Chapter 18
Jasmine POV
"So what should we do now?" I ask our press advisor as I sit on my chair. I called him immediately in my office after we saw the Front page of a daily newspaper. The photo of Franz punching the photographer's face and her photo while beating the lights out of the guy on the bar with a caption of 'Jasmine Diaz's boyfriend is a war freak! How true is this? How can they judge a person easily like that?! It annoys the crap out of me!
"The only thing we can do right now Miss Jasmine is to release a public apology of Franz for punching the press photographer. But the thing happened in Bora, that's another story and its better that you and Franz will be the one to tell it on public. Maybe on a press conference or an exclusive interview? But we need to be careful of what we will be going to release. You and your company's reputation will be the one at stake if we will do a wrong move"
"Okay... Just do what you think is right. Maybe we can just do the public apology for now"
"Okay Miss Jasmine. We will do everything to take this issue away"
"I'll be counting on that Jay. Thank you very much" we both stood up and shook each other's hand. After Jay said his goodbye, I slump my body on my chair. This is too much! We already file restraining order because the press keeps bugging us for statement. Wherever we go, they are tailing us. Even in the front of my condo building and here in the office.
"Baby?" I was pulled out of my thoughts when Franz knocks on my office door. She peek her head as I motioned her to come inside.
"I'm so sorry Jasmine. I should have never picked a fight in that bar in the first place. I know you're mad right now and you have every right to be but-" I cut her off by kissing her lips passionately.
"What was that for?" she asked after our kiss.
"You are talking too much, that's why I kissed you to shut you up" I said chuckling sitting on my desk.
"I'm just apologizing because it might affect your-" I pulled her shirt crushing my lips on hers again.
"Why do you keep interrupting me?" Franz asked frowning after I gap myself on her.
"Because you're talking too much. You don't need to apologize baby. You just did what you think was right and it's really sweet of you to fight for Nina. So stop apologizing. My press advisor is working on it. Ok?" I smile up to her as I play the collar of her shirt.
"Okay. Thanks again baby. I love you" she looks at me with sincerity in her eyes"
"I love you more" we lean in closing the gap between us.
Franz POV
It's been 2 weeks now since the viral issue of me being a war freak. Jasmine's press advisor released a public apology statement to the photographer but the thing happened in Bora was left unrevealed. Jasmine said that we will just going to have an exclusive interview for it or a press conference if needed. I'm just glad that the issue went down for a bit now and the reporters are not waiting for us anywhere and not tailing us anymore.
Today is a very important day. So I decided to go home at my parent's house with Jasmine. Jeremy and Camille is also there so I think it's okay also for me to bring Jasmine.
"Let's go?" I turn to Jasmine's direction seeing her fixing her makeup. She took a deep breath then smile at me nervously.
"Hey what's wrong?" I ask frowning as I held her hands. It's cold and shivering.
"I'm just a little nervous"
"Why? You saw my mom already. Don't worry about my dad, he will not going to argue with me today" I squeeze her hand giving he a reassuring smile.
We walked hand in hand to our wide lawn as we saw my mom and Jeremy waving at us at the front of our door.
"I'm so glad you came home sweetie. I missed you so much" my mom embraces me tightly as she grip on my shirt.
"Of course mom. I will not going to miss this day just because dad and I are not in good terms" I embraced her back as I felt her wet tears on my shirt.
"Hey mom. I'm here now okay? Stop crying. You know that it pisses her off when she's anyone of us crying" she nods in my shirt as we slowly unclasped on our embrace. I wiped the tears on my mom's face then kissed her forehead.
"Hey Bro" I turn to Jeremy and noticed that he's also sobbing now. I embraced him then pat his back.
"You're such a cry baby big bro" I said and just find myself sobbing with him.
"Let's go inside now before we can flood our lawn with tears" I force a chuckle as I wipe my own tears. I took Jasmine's hand with mine as we go inside our house.
Dad and Camille are talking in the living room when we enter. I walk towards my father and gave him a kiss in the cheek. He just nods at me and gave a weak smile. At least we are kind of civil right now and not fighting. He even gave Jasmine a weak smile. That's better than the last time right?
We proceed to the garden to have our lunch. We ate in silence until Camille spoke.
"So Franz, how's the press issue?" she asks looking up at me.
"We already released a public apology so we just hope that the issue will going to die soon" I answer giving her a smile.
"So how's the business Jeremy?" my dad look up from her plate.
"We are fine dad. Don't worry about it. Anyway, we should be planning about your candidacy. Election campaign will be two months from now" Jeremy said.
"My campaign manager is working on the rally schedules now and I want you two to be there when it starts" I was taken aback and look at Jeremy with wide eyes. Is this man really my father? Jeremy just smile at motioning me to speak up.
"Ahhhmmmm. Are you sure dad?" that's the only thing I can muster up right now. My dad never asked me to come in his election campaigns because he thinks that homosexuals are not a lucky charm.
"Of course Franz. Just be there okay?" I just nod my head still not believing what I was hearing right now.
After our lunch, Camille and Jasmine helped my mom to prepare our dessert. So now Jeremy, my dad and I are sitting on one of the bench on our wide lawn. We were just looking at the trees and the birds that were flying freely at the sky. We used to do this when everything is still okay. When everything is still perfect and not screwed up.
"Dad Jer, can I go to her first? I want to introduce Jasmine to her" the two of them just nod but sadness is evident in their faces.
So after our dessert, I took Jasmine outside and led her to my car.
"Where are we going?" Jasmine asks frowning with confusion clearly written on her face.
" I want you to meet someone" I smile at her and drove away from my house.
***
I'm very familiar with this place. The well manicured lawn, man-made lagoon, flowering shrubs, tall trees, and a never ending road. I missed this. I missed coming here every day when I'm still living here.
"Why are we here?" Jasmine asked with knitted eyes brows roaming her eyes on the place. We stopped on a man-made lagoon and crossed a small bridge to enter a small shed.
"Hey. I'm sorry I don't come that frequent anymore. You should blame this girl beside me" I declared with croaky voice. I turn to Jasmine as she snake her hand to my arm.
"Baby. Meet my twin sister.... Freya" I turn to my sister's grave as I read her name written in front of it. 'In loving memory of Freya Mikhaela Villanueva Born: September 18, 1992 Died: April 10, 2008'. The tears started to flow down my cheeks when I traced her name with my fingers. Until now, I still can't forgive myself. If I just took all the pain that night, you won't be here right now. You should still here with us Celebrating Christmas, New Year and every freaking Holiday.
"I'm so sorry sis. I'm... so... sorr.. rrryyy.." I broke down into tears and knelt down in front of her grave.
"Hey baby.... Shussshhhh" Jasmine sat down beside me pulling me in for embrace.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" she asked as she rubs my hair gently. I nods sitting down on the ground.
"Five years ago before our graduation, I decided to come out of the closet because I can't take hiding it anymore. Freya, my twin already knows about it and she's even the one who convinced me to come out. She said that we're going to college now after the graduation so we won't be going to stay here at the house anyway because she and I will going to rent an apartment for us near our chosen University. Freya and I are really close that's why we decided to go to the same University. So when the time I came out, Dad was the only one who can't accept it"
-Flashback-
"I don't have a gay daughter! You can't be gay! It's abomination and a mortal sin!" my father exclaimed livid pacing back and forth with so much hate in his eyes.
"I can't help who I am dad! I tired of hiding!" I hissed back at him as the tears were flowing freely from my face.
"You can change! We will ask for help! If I need to bring a god damn priest I will!"
"No!" I retorted and all of a sudden, I felt the throbbing pain on my cheek when my father slaps me hard in the face.
"Enrique!" my mom run to my father's wrapping her hand around his waist to prevent him from hitting on me again.
"Dad!" Freya exclaims running in front of me shielding me from our father.
"Go to your room!" he hissed again but instead of going upstairs to my room, I run out of our house letting my feet take me anywhere but near my father. I end up sitting on a cliff where I can see the overlooking city. I'm just thankful that there's a tree over there that helps me fight the cold of the night.
I decided to go home the morning after just to take my things and maybe just stay with a friend's house for a while until me and Freya can move to the apartment. But when I arrived at my house, I saw some cops on our lawn talking at Jeremy outside.
"Jer what happened?!" I run into him as I saw his puffy eyes. He pointed inside the house and I immediately run there seeing my mom and dad sobbing at the living room.
"Mom! What's happening?! Where's Freya?" I asked as she embraced me so tight.
"Your sister..... She's gone... she run after you last night and didn't come back. The cops came here early in the morning break the news to us. They said that she was found on the side of the creek half-naked. She was raped Franz. Your sister was murdered" that news destroys my world. It's my fault! I will never going to forgive myself.
-end of flashback-
"Did they catch who killed her?" Jasmine asks rubbing my back.
"They have suspect. But until now, he's still not fully convicted. The evidence that the police have is still not strong enough to convict him. That's why the trial is still ongoing.
"I want to help. I will use all of my resources to help find evidence against him" Jasmine took my hand with concern in her eye.
"Thank you baby"
"You know that I will do anything for you" she leaned in and peck on my lips.
"You want to see my sister?" she nods as I took my wallet out.
"She's beautiful isn't she?" I show her the picture on my wallet where Freya and I are smiling with each other.
*****
Another chapter guys! Sorry about the long wait.
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I didn't proof read so please let me know if you see any errors.
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