บท 10: insolent daughter

"Celine...., " her mother cried. She cant help but blame herself for spoiling their daughter so much. She has become arrogant and disrespectful towards them. They have no one to blame but them for what Celine has become and they just realized how wrong they were. But who can blame them? Is it already too late to rectify what they did? She is their only daughter and they loved her so much so as to give her every wish and demand. Is it a crime to love their daughter so much? Her heart is crushed seeing how insolent her daughter is. Seeing her pained expression, Orlan hugged his wife and tried to console her. He was also to be blamed for it. He has turned a blind eye and a deaf ear on what is going on with Celine.

A few minutes later, the door opened and came Celine carrying a bag. Fear and desperation gripped their hearts as they watched their daughter walking past them and out of the door. Its like a thousand needles pricked their heart watching their daughter going away without any hesitation and without any regards of how they feel.

"Celine! Come back here!", her father shouted after he recovered from shock. He was about to go after her when suddenly,

"Ahhh...Orlan, help me", a faint cry from his wife was heard. She was holding her left chest as if in so much pain. Her breathing uneven and shallow, her eyes closed, beads of sweat are formed on her forehead and above her upper lips, and she was slowly collapsing on the floor.

"Adela", was all he can say and hurriedly caught her from totally collapsing on the floor. He held her wife and shouted for help.

"Help, somebody help. Celine come back here, your mother..... your mother.. help..." his desperate cry can be heared outside.

Celine who was just a few steps away from the their house heard it but she just stood there. Her eyes sharp, she looked back but turned to leave.

"Adela, wake up.... help us please", he was shouting at the top of his lungs, but who would come to help them? The next neighbor is maybe half a mile away as well as the Arante mansion.

His wife's face turned pale, her breathing getting deeper and her body getting colder. He tried to revive her but nothing happened. He started to panic and shouted again but no one came, even their daughter. He watched her slowly die and her daughter never came to help. No one came to help. His wife died in his arms. Her daughter left them without any remorse. How could this happen to them? He just stared at his wife, his tears fell blurring his vision. He clenched his fist and got up, carried his lifeless wife. He went out of the door, into the field and kept walking aimlessly. And the couple was not seen again. Nobody knew what happened to both of them.

Celine left without looking back. She heard her father's cry for help, she heard him call her name but she ignored him. She was determined to control her future. She is fed up with being poor and tell lies to her friends about her family. She wants to leave that poor and pathetic life and Greg is the key to achieving her dreams.

After turning her back on her family, she went directly to the Arante mansion. She needs to talk to Greg and convince him to marry her. She thought of a way to make Greg marry her. After walking for about half an hour, she arrived at the mansion. It was noon and Greg and his parents were having their lunch. Since the maids recognized Celine as one of the tenants of the Arante's and rumored sweetheart of Greg, they let her enter the mansion.

The head butler Alfred, who was Celine's godfather was surprised to see her being not her usual. Her hair was a mess, she looked like she had walked a long way to get there. Her eyes were red and had an expression that would melt anyone's heart. She looked pitiful and so tired. Little did he know that Celine purposely messed her hair, dirtied her clothes and even threw one of her sandals away to project that pitiful look.

"Celine...Oh my child, what happened to you? ", asked the worried Alfred. She came running towards him and hugged him like her life depended on it.

"Shhhh..hush now child, tell me what happened?", asked Alfred as she helped her sit on one of the sofas in the receiving room.

"Mom and Dad,.... they dont love me anymore", she said sobbing again and hugged her godfather. She burried her face in Alfred's chest and continued to cry. Alfred held her and rubbed her back like a father consoling her aggrieved daughter.

"Tell me what happened, don't worry I am here for you", said Alfred with concern in his voice. Celine has been so good to him, she is like a daughter he never had. Every time she visits the mansion, she never fail to bring him presents. She was so polite and a very loving daughter so it hurt him to see her like this.

"Uncle Fred," she continued crying and hugged him tighter. The unsuspecting Alfred did not see the triumphant smile on Celine's face. He continued to console her.

"Alfred, what is going on?'', Mrs Arante was just coming out of the dining room and was supposed to go upstairs. She heard the commotion from inside so she got out. Mr. Arante followed her wanting to see what was going on.

Alfred patted Celine's shoulder to let her know that everything will be okay before he stood up. Mrs Arante had a concerned look on her face looking at the pitiful Celine who was crying, her hands covering her face.

"I have yet to know Madam, she just came a little distressed", he said and threw a glance at Celine who was doing very good at acting.

Mr Arante had a curious expression, he looked at Celine and then to Alfred, and Alfred understood and sat down next to Celine.

"My child, you have to tell us what happened so we can help you", he tried to coax Celine who was still busy acting as an aggrieved child.

"I am pregnant", declared Celine looking at Alfred and then to Mr and Mrs Arante. Before all three could react, "It is Greg's", Celine continued and cried some more looking pitiful and helpless.

"What?!!!", Mr Arante and Mrs Arante said in unison. Mixed emotion can be seen on their faces. Alfred opened his mouth but no words came out. He doesn't know what to do or say.

"How could this happen?'', asked Mrs Arante after recovering from temporary shock. Mr Arante frowned but still maintained his calmness. He slowly sat down the sofa opposite Celine.