CHAPTER 5 — THE WOMAN WHO CAME BACK

Arabella's POV

“Victoria is alive. And she knows about your wife.”

Hindi ko alam kung ilang segundo akong nakatayo sa harap ni Damien habang paulit-ulit na umaalingawngaw sa isip ko ang mga salitang iyon.

Victoria is alive.

Ang babaeng akala ng lahat ay patay na.

Ang babaeng muntik nang pakasalan ng asawa ko.

At ngayon, bumalik siya.

I glanced at Damien, waiting for him to say something. Anything.

Pero nanatili lamang siyang nakatitig sa cellphone niya.

“Damien?”

Hindi siya sumagot.

“Who was that woman?”

He slowly lowered his phone.

“Someone who works for me.”

“Then why does she sound terrified?”

“Arabella, this isn't the right time.”

Napatawa ako nang mapait.

“Of course. Hindi na naman tamang panahon para sabihin sa akin ang totoo.”

He ran a hand through his hair.

“Victoria is alive. That's all you need to know for now.”

“That's all I need to know?”

I stepped closer.

“She's your former fiancée, Damien! And according to that woman, she knows about me. Paano mo nasasabing iyon lang ang kailangan kong malaman?”

His jaw tightened.

“Because I don't know what she's planning.”

“Then why are you hiding something from me?”

“I'm not hiding anything.”

“Really? Because that's all you've been doing since the day we got married!”

He looked at me for a moment before speaking.

“Go back to your room.”

I shook my head.

“No.”

“Arabella.”

“I'm your wife, Damien. Hindi ako empleyado mo na puwede mong utusan kung kailan mo gusto.”

His expression softened slightly.

“Please. Just this once, listen to me.”

I stared at him.

For the first time, I heard something different in his voice.

Not anger.

Not authority.

Fear.

“Are you afraid of Victoria?”

He looked away.

“I'm afraid of what her return will uncover.”

Before I could ask another question, his phone rang again.

He immediately answered.

“Where are you?”

A pause.

“What do you mean she escaped?”

My eyes widened.

He stood up abruptly.

“Find her. I don't care how much it costs. Find her before she reaches the Sinclair residence.”

The call ended.

I felt my stomach drop.

“Why would she go to my father's house?”

Damien looked at me.

“Because your father knows she's alive.”

My heart stopped.

“What?”

“Get dressed. We're going somewhere.”

“Where?”

“To your father's house.”

I stared at him.

“I'm coming with you.”

He didn't argue this time.

“Stay beside me. And whatever happens, don't trust anyone.”

I swallowed hard.

“Not even you?”

He held my gaze.

“Especially not me.”

11:45 PM — Sinclair Residence

The moment we arrived, I noticed that the main gate was wide open.

Several security guards were standing outside.

Something was wrong.

“Damien, bakit maraming guards?”

He didn't answer.

Instead, he held my wrist gently and guided me toward the entrance.

“Stay close.”

Pagpasok namin sa bahay, nakita ko si Papa na nakatayo sa gitna ng sala.

He looked shocked when he saw us.

“Arabella?”

“Papa, what's happening?”

His eyes shifted toward Damien.

“What is he doing here?”

Damien stepped forward.

“Where is she?”

My father frowned.

“Who?”

“Don't play games with me, Sinclair. Where is Victoria?”

Napahawak si Papa sa sofa.

“Hindi ko alam ang sinasabi mo.”

Damien let out a bitter laugh.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Get out of my house.”

“Not until you tell me the truth.”

I stepped between them.

“Enough! Pareho na kayong tumigil!”

I turned toward my father.

“Papa, please. Is Victoria alive?”

His expression changed.

For a moment, he looked as if he had been caught doing something terrible.

Then he slowly closed his eyes.

“Yes.”

My knees almost gave out.

“Since when?”

He didn't answer.

“Papa, since when?”

“Three years.”

Three years?

I stared at him in disbelief.

“Three years? Alam mong buhay siya for three years?”

He nodded slowly.

“I'm sorry, anak.”

I shook my head.

“Why? Bakit mo itinago?”

“Because I promised someone I would protect her.”

Damien moved closer.

“Who?”

My father looked directly at him.

“Her mother.”

Silence filled the room.

Damien's face turned pale.

“Victoria's mother is dead.”

My father shook his head.

“That's what you were told.”

Damien grabbed the back of a chair.

“What are you saying?”

“Victoria didn't disappear because of an accident. Someone helped her escape.”

“Who?”

My father looked at me.

And somehow, I already knew that the next words would change everything.

“Your mother.”

I froze.

“My... mother?”

“Yes, Arabella.”

I stepped backward.

“Papa, Mama died when I was ten.”

“I know.”

“Then how could she have helped Victoria?”

My father couldn't look at me.

“Because before she died, your mother discovered something about the Kingsley family.”

Damien's eyes narrowed.

“What did she discover?”

Before Papa could answer, a loud crash came from upstairs.

Everyone turned.

One of the guards immediately rushed toward the staircase.

“Sir! May tao po sa second floor!”

Damien pulled me behind him.

“Stay here.”

But I couldn't move.

A woman's voice suddenly echoed from the upper floor.

“Arabella?”

My blood turned cold.

I knew that voice.

I hadn't heard it in years.

It was soft.

Familiar.

And impossible.

“Arabella, anak...”

I slowly looked toward the staircase.

A woman was standing at the top.

She wore a long beige coat, her dark hair falling over her shoulders. Her face was pale, and tears were streaming down her cheeks.

My lips trembled.

“Mama?”

The Woman Who Should Be Dead

I couldn't breathe.

For years, I had believed that my mother was gone.

I remembered her funeral.

I remembered the black dress I wore.

I remembered Papa holding my hand while telling me that Mama would never come home again.

But the woman standing in front of me...

She looked exactly like her.

“Anak...”

She took one step down.

I immediately covered my mouth.

“Mama?”

She began crying.

“I'm sorry, baby.”

I shook my head.

“No... No, this isn't real.”

I turned toward my father.

“Papa? What's happening?”

He looked down.

“Arabella, please—”

“YOU TOLD ME SHE WAS DEAD!”

My voice cracked.

“You let me cry for her! You let me visit her grave every year!”

My mother descended the remaining stairs.

“Anak, please. Let me explain.”

I stepped away.

“Don't come near me.”

She stopped.

Her tears fell faster.

“I know you hate me.”

“Hate you?”

I laughed through my tears.

“I spent years missing you! I spent years wishing I could hear your voice again! And now you're standing in front of me like nothing happened?”

“I'm sorry.”

“Why did you leave me?”

She looked toward my father.

“Because I had to protect you.”

“From whom?”

No one answered.

Then Damien spoke.

“From my family?”

My mother slowly turned toward him.

Her expression changed.

“Damien Kingsley.”

He stared at her.

“You know me?”

She nodded.

“Unfortunately.”

Damien took a step forward.

“Then tell me what happened to Victoria.”

My mother looked at him for a long moment.

“She's alive.”

“I already know that.”

“Then you should also know that she didn't disappear because of the Sinclairs.”

Damien's eyes darkened.

“Don't tell me you're trying to protect them.”

“I'm trying to protect the truth.”

He clenched his fists.

“Three years. Three years I spent searching for her. Three years I blamed Arabella's family.”

My mother looked at me.

“And that's exactly what they wanted.”

I felt a chill run down my spine.

“Who wanted that?”

My mother took a trembling breath.

“Your grandfather.”

Damien froze.

“My grandfather?”

“Yes. Your grandfather knew Victoria was going to expose a secret about the Kingsley empire.”

Damien shook his head.

“That's impossible. My grandfather died before the accident.”

My mother gave him a sad smile.

“Are you sure he did?”

Silence.

Damien's face lost its color.

“What?”

Before my mother could continue, Papa suddenly shouted.

“That's enough!”

We all turned toward him.

He looked terrified.

“Hindi mo dapat sinasabi iyan dito!”

My mother glared at him.

“It's been years, Richard. Hindi na natin kayang itago ang katotohanan.”

Papa approached her.

“You promised you wouldn't involve Arabella.”

“And you promised to protect her!”

My heart pounded.

“Can someone please tell me what is happening?”

My mother looked at me.

Then she slowly reached inside her coat and pulled out a small envelope.

“Arabella, this belongs to you.”

I hesitated before taking it.

“What is this?”

“Something I kept before I disappeared.”

I opened the envelope.

Inside was an old photograph.

My hands began trembling.

It showed my mother standing beside a young woman.

Victoria.

But that wasn't what shocked me.

There was another person in the photograph.

A little girl.

A little girl who looked exactly like me.

I turned the photograph over.

There was a handwritten message.

To my beloved daughter, Arabella. If you ever discover the truth, remember that you were never supposed to be part of their revenge.

My eyes filled with tears.

“Why is there a picture of me with Victoria?”

My mother held my hand.

“Because Victoria isn't just Damien's former fiancée.”

I looked at her.

“Then who is she?”

My mother whispered something that made my entire world collapse.

“Victoria is your older sister.”

The Secret Between Two Families

“No.”

I immediately pulled my hand away.

“That's impossible.”

My mother shook her head.

“Arabella, please listen—”

“No! I don't have a sister!”

“You do.”

I looked at Papa.

“Is it true?”

He couldn't answer.

“Papa!”

He slowly nodded.

I covered my mouth.

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because we thought it was the only way to keep you safe.”

I turned toward Damien.

He looked equally shocked.

“Did you know?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“No.”

“Then why did you suspect my family?”

“Because the evidence pointed to your father.”

My mother interrupted.

“Because someone deliberately planted it.”

Damien looked at her.

“Who?”

My mother slowly turned toward the front door.

Everyone followed her gaze.

A man was standing there.

Wearing a perfectly tailored black suit.

His hair was gray, but his posture remained straight.

Damien's eyes widened.

“Grandfather?”

I felt my heart stop.

The man smiled.

“Hello, Damien.”

Damien stepped backward.

“That's impossible.”

The old man entered the room as if he owned the house.

“Apparently, not everything you've been told is true.”

My mother immediately pulled me behind her.

“Stay away from her.”

The old man chuckled.

“Still protecting the girl, Eleanor?”

I stared at him.

Eleanor.

My mother's name.

“Who are you?” I whispered.

He turned toward me.

His smile disappeared.

“I'm the man who made sure you and your sister would never grow up together.”

Damien stepped forward.

“What did you do to Victoria?”

The old man looked at him.

“Your fiancée was never meant to survive that night.”

My stomach twisted.

“Then why is she alive?”

He smiled again.

“Because someone betrayed me.”

Suddenly, his phone rang.

He answered it.

“Yes?”

A pause.

Then his expression changed.

“What do you mean she's here?”

He slowly lowered the phone.

Everyone stared at him.

Then a familiar voice came from outside.

“Because I'm done hiding.”

A woman entered the house.

Long dark hair.

Pale skin.

And familiar red lips.

She looked directly at Damien.

Then at me.

Her eyes filled with tears.

“Hello, little sister.”

I couldn't move.

Damien whispered her name.

“Victoria...”

She smiled sadly.

“Hello, Damien.”

Then she looked at the old man.

“Grandfather, did you really think I would stay dead forever?”

The old man's expression turned furious.

“Victoria, you should have stayed away.”

She ignored him and walked toward me.

I stared at her, unable to understand why this stranger was calling me her sister.

Then she gently held my hand.

“Arabella, there's something you need to know.”

I swallowed.

“What?”

She leaned closer and whispered:

“Your husband didn't marry you just to investigate your father.”

I looked at Damien.

His face turned pale.

Victoria continued.

“He married you because three years ago, before I disappeared, I discovered that Damien was supposed to marry you first.”

My breath caught.

“What?”

Victoria's eyes filled with tears.

“And there's one more thing.”

She looked at Damien.

“Tell her, Damien. Tell your wife who her real father is.”

I slowly turned toward Papa.

He was crying.

“Papa?”

He stepped toward me.

“Arabella, anak...”

But Victoria spoke again.

“Richard Sinclair isn't your biological father.”

The world went silent.

I stared at the two men.

My father.

My husband.

And the family that had hidden the truth from me.

Then Damien finally whispered:

“Arabella... I'm sorry.”

I shook my head.

“Why?”

He closed his eyes.

“Because the man standing in front of you...”

He pointed toward his grandfather.

“...is your real father.”

END OF CHAPTER 5.