SHE HUFFED and puffed as they ran to the parking lot. It was like a scene in the movie.
Sage must have lived a hard life as an actor. No wonder he wanted to retire as early as possible.
“Are you all right?” Selen asked him when they finally got inside his car.
He looked at her with furrowed brows.
“Why are you worrying about me? I should be the one worrying about you. You’re not used to this kind of stuff,” Sage said breathily.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.” Then, she realized something. “Ah, we didn’t get to buy Sean’s milk!” She grabbed the knob. “I’ll go back inside to buy—”
“Let’s just buy to the convenience store near home. It wasn’t a smart move to come back inside the mall.” He started the engine.
“Okay.”
“I’m sorry you have to experience this,” he said afterwards.
“Nah! It’s okay. I had fun, actually.” She looked at the toy on her lap. “Your world is my world now, Sage. It’s okay with me to run away from your fangirls as long as you hold my hand.”
He glanced at her and smiled.
“How understanding of you.”
I hope that you’ll understand me too…
One of these days, Selen had to tell him about her family. That they were witches. And she hoped that he would accept it.
Well, he will accept it whether he likes it or not because I already charmed him.
She heaved a deep sigh and leaned her head on the windshield.
Soon, they reached the convenience store just outside Empire Ville.
“I’m coming with you,” she told Sage as she opened the door to her side.
He did not bother to cover his face now. Perhaps he was confident that no fan would approach him inside the convenience store since it was just around the corner.
“Good morning, Sir,” the guard greeted him politely.
Sage just gave her a nod and headed to the milk aisle. Selen followed him, carrying a basket.
She watched his every move as he shopped inside the convenience store. He seemed like an expert in everything. She could not help but sigh dreamily.
“What was that for?” He turned to her.
Selen straightened her back.
“Nothing…” Ah, I need something cold to drink.
She turned around and headed to the fridge. Selen got a bottle of iced tea and went back to the aisle where she left Sage a while ago. He was now having an impromptu photoshoot with a girl who seemed to be his fan. It was okay at first. But then, when the girl snaked her arms around his waist, Selen felt jealous.
She strode towards them.
“Ah, that’s enough, Miss.” She pulled the girl away.
The girl scowled at her.
“And who the hell are you.”
Selen cocked her head arrogantly.
“I am…” She looked at Sage, who shook his head. Of course, she what he meant by that. “I am his personal assistant. This is not the time for fan service. We’re here for an important business. Excuse me.”
She grabbed his hand and pulled him to her side.
The girl turned to Sage with a wide smile plastered on her face.
“Thank you, Sage. `Till we meet again.” The girl gave her a once-over before leaving the convenience store.
Selen scoffed. “`Till we meet again, my foot. That won’t happen.”
“Selen—”
“Yes, I’m jealous. I’m mad.” She turned to him with narrowed eyes. “Why do you have to let her do that?”
“That’s fan service—”
“Fan service, my foot! You’re not even conducting a fan meeting here. I’m your fan too. But after knowing that, you just left me tied on a chair back then!” If she was an animated character, he would probably see her nose flaring.
Sage laughed heartily.
“Why are you laughing? What’s so funny?” She punched him on the chest. “Don’t make fun of me, Sage.”
“I’m not making fun of you.” He caught her hand and brought it to his chest. “I just find it cute.”
“C-cute?”
“Hm…” He nodded. “You’re cute when you get jealous.” Sage pinched her cheek and thought the basket from her afterwards. “Let’s finish shopping and go home.”
SAGE pulled over in front of their house, but Selen remained seated on the passenger’s seat.
He tapped her on the arm. “Selen, we are here.”
“I know.” She heaved a deep sigh as her hand reached the knob.
But when she was about to get off his car, he pulled her arm. She turned to him abruptly.
“Why?”
He stared at her straight in the eyes. It made her feel conscious. And she has no idea why he was looking at her like that. Was it the love potions effect?
Does it mean that he is head over heels in love with me now?
“Sage?” Selen arched a brow. “What’s the matter with you?”
“Nothing. I just wonder if we can go out again tomorrow.”
“Y-you mean… another date?”
“Yes. If that’s okay with you.” He flashed his brightest smile once again.
Ah, how could she ever resist his charm when he smiles like that. It seemed that Selen was the one bewitched, not Sage. His smile made her fall for him over and over again. She palmed her chest when she suddenly felt her heart beating fast.
This time it was physical. She knew it was not a mere infatuation. It was love.
“Of course, we can.” She smiled back at him.
“Great. I’ll pick you up at five am tomorrow.”
“F-five am?”
“Hm-hmm.”
“Who goes on a date as early as that?”
“Well, it depends on the itinerary.” Sage leaned towards her and kissed her cheek. “Go, your grandmas must be waiting for you.”
“Ah, that reminds me I haven’t introduced you to them yet.”
“Do you think they’ll like me?” He glanced at their house.
“Why not? You are way too handsome to get rejected, don’t you think so.”
He burst into laughter.
Selen lightly punched his chest and got off his car. She stayed outside and wait for his car to finally disappear in her vision before she went inside her home.
She should have announced her arrival if only she did not hear her grandmas’ conversation in the kitchen.
“Are you sure that we’re not going to tell her the truth, Ate Cora?” Nana Violy sounded anxious.
“My decision is final. We are not telling her,” Nana Cora said firmly.
“But—”
“It doesn’t matter now. What’s more important than marrying someone and conceiving a child?”
Selen hid and peeked through the kitchen.
“I’m just worried about Selen. She chose Sage as her future husband because she genuinely likes him. If she learned about our family’s curse, later on, she might end up like her mother.” Nana Violy sighed.
“Aurora died of childbirth. That’s it!” Nana Cora said firmly.
“But we both know it was a lie we told Selen!”
“Don’t you dare tell her the truth! I’ll pull that tongue of yours if you tell her that Aurora died of suicide—”
“That’s why we have to tell her about our family’s curse so that she wouldn’t get hurt in the future…”
Selen could not take it any longer. What she heard from them made her curiosity grew. She was dying to know the truth.
“My mom took her own life…” She revealed herself.
“Selen!” her grandmas said in unison.
“Why did you lie to me?” Her voice trailed off. “Why?” Selen’s voice roared all over the kitchen.
Nana Cora sauntered towards her and grasped her arms. “Because we don’t want you to get hurt…”
“But I ought to know the truth, right, Nana?” She shifted her gaze to Nana Violy.
Her tears started to flow. Selen blamed herself all her life because she thought that her very existence was the reason her mother died. And now she learned that her mother committed suicide.
“Why did Mom take her own life?” she asked them.
But no one answered.
“For heaven’s sake, tell me!” Selen snapped.
“It’s because of our family’s curse,” Nana Violy said somberly.
“W-what curse?”
Nana Cora’s hands went down to hers and pressed them gently.
“One of our great, great ancestors killed an innocent life with witchcraft. We are the good witches, and we are not supposed to do bad things. Taking someone’s life is against our virtues. That was when we are cursed…”
“W-what kind of curse is that?”
“Have you ever wondered why there’s no surviving husband in our family?”
“Y-you mean…” Her eyes widened.
“It’s because of the curse. Every husband in our households will die upon the birth of the firstborn. Our father, my husband, your father, they all died because of that curse… Your mother loves your father so much, although she only bewitched him. And when she learned about the family’s curse, she took her own life out of guilt. Aurora thought she took her beloved to his own grave by marrying—”
“You mean Sage will die too?” Nana Cora nodded slowly. “No… T-this is wrong!”
She pulled her hands away and stepped backwards.
“So, that’s why you won’t let Reinald be my husband no matter how much he insisted. You know about that curse. You know what will happen once I give birth to my firstborn, yet you allow me to charm Sage!” Selen cupped her head. “How could you do this? We’re killing lives! Innocent lives!”
“Selen, listen to me…” Nana Cora tried to reach her, but she shoved her grandma’s hand away.
“No, Nana. No matter what you say, this is wrong!”
She turned her back.
“Selen, you know that there is nothing you can do to undo the effect of the love potion,” her grandma said in a low tone.
Her fist clenched. There she was left with no choice but, to tell the truth…