good, ma'am." I flashed a reassuring smile, hoping to alleviate the tension.

"My bad. We lost touch after their wedding. We never really got to know their child. I just assumed... it was you. I had no idea that..." that Papa had betrayed Aunt Clem.

Mrs. Bellafiore was interrupted by a series of phone calls that demanded her attention. Addi nudged me, motioning towards my untouched plate with pursed lips. I let out a sigh. She always did that when I spaced out.

"By the way, Freesia..." Mr. Bellafiore called out. "How old are you again?"

"I'm sixteen, sir."

"You and Addi are the same age. I guess you'll be starting 11th grade next school year?"

I caught Eyco raising an eyebrow. Even though he wasn't directly looking at me, his subtle gestures had an inexplicable effect on my senses.

"Y-Yes, sir..."

"What are your plans?"

My throat went dry. Plans? "I'm still figuring things out, to be honest. I might take a break from school this year. I was thinking of finding a summer job to help out with the household expenses. But the thing is -"

"You decided to run away," Eyco interjected, setting his fork down and shooting me a piercing glare. "Instead of stepping up, earning money, and fulfilling your family responsibilities, you chose to run away and escape."

"Acre!" Addison shouted.

"Eyco, that's enough," his mother scolded him upon returning to the table.

"What? Because of her, those damn cops almost ticketed me for a traffic violation! Am I to blame for her recklessness?"

Mrs. Bellafiore gasped. "Is that true?"

"You!" Acre pointed an accusatory finger at me. "Are you dumb? You saw the traffic light turn green and yet you decided to dart across the road? I only got my driver's license three days ago!"

I closed my eyes and hung my head in shame. I couldn't deny that it was my fault.

"Addison, is that true?"

"Yeah. Since there was no damage, there's no grounds for a lawsuit," Addi confirmed.

Mrs. Bellafiore let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. Freesia, are you hurt?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine. I-I wasn't... hit."

"Count your blessings." Acre glared at me.

"Goodness!" Addi slammed her utensils down on the plate. "No harm, no foul. Can we all just calm down now?"

"Seriously? You're taking her side? You don't even know her!"

Addison crossed her arms defiantly. "Freesia Yaretzi Huelva. Schuyler Huelva's daughter. Sixteen years old, supposed to be starting 11th grade... unless she's bailing on it."

"Yeah, she's totally running away from her responsibilities."

"Kuya! It's not that simple!"

"You two!" Mrs. Bellafiore shot them a glare. "Can we please have a little decency at the dinner table?"

Wow. That gave me goosebumps.

"Blame it on Addi's guest."

"Her? Why her?" Addi frowned, clearly confused by her brother's accusation.

"Why don't you both just kill each other straight so I can finally enjoy my damn chicken in peace?" the youngest piped up, dripping with sarcasm.

My eyes widened. That might just be the longest sentence the snarky youngest had ever managed to string together.

Mrs. Bellafiore let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing her temples as if she had lost all hope in her kids. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. If I ever have kids in the future, I hope they won't cause this much chaos.

"I'm really sorry about their behavior, Freesia. If anyone asks, they're my distant relatives or something."

I mustered a forced smile, silently nodding in agreement.

"Now, back to what we were discussing," she continued, sounding concerned. "Did I hear it right? You're not planning to enroll this year?" I nodded. "But why? What made you decide that?"

"Well, I was thinking of finding a job-"

"Oh my God! Schuyler would be so disappointed!"

"Really disappointed," Mr. Bellafiore chimed in, nodding vigorously.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. "I guess I don't really have much of a choice-"

"Never say that!" Mrs. Bellafiore slammed her hands on the table, her voice demanding attention.

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest in absolute shock.

"That's freaking scary!" Addison exclaimed, wide-eyed.

"You know what gets on my nerves the most?" Mrs. Bellafiore asked, raising an eyebrow. I blinked, caught off guard. "There're three. First, people who suck at making decisions - "

"It's not like that, seriously."

"Second, those who make excuses than take responsibility-"

"I'm not making excuses-"

"Third, interrupters."

I pouted and dropped my head. "Sorry."

She flashed a smile. "Forget about everything and leave it all to me."

I blinked twice. "Sorry?"

"I had a chat with the doctor about your health, and, you know, it's not the best news. I mean, not to be too harsh, but not only do you struggle with decisions, but you're also terrible at taking care of yourself. Is there, like, anything you're good at?"

"Ma'am - "

She chuckled. "Schuyler is quite the character. Out of everyone, he sends his daughter here. Sweetie, spill the beans, have you fallen for my charm too?"

Mr. Bellafiore furrowed his brows.

"I can't believe Schuyler thinks I'm that sweet! Even up there in heaven, he must think highly of me," she said, tapping her fingers against her cheek. Her kids exchanged confused glances. "It's like the darkest nights bring out the brightest stars, don't they? Maybe he sees me as a star?" She let out a laugh. "I wonder why... Maybe because I've always been nice to him? Or not. Perhaps the angels in heaven just remind him of me!"

The husband shook his head. "We've clocked in thirty-two years together, but I seriously doubt it."

Mrs. Bellafiore pursed her lips.

"Your dad's probably facepalming right about now," Addi whispered.

"Don't say sorry if you'll regret it later!" Mrs. Bellafiore shot a glare at her husband before turning to me with a big grin. "Freesia! No stress. I'll sort everything out. Stick around with us for a while."

Addi and I gasped at the same time. "Seriously?" she asked. "Oh my God! That sounds so awesome!"

"Mom!" Eyco's eyes widened in horror.

Addi clapped her hands, earning a death stare from her younger brother. "Wanna crash in my room? I'm a quiet sleeper, promise!" She tugged at my dress's sleeve. "I'll show you my makeup stash! OMG! How about I glam you up tonight? Style your hair? Wait. Do you know Princess Aurora? Sleeping Beauty?"

I still couldn't wrap my head around it. I sat there, frozen like a statue, waiting for Mrs. Bellafiore to repeat what she said. Was she just caught up in the moment?

She grinned and nodded, making me look utterly flabbergasted, I'm sure.

I turned to Mr. Bellafiore. Was he okay with this? Maybe he didn't want me crashing at their fancy place! They should've talked it out as a couple first!

When he nodded, I was even more surprised. What did that mean? He was cool with it? But they barely knew me!

"I-I'm really sorry. I can find another place to stay - "

"Oh, I forgot! Rule number four: I absolutely can't stand people who turn down my help!"

I bit my lip and glanced at Mr. Bellafiore.

He nodded. "This is the least we can do for Schuyler."

"Absolutely!" Mrs. Bellafiore exclaimed. "If you knew how much he meant to our family. Without someone playing cupid, we wouldn't have Nevy and Ely." She let out a sly chuckle. "And the three of you wouldn't even exist in this world!"

Eyco groaned in frustration. "Dad! How can you be okay with this?"

"How can I not be?"

"She's Mommy's ex's daughter!"

"She's the daughter of my friend, Eyco. Schuyler is my friend."

He mumbled curses under his breath and shot me a death glare. He seemed on the verge of flipping the table out of pure irritation. I couldn't help but think about how much worse it could get if his parents weren't there to step in. Hopefully, he could keep his anger in check, because it looked like a heavy burden on his heart.

Addi chuckled, giving her brother a "What's your deal?" look, but it only made his frown deeper. I let out a big sigh, sensing the gravity of the situation.