The Castillo's Series: Echoes of Love

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

Blue Matthew's Point of View

As I strode into the living room, my cousins Dos and Tres were already there, grinning like Cheshire cats. It was typical for them to tease me about anything, but today, they seemed extra curious.

"Word has it that you've got a new housemaid, Blue," Dos immediately greeted me, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

I couldn't help but recall Aria, our new housemaid, and her reaction to what I did earlier.

She's kind of amusing to me. Who would have thought of entering the room of their male employer without permission? She had the audacity, and that made her amusing to me. And the way she reacted to my sudden action towards her? It got me. I was totally stunned by her beauty up close. She's the one who should have lured me into her mischief, but damn it, I got ensnared by her beauty.

She's beautiful from afar, but it's undeniable that she's even more stunning up close. Aria's beauty was the kind I've never seen before. It's unique.

And her eyes? I couldn't help but stare at those tantalizing violet eyes of hers. I still couldn't believe she had such a rare eye color, and yeah, it suits her. It makes her more beautiful.

Thankfully, I managed to control myself earlier because if I hadn't, I might have done something different to Aria.

"Oh! I smell something fishy. What's with those playful little smiles?" Dos chimed in, returning from the kitchen with a can of beer.

"The sun is still up, but you're already inviting us to drink," Tres teased his older brother. I couldn't help but smile while shaking my head. Dos really loved his alcohol. Among us cousins, he's the one I would call the biggest alcoholic.

"Of course, my little brother. It's more fun to chat while drinking. Right, Blue?" He asked me, and I nodded while grinning. I could hear Tres smirking and closing his book. Dos and Tres got along well. It seemed like they understood each other instantly, despite the age gap between them.

"Whatever. So, what's with your new maid, Kuya Blue?" Tres inquired, grabbing a can of beer himself. Again, I found myself smiling for no apparent reason. What's with you, Blue Matthew?

"Oh, there go those smiles again. It looks like something's different with your new housemaid, and you keep grinning every time she's mentioned," Dos remarked, teasing me. I hissed playfully and threw him a middle finger. "You're such an ass. There's nothing."

"Sure! Those smiles? It's impossible that it's nothing," Dos replied, and Tres agreed. Fortunately, Uno wasn't here; otherwise, he'd likely join in teasing me.

Uno no longer lived with us since he was happily married to Belle and had two children with her. I couldn't help but sigh. I'm older than Uno, but he managed to settle down and start a family while I'm here, still waiting.

I smiled bitterly in the back of my mind. Am I still hoping that she will come back? It's been what? Eight years since she left. What a clown.

"But what about it?" Dos's mischievous grin hinted at the intrigue in his voice. "Is your new housemaid a vision of beauty, a kindred spirit of our youthful days?" His eyes sparkled with curiosity, eagerly awaiting my response.

I shook my head playfully and brought my glass to my lips, savoring the taste of my drink. A quick glance in Dos's direction revealed the excitement bubbling within him. His interest in Aria was undeniable.

"Yeah, she's quite the sight," I replied, my voice tinged with a hint of mystery. As I spoke, my thoughts involuntarily drifted to Aria's enchanting, violet eyes. I yearned to say more, to describe the allure that had captivated me, but I held back, not wanting to stoke Dos's curiosity further.

Dos couldn't resist playing along, a teasing smile dancing across his face. He arched an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eye. "Really? How about a proper introduction, my dear Blue?" he inquired, his smirk adding to the challenge.

I narrowed my eyes at him, considering the consequences of such a meeting. "Sure, why not?" I quipped with a wry grin. "Just be prepared to face Aling Maria's sharpened knives and the infamous golden hanger wielded by your lady." My words hung in the air, and I could hear Tres's soft chuckles mingling with Dos's involuntary wince.

We all held a shared fear of Aling Maria, our strict but nurturing matriarch who had overseen our upbringing. She had instilled discipline and wisdom in each of us, endearing herself as a beloved grandmother figure. As for Dos's enigmatic girlfriend, her character would slowly unravel as our tale unfolded.

Dos couldn't help but react to my mention of the dreaded golden hanger. He shuddered visibly and admitted, "Damn it! Don't bring up that golden hanger of my girlfriend's. It sends shivers down my spine every time I remember it exists." His genuine fear of that gilded instrument was apparent, and I couldn't help but chuckle at his expense. Who wouldn't be petrified by the thought of enduring its weight and width?

As the conversation meandered, Dos steered it back to the heart of the matter. "But getting back to the point," he began, his curiosity undeterred. "What's her name, Blue? I mean, your new maid." I paused, taking another measured sip of my drink, and for some reason, the sound of her name on my lips felt so damn good. "Aria Amethyst Aragon."

They both looked at me when I mentioned Aria's name.

Aria Amethyst Aragon... Her initials were triple A. Cute.

"Sounds interesting," Tres commented. I just shrugged and smiled to myself. "Yes, she is," I said, thinking about her quirkiness and how it amused me.

"And I think someone here's really got a crush," Tres added. "For real." Dos chimed in, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

I took a sip of my drink and rolled my eyes playfully. Lovestruck, my ass. I just found Aria amusing and kind of interesting, okay? No more, no less.

It's highly unlikely I'd fall in love with someone else because my heart belongs to Francine Nicole Mendoza alone. I don't have the time to fall in love with someone else because I'm busy waiting for my first love.

If... she'll ever come back...

Aria Amethyst's Point of View

"Aria, dear!" I heard Tita Elcid calling me. I was in the kitchen, wiping the dishes I had just washed. Tita Elcid was in the living room, surrounded by her sewing materials.

"What is it, Tita?" I quickly responded, drying my hands with a towel. Then I went over to Tita Elcid, who was sitting on the sofa with sewing items scattered all over the coffee table.

One thing I noticed about Tita Elcid is her love for sewing. In fact, she made me a crocheted mini-dress. She said it was a gift for me when I arrived at their house. I was a bit embarrassed, but I accepted it anyway. Tita Elcid's creations are beautiful, but she doesn't sell them. She just does it as a pastime.

Tita Elcid paused her crocheting and faced me. "Dear, could you please clean Blue's room? I went in there earlier, and his room was as messy as ever. He's grown so big, but he still can't keep things tidy. Among all their siblings, he's the messiest one." Tita Elcid said with a sigh.

I sighed too. Ever since my first encounter with Sir Blue, or as he insisted I call him, "Blue," I hadn't set foot in his room. It was too scary to enter his room. It felt like throwing myself into a lion's den.

And I remembered what he said.

"But next time, don't just walk into my room. It's like you're throwing yourself into the lion's den." Kind of on point because he's the lion itself! Huhu, he's so scary! I have this weird feeling inside me whenever I see him. I don't know what it is, but I feel nervous whenever he's around.

So, thank goodness he's not here right now because I wouldn't be comfortable if he were.

"Is it okay with you? If not, I can call someone else," Tita Elcid was about to call someone else when I stopped her. "No, Tita. I can do it. I don't have anything else to do anyway." I replied with a smile.

I really didn't have much to do because I finished all my tasks earlier. It would be rude to refuse Tita Elcid's request. In the few days I've been staying here, I've noticed that my employers aren't demanding. They're all very kind, especially Elcid and Leandro. They don't constantly give orders. Most of the time, we find our own things to do. We each have our own responsibilities, and we do them willingly without much direction from our employers.

"Thank you, my dear. Don't worry, Blue will come back later tonight; you won't be bothered," Tita Elcid's gentle reassurance enveloped me like a warm embrace. Her eyes held a comforting glint, and her words carried the weight of a guardian's promise. The tension that had been coiled within me began to unravel, replaced by a soothing wave of relief. Knowing that Blue would return later tonight, rendering me safe from any unplanned encounters, was like a lifeline in this strange household.

In that moment, I silently thanked the stars above for Tita Elcid's wisdom and kindness. I had no desire to dance upon the tightrope of awkwardness once more, as I had done yesterday with Blue. The memory of our unexpected rendezvous still sent a shiver down my spine, and I harbored no desire for history to repeat itself.

I took the opportunity to excuse myself and headed to Blue's room. I had to hurry because I didn't want him to catch me there. I might end up doing something other than cleaning if he did. It's best to be cautious.

I mean, it's not like I'm accusing Blue of being a p*****t or anything. I just don't want a repeat of what happened between us.

I entered Blue's room and, as expected, it was slightly messy. His discarded clothes and some papers littered the floor, along with potato chip wrappers and a few beer cans.

I let out a sigh. Among the siblings, he's definitely the messiest. Thadeus and Red's rooms were never this untidy when they asked me to clean.

"What more can you expect, Aria?" I whispered to myself. I didn't waste any time and began picking up his dirty laundry and placing it in the laundry basket. I also collected the snack wrappers and beer cans, disposing of them in the garbage bag I had brought.

I changed the bedsheets and pillowcases and replaced the curtains. I even tidied up his work desk, which was cluttered with papers. I didn't throw anything away because he might need them. After I finished there, I moved on to sweeping and vacuuming the carpet.

Cleaning Blue's room wasn't too difficult because it wasn't that messy. I was confident that I would be done before he returned.

After an hour and a half of cleaning, I was finally finished. I stood there and looked around, a satisfied smile on my face.

"Good job, Aria! Mission passed!" I whispered proudly to myself. I tied up the garbage bag I had brought and carried it along with the cleaning supplies.

As I was about to leave, something caught my eye. I stopped and glanced at a wooden short cabinet that held picture frames and awards belonging to Blue.

Six picture frames were displayed there, and I suddenly noticed that one of them was knocked over. I couldn't remember if I accidentally knocked it when I wiped the cabinet earlier or not. But the truth was, I just noticed it now. I didn't even realize that there was an overturned picture frame.

I walked over to investigate and picked it up. I stared at the photo of a girl with a bouquet of flowers in her hand, smiling while wearing a white dress. Her hair cascaded down her back. She was so beautiful, like an angel. Who could she be? Could she be Blue's girlfriend? She's really gorgeous. They would make a great couple because Blue is handsome too.

I gazed at the photo, and something nagged at the back of my mind. While looking at the girl in the picture, it felt like I saw a resemblance to someone. She looks familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

But before I could dive deeper into my thoughts, the door creaked open behind me, and a deep, familiar voice sent shivers down my spine. "What are you doing in my room, Aria?" Blue's voice, full of surprise and curiosity, echoed through the room.

A chill raced up my spine, and my heart pounded like a drum in my chest. Caught in the lion's den, I turned slowly to face him, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.