Deive stared at her for a long time as if he was trying to find out what was wrong with her. In the end, he stood up and pulled her up. "Let's go! We'll say our goodbyes to our host. We stayed here long enough."
She followed him silently with a heavy heart. She pissed him off and that was her goal but it was the hardest thing she did. The mother of the celebrant was relieved when they said their goodbyes.
"Is that the woman that Deive will marry?" asked one of the guests as they passed by. "She's scary."
"Maybe Deive was enchanted. Poor guy" said the other woman.
She gave them a harsh stare and she saw them make a sign of the cross in fear then she averted her stare. She was sure that people were buzzing in their wake.
Deive sighed but didn't speak a word as the vehicle moved. She was expecting a confrontation or interrogation but he gave her a silent treatment.
She noticed that they were leaving Metro Manila and taking the South Luzon Expressway instead of going to the heart of the city where his condo was. "This is not the way to your condo."
"No. I am bringing you home to Villa Callea."
"I thought we would spend the weekend in your condo."
"I don't think you will like it there."
Then he stopped talking again. She hated this. It was hurting her to see the dismay on his face. Her heart wanted to cry out for him but she knew that she couldn't tell him the truth. That the nightmare was back and it threatened to destroy Deive because of her.
He only spoke when they reached Villa Celesta. "This is not funny Callea. You don't have to scare those kids and the other visitors."
"I thought you are not afraid to show the real me to the world."
"A cult priestess in a children's party? What the hell are you thinking? We both know you have other charming characters up to your sleeves. I don't know what you can get out of this." And he waved his hand in her direction. "Callea, if you don't want to attend the party, you should have told me."
She remained stoic but didn't meet his eyes. "This is me, Deive. I won't change who I am. If you have a problem with that then let's cancel the engagement party."
"What?" He took her shoulders. "Callea, that's crazy! I won't cancel our engagement over this little incident."
"Deive, look at me. Do you think I will be comfortable for people to see my face? I tried it for you but it didn't work. I am more comfortable looking like this. Like a ghost that everyone's afraid of."
"Callea, I understand that you love your identity. It is not easy to change and I don't want to change you either. Fine. You want to be a cult priestess and scare children at a children's party? Just because I questioned you about it, doesn't mean I want to cut-off our engagement. Don't you want to push through this? I thought we are more than just a deal, Callea. That we have a real deal."
Callea tightly shut her eyes as she felt her lies closing down on her. "I don't think I am fit for a lifetime with you. It seems idealistic and romantic at first. We will fight for each other and we won't let each other go. But it simply won't work. There will be other parties and people would treat you like you are crazy. You will hate me in the long run. Let's just cut it off."
He let out a sigh. "I don't get you, Callea. This might be wedding jitters or whatever. But your reasons are too shallow for me to back out. I will give you time."
"NO! Let's end this here, Deive. I am thankful for the good things that you did for me. I just want to be alone... forever."
She turned her back on him and ran to her room. "Callea, wait! Let's talk."
She didn't listen and she didn't look back even if her heart was yearning for him. She loved him. She wanted to change herself for him. But Walter won't stop until he possessed her and her beauty.
She must turn into a monster so Walter won't bother her anymore. But she must sacrifice her love for Deive if she wanted to keep him alive.
She didn't want to lose another one close to her heart. She would rather get hurt than see Deive die. He must live so her heart would keep on beating even without him in her life.
CALLEA offered a prayer to the tomb of her great-grandmother and great-grandfather at the underground cemetery. She was disheartened because she wished to have an eternal love like theirs and it won't happen anymore. She found the love of her life but she had to push him away. And now, she was thrust back to the world of darkness.
Deive didn't try to contact her or show himself up these past few days. Marina asked her if they had a fight but she shut her mouth. She decided to cancel the engagement party and she didn't offer any explanation except she was not ready.
She was pretty sure that Deive was fuming mad at her right now. She just changed her mind about the engagement. He was probably having a hard time explaining why their engagement party didn't push through. She didn't know if he already talked to her family. She hasn't received any messages from them asking why the event won't push through. It was just ten days. Were they hoping that she would change her mind?
Her only consolation was Walter didn't bother her anymore. After all, he won't see any beauty in her anymore. She was not the old Callea that he desired. She didn't even brush her hair today and made it appear as if she has not taken a bath for days.
That was the world that fits her - dark, sad, and lonely. But it was her only salvation. It was the only way she could save Deive.
After finishing her prayer, she decided to go home. She didn't notice that it was already late noon. She felt empty. She had to go back to the cold and bleak Villa Celesta. Her only home.
"Miss Callea, the driver of that said he would take you home," said the sacristan when she passed by the church on her way out of the compound.
"Thank you." She covered her head with the veil. She noticed her Kuya Torque's black SUV. It was the only car that was in the parking lot. Is her home? She thought he would extend his stay in Cambodia and would be back tomorrow. Maybe he was home early.
She opened the door in front and took her seat. "Hey, Kuya! I thought you were..." Her smile was gone when she realized that it was not her cousin on the driver's seat but the devil. "Walter."
"Hello, Callea!" She felt like the five years between them didn't pass. He still looked the same. His hair was neatly trimmed. There was a gentle glint in his eyes and his kind smile that cool fool anybody that he was nice.
But she knew better. He was a nightmare and she knew what he was capable of doing despite his kind face. She didn't notice that he was at the driver's seat because the glass was tinted. How careless of her. She let her guard down.
She panicked and tried to open the door but it was power locked. He swiftly covered her nose with a fabric soaked with chemicals with a strong smell. She tried to fight him off but the chloroform started to take effect. She started to feel heady and her eyes began to droop.
Before she closed her eyes, she saw the devil's face grinning at her. Right there and then, she knew that she was in hell again.