Chapter 9
Daniel
I was standing with my wife, Narissa Eliza, staring at the huge crowd of people standing around during my wedding reception outside my house that evening. Many people had walked up to us, introduced themselves and chatted for a moment, before presenting us with a gift and then walking over to the tables in the lawn in front of my house, where dinner was served for the guests.
I didn't recognize most of the people who had come, perhaps because of the accident which snatched away the memories of my life before it. So I was bored while Narissa seemed fidgety for some reason. She was looking around, scanning the crowd frantically.
"Hey, what's wrong? Who're you looking for?" I asked her softly after watching her for a long time.
"My boss. I'd invited him for our reception. I'm worried he might be lost somewhere among this crowd, that's why I'm looking for him but I can't find him," said Narissa, looking worried.
"Oh. Uncle Harris just said the exact same thing a few minutes ago. Don't worry, he's gone to the gate to invite the guests and know when your boss arrives. So, just relax, alright?" I said with a smile.
Narissa smiled, "Kinda obvious that's what Dad would do. Dad really respects my boss, ever since that car accident when my boss saved Dad... you know about it, right?"
"Yeah."
Narissa smiled, and the depth in the warmness of her smile made me smile.
As I stood there bored, I caught a glimpse of Tiara, standing nearby with Isma and her friends. Why was Tiara so mesmerizing?
"There he is!" Narissa's voice snapped my gaze away from Tiara to the direction in which Narissa was pointing.
I noticed Uncle Harris and a familiar guy walking towards me and Narissa. I have seen that guy before; I was certain. But where? When? And how?
"Ah, sir... you came? Thank you very much for attending our wedding reception. I am so pleased to see you here, sir. Meet my husband, Daniel," Narissa said to the familiar guy. That must be her boss.
As her boss's eyes shifted to me, his face hardened.
"Daniel Sorrens; it's a pleasure to meet you," I introduced myself as I stretched out my right hand for a handshake.
Narissa's boss seemed to be glaring straight through me.
"Raymond Caruso; it's nice to meet you too," he said, with a slight tinge of hostility as he continued giving me that transfixed loathing glare, ignoring my outstretched hand.
I flashed a fake smile for a second, feeling awkward. My smile froze. His last name was very familiar. Raymond Caruso, huh? Then, who was Darien Caruso?
I glanced at Tiara, who had been standing nearby with Isma and her friends. Tiara's face appeared alarmed and agitated, unlike her usual expressionless face. I watched as she whispered something hurriedly to Isma. Isma and Tiara immediately edged their way out of the crowd and headed into the house. Strange.... She was near enough; she would have heard Raymond's voice. Is that why she appeared distressed and quickly disappeared into the house just now?
When I glanced back at Raymond, he was still glaring at me through the corner of his eyes even as he chatted with Uncle Harris and Narissa.
All of a sudden, it was completely pitch-black around me and the chattering voices completely died out, leaving me in a dark silence. The darkness around me gradually lifted. I was standing on a gravel road in an isolated street under a gloomy grey sky in the wee hours of the morning. It was a completely unfamiliar place. Where was I? What was I doing here? How did I get here? In this dead street...?
Pang!
Something sharp hit the back of my head as I was heading towards the taxi cab stand to get a taxi. I needed to reach Seattle, where my Tiara was on the way to the hospital for her delivery.
I stopped in my tracks as a seething pain overwhelmed me. I stood erect for a second, wondering what had happened.
Pang!
I felt another blow at the back of my head again. Grey silhouettes of men appeared in my vision as a group of six to seven unfamiliar men walked forward into my view from my behind one-by-one.
Pang!
Another blow on my head left me staggering to stand with the searing pain on my head.
As I looked up at those men again, I realized that one of them was Ray. He was clenching something, which glinted in the dark, tightly in his hand. I couldn't make out what it was at first but realized what it was in a moment as a knife pierced through my chest and was left planted there.
I held my breath and turned slightly onto my left with the force of the jolt as my knees buckled.
"Don't, Ray... no... don't do this..." the words formed in my mind but vanished unsaid.
As I stared into my brother's eyes, venom was all I saw.
"Spare my Mila," was all I was able to mutter as I collapsed onto my side.
Ray withdrew the knife planted in my chest as swiftly as he had thrust it.
Everything around me turned blurry. I lay sprawled face down on the ground as blood gushed from my head and chest forming a puddle of blood under me on the gravel road. I felt Ray and the other men leave, abandoning me in a desolate silence. I lay motionless on the ground for what felt like hours to me.
After a while, I was awakened by the horn of a motor vehicle. It was still dark. I opened my eyes to see the dim headlights of a bus approaching. I tried to stir but all my limbs were completely numb. I had only one choice - to await my death, as the bus approached at high speed.
"Tiara..." I muttered under my breath, as I hoped for my wife's and my unborn child's safety.
The bus horned less than half a metre away from me as the driver finally noticed me lying in the puddle of my own blood. The bus driver applied the brakes, but it was too late. All I could do was stifle a silent yelp as the tyres of the bus crushed my bones and dug into my flesh. As the pain intensified, my eyes shut.
Gradually, the sounds of chattering voices awoke me. I realized that I was back outside my house standing beside Narissa, who was still talking to her boss, Raymond. I was absolutely fine and unhurt. What had just happened? I had been standing alone in a deserted road. And then... My mind suddenly blanked out. And then, what had happened? My head hurt as I tried to recall what had happened but it was of no help. I just couldn't remember.
"Mommy? Auntie Rissa, where's Mommy?" asked Mila as she walked into Narissa.
"Mommy... she was here just now. Where did she go?" Narissa wondered aloud, as she scanned the crowd of people.
Tiara? Hadn't I seen her go back into the house with Isma?
I was about to tell Narissa that Tiara had gone into the house when I decided against telling her in the presence of her boss.
"Uh... I think she's gone into the house. Come with me, I'll take you to your Mommy," I said as I caught Mila's hand and turned towards the door.
"It's alright, Daniel, let me take her," offered Narissa.
"No, it's fine. I'll take her," I said decisively.
Holding Mila's hand in mine, I guided her through the crowd towards my house. I was determined to know the truth from Tiara... the absolute truth.
I opened the front door and walked into Isma, who had been about to open the door. Her face appeared weary and uneasy.
"Are you okay, Isma?" I asked in concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied casually, "but why're you here, Daniel?"
"Oh, Mila was searching for Tiara, so I brought her here."
"Oh, I'll take her to Tiara. Come, Mila."
"No, it's okay. You look so pale and tired. Just relax, okay?"
"Okay."
I watched Isma leave through the door joining the crowd outside.
I turned back to Mila and led her to Tiara's room. The door was closed. I knocked on the door; there was no response. I knocked again but to no avail. I was about to knock again when I heard a slight whimper from inside the room. I hesitated for a moment before shoving the door open. Tiara was seated at the furthest end of the bed, cowering backward.
"Why didn't you open the door?" I demanded.
Tiara hesitated for a moment before saying, "I didn't know it was you."
"So? Who else were you expecting? Raymond? Raymond Caruso?" I questioned her.
Tiara froze but remained silent.
"You lied to me, didn't you?"
Tiara remained silent again.
"Darien had a brother here in San Diego... yet you didn't tell me a word when I was searching all over the city for him!"
Silence was her response.
"Did Darien really work in that spy agency? Or was that just a lie?"
Silence.
"His brother is the owner of a prostitution club! What was he then? Tell me the truth!"
Silence. A frown creased her forehead.
"You always said, if I knew your past, I would hate you. What is your past? You were not a prostitute by any chance, were you?"
Tiara swallowed. But her response was still silence. No way, don't tell me she was a prostitute! Why wasn't she denying it?
"All that you told me were lies, right?"
Silence.
"Is Darien one of the men you met as a prostitute?"
"No!" Finally, a response aside from silence.
"Then, who is he? And Mila? Not a child you got out of being a prostitute?" Oh God, I really wanted her to say no, all this is an illusion!
"No!" she answered; her face distraught.
"Then?"
Tiara shook her head frantically.
"How am I supposed to trust you when you've been lying to me all these days, huh?"
"No, I never lied to you. I know I have never disclosed much about my life, but all that I've told you is true. I never lied to you... I have never been able to lie to you. It's just that there are some things that you can't know, some things that no one can know. But all that I've told you until now is true."
I shook my head in disbelief. "And how am I supposed to believe that? Gosh, I can't believe I've been allowing a prostitute to stay in my house all these days!"
"No! I am not a prostitute."
"How do I believe that, Tiara? You remained silent in guilt when I asked you earlier if you were a prostitute. Now, you object to it... which am I supposed to believe, Tiara? Whether you're a prostitute or not? What is the truth?"
"How do you expect me to tell you the truth when you won't even allow me a chance to speak?"
"Then, speak!"
Silence.
"What are you waiting for? Tell me the truth!"
"Wait! Won't you even give me some time?"
"Time? For what? To invent another lie? Why do you need time? You don't need time to think before speaking the truth. You only need time when you want to invent lies!"
Silence. And tears were the only response she gave.
"Tell me the truth, are you a prostitute or not? Don't you dare lie to me again. Just a big bunch of lies you've been feeding me all these days! Tell me the truth now, will you?"
"Daniel!" Narissa cried as she rushed into the room with Mila by her side, "What's going on here?"
I had almost forgotten about Mila. She had been with me when I had come to meet Tiara. But she had run back outside and called Narissa here while I had been arguing with Tiara.
I ignored Narissa's question and just continued glaring at Tiara in disbelief.
"Will you tell me the truth or..." I ranted, still glaring at her.
"Daniel, relax! Relax! Cool..." said Narissa, stepping in between me and Tiara, dauntless.
"She is a prostitute!" I fumed.
"No! No, Narissa, please believe me. I am not a prostitute. I would never stoop to such a low level," cried Tiara.
"You liar!" I barked, stepping past Narissa towards Tiara.
Narissa held me back as she said, "Daniel, no! Relax, please relax! Why're you getting so frustrated about her? Whether she's a prostitute or not, a liar or not, it doesn't matter to us. We are no one to decide on her life. It's her life, she can do what she wants.
She is just a guest here, that's it. You had only let her stay here to help her and you've helped her. You agreed she can stay here till a few weeks after our wedding. Prostitute or not, you've given your word to her. And it's our responsibility to ensure that our guest is contented here. So just let her be, Daniel."
I sighed, trying to control my temper, but failed. I just turned and left the room as I heard Narissa trying to console Tiara. I still couldn't believe it! How could Tiara have done this to me? How much I had trusted her! And she had dashed everything! I had even been ready to marry her instead of Narissa!
To be continued...
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