Chapter 2
1219 Words
"You're so beautiful darling!" bulalas ni mama habang kumikislap ang mata
"Thank you, mom!" masaya kong wika at ngumiti sa kaniya
Ngumiti pabalik si mama at namangha ako sa ganda niya. I didn't know that my mom could be this beautiful when she was happy. The mom from the past was always cold and angry. I must protect that smile from now on, I will not let others take away those smiles from her again. They will pay.
"What's wrong, darling?" Mom pinched my cheeks and I was brought back to reality
Did she saw me making face?
"No, mom. It's just.. Your smile is beautiful." I replied
Her face become red as if she was flustered.
"I-I see... Thanks darling" kinikilig niyang sagot
Ha! I never thought mom would be this cute.
"Since when did you two seems to get along well?"
Suddenly, a cold aura surrounds us and it making me shiver. I look behind and saw my father wearing an elegant suit and seemed to attend the party too.
"D-Duke..." Mom said in shiver
It seemed like mom were afraid to father.
"Yes Papa, would you like to join us?" nakangiti kong saad
Kailangan kong putulin ang awkward scene at baka masira ang momentum ko.Father was shocked by the name I called him. It was the name only Ivellina allowed to call him, I really wanted to call him Papa ever since.As expected, he stared at me with madness in his eyes.
"What did you called me?" he asked in anger
Napayuko ako at sinabing,"It was a mistake, father. Forgive me."
"Watch your words. Even though you are a Lascena, I will never acknowledge you as my daughter." father said
Mom looked at me with sad eyes. Don't worry mom, I was used to it already. Dad never loved me. He loved Ivellina.
"I understood.." I replied
"I will have a separate carriage. Leighny, you will join your daughter. I will take my leave now."
After he said that, he turned his back and walk away with his guards.That jerk! How dare he speak that against my mom, hmph!
"Adel, darling, are you okay?"
Mom rushed to me and hugged me. I saw her tears falling out on her eyes and I wiped it with my small hands.
"I'm okay mom, you shouldn't feel sad about what that jerk said." sabi ko
Oops, pasmado talaga bibig ko.
"Pfft.." mom giggledNagulat ako nang biglang tumawa ng malakas si mama at tinapik ng marahan ang ulo ko.
"You meanie, should not say any bad things to your father. But I can't help but to laugh 'cause it's so cute!" bulalas ni mama
Luh, cute ako?
"Mom is the cutest!" I protested
"Silly, there's no one else in the world can contest the cuteness of my daughter."
Napangiti ako dahil sa sinabi ni mama.
"Mana lang po sa'yo" nakangiti kong wika
Ngumiti siya sa akin at hinawakan ang kanan kong kamay.
"Let's hurry to the carriage, the party will start soon"
"Okay!"
While we're in the carriage, my mom told me what was her life when she was young. She said that she was a former general of an army and was already experience leading a troop on the battlefield. She doesn't have an interest in marriage because the battlefield is her life. But when she saw her sisters happily married and has already a sweet family, she decided to have a normal life with a happy family. But it never happened. His father, the king, sold her to marry Duke Austin of this kingdom, Laczero. The kingdom where my mother lived had a debt with Laczero and the payment was my mother whom they knew was a great general.
Mom doesn't want that kind of marriage but she agreed when she fell in love at first sight with my father. She thought there was a chance that her love will return to her but she died holding a hope that will never happen. I was 17 at that time when my mother died because of illness. She became insane and had a mental illness because she loved father so much. After my mom died, father married his concubine and introduce me to his daughter, Ivellina. I will not let the same thing happened. I will protect you, mom! No matter what happens. I will be strong.
"We're here" I came back to reality when mom suddenly spoke
Napasilip ako sa bintana ng karwahe at namangha ako sa ganda ng palasyo. Katulad parin ng dati. Alam niyo bang halos dito n ako nakatira dahil sa araw araw kong pangungulit kay Alexis? Hays, remembering that cringe childhood stupidity is making me sick. Di nagtagal ay bumaba na kami sa karuwahe habang ine-escort kami ng mga gwardya ng pamilya namin. By the way, kaarawan nga pala ng Emperor ngayon. I already prepared a stitched handkerchief as my present to him. I knew that His Majesty likes Lotus a lot because it reminds him the hair color of the late Empress, Empress Prescilla, the first prince's mother who died in assassination. He loves the Empress very much.As we walk in the entrance, we were overwhelmed by the attention of the other nobles. I can hear their whispers from here.
"Why did they have separate carriage from the Duke?"
"Is it true that Duchess Leighny wasn't favored?"
"Look at those golden hair"
"Red-eyes vixen"
Asan na ba yung pamalo ko? Maraming bubuyog dito eh. Honestly, I'm used to the prejudiced eyes and blasphemous mouths of the people around me since I was perceived as a villainess. But my mom can't handle it. I can see her grit her teeth for controlling her emotion. I hold her hand, as I expected she was so stiff.
"It's okay mom.." I whispered
She took a deep breath and began to smile and she nodded. I glanced at the nobles who bad mouthed me and my mom. They shivered in fear as soon as our eyes meet. I was a daughter of the Duke! No one can belittle us as long as we have the Lascena name.
We soon reached the throne and we both bowed down to honor the Emperor.
"May Valeria blesses the emperor of the Laczero empire." sabay naming wika ni mama
"I haven't see your daughter in the palace for two weeks, what happened?" the emperor chuckled
W-What?! Bakit ako ang topic.
"I-I was banned from coming to the palace, Your Majesty.." nahihiya kong sagot
"Hahaha! My son was too harsh to you, wasn't he?" natatawang wika ng Emperor
What the heck? Bakit ako pinapahiya ng ganito?
Biglang nahagip ng paningin ko ang aking ama na masama ang tingin sa akin. Hays, I guess he'll never forgive me for all the shame I have done. To interrupt the emperor from teasing me, I need to change the topic.
"Your Majesty, I have stitched something for you as my present." sabi ko
May isang knight na nag-abot ng binurdang panyo sa emperador. Nang makita niya ang lotus ay agad siyang natahimik.
Did... something wrong with the handkerchief?
"This is..."
Nagulat ang lahat nang biglang naluha ang emperador.
"Thank you for your wonderful gift, Miss Adelaide.. " sabi ng emperador habang pinupunasan niya ang kaniyang mga luha
"It's my pleasure, Your Majesty" I responded
"Don't worry child, I will help you earn favor to Alexis" he winked at me
"Thank you, Your Majesty"
Wait, WHAT?!!
"Let's have a dinner together later, thank you for your presence. Enjoy the party. " the Emperor said
Di ako maayos na nakayuko dahil sa gulat. Hindi ba sabi ko hindi ko na gagambalahin si Alexis? Bakit parang pinaglalapit naman kami ngayon?
- Writer
