CHAPTER 2

Ellia POV

“No.. no! No..”

That shouldn’t have happened…

All I had to do was ignore it. Just mind my business, but—

But that was the real issue…whatever abilities I had—whatever was wrong with me..it can’t change my nature.

I saw a lady in need of help…and I acted. And if I had another chance to make a choice..I’ll probably still save her again regardless.

I arrived at back home in a few times..the moment I stepped in..I felt a sudden chill crawl up my spine—

The house was quiet and still…weirdly so.

“Aunt Hilda!” 

My voice carried easily across the wide space. No answer…

Strange. Aunty didn’t say anything about going out.

“Aunty!”

I yelled out again..this time I was already walking up the stairs…

When I reached the hallway, I saw it—

A door was slightly opened. The door to Aunt Hilda’s room.

I took slow and careful steps then…the wooden boards, creaking gently under my movement.

“Aunty..” my voice was softer now.

When I reached..and peeped in…the sight made her heart literally stop pounding for a couple of seconds.

Aunt Hilda…the strongest person I knew. The lady who acted like nothing..not a single thing fazed her–and yet she was sitting there on the floor…holding a book and crying.

This was sight I didn’t expect to see. Ever.

I stepped closer, trying my best to interrupt her…I caught a good sight of the book she was holding…

There was a picture plastered across the page. 

A young radiant woman with blonde purls exactly like mine and a beaming smile on her lips, beside her, a man with dark hair and crystal eyes…and then between them..a small figure they held so tenderly.

A baby with eyes exactly like mine…because the baby was me.

Mom…Dad…

This was the first time in years I had even gotten a glimpse of them..Hilda always tried to pretend they didn’t even exist.

“Ellia?” Aunt Hilda finally noticed my presence as she snapped her neck to my direction.

“I didn’t hear you walk in..”

She stood up sharply, sniffling and wiping her eyes and any traces of tears.

“Aunty what is it?” I stepped closer.

Aunt Hilda casually shrugged it off. “Oh nothing..”

“It’s not nothing. I saw—“

“Sweetie..” she cut me off. “It’s old memories..they just got me a little teared up that’s all.”

“But—“

“Hey! Since you’re back..” she forced a smile on her lips then. “I’ll get baking on your pre birthday cup cakes as per tradition.”

She stepped past me; walking to the door. 

“If I ask about them now..” my voice stoped her. “About how my mom and dad were like..what they did..would you tell me?”

“Would you even share a glimpse of thier lives..if they loved each other, if they…loved me. Anything…anything besides the fact that they died in a car accident…would you?”

She didn’t face me as the weight of the question really settled on her.

Then she sighed.. “you’ll know soon enough.”

With that she walked to the door. But before she turned, she muttered something under her breath that my sharp hearing caught—

“Tommorow… everything changes..”

Tommorow?!

What did she mean by that?…

I went to sleep still in thoughts about what happened earlier. 

It was not everyday you see the strongest person in your life cry…

And then the words she said before leaving—

‘Tommorow, everything changes.’

Was it just in the context of my 18th birthday or something more?

The darkness took me with the thoughts all still swirling around there.

The soft sounds of birds chirping woke me up.

As the sunlight poured through my room and a warm glow eased me off from my sleep, the reality of the day hit me like a tidal wave.

My birthday?!

The day I truly become an adult…the day I had circled in my calendars since the day after my 17th birthday.

I didn’t hesitate..the next second, I pulled the door open and was charging downstairs.

She probably had the cake baked up already..sweets as well.

Excitement was coursing through my veins—

“Aunty..” my voice dimmed and my expression changed the moment I saw Aunt Hilda.

Her expression was grim and weary…

That wasn’t a good sign.

I came down the stairs and walked up to her. “What’s this?” “What’s happening?”

She sighed..lowering her eyes to the floor. “It’s time I told you a little about your mother.”

Normally I would be excited…I’ve waited for this day for more than half of my life.

But the expression and the context wuth it…made me more worried than excited.

She took a seat by the diner, and slowly, I did as well.

The table was covered up with papers, envelops..documents.

For a long moment..there was silence. It was thick and heavy.

Then, she she inhaled shakily and spoke. “There are things I should have told you years ago..”

That immediately made me anxious and curious at the same time.

I leaned forward to hee. “Then tell me.”

She sighed in defeat and spoke. “I didn’t lie to you because I wanted to hurt you.”

“You lied?”

“Well…I hid things.”

“That’s lying.”

I saw a small inch of pain flash across her face. “I was trying to protect you.”

Protect me?!

“From what?”

A heavy silence followed. Then…she reached for one of the folders and slid it toward me.

I looked down—

There were documents inside.

Names.

Numbers.

Signatures.

I frowned.. “What is this?”

She swallowed a hard lump down… “Your mother’s legacy.”

My what?.. no.

“My mother died with nothing.”

The words left my mouth automatically.

That was what I had believed all my life.

We weren’t poor, but we certainly weren’t rich.

We lived in a modest house as a working class did.. Aunt Evelyn worked hard to make ends meet. That was all…

Aunt Hilda’s voice came out barely above a whisper.

“No, Ellia.”

She met my eyes full on then— “Your mother died with everything.”

My heartbeat stumbled.

“What?”

“She wasn’t just successful…

..she was one of the most powerful women in the country.”

I stared at her in total disbelief. 

No.

That made no sense.

“What are you talking about?”

“She built Haleon Global from the ground up.”

The name hit me instantly.

Everyone knew Haleon Global. Everyone!

The largest tech and real estate company in the state… and one of the biggest corporations in the country.

My mother built that?! Mo way!

I let out a hysterical laugh… “No. this is some kind funny joke, right?”

The look on Aunt Hilda face showed she wasn’t joking..

“No?”

“No. She was the CEO of the company until eighteen years ago..”

Aunt Hilda leaned in closer to me, taking my hand and looking me in the eye.

“You’re mother…Catherine Estrada…was a multi billionaire.”

My heart stopped instantly—

No way…this has to be a joke, right?