Episode 3

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.

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