Aphrodite (Complete)

Chapter Sixty One

Chapter Sixty One

The Lucian Casamayor Fête (II)

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Hindi ko na napansin si Lucian. He did kiss me on the lips, held my hand, and as if with that gesture alone, he was telling everybody what's his. I would've feel so uncomfortable with it... pero hindi ko naramdaman 'yon. I hate to admit it to myself. Fear, that's what I've been feeling. I'm with someone important, and something I cherish for life was left at home, unguarded by me.

What could possibly go wrong? Anything.

"I'm glad you're here." Lucian whispered in my ear. I could tell he wasn't interested on a conversation he's having. The guest was talkative, not really a boring person, it's just that we're uninterested. Out of respect, we remained and had a little agonizing chit chat. Mukhang hindi na nakayanan ni Lucian at pasimple itong kumakausap sa'kin. "There's someone to keep me sane from all these..."

I just shrugged.

Sa wakas ay nakakita na rin nang katapat ang kausap namin at doon na siya dumadal. We excused ourselves on the table and went to wherever Lucian would take me. Along the way, a lot of guest still greets Lucian which even took a lot of time. They keep asking questions about me and I keep my answers short and simple. I didn't want to converse with anyone so as much as possible. I am quite busy looking around the crowd, trying not to overlook everything.

An enemy resides close. Hephaestus is here.

Stacey's voice echos in my head like some kind of incantation. Nanunuot ito sa balat ko. Nakakakilabot. Anyone in this room could be a suspect, it doesn't matter. If I spot one oddity in this room, I have no mercy left in me.

The crowd around probably became larger, na para ba'ng pinipyestahan kami. It wasn't the celebrant they were flocking, it was me, apparently a Yevtushenko, the most influencial family in Forbidden Lake. We're richer than the Casamayors, that's a fact... which made me even more famous than Lucian right now, adding that I'm the youngest daughter of the late Viktor Yevtushenko.

All the curious glances, all the questions thrown at me, all the prejudices, basically all the people—It was suffocating.

"This is the first time I ever saw a Yevtushenko in a Casamayor party." my ears tingled once I heard a conversation behind me.

"It isn't. Remember the last time Martin Casamayor threw a banquet as big as this before? Inimbita niya Viktor Casamayor, with his wife."

"Naalala ko na nga." there was a brief pause. "It didn't end well."

"That was big scandal between the two families. I didn't want to remember..."

Kumunot ang noo ko sa narinig. A scandal? Hindi ko ata naalala 'yon... and that would explain a lot. But then again, I remembered Concepcion Casamayor's allegations towards my mother. It is a strong proof that anyone could create a little soap opera. If that's the case, it would be dreadful to see me, a Yevtushenko and most importantly a daughter of Viktor, freely waltzing around here as the 'girlfriend' of Lucian Casamayor. That's why there's a bug fuzz—and I really shouldn't be thinking about it right now. It's the least of my concerns.

Lucian was the one who's talking for me because I didn't want to answer. They all looked pretentious and is looking at me as if I'm a prey. They wanted me to give them a hand on their company in which I have no power of doing. Akala nila ako ang nagma-manage ng kumpanya namin pero hindi, it was Marquis's job already, but I guess there's still rumors.