章 59: My Dad

"I just got here, but why is it so difficult to knock?" Belen whispers underneath her breath as she's standing outside her dad's house.

That same night Noah was celebrating with Ernestina, Iris, and Mabel. Belen took the opportunity to see her dad concerning her arranged marriage to Everest Fox.

Belen is currently having a moment while standing still in front of her dad's house, unable to knock willingly. On her way to her father's house, Belen had a bad gut feeling; she didn't know if perhaps it was because she hasn't eaten or something else.

Usually, her gut feeling is correct most of the time, but why did it have to be now? She just wants to talk to her dad, that's it! There is no reason for her to suddenly start feeling anxious and nervous as if she were a little girl who'd get yelled at.

She made a fist, took a deep breath, and exhaled, reminding herself that her mother and sisters are not around anymore. The only significant obstacle is her dad, but why is she so nervous as if she should turn around and run away immediately?

Belen also wondered as she softly placed her hand on her chest, "am I scared?"

The door suddenly opened, "ah-uh, are you Belen?" asks a kid wearing a long black hoodie and rugged shoes said, opening the entrance to the house. That kid was none other than Azaan, Iris's son, or better yet known to the world as her "little brother."

Her eyes quickly turned cold as she looked down at Azaan, "he's so short," she sneered quietly to herself.

Azaan couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he looked up at Belen with sparkling eyes, astonished by her presence.

It's true. Typically people who first meet Belen always mention that she's exceptionally aloof, dazzling, and oozing with charisma. Her beautiful brown eyes could send a chill down anyone's spine. Her smile and beauty mark on her upper lip alone was rare but elegant, and lastly, her body proportion was slim and curvy. Any man found her appealing. But her most remarkable feat that so many never missed to compliment and envy was her smooth caramel-like skin. It seemed nearly impossible not to have any acne on her face, but it's true, Belen was never the type to have acne.

She was nearly all too perfect in the public eye, but sometimes her oozing coolness rubbed many people the wrong way. That is the existence of her anti-fans who seek to ruin her reputation at any moment.

Just as Belen was about to say something, her dad hurriedly came to the door wearing a bright expression, "Baby! Come in," he gestures, making Azaan move to the side.

She walked past Azaan ignoring his presence, but when she stood in the middle of the living room, feeling a rush of nostalgia.

Edy was talking to Azaan while Belen glanced around the living room, staring at the furniture and frames on the walls. It felt all too strange because the last time Belen spend time in that house was only a few months after she returned from South Korea.

Her return was sudden, and Belen did not want to go back and stayed in that house until she virtually graduated high school. A lot of things happened in this house. It held sad memories for Belen.

Edy spoke aloud, snapping her from dwelling on the past to follow him into the kitchen. Sure enough, even the kitchen was different. Her father most likely remodeled the kitchen and other places around the house ever since she left. But she wasn't curious to see them. Instead, she preferred to leave that house as fast as possible.

She sat down, glancing at the kitchen's interior. It was so beautiful and convenient since it opened up right into the living room. There was even a little window beside the stove and kitchen sink. Overall she had to admit her father's ideas are still valuable and creative but very old school.

Edy noticed her gaze around the kitchen and stopped at the stove when he smiled, "I was just about to make your favorite."

Belen's eyes widen, bewildered, "Y-You're cooking?" That was a first since he'd usually say that the ones who should cook are always the woman, and he preferred it that way. That's why seeing something on the stove made her question him if he were crazy enough to cook.

Edy only laughed, "No. Our favorite tea. Don't you remember? Tea de Canela."

Ah! That's what that smell was. When Belen entered the kitchen, she did smell something familiar but couldn't make out what it was. Not until her father revealed to her that special tea the two always drank late at night.

She saw him stand up again to serve the tea into mugs. Her eyes trailed to her father, noticing the wrinkles on his face and his saggy cheekbones. Why is she just starting to realize now just how old her father is growing by the day.

It could also be due to not seeing him for the past four years. But even then, Belen never cared to notice her father growing older by the day.

Strangely enough, Edy looked fragile and weak in Belen's perspective. The man who she called and respected as "Father" was none other than an old man who could die at any moment.

If so, then why was she anxious before? It's not as if her dad ever hit her in the past, nor would he do so now. Belen could slap her dad, and his head would snap off, or so she thought.

Just imagining that made her recall a moment she saw that scene in an anime she used to love watching when she was younger. A slight chuckle escaped her mouth, making her father curiously ask, "Que Pasa? What's so funny?"

"N-Nothing!" she raises her voice, trying to keep her cold expression, but it soon melted as the scent of Canela entered her nose. The warm steam was enough to melt that stern expression, façade off.

Edy brought out a bag of bread from the Mapola, a Mexican store located downtown. And they so happen to be Belen's favorite as he placed a slice of bread on a plate beside her tea.

She didn't know how to react and only wore a blank expression, but her eyes were enough to show her dad how surprised she really was. Seeing her only made Edy lovingly smile as he recalled the past when Belen was young. She'd often find her dad in the kitchen late at night with tea and bread.

Since then, Edy remembers setting a napkin beside Belen with a piece of bread and a glass of milk. But Belen stubbornly wanted to try what he was drinking, and to his surprise, she liked it.

It was then that Edy and Belen would share tea de Canela and bread. He knew better than anyone else that Belen was a night owl and would often wait for him after work.

In his heart, Belen will always his baby girl.

That illusion soon shattered once he saw Belen's cold eyes. That's right, that was the past, and right now is the present. The cute, cheery Belen was no longer around, and a different monster-like Belen was sitting across from him.

Edy placed a piece of bread beside his tea mug. When he looked to see Belen, his eyes widened, seeing a faint smile on her face. It was very light, still. Edy pretended not to notice and smiled internally.

Maybe his little girl is not entirely gone. A ray of hope crossed his mind until Belen spoke.

"Dad," she said, usually making him flinch.

"Si, Belen? Que pasa baby?" he smiles with his eyes.

"The" she stops herself inwardly, seeing her father's calm composure. If she were to get straight to the point, there was no telling how this warm atmosphere might shift into a heated argument.

Belen didn't want that because she wanted to maintain this quiet peace. Instead, she quickly thought of another subject, "D-Dad, do you know what day it is today?"

"Hmmm?" he takes a sip of his tea, "today?" he wrinkles his forehead.

She carefully takes a sip feeling the hot tea burn the tip of her tongue, but she manages to compose herself, "It's HER birthday today. I'm surprised you have no idea about it? Mabel kept bugging me to attend HER birthday party."

Edy's face cringes, annoyed, "no wonder Iris isn't home. She must be with them by now. Hmph," he arrogantly scoffs, "what a waste of time, they're most likely going to drink until dawn."

Belen only smirks while picking up a piece of bread, "I know. That's the exact reason why I chose not to go. Instead, I came here," she showed her famous fake smile.

Edy proudly fixed his posture and huffed, "hmph! Good, you don't need to get contaminated by them. It's a sin."

"Odd…" Belen's brows furrow at his claim when she asks, "that's a strange phrase I haven't heard in years, dad. Are you attending another Christian church?"

Contrary to her suspicious gaze, Edy's face lightened up, "That's right, Belen!" he says excitedly, almost jumping out of his seat, "I've begun attending the congregation we used to visit when you were young."

She can see his excitement in his eyes, almost shimmering with expectation for her to react the same way. In truth, Belen hates talking about religion, anything about it, specifically with her dad.

Let's just say her experience in that field was not the best and even managed to cause her trauma. Not the religion in particular but churches in general, they are uncomfortable to talk about, especially when someone tries to mention God to justify themselves in her presence.

That is something Belen disliked the most. Using "God's word" to justify selfish actions and glorify something that people only use to excuse their laziness.

Belen gained this new perspective of religion because of her father. He exposed her to many churches, but one place she always seemed to hold dear in her heart was that congregation her father just mentioned.

She has nothing against Judaism but found it funny how her father believed he was apart of the Jewish community when he was not born into it. She knows her father converted, but that wasn't enough for Belen to recognize her father as a "real" Jewish man.

Actions speak louder than words.

Despite her experience, Belen is respectful. She doesn't mind when others are glorifying their gods as long as they don't try to influence her on them. Belen is very well aware of how important religion is to others and respects their belief. But when someone tries to use it against her, that is what she dislikes the most.

And hearing her father mention that specific Jewish congregation somehow stirs a bit of frustration in her heart, already knowing what to expect.

"You should visit sometime! All of the brothers and sisters have been asking for you!"

She's blankly staring at the bottom of her mug, empty. Her eyes were slowly turning cold as the warmth from the tea evaporated in the air.

"Dad," her sharp tone makes Edy stop talking.

"I think it's about time I tell you the real reason for my visit," she haughtily sighs, swaying her long black hair behind her shoulder.

"mm, what is it?" he nervously asks, afraid to meet her cold gaze.

"Dad, tell me the real reason why you want me to marry?"

"Psh, isn't it that a given? Of course, its because I want you to be happy, have kids, and-"

Belen sharply cuts him off, "what makes you think I'll have kids?" she evilly sneers.

"W-Well, you must have kids. That's the cycle of life. Get a job, find a husband, get married, buy a house and then have children."

She haughtily chuckles, "And then what? Death?" she confidently raises a brow, "we're not in the stone ages, dad. I don't live in Mexico. We were never raised to believe in such 'tradition.' Is that what you call it?"

"Ay!" Edy irritably grunts, "you youngsters don't know anything. I want you to have a husband and get married so he can help you manage A Star-"

"Okay," she blankly agrees.

"W-What?" Edy stares at her, perplexed.

"Ahaha!" she pretentiously laughs, "I'll get married as you wish. But" her eyes sharpen, "Choose someone else besides Everest Fox."

This is just a guess but ever since their last encounter or talk. Belen couldn't comprehend her father's reason for wanting her to get married all of a sudden. It's bizarre, she began suspecting her father's motives when he brushed aside Reuben's past corruptions.

No matter how much she thought about it, she could only come up with one conclusion, "It must have something to do with Reuben Fox."

After a minute, Edy confidently answers, "because I made a deal with Reuben."

"Then why me? Hmm," she pauses, crossing her arms on the table, "why not set Everest up with Iris? And if all you really want is for me to get married, then choose someone more beneficial."

Edy's eyes suspiciously darken bringing in tension, "Belen, what are you saying? You don't care who you marry as long as it's not Everest Fox?"

Belen merely shrugs as if she doesn't care, trying to play it cool to calm her father from catching onto her, "yeah. I mean, look at Fox Theaters. Once their chairwoman marries, she'll be aiding her husband. As far as I can see, Fox Theaters will be nothing and plummet."

She peeked, trying to read her father's expression when he takes a moment to think about her claim seriously. "Got him!" she hides her evil smirk underneath that pretty façade of a smile.

"N-No," he struggles to find the right words, "you are already close enough with his son Everest Fox. What would the media say about this shift of marriage."

"Come on, Dad, I thought you said you wanted me to be happy. Then, the only thing that can bring a woman happiness is money, right?"

Edy surprisingly laughs, "did you get that from your mother?" he takes a sip of his tea.

"Seems like nothing will change your mind," she says, pretending to sound defeated.

"He will bring you happiness. That man, Everest Fox, seems like a bright fellow, someone you'll need. Ah! That reminds me! I received a call about your wedding dress!"

She's flustered, "W-Wedding dress?" she almost spits out her saliva in disbelief.

"I heard from a few close friends of mine that you managed to seal the deal on expanding A Star in New York City! That's great! Of course, it's to be expected since you are my daughter!" he says proudly, yet his words were not enough to make Belen happy at all.

Better yet, they only made her angry as she gripped onto the empty mug, "I beat you to it, didn't I, dad?"

She hurtfully stares at his shocked expression, "s-so you knew, I was trying to come up with a plaza too," he admits lowering his voice.

"I did. I'll be visiting the site, and while I'm there," Belen hesitates, digging her nails into the mug, "I have already arranged with a stylist of mine to try out wedding dresses," she fakes a smile to satisfy her father.

As expected, her dad seemed happy to hear that, "Great! See, you are already one step ahead of me," he shamelessly laughs.

Belen silently saw him laughing, but deep down, her heart ached and burned at the same time. Her emotions were beginning to stir along with her inner locked fury against her father.

She looked down to hide her dark complexion when thinking, "that's all he can be happy about? Work…" she bites the inside of her lip, "Are you not going to tell me 'Happy Birthday,' dad?"

A phone rings. Belen urgently reaches for her purse when Edy answers, "Hello?"

It was his phone, not Belen's. She stared at her purse with longing eyes wishing, praying for someone to call her, to save her.

As Belen was listening in on her father's conversation, he suddenly grew angrier, saying, "Ay! Este Iris! I don't know why I continue to maintain her! If only I never had her!"

"NEVER HAD HER!"

"TAKE HER. SHE'S USELESS TO ME!"

These exact words began to echo within Belen's head as a sharp ringing stirred her heart. She anxiously ran out of breath as she looked up to meet her father's eyes. In her perspective, she saw an illusion of her father angrily yelling at her, "I REGRET HAVING DAUGHTERS! I SHOULD HAVE NEVER KEPT YOU! YOU'RE MAKING MY LIFE MISERABLE!"

These harsh words penetrate Belen like a knife deep in her mind and heart, nearly shattering her soul to pieces as tears stream down her face and her whole body trembles like a leaf trying to hold onto its root on a windy day.

She couldn't utter a single word. Her body felt numb, all of her senses paralyzed from fear. Her pupils violently shook the louder her father's words continued to echo in her head.

At that moment, Belen wanted to run away as fast as she could, but no matter how hard she tried, her legs gave out, which she eventually fell to the floor.

Edy quickly turned in the sound's direction only to see Belen shrunk into a ball, shaking uncontrollably and crying.

"Belen! BELEN!" he urgently shouts.

But the louder and stricter he yelled. To Belen, it only terrified her even more as she violently pulled her ears to stop the ringing. She almost wanted to dig out her eardrum if it meant she'd stop hearing those cruel words.

There are no words to describe how shocked Edy is feeling just seeing his daughter crying aloud like a newborn child, horrified of something.

"what are you scared of, Belen?" he gently tries to stop her constant shaking when he pulls away from her arm that's covering her face. His eyes widen to see Belen's horrified expression as if he were the one who caused it.

"Is she afraid of me?" Edy quickly thought for a moment until he yelled for Azaan. But the more Belen violently shook, her sobbing grew louder into a shriek, making Edy afraid and anxious because there is nothing he can do.

He didn't want to leave her side, but he had to find a way to call the ambulance, that is until Leah ran inside the house with someone following behind her.

Belen, at the same time, was suffocating. She could no longer control her short breathing. She was slowly running out of air, and her ears felt like they were bleeding from her nails. Her fingertips were beginning to grow cold and numb.

"Please, dad! Please! Don't leave me! Dad! I-I'm sorry! Dad!" she screamed internally with all her might as the veins on her neck appeared red.

"BELEN!" a familiar voice enters that wall of fright.

Everything turns black.

***

"W-Who is it?" Belen thinks to herself, overhearing what sounds like her father and someone else talking.

Their voices entered her ears as she slowly took her time to open her eyes, at first blurry but gradually became apparent when she saw a white ceiling.

"Where am I?" she forces herself to sit up, only confused to see her dad and a man wearing a white coat rush to her.

Their voices sounded a bit muffled in her ears, "ah!" she feels a sharp pain on the side of her head. But as she reached to massage it, her eyes widened to see her fingers bandaged.

"Wha-what happened?!" she angrily yet surprisingly yells, making her voice crack.

She saw her father's frightened yet relieved face and the doctor next to him trying to examine her, "How are you feeling, Belen?"

"Wha-What did you do to me!" she violently pulls onto the doctor's white coat.

Edy tries to calm her down gently, "Y-You don't remember anything?"

"Are you saying I did this to myself?!" Belen angrily shouts, forcing herself out of the bed when she realizes for a second that she's in her father's bedroom.

She felt disgusted for a second when she caught a glimpse of Leah peeking her head inside the room. That was the last person she wanted to see, and something overtook Belen when she noticed Edy and the doctor trying to stop her from getting out of the bed.

It seems like they wanted to question her even further, but Belen did not wish any of them to see her in this weak state. She figured by her bandaged fingers that something happened. She went into a state of shock. What or who snapped her out of it?

Unless! Her eyes glowed menacingly, running out of the bedroom only to struggle as she walked down the hallway into tables. She could hear her dad and doctor running to stop her, but she angrily pushed them aside, "DON'T TOUCH ME!!" she growled.

Like an angry bull, Belen pushed everything standing in her way to the ground, flower vases, picture frames, side tables, anything!

Belen rampaged down the stairs weakly like a newborn fawn that is just beginning to learn how to walk. Sweat running down her forehead and panicked eyes as she raced to get out of this hell house.

Just as she reached for the door, a tall, muscular man bumped into her, making her weakly collapse, but the man manages to catch her on time.

Just as Belen leaned against this man, she felt his muscles and seemed to have recognized the scent and lifted her head to meet his eyes.

The tall, muscular tan man handsomely smiled, looking deep into her confused brown eyes. Belen froze on the spot in amazement to see those familiar piercing hazel eyes, stuttering to pronounce his name, "Z-Zach?!"

The two looked like long-lost lovers that have just reunited for the first time in years as their eyes interlocked.

Zach responds with a charming eye smile, "It's great to see you, step-sister."

Hearing that word come out of Zach's mouth only made Belen's mouth twitch, unable to believe, "ha…step-brother."

Edy slowly approached them with light steps as the doctor and Leah waited upstairs in anticipation.

Zach quickly noticed him and, for a split second, wore a hateful gaze directed towards Edy until he shifted to a smile, "Hey, Edy. I can take her home" he gently tightens his embrace around Belen's shoulders.

"A-Are you certain? But she needs," Edy struggles to finish his sentence.

"I'm fine," Belen quietly speaks out, hiding her face in Zach's chest, "I have my own doctor."

"Y-Yes but!"

Zach interferes, "Don't worry, Edy. I don't mind taking her home."

Leah worriedly asks, "Zachery, son, how do you know Belen?"

He hesitates to answer for a second until finally revealing, "We're friends from high school. If you don't mind," he turns to Edy, "I'd like to catch up with Belen."

Edy can't seem to say no. Instead, he simply nods with a worried expression, "please, let us know what the doctor says about her condition, Zachery."

He carefully helps Belen walk out of the house and into the passenger seat of her car as he began the vehicle, "I'll be back, mom, Edy," he waves, backing the vehicle from the driveway into the street.

Edy and Leah only stared as the car disappeared until the doctor interrupts them, saying, "If you don't mind, Mr. Astares can you continue your explanation from before she woke up?"

He unsurely nods while holding onto Leah's hand for support.

***

Zach is silently driving on the freeway to Belen's house, but she, on the other hand, has her back to him and is lifelessly staring out the tinted windows.

It's tranquil, but fortunately, there is no traffic at this hour. It's been a whole hour since they left her father's house, and she has not uttered a single word. She looks like a disassembled doll just laying on the passenger seat, so delicate yet beautiful to admire.

"What are you doing here?" she softly speaks in a low tone.

Zach can't help but smile a little, "wow, and here I thought you weren't going to speak to me at all," he says jokingly, lifting the heavy gloom.

She annoying clicks her tongue, "tsk, stop trying to be funny," she pauses, "since when did you get here?"

"I came on your birthday!" he nervously laughs, "but I was surprised to see you weren't here anymore."

The car quickly went silent until he sighed, "I wanted to see you, Belen," he says seriously turning to see her reaction.

"Hmm," she scoffs, "whatever."

"Just rest, close your tired eyes, and I'll wake you up once we arrive at your house."

"Was it you?" she coldly asks, making Zach turn to see her glowing brown eyes.

"Who else but me," he proudly claims, "I can't believe you are still suffering from attacks. They've grown severe since the last time I saw you have one."

"Shut up, I can't believe you witnessed that…and now my dad has seen it too."

Just as Belen was beginning to beat herself up for showing her weak and embarrassing side to not only her dad but Leah as well, she started blaming herself for getting caught up in her trauma.

Zachery boldly says with a casual attitude, "isn't it only natural for a person to have attacks?" he confidently stares at Belen's deep clear eyes, "there's nothing wrong with you, so what if you have a few attacks? Not a person in this world is not suffering from trauma."

Hearing those defined words come out of Zach's mouth only made Belen feel a little better about herself. Usually, after an episode, she'd generally feel disgusted with herself and fall into depression.

Though something about Zach's words held lingering kindness and assurance that Belen needed to hear at the moment, her mood lifted as she relaxed her back against the seat, "…Yeah, but it's burdening."

"To who?" Zachery enormously questions, furrowing his brows. "Maybe to people who don't care, but for those few who do, they won't ever see it as a problem. I'm telling you, Belen, every single person deals with it. You're not the only one," he kindly says with a smile, "so don't be afraid to show it."

She lets out a giggle catching his attention, "you're still as simple-minded as ever, Zach!"

He agreed. And seeing Belen finally a bit more relaxed made him happier than usual. "Woah! I-Is this your house?" he exaggeratedly gasps as he came close to the gates of her mansion.

Belen pressed the control to open the gates when he slowly drove inside, "This is some castle, not a house!" he gasps, wholly admiring the massive mansion from the outside.

It's been a while since anyone has been impressed by the size of her mansion, so hearing Zach only made her examine it closely, "is it really that surprising?" she thought, noticing his widened eyes ready to pop out like in cartoon characters.

"Do you want to come inside?" she politely offered as she stepped out of the car, but he nicely refuses, "Nah, it's cool. Maybe next time. There is someplace I must go," he locks the door handing the keys to her.

She stared at the keys strangely, "are you planning to go walking? From here?" they both turned to the road when he calmly shrugged, "it's no big deal. I'm in the Marines. That little road will be my exercise," he proudly laughs.

Belen smirked, throwing the car keys back at him. He had quick reflexes and caught it with one hand, perplexed, "huh? What is this-?"

"Take it. I have a lot more," she graciously waves her hand, walking inside the mansion.

Zach yells, "B-But! Your car-!!"

She shouts back, "bring it to me before your vacation ends," she disappears inside her mansion.

Zach only smiles to himself while closely gripping onto the car keys, "that means I get to see you again," his heart excitedly skips a beat in anticipation to see her, "next time."