The Unknown Sister
Eloisa and I decided to visit Emma after my shift. I have a lot to tell to this little tattletale. I was annoyed with her when she told everything to Mateo. Goodness knows that she was a fool to do that. I do not want the world to know about Emma's condition for it would cause unrest within her father's company. Without her to ensure that her father's wealth would go on, the employees might get anxious for another heir. If by chance, her father dies instantly (say, an accident), then the company would be in shambles. Without someone to rule over the company, the company would come crashing down and cause the loss of so many jobs. This could possibly be a major loss to the economy.
"You were wretched to tell Mateo everything," I say coldly to Eloisa as we walk through the lobby of the hospital.
"I only did what is right," she says. "He is a great instrument in the search. There is a chance that he might know that third lover."
"Oh, he knows nothing," I say spitefully. "He knows someone that might know the third lover."
"Is it Carlos?" she asks.
"Yes," I say.
Mateo and Carlos. . . Alas, that fool was stupid to fall for two men with 'Jonathan' as a part of their first names! And now, the third lover has a Jonathan in his name! Foolish child! Does she honestly seek a man with a Jonathan in their name?
"Eloisa, were you in your mind when you told Mateo everything?" I ask as we step into the elevator.
She let out a sigh as if she is in admittance about everything. I know that she is sober right now. She does not say anything deluded or random. What has gotten into her? What made her sober up?
"Alas, you are right," she says. "I wasn't in my mind that time. I was a bit high and drunk. But now, I am doing everything I can in order to suppress my addiction. Forgive me, Rose, but you have to know that we have our own share of faults and sins. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. That is what I am. I am still trying to do everything."
She quoted a part from the bible. I think it was from the gospel according to Matthew. When she is in her mind (by that I mean she is sober), she is acting like a nun in all but name. When she is fulfilling her addictions, she turns into the opposite. She changed. How can she do that? Why would she do that?
"Eloisa, why did you get into drugs and alcohol?" I ask her. "I know your parents had an annulment and you currently live with your father, but is it really the reason?"
"Alas, my friend, the drugs and alcohol have distorted all of my memories," she says solemnly. "I cannot remember everything truly. All I know is that it began two years ago. Sometimes, I found myself awake on the streets. Sometimes, I found myself crying for no reason at all. Sometimes, I can't even justify my actions. Yesterday, I did it because I felt that it was right, but I truly do not know it myself."
I cannot help but feel pity towards her. She is the most unfortunate in the three of us. Emma and I would live without a friend close by, but Eloisa needs guidance the most. She will easily be lost in the eternal abyss of this dark and ghastly world that we know. She has already been there. Her only way out is through the delusions alcohol and drugs can give her, but alas, those are mere delusions. She can never truly get out unless a guiding might will save her from the depths of her gloomy world.
We arrived at Emma's hospital room. It was left open; therefore, we can enter it easily. When we went into the room, I saw a lady and Emma arguing. Even in her weakened state, she still managed to argue with the woman that we saw. Her parents are not here. This causes me to worry. Who is this lady?
"How could you?" the lady asks angrily. "Why did you disagree with that engagement?"
"I could not bear the thought of betrayal!" Emma exclaimed. "Do you honestly think that I would marry a man for your political and financial advancement?"
"It is not for me!" the lady exclaimed. "It is for our family. Love is of no value without power and wealth. Our mother knew that from the very beginning. She knew that romantic love is useless in this world. You should know that too. Or, maybe you won't because – "
"Don't go further than that!" Emma exclaimed. "If you dare say it to my face, I swear, I may be bound to this bed, but I can still return the favor."
"What?" the lady says smugly. "It is true anyway. You can't deny it. Poor child. That is why he will never be with you. Well, even if you can, you have chosen your fate! You have denied yourself of your inheritance for the sake of love! You are a fool!"
"It was the only way I can get out of this life!" Emma says in her defense. "After all, wealth would be of no use to me now that I am on my deathbed. You will gain everything. You are the heir in all but name."
"I cannot be the heir because apparently, adopted daughters are not included in the line of inheritance!" the lady exclaims. "I say this to you now, you are stupid for making that decision."
"No," Emma says calmly. "I am not stupid for I know that everything on Earth that we have is merely borrowed from Our Father. You should know that, Chloe. I am no fool. Perhaps, you are the one who made the mistake. You chose to let go of him for choosing the right side instead of you. D'you honestly think a man would truly love you for what you hold for virtues? Are avarice and pride finally a virtue and not a sin?"
"If you were not only in bed I would – "
"Do it!" Emma exclaimed. "Kill me if you must, but remember this, your sins will be held against you! I may not be able to haunt you, but the guilt will remain in your conscience until the day you die!"
I can see that the lady truly want to return the favor to Emma, but she has no choice. Emma is an intelligent woman and I can see that she offended the lady to the point that she cannot find the words to say. Instead, the lady stormed out of the room angrily knowing that Emma won this round. When the lady left, Emma gave a sly smile knowing she can still fight through words instead of guns.
This is what I admire about her. She knows how to defend herself through words. She does not need to fight to the death to defend herself. She knows that words are a much stronger bullet than a real bullet.
"Who was that lady?" I ask.
"My sister," she says. "Or at least, in paper, not in blood. My parents adopted her out of love. Or should I say, my mother adopted her out of love."
"What did she want with you?" Eloisa asks.
"She confronted me about some. . . improper intimacies," Emma answers. "Anyway, it was nothing but merely a sisterly argument. Thank you for visiting me, my friends, but I'm afraid I shall have to rest for the day. I shall talk to you again next time."
What is this girl doing? How can she shut us out? Ah, I see why. We did as she bid and went out of the room. Is she truly sending us out? What has gotten into her? I shut the door quietly and closed my fist in anger. How could she?
"What a liar!" I say angrily as I walk through the silent hallways.
I do not care whether I make a noise or not, but I do know something – I cannot hold my anger back when it already has gotten to me.
"Rose, she is not a liar," Eloisa says calmly. "She merely wants to – "
"Do you honestly believe her?" I ask angrily. "How could she hide something from me, from us – her friends and sisters in all but name?"
"Maybe it was merely familial – "
"She is a liar and a fool," I say as I step into the elevator and press the ground floor. "She is hiding things from us! How could she?"
"Rose, you'll have to let it go," she says as she tries to calm me down. "Some things are meant to be a secret. You don't have to know everything."
"I hid nothing from you, Eloisa," I say icily. "And I hid nothing from her too. You both know my strengths and weaknesses. You know how I came to be your friend and sister, but she keeps her own share of secrets that she never tells."
"Alas, my dear," she says. "Her heart is a box of secrets that only she has the key to it. You cannot expect her to tell everything. Try to understand that. If you can't, then you are a shallow fool to your sister."
You know, sober Eloisa knows how to fight with words than high Eloisa. I dare not argue with her. I will lose to her for sure. She knows every important bible verse there is to know. She and Emma always get along easily due to their piety. I am not as devout and pious as they are. I may pray the five decades of the rosary every day, but that was only for the sake of asking for a stronger faith. Somehow, I do not know what makes their faith strong. I can never see the actual reason for it.
As we step out of the elevator, we walked through the lobby. I was walking straight without looking to the sides, but then, I saw a figure. He went past me. I turned my back and there can be no doubt that I saw right. It's Rex de la Rama, the heir to the Rade Real Estate. What is he doing here?
"Eloisa, look, it's Rex de la Rama, I say to Eloisa as I show her the heir.
"So?" she says.
"He is the heir to some kind of real estate fortune," I say. "The question is 'what is he doing here?' Who is he visiting?"
"Why do you care?" she says.
"There is no one in their family that has been taken to a hospital," I say. "And those are his parents. This would make a great story!"
"Rose, let that pass," she says calmly. "You should let them have privacy."
"But why is he here?" I ask myself.
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LadyRivers
LadyRivers It is the early days of my time here in WebNovel. In the past few days that I have been here, I can say that I had a wonderful time. As it is the Christmas season, I have a lot of time to write and work on my four novels. After Christmas time, I think my updates will come once a week per novel. Thank you for the continuous attention, and stay tuned for the next update.
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