Masked Beauty

The ignorant Tourist guide

Aera wanted to say that it is not true. She did not grew up as a kind person. She find herself terrible for doing this to an innocent family like them.

After a few minutes they can already hear footsteps from the main door of the mansion. Aera's heart is pounding because of nervousness.

Carmelita's eyes widened in happiness when she realized that her husband is already here.

"Fernando is here already. I am sure he will be very happy seeing you." Carmelita said while still holding her hand as they walk towards the main door's way.

"Carmelita we are here!"

"We are here in the sala, Fernando." Carmelita asnwered in an excited voice.

After a few minutes a masculine tall man entered the sala. He is wearing a white long sleeve polo with a black tux on his hands.

He scanned the whole place until it stopped on Aera's direction. Carmelita immediately walk and pull her husband towards their way.

"Fernando, Ethel is already here. Our daughter is already here." She smiled before letting her husband walk towards Aera.

He looks already old but still looks so fine and masculine. He also seemed professional.

He did not say a word while staring at Aera. He looks so happy and excited hugging her but he can't even move base on his reaction.

Aera swallowed the lump on her throat before walking towards him and give him a hug.

She never experience having a father before and she doesn't know what is the feeling of having it now.

All this time she grew up with her mother and when they adopted her brother because he doesn't have a house to live for being an orphan, Aera felt happy, somehow. But to have a father? She never experienced it.

Fernando caressed her hair before tightening the hug.

"I missed the twenty years of your life. We've been waiting for this day to come. To finally hug you, Ethel."

Aera can feel his heavy breathing, he is crying.

She knows that it is so wrong. This is not for her. She only needs the money and after it, she needs to runaway.

It's been three days since Aera came here in San Poblacion. Carmelita and Fernando are both busy about their businesses but every night the three of them always have a dinner together.

"I feel bad about it, that you finish your study without us. But I feel happy, somehow that the world guided you and gave you the chance to study."

"Yes Papa. I graduated of the course Education but I did not passed the board exam. I am planning to take it again." Aera said before drinking the water in front of her.

"But I just want to ask, what name did you use when you re still there? I wonder if Mother Isabela gave you another name." Carmelita ask that made Aera stiffened for a bit.

She is hesitating to tell them her real name.

"Yes Mama. I used the name Aera when I am in Nelay City." Aera said in an awkward and hesitant voice.

"Do you prefer us calling you Ethel or Aera?"

Aera immediately shake her head because of what Fenando asked.

"No Papa. Just call me Ethel or what ever you want to call me." Aera said while laughing awkwardly.

After that conversation of them they also talked about the businesses and why they are both busy that they can't even permanently stay at the house. They explained it to her formally that it made her uncomfortable. She really is not deserving for this life. She doesn't belong here.

"By the way, I don't want you to get bored here in the mansion. I want you to enjoy your life here in San Poblacion, Ethel. I ask Darkin to tour you here in the province and also in the plantation if you also want it. There are a lot of nice places here."

Aera's eyes widened and about to shake her head.

"No need Pa. I am fine here. I don't want to bother anyone. I am really just fine here. I understand that you two are both busy and of course it is for the business." Aera quickly disagree about it because it is not that she is very special to be take care like this. In fact she is already lucky for just staying here in the mansion without doing anything because the maids always serving for her.

"No, ija. I just want you to enjoy your life here." Carmelita inserted while smiling widely.

"Darkin is the son of my business partner and my best friend at the same time. Darkin is kind of tough but he is kind, he is staying here in San Poblacion for a while because it is his vacation after finally passing his board exam in Engineering." Fernando said like he is very pleased about the idea of Darkin touring her in the whole province.

"But don't worry, ija. Darkin grew up here in San Poblacion so he already knows the every detail of this place. He used to borrow your father's horse every time he wanted to take some walk in the river behind the land where the mansion located."

Aera's eyes widened in excitement.

"Really? There's a river near here? I love rivers." Aera said excitedly.

"Really? That's nice. You will really enjoy it." Fernando said while smiling widely because of his daughter's reaction.

"But still I am not comfortable bothering your friend's son, Pa." Aera said because it is really true. She doesn't want to bother anyone, even the workers or maids will make her uncomfortable for serving for her.

"No worries, ija."

The next day Aera stay at home helping her maids fixing her room.

"Señorita, it is no need for you to help us. We can actually fix it ourselves."

Aera continue folding her dresses even if Teresa, the most trusted maid in the mansion is already telling her to stop from helping.

"It is okay, Teresa. This is not a heavy job. I can help you." Aera answered while smiling.

"You really is a kind girl Ethel. Even if you did not grew up with your Mom you still inherited her attitude."

Aera felt strange again for hearing those complements because she knows she is not that innocent and kind as what they are thinking.

She continued helping Teresa for fixing the room until one of their maids suddenly enter the room.

"Ma'am, Señorito Darkin is already here. He is finding for you."

Aera's brows furrowed because of what she heard.

"Darkin?" She ask confusely.

"He is the son of your father's friend. Sir Fernando told us that Señorito Darkin will tour you."

Aera slowly nodded as Teresa grab her hands so that she can finally stand.

"You should fix your self. Señorito Darkin isn't just a simple young man, he is a Good for Pete's sake!"

Aera almost laugh because of Teresa's reaction. She wants to scream but she is stopping herself from doing it.

"What do you mean by God, Teresa?" She laugh as she walk in front of the mirror on her room.

"He is so handsome to be exact Señorita. I am sure you will going to simp over him. But of course you are so pretty too so you will be so good together."

Aera want to laugh because of Teresa. She can't believe that she is acting this way. She finds it cute.

"Now, go downstairs and meet him. Your life here will be boring if you are not going to enjoy." Teresa added as she pushed Aera outside the door.

Aera follow what she said lazily.

It's not that Aera is new when it comes in relationship or socializing around men. She also experience to be courted and also being in a relationship. But most of them didn't last just like how she expected.

Actually it's not that she love her exes before, maybe she just don't want to disappoint those suitors who courted her for months. She can't afford to reject them after giving all their efforts to her. Besides she always put boundaries and remind them that she have priorities in life, family and studies, not until she failed the exam.

When Aera finally got downstairs she immediately find that guy named Darkin but she can't see anyone in the sala.

"Señorita? Señorito Darkin is outside waiting for you."

Aera nodded and smile about what the maid said before going out of the house.

She scanned the garden but she can't see anyone. She also tried to search the big area where the cages of the horses located when she finally saw a guy wearing a black t-shirt talking with the other workers there in the cages. His t-shirt is tucked from his fitted and tattered jeans partnered with a brown boots that seems like so expensive in just one look.His shirt's sleeve is also folded, maybe into three that made his bicebs showed but still Aera can't see his face clearly since he is facing backwards from her direction.

"Oh! Señorita Ethel is already here!"

Aera stiffened when she heard a worker shouted that made the other people look from her direction especially Darkin who is already walking towards her. She raised her brows when she can slowly see the guy's face clearly.

She swallowed hard when he finally got near her. The guy also scanned her like she is a puppy in front of him because she looks so small.

"So are you Ethel?" Darkin towered her before asking it.

Aera slowly nodded. It feels like she wanted to say no but she is not allowed to say the truth yet.

She nodded at the end.

"Okay. I am Darkin. Tito Fernando said I will be guiding you here in San Poblacion so you won't get bored."

Aera just nodded again as a response before looking away.

Teresa is right. Darkin looks dashing and good looking that Aera couldn't even explain it. He is masculine and kind of serious but still she doesn't like his vibe. It seems like he is secretive yet tough and get easily mad if she will do something he doesn't like.

Darkin smirk when he realized that Aera is staring at him too much.

But it's not that she is attracted to him but it is because there is really something about him that she dislike.

Aera cleared her throat before looking away.

"Actually, it's not that I really wanted to explore San Poblacion. It's not that I really wanted to enjoy here, I am already contented about what Mr. and Mrs. Lauchengco giving me. I just don't want to say no to Mr. Lauchengco offering that he want me to explore the place."

Darkin laugh because of Aera's litany. Her brows furrowed because she can't find something funny about what she said.

"And if you are busy and you have a lot of things to do, you can do it first. I don't want to bother anyone." She added but it seems like Darkin is still please about what she is saying.

"How thoughtful of you. It was fine. I am sure you will enjoy being with me, anyway." He said proudly while smirking that made Aera raise her brows.

"I heard you wanted to visit the river. It was near from here. It won't take long if we choose to go there first."

Well, he is right. It was the place she wanted to visit since it was the only place that her father mentioned to her. At the end she just nodded even if she is not really enjoying Darkin's company.

Yeah, he seems kind and patient but he looks so boosy and loves to brag things. Now Aera hate herself for judging him. Maybe she just really need to go with the flow and stop complaining.

"Let's use this horse. This will be fun. Awh, by the way do you know how to ride a horse?"

Aera stiffened from walking. She is just following Darkin when he suddenly stop in front of the horses cage and ask her if she knows how to ride a horse.

"Uh- no." She answered hesitantly.

Darkin laugh mockingly that made Aera rolled her eyes.

"Whoa, okay! Let's use one horse only." Darkin uttered as the workers help him from letting the horse go from the stable.

"What? Are we going to use that? Can't we just walk?" Aera ask in disbelief.

It's not that she is being nitpicker here but it will be her first time riding a horse and it will never going to be a good idea. Besides she is just wearing a dress with her usual stringed sandals.

"Nah, it will be fun if we use a horse. We will arrived there early if we use this." Darkin explain, now in a serious tone.