"H-huh?" I pulled out the headset I placed on my ears and looked in front.

"We are here, signorina..." Alfred, in the driver seat repeated himself sounding impatient. He didn't even try to hide his scowls and irritated look. Not like he's being paid to do so anyway, so why would he even bother. I'm sure just the mere thought of fetching an insignificant human being like me irritated him the most. Why would he even think like that when in fact I'm the most amazing person to be with- Sophie told me that- he's missing all the fun I could bring to everyone I hang with, you know.

He opened the door for me begrudgingly and again not trying to hide the scowl in his already wrinkly face, wrinkling his wrinkled face even further. I just sighed and got out the car but before that I gave him my sweetest smile, of course giving him a glimpse of my pearly white teeth. "Thank you, Alfred." I nearly giggled when I saw his funny reaction. It's obvious that he didn't expect me to utter even a single word and even more to smile at him, to think I was constantly scared to even look at him in the eye.

Oh well, It's not like it's new for me to receive such hostile and rude attitude. I'm used to it already.

"Miss, follow me, please." Alfred managed to say those polite words with hostility. He was carrying all the stuff I brought with me to my trip here. So he is now my driver slash my courier for the day.

A huge mansion is the first thing that would catch your very eyes the moment you step inside the humongous gate. The mansion that never been my home was where I lived for over 5 years. If papa Albert didn't requested for me to come  here I wouldn't even think of coming back ever.

It's not because I'm afraid or anything I just love my life in the Philippines with my Family.

Alfredo had gone to the last flight up the marble stairs when I look at his way. He was already at the wide open front door.

The massive mansion and wide beautiful full of greenery courtyard might have awed me if only for it didn't make me cringe with bad memories when I look at the surrounding.

Mr. Alfred was already quite far, he sure is fast even though he's carrying quite a load and with his age. I hurried myself trying to catch up to him.

Even when I was busy catching up to Alfredo I could still feel the constant stares of the maids around the halls. The same feeling when I was still in the courtyard, the very moment I step out of the car. Eyes were all on me. They would stop what they were doing just to have a glance my way. I could even hear the buzzes of their gossips as I walk by.

My social anxiety was at it but I endured the uncomfortable feeling and as much as I can, looked back at them giving them my saccharine smile. The others who saw me looking at them quickly averted their eyes but some were stubborn and continued to throw me narrowed looks, some even rolled their eyes at me.

What have I even done to them? Such kind and hospitable employees they- Wahhh!

"What the-"

I was almost thrown back when an unexpected force hit me. I stepped my other foot back to balance myself.

Before I could check on what was the cause, I felt a tight squeeze around my small waist, which is true by the way. I feel a warm embrace around my stomach.

I slowly lowered my head to take a look at the brazen fella that hugged me unceremoniously.

I saw a shiny blonde hair that made me remember two people with the same hair, but impossible enough to be this little girl hugging me tightly. The hair was all I can manage to see up here too.

"Miss Ella. What are you up to again?" A maid catching her own breathe came after, said in Italian.

But the little girl still stubbornly buried her head on my stomach, hugging me that I'm sure of to be the Ella the panting maid talking about.

"Miss, Come. We might get scolded again if you run off..." the young maid continued saying and tried to tug the little girl away from me while throwing me an apologetic but vigilant look.

"It's okay..." I assured the young maid and caressed the back of the little girls' head. "Ahm... little girl... What's wrong?" She loosened her grip and slowly lifted her head to look at me. A cute heart shaped little face caught my eyes; with a cute little reddish nose and a chubby flushed cheeks. Thin fringes almost covering her sky like colored eyes, her eyes were misty and a little bit red.

She's been crying? Why so? Is it the same thing I suffered- No, no that's impossible. I'm not stupid enough to overlook the relation of this little girl to that- I shook my head clearing the memories that is slowly resurfacing in my mind. Not now, not ever will I be afraid again, never. Not a chance.

The girl was just too adorable that she managed to tug the right strings in my heart making me want to comfort her. I even remembered Sophie from looking at her.

Sigh, I miss Sophie already...

."Sister, you're finally home..." The little girl suddenly said tearfully with a sweet smile on her small pouty lips.

Little hands were tugging at my own making me bend a little because she reached just to my waist.

This little fella tugged me after calling me her Sister. She suddenly started to pull me enthusiastically and happily told me of how she misses me and longed for me to arrive home. If you don't know what was going on I was also lost and can't really explain what was currently happening or to tell who was this pretty cute little girl pulling me eagerly. She was even hopping like a happy little bunny.

"Let's go, ate. It's ate right? That's what big sisters' are called in the Philippines, am I right?" She asked with her cute little accent. "I've made my little research about the place after papà told me that you are going home, finally! I was so happy that I just can't wait for the day to arrive. I even asked papa if I can come and fetch you but he didn't let me because it was not safe." She kept talking randomly.

I can't deny the part of me that actually trust her after telling myself that I won't ever trust anyone when I set foot in this place. Maybe it's because of how amiable she's been acting towards me.

And maybe because a part of me hoped that maybe, maybe she's different. She seems really different too. She didn't give me the rejection and distant looks I got from everyone else but instead a welcoming smile and sweet words.

We were already inside and just like what I remembered there's several turns of hallways because the place was like a maze and if you're not familiar with the place there's a big possibility to get lost.

I noticed that unlike before, I was not being dragged by her anymore but I was walking with her, following her way as she held my hand.

And on our way to our destination that the little girl is eager to take me to, I saw maids at the side cleaning or walking past us but not before taking a bow to the little girl and giving me a look, narrowing their eyes at me.

I just rolled my eyes inwardly and casted them my sweetest smile that earned me rolled eyes and more narrowed looks.

The place became more familiar when we were totally inside, the familiar rooms adorned with beautiful portraits and some complementing decoratives on the wall that looks authentic and antique. The familiar antique Vases that as far as I could remember was big enough for me to hide at its back away from the dangers the little me is terrified of. And the protruding columns in the walls that became my hiding place whenever we're playing hide and seek wishing of being part of the wall so that I would never be seen by the seeker.

And then the portrait of the long generation of the family was orderly hanged on the wall. From the People who first made the family history to the latest. That made me asks innocently before: Why was I not there?

I noticed that the latter portrait, the latest family portrait of the current genereation, a family portrait to be specific, was updated.

The portrait consist of three familiar faces, and the little girl holding my hand right now.

My eyes bored at it until we went past it.

I was deep in thoughts, when something or to be exact, someone caught my eyes.

Why is he here at a time like this? Isn't he supposed to be at work or something related to business? I said in my mind as I see a familiar silhouette of a man the little girl is pulling me to.

I was about to excuse myself to Ella to just go ahead or for us to go upstairs already and make excuses like I'm tired, which I really was, but the little girl for goodness sake called out making our presence noticed.

"Papa! Papa! Look who's here!" She announced happily the opposite of what I was feeling at the moment.

Ella let go of me and jumped right at the man sitting directly on his lap,  she happily started to chat at him. My eyes meet his eyes, lacking emotions. But I think he didn't take it in the hard way because I saw his eyes glimmer with excitement making me confused, because as far as I could remember he was never this happy with my presence.

I saw shock in his eyes. His face showed that he was overwhelmed by emotions, I didn't want to mention and didn't believe he truly harbored for me. Not in the past and definitely until today.

I forced a smile to conjure in my lips. A smile that misleads what I truly felt towards him and to everyone who maltreated me in the past. I didn't want to be here. This place is taboo for me.

Oh don't tell me he's going to hug me? I saw him stand up from sitting. He advanced closer to me, his hands raised as if wanting to touch me, to hug me.

"Adriana?" He stuttered and whispered, "my daughter..." How his eyes bore at my face with profound look, didn't excape my eyes.

Oh stop right there. Not a step closer.

When I thought he was really going for it, it doesn't feel right. It doesn't fit his image at all.

"Who's the young lady, Mansueto?" Someone asked my savior from my approaching doom.

Mansueto, my biological father, averted his eyes from me and looked to the other man in the room. I followed his eyes and it settled in a man in his late forties, sitting at a black sofa. He was sitting ramrod having the aura of a high society man. He's wearing a neat dress shirt. He placed his tea cup on the table. The man's hazel eyes were curiously looking at us.

"Vinceso." Mansueto said the man's name and introduced me, "This is Adriana, my... daughter."

The word just doesn't sound right that I almost grimaced.

I saw the man's eyes narrowed infinitesimally while looking at us and then a smile tugged on his lips. His face brightening, the intimidating aura dissipated.

"I see... so this is the eldest daughter you're constantly talking about?" The man asked still smiling while eyeing me up and down, making me feel conscious and weird out. Imagine a person 20 plus older than you eyeing you? Who wouldn't be creep out? And the fact I'm not really comfortable receiving stares and attention.

I feel sweat trickle down my forehead because of the stare and attention I was getting. I sighed in relief when his eyes left me and turned to Mansueto.

"Yes." Mansueto answered. Their eyes met suspiciously, or maybe I'm just being paranoid or whatever. But I unknowingly have this gut feeling and by the looks of how they seemingly talking with their eyes, I know it's weird and that's what I feel and what worse is I think they're talking about me. I even saw them nod at each other before taking a single glance at me.

Okay, that was weird, very weird and suspicious.

Mansueto suspiciously smiled at the man named Vinceso that the latter also reciprocated.

Mansueto looked my way and to Ella, his lips still curved in a smile his eyes even glinting.

"Ellah, kindly accompany your sister to her room to take a rest." He said to Ella  and diverted his eyes at me and continued to say. "I'm sure your Sister is tired."

"Okay..." Ella sweetly assented.

"Go, the both of you, I know you're tired." He said with a gentle expression in his face that almost made me frown.

But instead of doing that I nodded and smiled at him obediently. "Yes, papa."

"Let's go sister! Let's go!" Ella said and happily dragged me once again.

"Don't run Ella..." Mansueto's words were left in the wind because of Ella's excitement.

Thank goodness...

We were already halfway to the stairs at on our way upstairs when a maid approached us.

"Misd Ella, Mr. Martin has arrived, he's waiting for you in the main library." The maid informed politely towards Ella.

The smile on Ella's face vanished and was replaced by a sorrowful look which actually made her look so cute that I almost pinched her natural rosy cheeks.

"My sister is here, she just arrived and I want to be with her right now. Can't I, can't I be excused for today?" She said meekly pouting her pink lips. She turned at me when I whispered who's the guy. "Its my tutor."

The maid looked at me confusedly. Oh, and here I thought that  by now everyone is already aware of my arrival, because of the warm welcome I had from the other maids a while ago. You know... news fly and the fastest mean is a human being.

"That's not possible miss, Madam will be mad."

Ella's head fell dejectedly her liveliness a while ago vanished instantaneously.

"I understand." She said still lowering her head, her voice cracked.

The maid left shortly after bowing politely. Ella then looked at me with her teary big blue eyes. She forced a smile on her lips. "Sorry ate, I can't accompany you today." She said crestfallen. My heart tightened when I saw how crestfallen she was. I raised my hand and placed it on her lowered head.

"It's okay. Don't be sad, we'll always have time to hang together. Next time, okay?" I comforted her.

She nodded rapidly and the smile on her face returned.

I smiled back, and there I thought I would never do when I'm still in this place.

"Ate, I'll accompany you to your room first, before I go to my tutor." She insisted looking at me worriedly.

"It's okay I know the way I won't get lost." I assured her. "Go, before your tutor gave you a lot of seat work and homework to do." This actually was based on my own experience.

Her face turned ghastly pale obviously afraid of what I said. She looked like she remembers something that made her shiver in fear her face paled. And before I knew it she was on her back anxiously running to where her tutor awaits.

"Bye! see you later at dinner." She waved at me while running for her dear life.

I waved back and couldn't stop the laugh I was holding in and finally bursting to giggles.

of course I stopped myself before someone sees me and think of me as a person with mental disorder. I don't want to be the hot topic the day after.