Her Sweetest Mistake

Chapter Eleven

“It’s good to see you again, Hija. I thought you couldn’t come,” the senior embraced Eve after she had set foot inside the mansion. Her expression just lightened up upon seeing her earlier.

“How are you, ma’am? I hope I didn’t make you wait longer. I had to take care of something earlier which made me a little bit late.” She answered politely, she admitted it was good to see the senior again. Eve didn’t understand why, but she felt comfortable around her.

“Not at all, sweety. And quit calling me ma’am, I told you to address me as your grandma last time, didn’t I?” They both chuckled and went on their way to the living room.

“I didn’t see my grandson’s shadow. Will he come? I told him to fetch you.” Eve halted. She had no idea where Damien was because she hadn’t informed him about her visit to his grandmother. Also, she doesn’t want to see him after their last talk five days ago.

“Well, I, Damien got some emergency and couldn’t come with me, so I made my way here. Would it be okay if it was just the two of us?”

“It’s okay, my dear. He has been busy since I can remember. He barely got his presence to visit me, but I understand him.” She muttered and smiled, but Eve knew that there was something behind those weary eyes. And she felt guilty for lying again.

“Hush, now. I want to show you something.” The senior added back and held her hands to hers.

“We won’t start cooking now, ma-I mean grandma?” It was not that she did not wish to stay with her, but Eve left her daughter to Brenny since her brother was busy with something. She also lied to Yssa about her whereabouts, and about her relationship with her ex-manager. She called him three days ago and introduced her daughter formally. They get along well. Now she trusted him for her.

“We have the whole day, don’t we? And this won’t take so long, you should see this.” Eve raised her lips to smile, but she was screaming inside. She couldn’t stay for more then three hours as she promised to her daughter that she’d take her to the beach. Now she was starting to get worried about how to make excuses for her.

“This is my Damien when he was five years old,” the old woman’s hands traced the old picture while Eve looked flustered upon seeing it. Why would she not? Her daughter looks exactly like him. This gives her fear and worries. The difference was their gender. If it happened that Yssa was a boy, then they would surely look like twins.

“W-wow, he looked adorable. He’s far from where he is now,” she muttered nervously. Eve’s body had gone cold. She'd been hiding her daughter’s existence for four years, but where she was now was at his grandmother’s place.

“Damien never had a good childhood, Eve. Behind this smile was a terrifying memory that a five-year-old experienced.” She waited for her to speak again, as she had been intrigued about what had happened. Perhaps there would be a chance that she’d understand his peculiar attitude.

“I blame myself for not rescuing him and making him suffer at his father’s hands. You see, after his mother gave birth to him, she died. And my son blames him for everything. I was in California when the tragedy happened. I had no idea what he had gone through after his mom passed away.” She remained silent while her eyes fixed on Damien’s innocent face on the album. Eve wants to know more, she is curious and, at the same time, has begun to feel pity.

“It was his nanny who told me everything when I came to visit him on his sixth birthday. He’d been beaten up and locked in his room most of the day, he hadn’t gone to school and was afraid of everyone. He could barely speak and defend himself, oh-poor-child.” The old woman wiped her tears. Now she understood why Damien grew up having a stone-cold heart. He lived in torture while she lived in a complete and happy family.

“B-but why'd he do that to his own son?” She can’t imagine how hard it was, how terrifying it was to be locked up and beaten by your own father who is supposed to take care of you.

“My son, Donato, loved his wife so much that he went insane when she died. He blames Damien’s existence; he never sees him as his child. And as a mother, I failed to rescue him to get out of the darkness, which made him vent his hatreds towards Damien.” Eve noticed her tears pooling warmly. She wiped them after realizing she was crying. She got carried away.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know how hard it was. I misjudged him for being so cold and rude without knowing what he had been through.”

“You don’t have to, my dear. I was so glad that he found someone like you. I know you will take care of him if ever my time runs out from this world. Would you promise, Eve?” She was stuck. She did not want to think about it seriously, but the senior’s expression was serious and was full of hope.

“Well, I will. I’ll take care of him for you, as you wish. Isn’t it a little bit late now to start cooking?”

“Thank you, dear Eve. Now I could leave in peace knowing he wouldn’t be alone. I know you will not fail me,” She hugged her. Eve was not sure if she had done the right thing, or it was perhaps out of mercy. But whatever the reason was, she didn’t want to fail her either.

“Who’s leaving?” Damien’s baritone voice startled them both. He was still wearing his office attire and his hair was messy. For the first time, Eve’s heart beat faster. It was not because she feared him, she had just seen him as a different person now. The kid who grew up from a terrifying childhood was now stronger and braver.

“Uh- we were planning to leave and go shopping later after Grandma’s recipe, right ma’am?” She answered without realizing her words, now she was doomed to take the responsibility.