Lovato Series #1: The Unwanted Daughter

Episode 1

18 YEARS LATER

The dining table was too quiet and only cutleries could be heard. Sitting in the partriarch's chair was Father next on her right was Mother, opposite to her was kuya Seb while I'm sitting next to him who's opposite is ate Shai.

"Mom, we'll be having general assembly at school. Rei also needs someone to attend her." Shaika said. She is my second sister and she's 3 years older than me and my elder brother Sebastian is 5 years older than me.

"I will be attending yours, darling." Mom replied. Or would she rather let me call her mom? nah. That won't be possible.

"Who will attend Rei's? Mom you go to Rei's, I'll just ask kuya to attend mine." They always do this, they wanted us to be closer and that would be too impossible.

"No, let your kuya attend hers. I'll attend yours." she smiled sweetly. I fainted a smile, trying to hide the pain prickling my heart. Hell, how it hurts to be ignored by my own mother.

I feel someone pats my head, I look onto kuya Seb who's sitting beside me. He gave me a sweet smile that would melt someone hearts, geez he's too handsome.

"I attend yours sweety then we'll take a stroll after." he sweetly said. As if I'm his girlfriend lol hahaha. But no, that's how my sister and brother treated me, they gave me the warmth I needed from my mother who to ignore my presence. They fulfilled the love that I wanted from my mother who seemed to notice my existence ever since I was born.

I never received the motherly love from her. All I received was cold treatment and ignorance.

"Thank you, kuya." I mouthed. He just gave me a smile and then continued eating.

"That's unfair, kuya! I want to go to!" Shai pouted. Kuya chuckled and nodded "After the meeting, let's meet up at the gate then we'll go take a stroll." Shai giggled.

"Look at you, acting like a child. Why don't you act like Rei, she's behave and mature." Dad laughed. Ate Shai pouted again and look at me with 'help-me-look'.

"Dad, you know that Rei is much smarter and matured than me. That'll be boring for me to be serious." She then again giggled. This would always be the setting, Ate Shai being the mood lightener, Dad and kuya will be the teaser, Me being the 'behave' and Mom the mood cutter.

"Dad, you know that Ate doesn't like to be serious. As she said..." I butted in "She'll get older early if she became serious." we said in unison. That was me, kuya and Dad. While my sister just laughed and mom who just gave us a smile.

"Hon, I'll be going out with my friends after the meeting. I'll see you later, Shai let's go." she gave dad a peck on lips and stand ready to go and yes. She just cutted the mood.

Dad looked at me as if he's sorry for what mother just did. But hey, who am I? They 'behaved' daughter who won't mind some of those ignorance. Note the sarcasm please.

I just gave him a faint smile and nodded. We waited 'till father stand before we go up and go. Kuya just gave me a pat on the head.

"Don't mind Mom, sweety. She'll notice you soon." he sadly smile at me. Although he wanted to give me assurance, I don't think I can have that assurance with the smile he's giving.

"It's alright. Let's go."

***

"Where are you? We've been waiting here for like an hour already!" That's my brother talking to my sister over the phone.

"Wait, what?! No, no, no. This can't be. I'll be broke if you bring them!" he hysterically said. I wonder who's 'them' are they talking about.

"Fine, fine! Just go faster." he surrenderly said.

We waited for almost 10 minutes before they arrive and surely as my brother says he'll go broke. My sister just arrived together with my 'spendrift' cousins. I'd be sure I'll go bankrupt as well if I volunteered to buy what they wanted.

"Hey, hey! Look who's here. My very beautiful baby Rei!" he run towards me and spreaded his arms asking for a hug. I ran towards my brother hiding behind him before I got squeezed to death.

"Meanie, come here. Let me hug you, I haven't seen you for a while already. Don't you miss your handsome cousin?" meet my Cousin Sanru Lovato, the eccentric cousin of all. He's eldest the son of third uncle Sandrei and Auntie Clara, he's the 25 years old bubbly and conceited of all my cousins.

"Well, I don't." I said giving him a boyish grin. He pouted, "That's mean of you baby Rei."

"That's enough Sanru. Come here baby Rei, let me hug you. I miss you so muuuuuch!" Ate Silvera butted in, and then pulled me from my brother's back. Squeezing me into a very tight hug.

Silvera Lovato, the Oldest daughter of first Uncle Saber and Auntie Anisa. 27 years old, a licensed Lawyer of the Lovato Firm under the Lovato Empire.

Yes, I know we are the descendants of the famous Lovato Empire. It wasn't easy to be one though.

"I, I can't bre-ath." I patted her shoulders but she just laughed and let me go.

As I was saying, being a Lovato isn't easy. Many people are eyeing our wealth, every members of the family needs to undergo a training at 5. That's a family tradition, it isn't because we'll be serving our country but it was to defend ourselves. I got 9 cousins and you already met the 2.

"Let's go. I'm excited!" Silvera shouted. She's just right beside, the people near us looked on us weirdly adding the fact that I am surrounded with gorgeous faces.

"Where are we going?" I asked. They eyed me as if I'm an alien. Then Sin whom I didn't when did he come from suddenly wrap his arms on my shoulder and said," where would it be?" he weirdly smiled so as the others.

Uh, I don't like the way they stared at me.

"Let's goooooo! We'll be heading to Rei's condo!" Silvera once again shouted and that's the cue. They pulled me in and push inside the car while the others hopped in their own car.

"What the h*ll? I though we'll go stroll? Why go to my condo? " I blurted out. Oh hell, my stock for one month is in danger.

"You know sweety, I don't wanna be broke. So lent us your condo okay? I'll just buy another stock for you." he sheepishly said. If you're wondering why I got my own condo, the explaination for that concern is that my mom would always lash out on me whenever she's drunk. So Dad bought me one for me to go somewhere whenever she's drunk. Yeah, I'm a 'good' daughter that always adjust for her to accept me.

"That's a promise." I glared at him which he returned with a chuckle.

***

"Now, now. Put in the passcode, darling!" They were waiting outside the door of my penthouse. Seriously , they look like an ant waiting for the food to drop.

I rolled my eyes up and walk towards them. I entered my passcode then erasing the trace for them to trace it and push it open. They ran towards the kitchen and rummaged it finding foods to eat.

"Hey, take it easy! You're ruining my kitchen!" I shouted but it's already too late. From a squeaky clean kitchen it turns in to a tornado struck kitchen, my heart hurts seeing my beloved kitchen like this.

"My, my little darling! Your kitchen really has a lot of stock." said by a pig - Steven Lovato the 3rd pig son of First Uncle.

"Shut up, old Eight. Just eat as you wanted, we might get kick out because of you." shouted by another pig - Sin Lovato, the 3rd son of 3rd uncle.

"Right, right! Rei might change her mind!" agreed by another piglet - Shana Lovato the 2nd daughter of 3rd uncle.

"Agree-*cough*-eed!" it was Old Two who shouted. Shawn Lovato, first son of 2nd uncle. He's eating bread when he shouted causing him to choke.

"Let's watch movie after this!" the giggling sister of mine suggested. She's eating chocolate by the way.

"Hey, hey! Isn't bad for a model like you to eat chocolate? Gimme that or you'll get fat!" my brother, Old four shouted.

"Seriously, you guys looked like a beggar right now." a said boringly. I should just accept the reality that my stock would be gone in a blink of an eye. Hays

"Old ten, have you found it?!" Ninth asked Sapphire who's also rummaging the cabinets. The one who shouted was Sabrino Lovato, the 2nd son second Uncle.

"No, I haven't. Have you, Old Three?" replied by Sapphire who's also asking Sanru .

We call each other with 'old' based on who was born first.

"No, I haven't!" he replied. Dang, what are they looking for? Could it be...? No waaay

"What ar---." "I FOUND IT!!" I was cutted off by Old Two's shout, Shawn Lovato, first son of 2nd uncle.

I look into his direction and found that he's in my chocolate room. I knew it!

"No, no, no! Heeeeey not my chocolates." I wanna cry. They seemed to have one brain to think that that's what they are looking for.

They look at me as if I'm the most thrifty in the whole universe.

"kyaaaaah! gimme that one! gimme that one!" old fourth shouted. It was Sabrina Lovato who also love collecting chocolates like me.

I knew it! I knew it! I shouldn't have agreed with them coming here.

*****

"Old twelve, don't be angry anymore." here he is Eleventh, he's consoling me after they finished eating my hard earned chocolates.

"Let's watch movie, what do you want to watch old Twelve?" Old two asked while smirking. Geez, I wanna wipe that smirk out of his face.

"I was wondering, WHY ARE ALL OF YOU HERE? Don't you have your work?!" I asked , glaring at them but they just laughed at me.

"Oh, who will refuse the foods coming from your house?" Kuya Seb.

"I don't have cases so I decided to come." Silvera.

"I cleared out my schedule for today. I haven't eaten good for a while." Sanru.

"Today's my day off." Shawn.

"I finished the contract earlier today, to come here." Sabrina.

"We don't have classes." Shana, Steven, Sabrino and Saph.

"We're classmates, remember?" Sin.

"You guys look like a beggar earlier. Aren't you being fed at your house?!" I continued.

"We are but we can never be full whenever we're in your house hehe." That's Shawn for you. A doctor who eat chocolate rather than veggies.

"Did you know that that's my stock for a month?! you guys even have the guts to eat my chocolates?" they just laugh at me.

"Little darling, you are too.." Steven.

"KURIPOT!!!" they shouted on unison. The nerve of this guys.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Kuya means Older brother in Filipino.

Ate means older sister.

Kuripot means thrifty.