Lucy, Alessandra and her spent the next days consoling Diana.
Hindi na rin naman ito umiiyak. But she was too sad and heartbroken. Pinaaalala na lamang nilang tatlo si Diadem sa kanya. Na mukha namang effective. Truly a mother's love is unconditional.
However, Emy figured out that wasn't full accidental at all.
When Misa and Xeno left Grey City for a short time, they brought a lot from Grey with them. Vio was one of them.
Hindi niya alam kung kelan naging close ang prinsipe sa kanila. But after spending almost a week there, ayun nga at umuwi ang lalaki na may dalang tatlong babae upang pakasalan.
Isa pa sa nalaman ni Emy, Sebastian was almost one of those people na kasama nila. Kaya pala ilang araw nawala din ang lalaki noon. But he was resolved na ihahatid lamang niya sila hanggang sa may boundary at babalik na din.
Somehow that calm her. But she still couldn't help to think na Xeno and Misa are both trying to mess with her.
In fact, kada makikita nga niya si Misa ay nakangisi ito sa kanya. She must be happy about what's happening to Diana right now.
***
Once again, the Emperor summoned her. As usual, it is still about making amends with Xeno.
Hindi siya nagsalita while the old man was trying to convince her. Ayaw niyang ireject ito ng ireject. He is still the Emperor.
But you know, she didn't expect that he will use an underhand tactic just to make her agree.
That same day, kinausap din siya ni Serafina.
Emy always sees Serafina as a strong woman. But after Xeno, she started to be a bit disoriented with everything. Obviously, she still had feelings towards Xeno. Hindi niya alam kung nag-uusap ba sila. But knowing the guy, he will be taking advantage of everyone and everything that can be considered as useful for him. And Serafina is one of them.
"Emy..."
"Yes, Ma?"
"Can we talk?"
That was the first serious conversation she will have with her. At kinutuban na si Emy dahil wala namang ibang dahilan para mag-usap sila ng seryoso.
"Yes, Ma."
Mahabang katahimikan ang namayani kay Serafina. She was thinking. Emy, on the other hand, waited for her.
"Emy, do you love my son?"
She was seriously flabbergasted.
Emy never considered thinking about her feelings towards Sebastian. She married him because of mutual benefits. Ganun din naman ito sa kanya.
But... she had decided not to close her heart towards him. Diana told her once, it was her choice to marry him for merely as an alliance or for feelings. And she made her decision then.
It wasn't hard to feel for Sebastian anyway. They have long known each other. He was lending her hand back then. Now it is her time to do her job.
"It is not hard to feel something for him."
Napangiti si Serafina.
"You are awefully honest, Emy. That what I always like about you. My son deserves people who are honest. All his life, he'd been surrounded by lies and liars. Kaya din maaga kong sinabi sa kanya ang totoo. Because I don't to be part of those."
Emy nodded.
"But he also derserves to be loved. You should know by now. My son is tough, yes. He acts as one too. But for his loved ones, he can easily get hurt for them. Mainly because, he has only few of them.
"I guess, that's why he got attracted to you in the first place. I can tell from these past wars that you really did care for people around you. You exceeded even the normal help you can provide for everyone. I was seriously amazed."
Serafina held her hand tightly.
"And believe me, I may have no idea how hard it must have been after you lost your father and then almost dying. But I really do feel for you. I wish I can take those pasts away from you. You don't deserve them. Not someone pure as you.
"And I know I must be a terrible person for askibg you this. I am sorry, Emy. I have to do this. For us, for Sebastian..."
This time, Serafina is already tearing up.
"But can you please forgive Sebastian Grey now? No one is perfect, Emy. No parent is. He might have raised her daughter wrongly. Aminado din naman siya eh. Otherwise, how can she do that to you?
"But if you are going to look past about what had happened to the two of you, you'll realize that Sebastian is really repenting what Misa did to you then? He even admitted that he had his own fault. Like turning his back to you when everyone was trying to frame you for something you haven't done.
"You see, Emy. He is not that bad at all. If you will look back sa pinagsamahan niyo noon, you will realize that.
"He was your master. Surely, he had done great things for you then. It is so sad na nadungisan ang relasyon niyo ng dahil lang sa nangyari with Misa."
Raw pain passed by Emy's eyes. Her hand na hindi hawak ni Serafina is tightly closed on her lap.
She wanted to tell her na wala siyang alam. Na hindi niya kilala si Xeno. That he became twisted after years na hindi niya ito nakita.
But how can she even do that to her?
Alam din naman niya na kung hindi ang emperor ay si Xeno mismo ang may kagagawan kung bakit siya kinakausap ngayon ni Serafina. It is not her fault.
Though, this is literally giving her no choice and suffocating her.
She hated it.
But as she is oblivious for what's real, she can't blame her at all. Instead, ibinuhos niyang buong galit niya kay Xeno.
"Please, Emy. For me and Sebastian, make peace now to his father."
***
The next day, nasubok na agad ang tibay ng loob ni Emy.
When the Emperor heard she agreed to Serafina, agad siya nitong pinatawag. He was happy, of course. After using Serafina to bait her, he finally got what he wanted.
But Emy can't make herself hate him. After all, he is just an instrument. Alam niya, it was all done by Xeno. Sino pa bang ganito kawalanghiya ang gagawa nito?
In fact, matapos nilang mag-usap ng Emperor, sinalubong siya ni Xeno sa corridor.
Walang tao doon dahil may kanya kanya silang gawa ng ganung oras. Kaya naman ang lakas ng loob ni Xeno.
"I would have used Serafina a long time ago kung alam ko lang na ganito ka niya kadaling mapapaoo."
Emy glared at him. Pure hatred was in her eyes.
Xeno laughed.
"Come on, Emy. You promised her. Be good to me. Remember, you are supposed to look past of what had happened in the past now. Let's start anew."
Emy wanted to vomit blood dahil sa sinabi nito. Sa galit na nararamdaman niya ngayon, hindi niya magawang magsalita.
"Look at your eyes, Emy. Look at that hatred. You should have learned that even before. You were doing wonderful back then. But you always have that weakness, Emy. You love. That kind of emotion is a weakness.
"See how you even forget now. You used to tell me na ang ginawa ng mga tao ng Grey sa akin at sa pamilya ko ay mali. You were young then. But you were more smarter back then. Because you were not focused in your feelings towards your father.
"In truth, back then, you hated him. You hated everyone. That's why I like you so much back then. I thought you were almost like me.
"I spent time teaching you what I know. I nurtured and cultivated you.
"It is a real shame that you are too blinded now by your emotions. To the point that you can no longer identify what is right or wrong."
Emy remembered what Xeno was talking about. It was when she was still new as his apprentice. Noong una, hindi naman talaga siya gustong gawing apprentice nito. She was weak looking. But she was indeed bright. But that talk between her and Xeno made him change his mind about her. Nagulat na nga lang din siya eh. Xeno was still scolding her a lot lalo na kaoag nagkakamali siya.
But there was obviously a change in him. Emy remembered na dahil doon, she strived more to please him. More hours of studying, more hours of observing and paying attention to him.
Hanggang sa finally, he was satisfied with her.
It was almost a wonderful memory. Yes. But she knew better now.
"Xeno, you are right. What you said about me, they are all right. I don't care about right or wrong. What matters to me are my people. And if you lay a finger on them, I will surely give it back to you multiple times. I hope you know by now that I am capable.
"I didn't get back to life just to be the same again. I won't let anyone trampled me not especially my people. As long as I hold them dear, I will protect them."
With a cold stare, iniwan na niya doon si Xeno.
***