Family portrait

Chapter 7

"That was an accident, I'm sorry," he said.

"That's it. An accident, but even so. Even if you don't do everything on purpose, you still have to be careful," I told him. "Now get out of my room."

He just raised his hand and went straight to the door. I stared at his broken portrait of us. It is very important to me, because despite my parents treating me differently, it is also one of the things that eases my heavy chest every time I look at it.

That even though I'm just Dad's other girl's daughter, my heart says that they are still my family. That I also have my own family even if they are not happy with my existence in this world.

"You know what. It is also possible that what you said is true that of the four people in that portrait, there will be one more missing," he added and did not go out yet. He still has time to talk like that to me.

"Good and you understand," I said.

"You could be the one who loses it next time," he said, causing my chest to tighten sharply. Is he saying that I don't deserve to be with these people? The people who are important in my life. "Maybe next time I will be with you in the family portrait," he added and I looked at him. But all I saw was the closed door of my room.

The last thing he said made my heart beat faster and my heartbeat was no longer normal. He was so fast that someone could hear it.

That man...I don't understand him anymore. He doesn't like our engagement but here he is, whatever comes out of his rude mouth.

"And he's really super careless," I uttered. "Is that really an engineer? Shh.”

The next day I got ready for our flight tonight at 9PM. I wore my black tank top, a pair of white coat, and a loose white pants. I also wore black ankle boots. I slung my leather Gucci bag over my shoulder.

"Sister!" my sister called my name. She immediately approached me and immediately wrapped one of her hands around my arm. "I'm excited to go home to the Philippines, Sister. Dad and I won't stay here any longer and we will follow," she said, she mostly likes this.

"I don't think so," I just said.

"You know, Sister. Engineer Mergus is nice, super. That's why I also know that I won't be able to hurt you," he said and I looked at him.

We walk down the stairs and head to the dining area. I let him go with me even though he knows I hate clingy people the most.

"How well do you know that engineer, Arveliah? Do you know a lot about him and you were able to bond with him in a beach resort?” I asked her. I even felt that he was also stunned by my question and his eyes rolled. "Arveliah... He told me about that. Don't deny it,” I warned her.

"We're friends, Sister," he answered, which I still doubted. I can't see from them that their relationship is really like that.

"Just a friend? Really, Arveliah? Am I going to believe you when that man looks at you differently?" my manners

"Sister... Promise that no one will come between me and Mergus. He's really just my friend," he said in a pleading voice. I know my brother. He doesn't know how to lie because if he does that, he realizes that he is doing something wrong.

"Alright," I simply said. We reached the door of our living room but Arveliah stopped me. "What? Is there something wrong?” I asked her.

"Thank you for this, Sister! I really appreciate it! This will be my favorite bracelet ever!” he said happily. The happiness that I can read on his face, especially in his eyes, is not pretentious. It's so pure.

My gift for her is a bracelet with a daisy pendant. Even though it's my mom's death anniversary, I'm still buying gifts for her. That will not disappear. She's my only sister and my heart knows how important she is to me.

"That's just a cheap price, no big deal," I said but the expression on his face didn't change.

"I don't care about that, Sister. The important thing is your gift to me," he said and pulled me into our dining room again. "Good morning!" she greeted them.

"Morning," I just greeted them and Arveliah and I sat down together.

"Are you ready for your flight, son?" Dad asked me which still surprised me. He treated me well, because right in front of us was the family that...will become my family if our marriage with Engineer Mergus goes through.

"Yes, Dad. Mom helped me pack my things,” I answered, while glancing at my Mom. She just smiled at Dad.

“Anyway, Don Brill. This is our last breakfast together," Dad said.

"Yes...and I'm gonna miss this," said Don Brill.

One of our maids put down my cup of coffee and I immediately took it. I have insomnia every night and I know I'm not allowed to drink coffee, but I don't think my day will be complete without it.

"That bracelet..." I looked at Engineer Michael when he spoke and followed the bracelet he was referring to.

"What about the bracelet, Michael?" Engineer Mergus asked his brother.

"Why? This is a gift from my special person," Arveliah answered with a smile and that's when I looked away from her. I don't want to talk about Arveliah's bracelet, not because I'm ashamed because I gave it to her. That because...

I just ate my breakfast in silence and didn't pay attention to what they were talking about. I hope their topic will be different. My brother's bracelet is gone.

Why is it that among the many things that Engineer Michael can notice is that one thing?

"Really? Did you know that your bracelet is worth 1.8M in Philippine pesos, Ms. Arveliah?” the engineer asked my brother and I slowly chewed the boiled egg.

1.8M pesos seemed to ring in my ears.

“1...1.8M?” Arveliah asked in shock.

"Yes, last month there was an auction, and that was one of the things they showed in the bidding."

"Which auction is that, grandpa?" Don Brill asked his grandson and he was also interested to know about that.

"That's in Australia, Grandpa. That's an auction for Filipinos. All the women are bidding there, but the height of a woman's bidding reaches one hundred thousand and if someone raises it, it will possibly reach 2M," he explained and he knew a lot.

Only women can go to that auction, so why does he know something there?

Both my cheeks were hot from embarrassment. They might find out that I'm wasting too much money just for the bidding of...

"Really? Wow... I don't know, Aunt May Ann told me that the price of the bracelet she gifted me was just cheap. It's no big deal," said Arveliah and I closed my eyes emphatically. Why did he say that? It's annoying, isn't it?

"No big deal?"

“Worth it 1.8M?”

"Take care of yourself there, May Ann," my father reminded me to which I just nodded.

"Be careful," Mommy said and hugged me very tightly. Arveliah didn't come with us anymore, because he went straight to his work.

"Engineer Mergus," Dad called his name.

"Yes, sir?"

"Take care of my daughter," he promised seriously.

"I will," he answered and I felt his hand on my waist. I looked at it just for the sake of it. "I will take care of your son. Go ahead and leave first."

After my parents left, he quickly removed his hand from my waist and I started walking. He really knows something.

This man...

"Hey, wait up, Miss!" he shouted at me but I ignored him. "Miss!"

I just walked straight while dragging my suitcase. I have two suitcases and one is bigger. That belonged to Mergus, since he only had a small duffle bag with him.

"You went to the auction and gambled your 1.8M just for your brother's bracelet?" he asked me when we both boarded the plane. He was next to the window, which I was thankful for because I wasn't the one who got that seat.

For God's sake I don't want to see the sea because of my phobia. I just can't be restless during our trip and mostly what I do is go straight to sleep.

"Why? Is it a big deal? And I don't like the terms you used about that. Really gambling?” I asked him something annoyed.

"I just thought that...your brother is not important to you, but I was wrong. 1.8M is just a coin for you. Whoa, I just remembered my twin brother," he said and I looked at him.

"Do you have a twin brother?" I asked him and he nodded. "I wonder if there is a difference in the behavior of you and your twin," I said and he took another bite. I guess he didn't like what I said.

"None of your business," he just said. What a snobbery he is.

"There's no way," I said, even though it was weak, he still heard it.

"I heard that," he uttered. "Can I ask you something?" he asked after a few minutes of silence between us.

I'm not talkative either, eh. Just speaking correctly. "Dude, you already asked me," I said matter-of-factly and he cleared his throat.

"I did not ask your parents if you have been to the Philippines. So, that's my question," he said.

"What about that? I'm 25 years old when I went to the Philippines. I with everything.

"No need to explain that to me. I just asked you if this is not your first time. You said so much right away," he said and my eyebrows crossed.

"Seriously? You really don't have manners," I said and when he looked at me I gave him a hard time. I hate him already. I just shook my head and leaned on the headrest. But I opened my eyes when I felt his hand on mine. "What are you doing?" I asked curiously because he put a... "A cellphone?"

“Take it. You can use that when we get there. My number is on that speed dial but I don't want you to disturb me. So, don't call me. I am a busy person and value my time. Message will do," he said and I just picked up the phone. I didn't argue with him anymore.

"Is this an old phone?" I asked with a frown because I saw his picture on the wallpaper. He doesn't look old, because he's brand new.

"No, I just bought a new phone and there happened to be two of them so I took it," he said which I didn't quite understand. Is it right that you bought two cellphones? Well, you're the only one who will use it?

"Do I need to say thank you to you?" I asked him.

"No need. I'm not nice, you might just be disappointed in me," he answered me and I stared at him. He has put on shades and is about to go to sleep.

"You're not even doing anything, I'm already disappointed in you," I said weakly and he heard that but he didn't say anything.

I can sleep in the morning without difficulty. It's not like it's late at night, because my insomnia is catching up with me. I'm still healthy because I have a monthly check-up. I feel like I'm recovering because when I sleep in the morning it will reach the afternoon.

I just woke up when I felt something tap my cheek. My eyes widened in shock when I realized our position. I was leaning on Mergus' shoulder and that's why I slept soundly. Then I held his arm.

"S-Sorry," I shyly said to him and straightened up as I sat down. I fixed my messy hair first and took a deep breath.

"Let's go," he said and my heart skipped a beat because there was no emotion in his voice.

I roamed my eyes around the area, I think we were the only ones inside the plane and it looked like we had just arrived in the country, without me even realizing it. He didn't wake me up. I even fell asleep on his shoulder.

He also put down all our luggage and I was about to get my suitcase that I had been carrying but he quickly preceded me.

"It's all mine," I said.

"Just come down without struggling with your luggage," he said coldly. It's like he's just bipolar. Earlier he was noisy but now. He is quiet but he treats me coldly.

I just ignored that because what was important to me was that we could go home. Traveling is still really tiring.

It's noisy at NAIA, I expected it and there are super many people around. Mergus just walked straight so I just followed him without asking any more questions. This one seems hot even though I don't do anything to her to make her feel like this, ah.

"Wait up, Mergus," I promised because he was walking fast even though he was still carrying my two suitcases. What a long legs and even though I'm tall I can't keep up with him.

When we went out, the warm surroundings immediately greeted me and I felt like I was going to get burned by his extreme heat. It's still afternoon, huh?

A white car parked in front of us and a man quickly got out. He came to us to take my suitcase from Mergus.

Engineer Mergus approached the car and he opened the door. "Come on, hop in. We're going somewhere," he said. I took a deep breath and followed him. He is too serious.

To Be Continued...