Chapter 5: The First Branch

'Why? Why? Why?!'

'She wasn't supposed to come at this time! Did something change?'

'I didn't do anything! Was it the enchantress? No, impossible. There is no reason for her to meddle.'

'I was supposed to meet this wretched witch when my younger brother was born. She was supposed to come at that time with Alicia.'

'What changed?!'

'Or, did I missed something?!'

Carla's mind was full of questions, then she saw Annalisa was already in front of her.

Annalisa was invited in by Leila, then introduced her to the birthday star.

"Hello sweety, you must be Carla. I'm Auntie Anna, you're mother's best friend." Annalisa announced to her.

Carla was petrified.

'Bestfriend? I didn't know she was my mother's best friend! '

Carla looked at her mother and saw her smiling.

'Mother, I always thought father brought this witch, I didn't know it was you?'

'No wonder, no wonder you always have dreadful eyes every time you saw her. I just thought it was just jealousy and because you couldn't do anything. '

'It was because you were betrayed by this bitch!'

Carla pitied her mother and clenched her tiny fist while looking at Annalisa with a frown.

Annalisa was stunned by her reaction, she didn't know what she did wrong. She just introduced herself.

What did this one-year-old know? But after thinking about Carla's age, she just smiled. 'Maybe it's my perfume? Or she just thought I'm ugly?' She thought.

Annalisa tried to carry her thinking she might be bored on the floor, but she didn't expect Carla's reaction next.

Thinking about the past experiences Carla got from this woman, she was afraid of her, she screamed and cried.

"Ahhh! Uwaahh!" She falls back on her butt and kept crying.

"Shay bak (Stay back)! Uwaahh! Wo wo (No no)!" Carla made a commotion when Annalisa tried to carry her.

Everyone around looked at them and wondered.

Leila was shocked that her daughter suddenly cried, she saw everything but didn't understand at all. Even Annalisa was stupefied.

Leila carried Carla and coaxed her, "Hush honey, mommy is here."

Carla sniffed and rubbed her face to her mother's embrace.

Ike and Irene were worried about her and they simply tap Carla's feet to comfort her. The twin glared at Annalisa.

They didn't know what happened but they sided with Carla as she is their friend. The word cousin to them has still not recorded in their vocabulary, after all, Carla was their first cousin and also the first friend.

Though they had seen what a friend is like, they always wanted one.

Annalisa felt wronged and Leila and everyone else felt awkward.

Leila signaled Claude for help, then he took the sign.

"Hahaha! Kids." Claude shook his head then turned his attention to Annalisa, "Please come with me Miss Anna, I'll show you where the tables are." That's how he broke the awkwardness.

Everyone didn't bother them anymore and continued with their socializing with others.

Seeing Annalisa went away, Carla felt relieved. She wasn't mentally ready for meeting her here.

She doesn't remember her baby's days in the past life, only know that when her brother was born, she met her.

Now, it seems Annalisa's relationship with her family is much deeper than she thought.

Thinking about it, Alicia was also born the same year as Carla's younger brother.

That means, her father and Annalisa fucked each other earlier than she thought.

And Annalisa's schemes were much planned longer than she anticipated.

Carla was busy surviving that time that she missed this simple problem.

'The Enchantress was right, even if I know about the future, I can't do anything to change it. '

'Even if the people around me choose my side, I will only bring them down with me. Just like my greatest regret before.'

Just then, the doorbell rang again.

Leila brought Carla to go see who it was.

"Hi! Sorry, traffic jam." The woman said and then looked at Carla, "Are you the birthday girl? I got special presents with me!" The woman enthusiastic said.

Carla brightened up and reached her arms to her.

Leila was shunned, "It seems my baby wants a hug from her auntie."

The woman smiled brightly and opened both her arms to receive Carla.

"Sweet! Do you know who I am darling? I'm your Auntie Katrina!" She exuberantly introduced herself.

Carla hugged her tightly, "Ahm shory (I'm sorry), Ay mish wu (I missed you)."

Katrina couldn't hear her properly but still hugged her back.

"Let's go inside, it's cold here." Leila invited her in.

They went inside and Carla keeps hugging her even when they went in.

'I'm sorry Aunt. Because of me, you died.'

Katrina Santiago is the older sister of Claude, she is the first branch and even in the past, she was single, until she died.

Katrina helped them before when she found out that Annalisa and Alicia bullied Leila and her children.

Katrina was frustrated to learn that her younger brother, Claude, let his real wife and children suffered at the hands of his mistress.

She tried everything to get Leila and her children escape from the house without letting Annalisa and Claude know it.

Yet, Carla told them what she knew. She was only eight at that time, she accidentally heard her mother that they will escape from the house. Thus, as a brainwashed kid, she told them everything she knew.

Katrina died in the supposed 'car accident', but later on, Carla found out that the man who was helping Katrina, had already been bought by Annalisa and killed her.

Even if Carla didn't kill her Aunt directly, she still killed her by sold her off to Annalisa.

She regretted that time, she regretted how a fool she was! Ignorance was never an excuse!

Carla looked at the living Aunt Katrina's face, "Aw puushek wuu shish shaym, Ant (I'll protect you this time, Aunt)."

Katrina shrugged, the party was noisy but she could hear some glimpse of what Carla was saying. However, she couldn't understand it. She only smiled and kissed her forehead.

That night, was lively. Carla entertained her Aunt Katrina, her granny, and the twins. Ignoring the wretched witch and her father. The same as her uncle.

Leila and Claude however, entertained the guest. After all, it was their family and close friends.

Annalisa wanted to play with Carla, but every time she goes near her, Carla glared and crawl away from her. Thus, she could only look at her from a distance.

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Written by KircheLeaf

Cover Designed by CxlxrGreg

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~End of Chapter 5~