Seeking Sabina (Completed)

Chapter L: Burnt Letter

"For the past decade I carried this inside me, ma. It's crippling and toxic but I endured it all, for this family, so that your image wouldn't be tainted before Tim's eyes, so that his respect towards you will remain intact. But you dig your own grave, ma. And now you reached the pit and there's no other way but to deal with the consequences."

Painstakingly, Margaret reached for her wallet inside her tote and pulled a piece of paper from inside it.

Carefully, she unfolded the paper and handed it to her father. It was a letter written by Nicholas. It was now yellowish in color and it's edges were badly burned. "Here papa, read this so you will know that everything I'm saying is true and correct." The young model mouthed.

Abruptly, Bianca stopped crying and her eyes widened when she saw the familiar piece of paper.

"Margaret! Where did you get that? Give that to me!" She screamed as she scrambled to her feet. She was shaking madly from anxiety and fear and her voice showed every bit of the emotional turmoil she was experiencing.

Hastily, the matriarch stood up and tried to grabbed Margaret and the letter in her hand but Timothy was fast. He quickly put his body between his youngest sibling and his mother.

"Ma!" He yelled, totally appalled with his mother's rough behavior.

Upon hearing Timothy's furious voice, the matriarch immediately twisted away and scurried towards the open door while Darcy remained glued on the floor.

With tears in his eyes, the Sebastian patriarch motioned Timothy to join him and together, after more than ten years they opened his firstborn's goodbye letter.

∞∞∞

Dear Papa, Mama, Tim and Maggie,

By the time you're reading this, I'm sure I'm halfway around the world. No! Just kidding. By the time you're reading this, I'm probably already in Manila, looking for some place where I can spend my time and let everything sink in.

I know that you're all perfectly aware of the reason why I run away. I'm not sorry that the betrothal between me and that Dela Vega girl had been broken in fact I'm truly thankful. I can't marry the Dela Vega child because I know that she's against the arrangement too. I heard it myself so I'm sure that this marriage was deemed to fail.

Pa, I'm sorry that I eavesdropped to your conversation with her brother yesterday. But to be honest, it kind of helped me, it sealed my decision to go on with my plan. It gave me the courage to say no to mama and to stand for myself.

I'm not in favor of this arrangement even a bit because I know what mama's true intention. The Dela Vega girl will suffer heavily in her hands if ever this scheme will push through. She will just use the girl for her own gain and advantage and I can't allow that.

I will come home soon but first, I want you to let me be alone for the time being. Don't worry I will be safe and I will always be extra careful.

Give me time, pa, that's all I asked. I need to find myself and to reassess myself, my self esteem and my self worth. I know that you love us, pa but please don't be afraid to show it because we love you, too. You tend to be overbearing and domineering at times but we perfectly understand why. But try to loosen up a bit and please smile more, okay?