Non-Negotiable

Facade

"How have you been?" everyone was suffocating.

"Good, good. How about you?" smiling hurt.

"How have you been?" everyone wanted to get close to me.

"The same as always," but my husband is already dead.

They wouldn't let Klea be. They approached her with smiles on their faces, but with intentions. She could not breathe. She was never one to want to be at the center of attention, despite marrying an heir. Klea didn't like attention, that's why she told him that she did not like a big wedding. She didn't want to be in front of many people, not because she was ashamed of herself, but because she didn't like crowds in general.

Just breathe.

But she felt a pair of eyes following her, her every step, every breath she took felt like it was being recorded. Klea was being scanned from head to toe, but she did not have enough courage to look around, because if she did, she would be met with more questions.

"Dear, you came."

Carrie greeted Klea with a somber smile. She treated Klea like her own. She always wanted to have a daughter, and Klea gave her the perfect daughter she could have asked for. Klea didn't ask for anything, and she didn't commit any scandal. Bowed her head down whenever necessary. People respected her because she was their daughter-in-law, but Carrie did not look at her like that. She looked at her like she was her precious child.

"Mother," Klea smiled, "I wouldn't miss it for the world." She gave Klea a kiss on the cheek before hugging her.

"Come, dearie. Trion has not even said hi to me yet. But he's grown up now. He'll follow his brother's legacy." Klea could only nod and smile.

She looked happy that her son was finally home, which made Klea smile even more. Their family was not the same after expericing tragedy after tragedy. Her husband passed away a few years after Jaden. He could not believe that Jaden had died and fell into depression. He was bitter about it, but he was one of the reasons why Jaden didn't go to the hospital and seek medical advice. He felt guilty about it and he was already old. His heart could not take it.

"He's still at his rebellious age, that Trion." Klea chuckled, linking arms with Carrie.

"Who's that Trion that you're speaking about?" his voice rang behind her, a chill went down her spine because of how low and raspy Trion's voice was.

Carrie and Klea turned around. He hugged his mother, closing his eyes—feeling the realization that he was finally reunited with the only family member he had left. When he opened his eyes, they were fixated on Klea, piercing through her very being. She shifted her weight on one leg, uneasiness settling.

I bear this guilt forever.

"You've grown so much, Trion. How I've missed my son so much," Carrie said and cupped his face in her fragile hands.

Klea could tell from his eyes that he had done everything he could, studied hard and built himself up from the ground. He had no model after his older brother and father died. He grew up blind, yet that didn't stop him from growing up. She bet Jaden would be proud if he was here. Trion was finally in the right mind. He wasn't the same bad boy as when he was young.

"Silly boy—why have you not greeted Klea yet? Or have you forgotten about her already?" he darted his eyes at her, cold as ever. I shrugged and gave him a side hug, to which he reciprocated in a surprise bear hug.

"How could I forget the woman that made Jaden think that love was possible?" Carrie laughed, closing her fan and linking arms with Klea again, bringing her along as she walked inside the venue and sat on their table, exclusive for their family of now three.

"Come now, let's go and eat. I'm famished. Tell us all about your journey abroad, Trion."

"Of course,"

Trion told them everything, including the days when he got in trouble. Klea could tell how he grew over the years. He disciplined himself. He made sure that every move he made didn't leave any crumbs at all. He was meticulous and he changed. He was every bit different from Jaden.

"It seems that everyone is still as stiff as ever," Trion commented, looking around.

"Even more now than before. Ever since your father died, they have all seemed to keep their distance," Carrie answered,"What about you, Klea? How have you been these few years? I haven't heard from you ever since I left. As if you wanted to forget about me." Carrie tensed up, looking at Klea as fast as her head could snap.

"I-"

"Trion, dear, look. The Vice President is here. Greet her for me, will you? Establish some connection first before you head off on Monday?" Trion looked in the direction his mother pointed to usher him.

"Sorry, my dear." Carrie patted her back in the form of an apology. "No worries. I'll be leaving in a bit. I still have a presentation later this afternoon, and it's best that I come up prepared."

Klea smiled at them both before standing up and grabbing her purse. She gave Carrie a hug and Trion a smile. Trion was not able to say anything as Klea was adamant on leaving early.