Chapter 17

CRYSTAL

I only wanted to spend the first day in the mansion locked in the room where I had been directed. But here I was—ended up being summoned in Dad's private study, facing the two witches who were presently shooting daggers at me with their stares.

If only the situation was different, I would love to take a little exploration around here and enjoy inspecting each of the plaques, certificates, and trophies aligned through the countertop to know how far Wayne Law Firm had achieved. I also would love to read each magazine and books stalked meticulously in their respective shelves and wouldn't mind if I get stuck in them for days.

I knew Mrs. Vivien and her daughters were far from being nice people based on Erik's description of them. But never had I expected the worst of them when Carrie had me banged in the balcony that I needed to scream for my dear life to be saved. Not to mention, never had I supposed to hear insults about my mother who was now resting in peace.

The air seemed fully charged with uncomfortable distress—that when you light up a matchstick, the room would spark and eventually would cause a fire. It was strangely silent, but my father's frustrated sigh broke it. "I did not gather all of you in this house only to fight each other…" He ran his hand across his face and took a seat on his chair behind the large table, His tired eyes shifted to his wife and daughter, and eventually to me. "I was actually planning to set up a warm gathering for us. The purpose is for all of you to get close to each other, so what the heck did I just see on the balcony?" He blinked and frowned at Carrie. "Would you mind starting the explanation?"

Carrie stood, her chair collapsed as she hit it with her feet. "Why are you denouncing me for something I didn't do? She started this trouble. It was the bastard! She wants me out of your life. She said she's the only daughter you're gonna ever have!"

My blood started to boil again in my veins as she pointed at me with her index finger and started to sob. Hell, she was making me feel like I was a suspect in the center of the courtroom!

"A-are you freaking kidding me?" My grasp on the armchair stiffened as I shifted to my father with wide eyes. "I… I didn't say that! She was the one who started being violent."

"Liar." Vivien butted in, raising her brow as she sat back coolly in her chair. "Who do you think my husband will believe? Trouble only started when you moved in."

My tears started to blur my sight as I blinked a couple of times. "B-but I—"

"Enough," Dad muttered, his eyes shut, his jaw clenched. "This conversation isn't going anywhere good. So go to your rooms but I expect everyone to appear for dinner."

Carrie groaned. "But I already instructed the maid to bring dinner to my—"

"I said, everyone in this room will sit at the dining table. No one is exempted, understood?"

Carrie sighed heavily as she stormed out of the room. Vivien, on the other hand, rolled her eyes on me before following her daughter toward the door.

'Now what?' I thought, biting down my lip as I stared down on my hands resting on my lap. My father was gentle and soft spoken when I first met him. But I never knew he could be this intimidating when got upset.

Anyway, who would be pleased if you see your family members fighting each other? I might have found Vivien and Carrie my ultimate pain in the ass, but it didn't mean I wouldn't want to reconcile with them. But for now, I wasn't going to be the one who would apologize—not if my mother's memory was compromised.

"Crystal…"

My breathing halted when Dad called me. I immediately looked in his direction. "Believe me, I didn't hurt anyone. She was the one who knocked at my door and told me to get out of my room."

"I know."

My lips began to tremble. "R-really?"

"Yes…" He nodded and stood up, circling around the table and sat on the leather chair in front of me. "Forgive me for what happened on your first day in this house. But I'll promise you that this will not happen again. They will treat you like how you should be treated. You're my blood, after all."

His assurance was all enough for me to be relieved. I believed and trusted him. Regardless, I felt worried about his welfare with those witches around, especially Vivien. I couldn't imagine how my father would withstand her attitude.

"Please don't apologize. I know you just want the finest things for me. So in return, I'll behave just how I have to."

"Just behave who you really are," Dad whispered, patting my hands. His smile was the most sincere and the sweetest thing I'd seen for this day. "After all, I know Crisanta has raised you so well."

I reciprocated his smile by beaming back. But suddenly, Carrie's words had popped in my mind without my consent:

'You're Daddy's bastard daughter!'

My father might notice the sudden change in the mood of my fair. He squeezed my hand to get my attention. "Is there anything more than bothers you, Crystal?"

I raised my face to him and met his gloomy gazes. "There's something I want to ask—am I a bastard daughter?"

He sat back on the chair and breathed deeply.

"Please, I'm tired of secrets. So just tell me the truth. It will not change things, anyway."

He rubbed his temple, his eyes closed, maybe lessening the pain in head as he whispered, "I didn't want to call it that way. What I know is that my blood runs through your veins."

I nodded, my shoulders sagged. "It's confirmed. I'm really a bastard."

"But it could have been avoided if the circumstances didn't ruin my plans."

I gazed back at him with inquisitiveness. "What do you mean?"

"That moment your mother left, that was the same moment I was going to ask her hand for marriage."

My eyes widened at what I just heard. But I remained all ears and I was silent to let him continue his statement.

My mother—your grandmother—had come to visit Crisanta in our old apartment. She said that I and Vivien were about to get married. That was all lies, though. The truth was… the proposal she heard from me was for your mother, not for another woman." Unchecked tears began streaming down his face, creating a pain inside my own chest. "I'd tried to find her but she was nowhere to be found. I was only forced to marry Vivien because your grandmother was rushed to the hospital for a lethal illness. So, as a last wish, she insisted that I must wed the woman of her choice…"

My mouth was parted in incredulity. As he progressed in explaining, I couldn't help but to comprehend one thing: if Mama didn't listen to my grandmother and just stick with my father, it was possible that we were the ones living in this house in the first place. And maybe, Mama was still alive because Dad would surely seek for a couple of ways to counter my mother's condition before it got severe.

Hell, if only I could turn the time back…