Ellie’s POV
After I took a shower I decided to go down first to get some fresh air. I plan to go for a walk outside to find something to do.
I can't help in the kitchen because I don't know how to cook. I tried to help but Aunt Cora just laughed at me. Even before I tried to cook, I was told that I was not good at cooking, which was true. It's surprising because Aunt predicted it right away. The adobo I cooked then was just wasted because I overdosed on the mixture there. I still have to watch cooking shows on youtube when I get something out of the kitchen.
It's embarrassing for them that I can't do anything here while Señorito Keeion hasn't ordered me to start working as his personal assistant.
How am I going to start if he’s not here at the hacienda yet, right?
When I went downstairs, I found the waiters busy tidying up the living room. Some are arranging the couch, the new pillow case is putting on the pillows that are there and others are busy putting colorful flowers in the antique vases.
What is there now? I think they are all too busy.
"Oh, Ellie, there you are," said Aunt Cora when she noticed that I was just coming down from above.
She is carrying flowers and that is what she gives to the waiters who arrange them in large vases. If I’m not mistaken, they took the flowers to the plantation. Of course, why would they buy it if they have their own plant on the hacienda, right?
I followed Aunt to ask what other things I can do to help them.
When she stopped, I also stopped behind the old woman.
“Aunt, what's going on? I mean, is there an occasion here at the mansion today?”
She looked at me just to answer my question. “Today Señorito Keeion is coming home and at dawn the family of Señor Sebastian, Señor Alejandro's brother, arrives. Their other relatives will also come the other day to attend their family reunion."
Ah, there's just a reunion going to take place at the mansion. That's why everyone here is worried because they are preparing for the arrival of the whole Ruiz family.
I don’t know but I felt excited. I will probably see their whole family as well. All members of their clan smell expensive.
But I was more excited with Keeion’s arrival. If he comes home now, it means that I will also know my true identity now. He promised that the day he returned here to the hacienda, that would also be the day he would give the answers to my question.
"Man, let me help you," I said eagerly.
Because of my excitement, I love helping to fix them. After all, I don't do anything. I can help them and at the same time, speed up the work.
Aunt ordered a maid to let me put the flowers in the vase. The maid did not complain.
Aunt has already handed me the flowers to be placed. “Oh, here it is. You take care of the decorating, Ellie. If the flowers are still missing, just get out there. The ones there are new.”
"Thank you, Aunt."
Aunt left me alone.
What I am currently arranging are the vases that are here on the long table in the living room where some picture frames are placed. I hovered over them first before starting to put flowers.
First to catch my attention was the palm creative art placed on the picture frame. If I’m not mistaken, the acrylic paint was painted on the palm to fit the hand shape there. Two palms applied that art because it can be seen there that two colors were used. One had a big palm and the other was so small that it looked like the hands of a man and a woman were there. The one in the middle has a written date.
"September 11," I read on the date there.
I don’t know what that date was for and even more I have no idea whose palms are there. But I found it cute. The sweet look of that art.
The other pictures there are family pictures. All I can say is, Keeion looks more like his Mommy than his Dad. Their family is truly blessed because of the beautiful race they possess.
I took my eyes off it. I just focused my full attention on placing the flowers. I was slow in doing so because I was afraid I might make a mistake in the movement and break even more. Obviously, they are too expensive to buy because they are all antiques. It's also embarrassing to touch, with so much brilliance and beauty!
I was just busy putting flowers and I didn’t realize the time because I was having fun with what I was doing.
Until someone shouted from the door. We all turned to the person who shouted.
"Señorito Keeion is coming soon!" reminder of Arya who is currently at the door.
Everything was speeded up and finished immediately. I did the same. I accelerated but I was still careful with the moves I made.
In a few moments it was all over.
One by one they left the living room. I don’t know where they went straight. With the size of the mansion, you don’t really know where their servants are wearing.
I, on the other hand, just stayed in the living room. I stood beside Aunt Cora and Arya who were currently waiting on the veranda. We look forward to the arrival of their Señorito Keeion.
"I can't wait for him to come home," I exclaimed in absence.
At the same time, the two next to me turned around and there was a look of shock on their faces. Maybe they were surprised by what I said but what is so surprising there?
"W-Wait, what do you mean?" Arya asked.
My forehead furrowed. “Have you forgotten what you told me the other day? Didn’t Señorito Keeion tell you that I will know my true identity the day he comes home?”
"A-Ah, of course." It seemed that a thorn had been pulled out of his throat and he was breathing heavily.
What was that reaction?
That's weird!
We also waited a few minutes when we finally watched the big gate of the hacienda open. The fancy car in which the person I was waiting for was riding in there.
The car drove down the road to the mansion.
The car stopped in front of us.
The driver quickly got out and opened the door of the passenger’s seat. Out there came a burly man, Keeion.
"Please follow me with my bag," he ordered a maid who was waiting with us.
"Yes, sir."
His face was fierce and he didn't even know how to smile at those he met.
The man stopped when he could be honest with us.
“Son, have you eaten yet? Do you want me to prepare something for you to eat?” Aunt Cora asked.
"Not anymore, Aunt."
After that we turned our attention to a man who shouted the name of the man in front of us today.
"Cousin!"
We all looked at the man who had just come out of the mansion. This is Keeion’s cousin that Arya and I met at the mall back then, Cyfer.
He immediately approached him and hugged him but that was only for a moment because they also broke up immediately.
"Where is Tito Alejandro?" Cyfer asked. The man even looked inside the car, pretending that the person he was looking for was there.
“Dad will go here after his appointments and other meetings. He will just finish what he is taking care of in the company. ”
"Seriously, our dads are really workaholic!" Cyfer laughed.
But Keeion still blanked its expression.
"Cyfer, I'll talk to you later." After he took his eyes off his cousin he then turned to me. "Ellie and I just need to talk."
My heart pounded suddenly.
Why when he mentions my name, does it impact me differently?
His cousin did nothing if he did not agree. He just made me smile and I returned it.
"Follow me," he whispered to me before he finally went inside.
I looked at Aunt Cora and Arya who were just next to me.
“All right, Ellie. It looks like you are going to talk about something important,” said Arya.
I also went inside and followed him to the second floor. It entered the music room so I followed him there as well.
I found him inside already sitting on a couch. His bag was on the table and he immediately took it when he saw that I was also inside.
He took a brown envelope there. "Here's the documents."
I remained standing when I accepted the brown envelope he handed me. I already knew what’s in it so I couldn’t help but shiver as I opened it.
“I hired a private investigator in Manila. All the documents there show who you really are.”
The first thing I picked up was a paper on which my record was placed. It's like a resume with a picture of me.
"Samantha Ellie Alviar?"
"That's your true name." It averted its gaze.
I read the other details that were there. I found out that I was from Baguio and used to work in a flower shop there. Even my exact age I found out from that record. I was born on December 14, 1997 and I’m now 24 years old.
The next paper I took was about family background. My hand went cold as I held the paper because of what I read there.
I am the only Child of Lorrine and Virgilio Alviar. I don't have a sibling.
"Where are my parents?"
"You will know the answer in the agreement paper that is there."
I could almost let go of my hold because of what I found out in the last paper I read.
They have been dead for 10 years.
It’s because of car accident.
My knees weakened so I sat down on a nearby couch.
"I-I don't have a family anymore."
The man did not speak.
After I had processed in my brain the shocking things stated in the documents, I had another question I wanted to know.
“How about my personal life? Do I have a husband?”
He was silent for a long time and even swallowed it before answering. He couldn't even look at me.
“No. You haven’t yet.”