2. What's the Secret?

“How did you know I was there?” Helena asked, pulling the blanket given to her by the man who had picked her up at the bus stop.

A man looked at Helena who was sitting on the sofa and then gave her a glass of water.

“Auntie told me,” the man replied.

Helena nodded.

“Auntie must have put spies in the house, huh?” Helena guessed.

“What were you thinking, Helena? Why did you stay just to get hurt?” the man was now angry, his face turning red.

Helena hesitated a little to turn her head. Hearing the man’s heavy breathing, Helena knew that nothing could calm his anger.

“I’m fine, Brother Philip. I stayed there because everything was fine in the beginning,” Helena said.

“That was in the beginning!” Philip snapped, completely unconvinced. “You know how angry I was, but I couldn’t do anything. I was worried about you, but you… you…”

Helena immediately hugged Philip to calm her rising anger. Helena knew she shouldn’t have done that to her older brother.

"I know, Brother Phil. I know what I did, so please stop," Helena begged, unable to hold back her tears. "I'm sorry," Helena said without moving from the man's embrace.

Philip finally calmed down and hugged Helena back tighter.

"You drive me crazy, Helena," Philip whispered right in Helena's ear.

Helena nodded, of course, she knew how much Philip loved her. But the man had to go to Jophi to take care of the family business that was having a lot of problems there so he had to leave Helena at Morphile with Aunt Serena, but Helena made everything chaotic by hiding her real identity and marrying Jimmy Frazie and then becoming a maid.

Letting go of the hug after a while, their gazes met. So many emotional feelings enveloped both of them, especially Philip until a strong urge made Philip suddenly kiss Helena.

The kiss was slow but then began to demand. Helena herself did not deny it because her thoughts and feelings were still chaotic. Philip's gentle actions made Helena fall in love but then she stopped the kiss and turned around.

"This is not right," Helena said in panic.

Philip was silent as if he had come to his senses.

"I'll change my clothes," Helena said then got up from her seat and went to her room to change.

What had Philip done? They were siblings.

Meanwhile, Helena sat and leaned against the closed door of her room.

"I must be crazy!" Helena cursed her actions because she was carried away by Philip's kiss. "Damn it!" she cursed.

There was a reason why Helena hid her true identity and married Jimmy but no one knew why Helena did that. Three years ago, Helena's life was destroyed, the happiness she had felt so far was gone. Both of her parents died tragically in an accident on the way home from a party then Philip was sent to Jophi. Although Philip and Helena were ten years apart in age, they were so close and grew up together. Just imagine, Helena who was happy with her family suddenly had her life changed overnight and was abandoned by Philip.

If Helena was honest, the feeling grew more than just brotherhood. Helena knew she shouldn't have loved Philip that much. Until three years ago, Helena met Jimmy and fell in love.

“If the rain has stopped, I’ll go home to Aunt Serena’s house first,” Helena said when she met Philip in the dining room.

The man lived alone in a luxury apartment in an elite area.

“Okay. I happened to have contacted someone to pick you up after you eat,” said Philip who was sitting in front of Helena.

Helena’s attention was diverted to the dishes on the table.

“Because my cooking ingredients ran out, I didn’t cook much. At least this is enough for you,” the man said again.

Helena was stunned to see the food, her hunger made her unable to divert her attention from the food and finally, she ate.

Philip watched her silently. His gaze was so deep, full of love and affection. But then he turned his attention elsewhere when he realized that the person in front of him was Helena who had grown up with him for years.

That night Helena went to Serena’s house, her aunt who was Helena’s father’s younger sister. Although she was allowed to stay at Philip’s house, Helena couldn’t help but stay close to the man. Something invisible always attracted Helena to Philip.

“Gosh. Look, who is this?” Her aunt’s cold greeting made Helena just grin.

Serena took a deep breath.

“Come on. Come here,” said the woman who was around fifty years old while stretching out her arms.

Helena immediately rushed into her aunt’s embrace and cried again, letting out the remaining emotions that were inside her.

“You’ve survived this far, Helena. So, let’s show them that you’re not a lowly girl at all,” said Serena while wiping the tears from Helena’s face.

“What do you mean, Auntie?” asked Helena confusedly.

However, Serena smiled mysteriously which made Helena frown, feeling that something big was going to happen.

“Come on. You get some rest. Tomorrow night will be a spectacular show for you,” said Serena happily which Helena couldn’t catch at all.

There was no point in asking her aunt, Helena had to guess so she chose to enter her room that had been abandoned for three years. The large, brightly lit house remained unchanged despite the chaos.

Helena's steps stopped and she directed her gaze to the wall filled with frames of memories.

"Auntie can't change those memories," said Serena who approached Helena there.

Helena's attention was only focused on one frame containing a portrait of herself and Philip together. They looked harmonious as a woman and a man, not as siblings. Helena immediately dismissed the thought again.

"If I miss you, I will look at this frame," said Serena. "You are beautiful here with your natural smile. But that was one day before your parents' tragedy," the woman continued to remind her.

Then the two of them stared at each other in silence.

"There is one secret that you and Philip don't know, Hel," said Serena suddenly.

Helena looked at her aunt who was still staring at the family frame with longing.

"Secret? What is it?" asked Helena.

Instantly her heart beat fast. What secret is it? But Serena just kept quiet.

"You will find out soon," said Serena while touching her niece's arm and leaving Helena with a thousand questions in her mind.

What secret?