CELINE was busy packing her stuff in her room when Celda knocked. She hurriedly hid them under her bed and rushed to the door.
“Celine, are you awake?”
“Y-yes, Mother. What’s the matter?” she said as she slightly opened the door.
“Miguel is here. He wants to talk to you.”
Her eyes widened.
“I’m sorry,” Miguel said as they walked toward their backyard.
“For what?” Celine asked in confusion. If there was someone who should be apologizing, it was her. She was caught kissing a man who was not Ernest.
“For being such a coward. Things would have been different if I did not do the things I already did. You make Ernest happy.”
“Well, it’s not the same case for me,” she said bitterly.
“I-I thought you’re going to learn to love him eventually.”
“That’s what I thought, too. I tried, Miguel. I tried so hard. But I can’t reciprocate Ernest’s feelings. I could only give him my body. But with Gareth, everything felt so natural. He makes me happy. I feel like a woman.”
“So, what are you going to do now?”
Celine pursed her lips, contemplating. Then she sighed and stared at Miguel’s eyes.
“I trust you, Miguel. When I’m gone, could you take care of Mother for me?” she implored.
“W-what?”
“I’m going with Gareth. We’re going to build a family away from here. I’ll finally be happy,” Celine said with a smile.
Miguel stared in disbelief.
“Aren’t you happy for me?”
He had never seen that look on Celine’s face before. She was happy that her dream was finally coming true. A dream he could not give her because he was an idiot.
“B-but you just met him.”
“It doesn’t matter. We have this connection that I’ve never felt with anyone before. He makes me happy, Miguel. I can’t miss this chance to be with someone who will make my life complete.” Tears sprang from her eyes. “I know it’s crazy. But it’s the truth, Miguel.”
“I-if you’re sure about him, there’s nothing I can do about it. I wish you well.”
Celine’s face lit up.
“You’re not going to stop me?”
Miguel nodded slowly.
“It is not easy, honestly. But I don’t want to be the reason for your misery.” He cupped her face. “You owe that happiness to yourself. Chase it.”
“T-thank you, Miguel.” She wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you…”
“I’M GOING to wait for you at my place tonight. Are you sure you’ll be all right?” Gareth asked.
They met at the market that morning. Celine wanted to cook something delicious for her mother. She did not know how to say goodbye properly. But someday, she was hoping her mother would understand.
“Yes. You don’t have to worry about me. Miguel is a good friend of mine, and he promised to help me. I’m sure I can trust him.” Celine stroked his cheek. “I hope you won’t change your mind.”
“No way,” Gareth said, chuckling.
“I can’t wait to be with you forever, Gareth.”
“Me, too, Celine. I love you.”
She stared at the sudden confession. She wanted to kiss him that very moment, but there were too many people.
“I love you, too, Gareth,” she said and bit her lip.
CELINE stared outside. In an hour, it would be sunset already. That was the perfect time to leave. No one would notice by then. Miguel will meet her in their backyard and take her to her meeting place with Gareth. She only brought a few things with her. Gareth would be waiting with a carriage to take them to his town. Waiting was torture, but she knew it would be worth it.
“Celine? Why are you looking outside? Are you waiting for someone? I thought you don’t feel well,” Celda asked.
Celine turned and found her mother standing behind her. She faked a smile.
“N-nothing, Mother. I just could not stay in my room for a long time. I get bored.”
“But you should rest if you want to recover quickly.”
“O-of course.” She sighed nervously. “I-I’ll just go back to my room, then.”
Celda nodded.
Right. She could leave now and wait for Miguel at the back. Celine closed her door and pulled her stuff under her bed. She would just pass through her window so her mother would not notice.
Celine’s chest was pounding hard as she jumped from her window, clutching her belongings tight in her hands. She hurriedly went to the backyard where she used to meet with Miguel or Marinel to pass the time.
She spent all her life in Villa Verde. It’s time to finally spread her wings.
She stood under the tree, pacing. She was nervous and excited. She hoped Miguel would arrive already!
And she heard footsteps behind her. He was here! She turned with a hopeful face, but to her shock, it was not Miguel. It was Ernest. He was back already!
She froze. Ernest looked confused when he sauntered toward her.
“What are you doing here, Celine? Your mother said you’re not feeling well.” He stared at her things. “What’s this?”
Before Celine could come up with a lie, Ernest grabbed it from her and opened it. Her clothes fell to the ground. He shot her with a glare.
“What’s the meaning of this? Are you going somewhere without even telling me? Are you leaving me?”
Celine whimpered when he grabbed her arms. It hurt.
“E-Ernest, let me go! You’re hurting me!”
“Answer me!” he demanded.
“I don’t love you! Let me go!”
He froze, but he did not let her go. It was a slap to his face. The woman he adored for so long did not love her. How could that be? He was willing to give her the world.
“What do you mean you don’t love me?”
“I’m not happy, Ernest, can’t you see? I want to be with the man I truly love!”
“You’re leaving me for someone else? Who’s that man? Tell me!”
“Let me go!”
Celine pulled away desperately, but her strength was nothing compared to Ernest. He looked like a different person now. Ernest may look calm most of the time, but he had a temper, and he was not used to not getting what he wanted.
“I gave you everything, but I’m still not enough for you. How dare you…” He gritted his teeth.
Celine stared in shock. He was not the same person she had known all her life. Ernest may have a painful past, but she did not know he would turn out like this.
“You’re just like my mother. Unfaithful, ambitious, whore!”
He grabbed her neck. Celine’s eyes widened.
“E-Erne—” She was choking her.
“Are you leaving me for Miguel? That traitor bastard! I treated him as my brother!”
“N-no… no—” Celine wanted to tell him he was wrong. His anger had made him deaf and blind as he slowly drained the life out of her. She grabbed his arms to pull it away, but she was losing it.
Celine fought with all her might. Suddenly, her hands dropped to her side. When Ernest pulled his hands away, she fell to the ground, motionless.
He stared in horror. What had he done?
“C-Celine?” He knelt beside her and checked her breathing and pulse. There was none. “Celine…” He tapped his face. “My love, wake up. Celine. N-no…”
He killed her.
I killed her!
His whole body trembled. He could not be caught. No one should know that he was the one who killed Celine! It was not his fault. Celine made him mad! And the bastard she was choosing over him…
MIGUEL was closing his shop early. In less than an hour, he’ll be meeting Celine to send her off. He could not help but heave a sigh. He was betraying Ernest, his good friend.
There was not a single moment in his life that he did not regret giving way to Ernest. He was troubled, he needed love, and Miguel thought that Celine could give him that. He never thought Celine would be miserable.
He wished Celine her happiness. Betraying Ernest was the only way he could make it up to Celine.
“Miguel.”
He turned and found Arnel, who had entered the shop. He was his assistant, and he sent him off from work early today.
“What’s the matter? Did you forget something, Arnel?”
He was panting.
“I, um, Celine asked me to call for you. She needs you. Y-you have to hurry.”
Did Celine doubt he would not keep his word?
Miguel nodded.
“Thank you, Arnel. You can go now.”
“CELINE?”
Miguel went straight to the backyard where Celine was supposed to be waiting for him. He was expecting to see her ready to go, but instead, horror and tragedy met him. Celine was there, but her feet were off the ground. A rope hanging from the branch of a tree was tied around her neck. She was not moving.
“Celine!” He rushed to her. He grabbed her legs and checked her pulse. There were no signs. There was blood in her nose. “No! No, Celine!”
She could not be dead! Why would Celine kill herself?
He climbed the tree to untie the rope. Miguel felt like his head was about to explode. This could not be happening.
“C-Celine…” He rushed to her side once again as he removed the other end of the rope from her broken neck. “N-no, no, please…”
Then he heard footsteps coming in his direction.
“Miguel?” Ernest uttered. He looked shocked. Beside him was Celda, who was staring at Celine’s body in horror. “What did you do to Celine?”
Celda screamed. “Celine!”
“No. I-it’s not what you think!”
Ernest rushed to Celine’s side, and upon realizing she was dead, he pushed Miguel hard to the ground.
“Celine! You killed her!”
“No!”
Ernest’s punch landed on his jaw. Miguel dropped to the ground, shocked and dizzy. Ernest grabbed his neck even before he could recover.
“I’ll kill you! Traitor!” he roared.
Celda dropped to Celine’s side and pulled her daughter’s lifeless body toward her.
“No, no, my daughter!” she cried. “Celine!”
“You’re mistaken, Ernest!” Miguel said and kicked him.
Ernest dropped to the ground with a groan.
“You killed her because she chose me over you! You killed her because you were jealous. I am not just mistaken, Miguel! You should die!” Ernest launched another attack, but Miguel dodged him and hit him back with his fist instead. He dropped to the ground, unable to move for a moment.
“Why did you do this to my daughter, Miguel? She did nothing wrong!”
“Mother Celda… listen to me.”
“Don’t call me that!” she said through gritted teeth. Her tears and anger blinded her. “You’re a beast, Miguel. I treated you as my own son! I wish you’d become a beast and live miserably for the rest of your life for what you did to my daughter!”
Miguel shook his head.
“I did not kill her, believe me…”
Ernest stood up.
“You will never get away with this, Miguel!”
“No!”
Miguel turned and started running toward the forest. He did not stop; he did not look back. He was not safe anymore. No one wanted to believe him.
“Celine…” Celda caught her chest. It hurt. She could not breathe. She was catching for air. And suddenly, she collapsed beside Celine’s body.
MIGUEL dropped to his knees. He was running non-stop. He had no idea where he was. All he saw was the forest. He could not see Villa Verde anymore. He was panting hard.
What was he going to do now? He could not return. If the whole village knew about it, they would all come after him.
“Aaack—” He suddenly caught his head as it throbbed painfully. What was happening to him? He was dizzy, and his vision became blurry. It was painful. He had never felt that kind of pain before. Was he dying? “Aaaah!”
He dropped to the ground.