After school was over, Tiffany walked up to Declan with a few strands of her hair in transparent nylon she got from the school clinic with Zoey’s help.
“What is this?” Declan creased his brows as he collected it.
“I want a DNA to be conducted and if it’s positive, can you tell him to make time on Sunday?”
“You are making too many requests, ain’t you?” Declan exhaled.
“Return it then!” Tiffany snapped.
“No, we’ll have DNA conducted,” he hid it behind him with a smile.
“I pray it comes out negative,” Tiffany scoffed and then walked away.
“Me too,” Declan whispered as he watched her leave.
He still can’t imagine the troublesome lady to be his sister.
Once they get along as siblings, he was sure the lady would kîll him.
Oh, what a deãth contract his father is going to make him sign.
“Declan!” he heard his name and then turned swiftly in the direction the voice was heard.
“Baby!” he grinned as he saw the smiling face of Zoey and then walked toward her.
==
A few days later, Sunday. Aiden’s house.
Tiffany watched Aiden wipe the kitchen cabinets as she rested on a drawer in the kitchen, eating the cookies Aiden had just finished making.
After she left the sandwich bar the previous night, she and Aiden went to a restaurant and had dinner and then came to his house.
“Are you not anxious?” Aiden asked, his back turned against her.
“No, I’m not, why?” She mumbled as she dropped a piece of the broken cookie on the drawer where Lily was and watched it struggle to eat the cookie which was quite fun to her.
“You’re meeting your boyfriend’s mother,” Aiden giggled.
“Huh, we’re going for a different purpose,” Tiffany groaned as she patted the kitten on its head gently.
“I know,” Aiden nods his head.
“My mum knows you though,” Aiden added.
“What?! How?!” Tiffany widened her eyes.
“Well, nothing gets past the one and only Martha Wesley. I’m sure she’s only back from the business trip to prepare for my birthday party,” he answered, dropped the towel, and then turned to look at her.
“She probably digs into my life already then,” Tiffany said and then resumed eating the cookie.
“Yeah,” he nods his head and began to walk toward her.
“I see you have a large appetite,” he exhaled as he dipped his hand in the bowl and took a piece of the cookies.
“It’s so delicious.”
“See, even your kitten is enjoying it,” she grinned.
“I see. Babe, have you…” his phone rang at the moment which interrupted him.
“What a minute,” he raised his phone and picked up Declan’s call.
“What’s up?” Aiden greeted.
“I’m good. Is your girlfriend around, dad wants to talk to her,” Declan asked and Tiffany raised a brow as she heard the question.
“Yeah, sure,” Aiden nodded his head and then handed the phone to Tiffany.
“Tiffany?” the senator’s voice came up.
“Hi.”
“How are you?” He asked in a less nervous tone
“I’m good,” she replied curtly.
“Did Declan give you the DNA test results?”
“Yes, I saw it and I hoped it was really fake,” Tiffany snorted.
“I’m sorry,” he sighed.
“Don’t apologize, I’m getting sick of your apologies.”
“Okay. Erm… I’ve called Martha, she’s expecting us,” senator Han said.
He wanted to keep hearing the lady’s voice, but she was killing the vibe.
“Okay.”
“You’ll be coming with Aiden, right?” He asked again and Tiffany sighed.
“Yes.”
“When will you guys leave there? I’m ready to see you again.”
He said and Tiffany went mute for a few seconds.
“We’ll leave in a few minutes,” she answered.
“Did you eat?” he asked and Tiffany inhaled.
“Yes.”
“Okay, did…”
“Take care of yourself,” Tiffany said hurriedly and then ended the call.
“Did you guys finish talking?” Aiden asked.
“He talks too much, I had to end the call.”
“That’s rude,” Aiden eyed her.
“How is it rude? He asked too many questions,” she hissed and Aiden stared at her for a few seconds.
“I’m sure he was just curious about you,” Aiden twitched his mouth and then move away from the drawer.
“As if!”
==
One hour, thirty minutes later.
Wesley’s residence.
Aiden rode the bike inside the huge compound and halted abruptly giving off a loud screech.
Tiffany got down from the bike first and then glanced at the Senator and his kids who stood by the car in front of them. Together with them was a beautiful woman.
Aiden took her hand in his and then walked toward them with a smile on his face.
“Hey, mum,” he waved his other hand as he approached them.
“Mum?” Tiffany raised her brows.
The woman she was seeing was quite young to have birthed Aiden.
“Yes,” he leaned closer and whispered in her ear.
“Why did you arrive late. Dad has been refusing to go in till you arrive,” Declan frowned.
“Why did you come here? Do you need to show up?” Aiden frowned.
“Yes, this is about my family,” Declan scoffed.
“Did you guys still fight every time you meet?” Martha beaded her brow.
“That’s not true,” Aiden smiled.
“How are you?” Senator Han who had been staring at Tiffany asked.
“I’m fine,” Tiffany forced a smile.
“Hi,” Marlie waved her hands at her, grinning from ear to ear beside her father.
“You… Tiffany?” Martha raised a brow, her red lipstick making her look quite seducing.
“Ah… Yes. How do you know?” Tiffany asked with a blank expression.
“I sure ran a background check on you, no offense,” she gave out a menacing smile.
“I’m sure you did,” Tiffany answered with the same expression the woman gave.
She knew people like her at first glance.
She did not like her at all.
Even though she was her boyfriend’s mother, huh, who cares?
“Why is she here though, didn’t you say we have something very important to discuss?” Martha turned to look at the Senator.
“Yes. It is important. Shall we go inside?”
“Yeah, sure,” she answered, spared Tiffany another glance turned around and then began to walk towards the door.
==
Senator Han walked up to Theodore who sat on the single couch, with a tightly clenched fist and shivering.
“Is he okay?” Senator Han asked.
“Yes. What’s wrong?” Martha asked.
“Nevermind, I guess it’s just me,” he waved it off, patted Theodore’s shoulder, and then moved towards his seat.
“What’s wrong?” Aiden whispered to Tiffany whose body had gone still after she had settled on the couch beside Aiden.
“Nothing,” she mumbled.
“Are you sure?” he creased his brows and the lady only nodded her head.
“What would you guys like to have? I’d have my maids prepare it right away,” Martha asked.
“That would be later. I’m afraid I’m really pregnant with words,” Senator Han chuckled.
“You and your jokes, Lawrence,” Martha laughed.
“I really am pregnant with…” he was still saying when Tiffany stood from the chair slowly.
“What’s wrong? Do you need to visit the restroom?” Martha asked and Tiffany only kept mute, her gaze fixed on Theodore.
“Anny?” Aiden stood up and held her shoulder.
Tiffany covered her hand with his, pushed his hand off, and began to walk towards Theodore, leaving everyone in confusion except Aiden who walked closely behind her.
“I guess she’s going to greet your husband,” Senator Han smiled.
Tiffany dropped her hand on the arm of the couch, sighed, ” Long time, no see… My person,” and a smile spread across her face.
“Have they met before?” Senator Han asked with a frown.
“No, never,” Martha shook her head.
“Anny, what are you doing?” Aiden tried to pull her to himself, but couldn’t.
It seemed as if he was trying to pull a rock.
“Come on, is this how you’re going to greet your long-time friend?” she asked.
Theodore only sat there, his head bowed, his fist tightly clenched, and shivering in fear.
“Hey, what are you doing?!” Martha sprang up.
This was getting confusing already, and everyone stood up with frown on their face.
Why was Tiffany acting the way she was acting?
Why was Theodore shivering in fear?
“You should stay out of this, don’t you think?” Tiffany stood straight and then turned to look at Tiffany.
“What?” Martha frowned.
“I mean, you are the reason this girl is going through this, you know that, right?” She raised a brow sarcastically.
“W… Which girl?” Martha frowned.
Aiden shook his head in disbelief, this wasn’t Tiffany any longer.
This is the demon, Akilang.
And right now, he wished a miracle could occur that would make her stop acting the way that she was acting.
Tiffany returned to Theodore, returned her hand to the arm of the couch, and smiled.
“Look at me.”
While Senator Han stood in confusion, Marlie and Declan watched what their half-sister was doing with an unreadable expression.
Theodore raised his head slowly and then looked at the lady in front of him.
“You’ve aged miserably,” she smiled and then locked her eyes with his.
At that moment, her eyes turned red and Theodore widened his eyes in agony, his veins popping out of his face and neck.
As Martha tried to rush toward them to stop whatever the lady was doing, Tiffany points her hand at her, stopping her from taking another step further.
After a few seconds had passed, Tiffany turned to look in Aiden’s direction and then smiled.
She stood straight and then walked closer to him, still smiling.
“W… why…” he had just started when her eyes returned to normal and she fell on him, gasping faintly.
“Anny?” Tiffany knelt down slowly and wiped off the bead of tears that had gathered on her forehead with the back of his palm.
“Aiden,” she sighed.
“Theodore?” Martha rushed towards her husband who closed his eyes shut.
“Theodore!” She shouted as she shook him vigorously.
“Huh?” Theodore groaned and then opened his eyes.
“What…” Martha opened her mouth agape as she moved away from him slowly.
The look in her husband eyes had changed.
“Martha?” Theodore called out as he looked around the house he was in.
Where was he?
“Theodore?” Martha covered her mouth with her palm.
“Dad?” Aiden whispered in disbelief.
“Theodore?” Senator Han rushed over to him.
“Lawrence?”
“Yes, it’s me!” Senator Han cried out.
“What the fûck is going on?” Declan exhaled and then glanced at Tiffany.
There was something weird going on with this girl.
“Theodore!” Martha screamed, moved closer to him again, and then pulled him into a hug.
“Did you age?” Theodore scrutinized her face after they broke the hug.
“A lot of years have passed! It will be eighteen years in a few days!” Martha cried.
“N… no. That’s not possible. I was in the mountain just now,” he shook his head.
“Theodore…” Martha cried.
“Tell me this is a lie, how can eighteen years pass in just a few seconds?” Theodore looked around.
“Did you not remember anything from the past few years?” Martha asked.
“I remember going to the mountain and I released a… a… a mythical creature or something like that. Where’s Aiden? Where’s our baby?” He looked around hurriedly, hoping to see a small coat where they usually keep their baby when no one is carrying him.
“That’s him,” Martha points her hand at Aiden who knelt in shock.
The only memory his father had of him was when he was an infant… Till he was only one.
“Aiden?” Theodore mumbled as a drop of tear fell off his face.
“Dad,” Aiden whispered, tears falling from his face.
By then, Tiffany had already regained herself fully and knelt beside him.
“Aiden…” Theodore fell from the chair and crawled to the guy on his knees.
It’s confusing that his heart breaks so much at the sight of the guy who almost looked like the younger version of him.
“Aiden…” He whispered as he pulled the guy into a hug.
Declan cursed inwardly as tears rolled down his cheek.
He was so happy for his friend at the moment.
No one probably knew this, but Aiden’s greatest prayer was to see his father come back to his senses.
Now that his prayer was answered, his heart is tearing up for the scene in front of him.
God, this is unbelievably sad.
After a few minutes of the hug, they broke the hug and Theodore checked almost every part of Aiden’s body, starting from his hair.
“You still have the birthmark here,” he pointed at the black mole on his stomach.
“Yes,” Aiden nods his head, still crying.
Tiffany stood up and moved closer to Marlie, ignoring the suspicious look Declan was giving her.
“How did this happen?”
“You did not remember?” Marlie raised her brows and Tiffany shook her head slowly.
“Really?” Marlie frowned.
“Nevermind,” Tiffany pulled away, Marlie still staring at her.
“Theodore,” Senator Han called out and the man turned to look at him.
Theodore stood up slowly with the help of Aiden and then moved him to the triple sitter couch as the man was unable to stand straight and then sat beside him.
“You aged also,” Theodore smiled as Lawrence bent in front of him.
“So have you,” Senator Han smiled and then pulled each other into a hug.
“Who are those?” Theodore glanced at the three kids who stood together, staring at them.
“My children,” he smiled.
“The three of them?” He raised his brows and the kids bowed slightly, except Tiffany.
“Yes. I have three kids,” he answered.
“Three?” Martha frowned and then turned to look at the kids again.
“That’s why I said we have a lot to discuss and I’m glad at this beautiful turn of events,” he smiled and then settled on the couch beside Theodore.
Tiffany, Declan, and Marlie returned to sit on the couch, while Martha pulled a stool and sat on it.
“Firstly, would you like to take anything, Theodore?” Martha asked.
“I’m full for some reason,” he answered.
“Of course, you should be. You ate pasta before they arrived,” she chuckled.
*
“Theodore, do you remember everything that happened in the mountain?” After a few talks and silence, Senator Han asked.
“Vividly, yet terrifying,” he nods his head.
“Can you tell us everything, please?”
“Why are you digging into the past?” Martha frowned.
“It needs to be dug,” he nodded his head.
“What are you looking for?” Martha asked as she stared at her husband who wouldn’t stop looking around.
“Nova,” he answered and Tiffany’s attention got caught.
The man truly knew about her mother.
“Didn’t you take her to the mountain? I practically leave her to you but you took her to the mountain in that state,” Senator Han frowned.
“Why would I take her to the mountain? I left her in the house. I remember seeing her in bed before I left. She said she was feeling so dizzy so I told her to go to sleep and was going to take her to the hospital after Aiden’s birthday party is over,” Theodore answered and then glanced at Martha’s face, then Senator Han’s.
“You left her in the house?” Senator Han furrowed his brows.
“Yes. Did something happen?”
“S… she dîed after she delivered our baby… in the mountain,” Senator Han stuttered.
“Nova is déàd?” Theodore gasped and Senator Han nodded his head.
“Why and what was she doing in the mountain?” Theodore asked.
“Wait… Are you saying Nova was Lawrence’s mistress?” Martha asked.
“Yes,” Theodore answered.
“Why didn’t you tell me?! You said she was a maid!” Martha snapped.
“That was because we had to keep that a secret for a while. You were close with his wife,” Theodore answered.
“Goodness!” Martha exclaimed and rubbed her hand against her temple.
“Why did Nova go to the mountain?” Senator Han directed the question to Martha.
“I… I don’t know. I… I went to the grocery store and she was gone,” she stammered, avoiding their gazes.
“Lie,” Tiffany’s voice came up.
“Huh?” everyone turned to look in her direction.
“You sent her to the mountain, didn’t you?” She smiled.
“What… No!” Martha snapped.
“Yes, you did,” Tiffany chuckled and everyone turned to look at Martha again.
Aiden couldn’t tear his eyes off Tiffany whose attitude changed after she said those words.
It wasn’t Anny who said that.
That fûcking demon did.
“Martha?” Theodore raised a brow.
“I’m sorry!” Martha cried out.
“I swear, I did not know she was not going to return. I only sent her to get peaches for Aiden,” she cried.
“Peaches for a one-year-old baby?” Senator Han raised his brows.
“I… I just wanted her out of our lives. I thought you were having affair with her and brought her in under the disguise of a maid,” she hiccuped.
“How could you do that?!” Senator Han snapped.
“I’m sorry,” she cried.
“She was found in the same mountain you went to,” Senator Han said to Theodore.
“That mountain is dangerous,” he shook his head.
“How?”
“I… I stumbled across an old tree and I released a demon,” he stuttered.
“Demon? How?” Senator Han asked in disbelief.
“I set the tree on fire and a demon came out. I swear, I saw it. I’m sure you might not believe me but it happened and the mountain went dark at that moment,” Theodore shivered.
“I heard the mountain turned dark, did that really happen?” Senator Han asked.
“Yes. It happened, but… Something else happened,” he stammered.
“What?” Senator Han asked.
“Right before my mind went blank, the demon entered a baby.”
“What?” Senator Han furrowed his brow.
“Someone else was lying next to the baby but I didn’t get a good look, but I’m very sure I saw the demon enter the baby,” Theodore picked on his nails nervously.
“N… Nova’s baby… Where is the child Nova birth in the mountain?” Martha asked.
Aiden shook his head slowly.
The dots had finally been connected and his babe was going to get discovered.
On the other hand, Tiffany only watched and listen to everything.
She was mad right now.
That woman pushed her mother to her deãth.
If she hadn’t sent her mother to the mountain, her mother might still be alive and she might have grown like every other kid.
“Tiffany. Nova and me’s baby,” Senator Han answered.
At that moment, Martha’s head went blank and the only thing that rang deeply in her head was the word of the shaman years ago.
“On the day your husband meets the demon, he would return to his normal self.”
“Long time, no see… My person.”
Tiffany’s words echoed in her head.
“Don’t tell me…” Senator Han began as he watched the horrific look on Martha’s face.
“The demon is inside me,” Tiffany said, ever calmly.
“What?!” Declan, Marlie, and the Senator chorused in horror while Aiden only closed his eyes shut.
This wasn’t happening right now.
“W… What did you say?” Senator Han stammered.
“The demon that he released got trapped in me, and I’ve been living with it for eighteen years, ” she smiled widely, and her eyes turned red.
Deep red.
*
TBC…