Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Egregious

I turned away, my heart aching with a familiar pain. The escape was over. The cage was closing in. Habang maingat kong itinitiklop ang dinosaur pajamas ni Max at inilalagay sa bag, bawat hibla ng tela ay tila nagpapaalala sa akin ng lahat ng hirap na pinagdaanan ko para lang mapanatili siyang ligtas at malayo sa mundong ito.

I am not the same Lucy he broke seven years ago. Kung inaakala ni Felix na pabalik ako sa mansyon bilang isang bilanggo na walang laban, he's in for a masterpiece of a surprise.

"Momma? Are we going on a trip po?"

Nilingon ko si Max. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes with his small fists. He looked so small, so fragile, and yet he was the center of this storm.

"Yes, baby. We're going to a big house. Remember the king we saw last night? We're going to stay with him for a while," pilit kong pinasigla ang boses ko, kahit na ang totoo ay gusto ko nang humagulgol.

"The king po? Will there be a garden? And a dragon?" Max's eyes widened with innocent excitement.

"There will be a garden, Max. But the dragons... they're mostly inside the house," I whispered, thinking of Donya Anastacia.

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The descent from the apartment felt like a walk to the gallows. Felix was waiting by the open door of a black Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The sunlight hit his face, highlighting the sharp, aristocratic features that Max had clearly inherited. Behind him, two more SUVs were parked, filled with men who looked like they were ready for a riot.

Shion was standing by the stairs, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were burning with hatred for Felix.

"Lucy, you don't have to do this. We can still call my lawyer," Shion said, his voice loud enough for Felix to hear.

Bago pa ako makasagot, Felix stepped forward. "She already made her choice, Huang. And unless you want a lawsuit for interfering with a custodial matter, I suggest you step back."

"Custodial matter? Pinilit mo siya, Creed!" bwelta ni Shion.

"Shion, stop," I interjected, placing a hand on Shion's arm. "It's okay. I have to do this. Para kay Max."

I looked at Shion, trying to convey a thousand messages in one gaze. Don't leave us. Watch over us from the outside.Shion sighed, nodding slowly, before leaning down to ruffle Max's hair.

"Be a brave little man, Max. If you need anything, call Tito Shion, okay?"

"Okay po, Tito Shion! I'll tell you if I see a dragon!"

Felix opened the door for us. As I slid into the leather seat, the scent of the car—expensive leather and Felix's sandalwood perfume—overpowered my senses. It was the scent of my past. The scent of a heartbreak I thought I had already buried.

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The drive from Mandaluyong to the exclusive enclave in Forbes Park felt like a blur. Max was glued to the window, amazed by the towering buildings and the lush greenery as we entered the gates of the most expensive village in the country.

Felix remained silent beside me. He was busy with his tablet, scrolling through emails and signing digital documents as if he hadn't just uprooted two lives. But I could feel his gaze on me every time I moved.

"The mansion has been renovated," he said suddenly, his voice low. "Your old room... the servants' quarters... is gone. I had that wing turned into a gallery."

"I don't care about the house, Felix. I'm only here because you threatened me," I said, looking straight ahead.

"I didn't threaten you, Lucy. I gave you a reality check. You cannot keep a Creed heir in a two-bedroom apartment with a photographer who teaches him how to insult people."

"His name is Shion. And he was more of a father to Max than you ever were!"

Felix's jaw tightened. I saw the muscle pulse in his cheek—a sign that he was close to his breaking point. "I am here now. That's all that matters."

Nang huminto ang sasakyan sa tapat ng dambuhalang mansyon, parang bumalik lahat ng trauma ko. The white marble pillars, the manicured lawns, the oppressive silence of wealth. This was the place where I was told I was nothing. Where I was treated like a stain on their perfect reputation.

"We're here, Max," Felix said, his voice softening as he looked at our son.

Max stepped out of the car and gasped. "Whoa! It's bigger than the museum, Momma!"

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As we entered the grand foyer, the staff was already lined up. It was like a scene from a movie, or a nightmare. Some of them were new, but I recognized a few old faces—maids I used to work with. They looked at me with a mix of awe and pity.

But the most terrifying figure was standing at the top of the grand staircase.

Donya Anastacia Alexandria Creed.

She was wearing a stiff, champagne-colored terno. Her silver hair was perfectly coiffed, and her eyes—those cold, calculating eyes—were fixed on us. She looked like she hadn't aged a day, her heart likely made of ice to prevent any wrinkles.

"Feliciano," she called out, her voice echoing through the marble hall. "I see you've brought the... guests."

Felix's grip on Max's hand tightened. "They are not guests, Mother. They are living here. Permanently."

The Donya descended the stairs slowly, her cane tapping against the marble like a countdown timer. When she reached the bottom, she stood in front of me. I refused to bow. I refused to look down.

"Lucy," she sneered, the name sounding like a curse on her lips. "I thought I paid enough to ensure you'd never set foot in this house again. It seems your greed knows no bounds."

"Hindi ako bumalik para sa pera mo, Donya," I said, my Taglish coming out sharp and defiant. "Binalik ako ng anak mo rito. If you have a problem with it, baka pwedeng turuan mo ang anak mo kung paano tumanggap ng 'no'."

The Donya's face went pale with rage. She turned her gaze to Max, who was hiding behind my legs. She squinted, scrutinizing his face as if she were looking for a flaw in a diamond.

"Is this the child?" she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He looks exactly like you did at that age, Felix. It's... egregious."

Egregious. The word hit me like a physical blow. To her, my son's existence was a monumental mistake. A disgrace.

"His name is Mariano Xiandrei, Mother. And you will treat him with respect," Felix said, his tone warning.

"Respect is earned, Feliciano. Not given to those who were born out of a lapse in judgment," the Donya hissed. She looked at me one last time. "You might be staying in this house, Lucy, but don't ever think you belong here. You are still the same girl who scrubbed my floors. No amount of paint or fancy gowns can change that."

She turned around and walked away, her cane clicking rhythmically.

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"I'm sorry about her," Felix said, turning to me.

"Don't apologize for her, Felix. You brought us here knowing she'd be like that," I snapped, pulling Max away. "Where is our room? I want to settle Max in."

"I'll show you."

He led us to the second floor, to a wing that was clearly freshly painted. He opened a large double door, revealing a suite that was larger than our entire apartment. There were toys, a king-sized bed, and a balcony overlooking the garden.

"This is for Max. And your room is connected through that door," Felix pointed to a side door.

I walked into my assigned room and stopped. It was beautiful—soft creams and golds, a walk-in closet filled with designer clothes that I didn't ask for, and a vanity set that cost more than my first gallery commission.

"Everything here is yours, Lucy. Whatever you need, just ask the staff."

"I don't want your things, Felix. I want my life back."

Felix stepped closer, his presence filling the room. He reached out to touch my hair, but I flinched. His hand stayed in mid-air for a second before he dropped it.

"You are L. Sander now, right? The famous artist? Paint here. Show the world what you can do. But do it as a Creed."

"I will never take your name."

"We'll see," he whispered.

He left the room, leaving me alone with the silence and the suffocating luxury. I walked over to the window and saw the high walls surrounding the estate. There were guards at the gate. Cameras everywhere.

Max ran into my room, jumping on the bed. "Momma! The bed is so bouncy! And look! I have a robot!"

I looked at my son's happy face and felt a pang of guilt. Was I doing the right thing? He was happy now, but he didn't know the price of this happiness. He didn't know that every toy, every meal, and every breath in this house came with a contract written in his father's obsession and his grandmother's hate.

I sat on the bed and pulled him into my lap. "Max, promise me one thing."

"What po?"

"Huwag kang lalayo kay Momma, okay? At huwag kang makikinig sa sasabihin ng ibang tao rito. Just listen to me."

"Okay, Momma. But the old lady... she called me 'egg-regious'. Is that a good word?"

I felt a tear slip down my cheek. "No, baby. It means she's blind. Because she can't see that you're the most beautiful thing in this world."

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Evening came, and a maid knocked on the door to inform us that dinner was served. My stomach churned. Dinner at the Creed mansion was never just a meal; it was a performance.

I dressed Max in a simple polo and put on a modest dress. We walked down to the formal dining room, where the table was set with fine china and silver. Felix was already there at the head of the table. To his right was Donya Anastacia.

"Sit," Felix commanded, gesturing to the seats on his left.

The meal was served in agonizing silence, broken only by the clinking of silverware. Max was trying his best to be polite, but he was struggling with the heavy silver fork.

"Feliciano, have you arranged for a tutor? The boy's table manners are... lacking," the Donya said, not even looking at Max.

"I can teach my own son, Donya," I said, my voice steady.

"A maid teaching a prince? How quaint," she replied, a smirk playing on her lips.

"I am an artist, not a maid. At kung hindi niyo gusto ang paraan ng pagpapalaki ko sa kanya, baka mas mabuting huwag na lang kayong tumingin," I countered.

Felix let out a short, dry laugh. "She's right, Mother. Lucy has done a fine job. Max is more well-behaved than most of the cousins we have."

The Donya glared at Felix. "You are being blinded by sentiment, Felix. This girl is a distraction. And the child... he is a liability until he is properly molded."

"He is not a liability!" I slammed my hand on the table. Max jumped, looking at me with wide eyes. "He is a human being! At hindi ko hahayaan na gawin niyo siyang katulad niyo—cold, heartless, and bitter!"

"Lucy, calm down," Felix said, though his eyes were shining with something that looked like admiration.

"No! Hindi ako tatahimik! If you want us here, you accept us as we are. Kung hindi, aalis kami ngayon din. I don't care about your lawyers, Felix. I'll take my chances in court."

Felix looked at his mother, then at me. "Mother, I think it's best if you take your dinner in your room for the rest of the week. Lucy needs space to adjust."

The Donya's eyes widened in shock. "You are banishing me? In my own home? For her?"

"It's my home now, Mother. Remember? You handed me the reins three years ago."

The Donya stood up, her face a mask of fury. She didn't say another word as she swept out of the room.

The silence that followed was different. It was lighter, but still charged with tension. Felix looked at me, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You really have changed, Lucy. The old Lucy would have cried and apologized."

"The old Lucy is dead, Felix. You and your mother killed her seven years ago."

"Then I look forward to getting to know the new one," he said, raising his wine glass toward me.

I didn't raise mine. I focused on helping Max with his food, but I could feel Felix's gaze on me—possessive, hungry, and determined.

The night was just beginning. I was inside the lion's den, and I had just bitten the lioness. But as I looked at the dark corridors of the mansion, I realized that the real danger wasn't the Donya.

It was the man sitting at the head of the table. The man who looked at me not as the mother of his child, but as a masterpiece he wanted to own again.