Chapter 18 Question

• Sia returned home extremely exhausted after the tour she and Rebekah made in each department at the company. She has other Monson’s establishments she needs to explore but she’ll take it slowly so she wouldn’t worn out.
• Michelle and a few other servants clustered around the car to help Sia immediately after the driver squeezed into the garage.
• Michelle fluttered the door open and instructed the servants to handle Sia’s bag and briefcase while shooing Sia to the dining table.
• “Good evening, Mrs. Monson.” The servants greeted, likewise Michelle.
• “How was your first day? I hope you didn’t submerge yourself into stress?” Michelle asked while walking beside Sia.
• Sia laughed lightly. She knows she plunged herself into stress and hope she wouldn’t later. Shrugging her shoulders, she responded, “not exactly. But you know it was my first time today. So the chances of being plunged into stress are high. But not to worry, I’m good.”
• “Oh my… you’re just confusing me with words Mrs. Monson. Did you forget I didn’t attend school?” Michelle spat, whining.
• “Hahaha…that wasn’t too much grammar Michelle. Why are you acting like my late mother now?” Sia asked, upon mentioning her mom, fear trickled down her veins.
• “Ahhh!!! Sia no. Run. Don’t come anywhere near…ahhh…
• “Mother!!! Please don’t leave me. Wait, the fire service will soon arrive. Please hold on.” Sia
• couldn’t control the waterfall escaping her eyes.
• Her eyes fixed on the sea of flame that beclouded their little house in the slum. Her mother’s guttural cry and yelp of agony pierced Sia’s ears.
• She saw the fire turning her mother into ashes, tearing her into shreds. Shards of the wood used to build the house kept falling off, hitting the ground with an ear-splitting thud.
• Sia attempted to run inside and salvage her mother. To pull her from the agonizing pain but people held her back. They gripped her arms, obstructing her from dashing into the fire and salvage her mother.
• “Mother. Please. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.” She teared up. Sia’s beacon of hope dimmed because the fire service can never reach here. They never come around here because it’s basically for the wretched civilians. They can’t come and save her mother.
• She’s the only one left. The last remaining member of the Macalista family. The knowledge of this gripped Sia with a suffocating sense of fear and distress.
• Sia prayed for rain to pelt so she could save her mother but nothing happened except that she watched how her mother turn into ashes.
• How her pains of agony and sobs of help quieted down.
• At that moment, her world crumbled into pieces. Darkness veiled her vision. Sia lost hope in life. She lost hope in everything and sort, for one thing, revenge.
• To revenge her mother’s death.
• A shuddering sense of fear enveloped Sia once again remembering the scene. She began trembling, eyes blinking awkwardly, her breath stuttered. But she managed to hold it in. To keep her anxiety at bay.
• However, it didn’t work, she hunted for her anti-anxiety pills but it’s not with her.
• However, Michelle didn’t understand what was happening to Sia as she rambled on with her words.
• “It’s too much grammar. Just tell me did you…”
• Before she could
• finish her questions, Sia cut her off.
• “I'll be right back, Michelle.” Sia skittered into the house, hurriedly trailing the stairs.
• Michelle was astonished as to why Sia excused herself immediately.
• “Mrs. Monson. Won’t you have dinner!?” Michelle asked, tottering behind Sia.
• “I'll be back.” Sia croaked, not looking back.
• She dashed into her room, snorting whilst rummaging through her drawer for the anti-anxiety pills. Sia instantaneously clutch the pills, throwing them inside her mouth she drilled water from her dispenser, and then she meticulously gulped the water, downing her pills.
• As time ticked, she gradually regained her composure. The beads of sweat on her delicate face and skin sheened under the light.
• She crept to her bathroom stall, slowly turned on her shower and the warm spray deftly sluiced on her skin, giving her warmth, calming her nerves.
• The gory images kept oscillating in her mind but Sia kept her composure, ensuring not to freak out. She tilted her head backward, allowing the warm spray pelt in her face, wanting it to wash her sorrows away. Wash away those memories that glued to her mind. Poisonous memories.
• “No matter what challenges you face in life, always remember to be a strong girl.”
• “I promise mom. I'll be strong for you.” Sia retorted. This was exactly what her mother told her after mourning Nicole.
• The day her mother heard the news, she sank to the floor, tears veiling her vision. She cried a river, begging Nicole to return to her clutches.
• She rained promises on how she'll protect her and her sister with her own life. For days, weeks and months, depression cloaked her mother.
• Sia tried all she could to make her happy, and make her forget but her mother didn’t accept reality quicker. When she recovered from her slumber of depression, she filled Sia’s mind with words.
• To always be strong.
• To not be as weak as she is.
• “I’m sorry Sia but we’re suffering today because I’m a weakling. I wanted a bond. Love and care of a mother, sister, and father. Because of my burning desire for all these, I made you and Nicole suffer. So endeavor to be strong. Stand on your own and fight. Hear me? Fight!”
• Sia whirled her head around, feeling the once-warm water scorching her face. She let the spray hit on her face for what seemed like hours as her mind rotated with thoughts.
• She duck her head from the spray and drew in a gulping breath. After schooling her features, Sia used the washer on her body and her flowery scent shampoo on her hair, polishing her body and hair clean.
• Afterward, she plodded back to her room where she blow-dried her hair, fitted on her pajamas and silky flip-flops before heading back to the dining to have some food.
• When she arrived at the dining, Michelle was rearranging the platters, in hopes Sia might not eat again.
• “What are you doing Michelle?” Sia’s silky voice startled Michelle and she yelped, shellshocked.
• “Oh my…you scared the breath out of me, Mrs. Monson.” She said, hands clasped on her erratically pulsing heart. “I thought you don’t feel like eating anymore so I was just packing the food.”
• Sia walked in circles to her favorite sitting position and flopped on the seat, snorting.
• “No, I’m a bit hungry so I need to eat.” She mouthed, avoiding Michelle’s gaze.
• However, Michelle saw how her delicate face tinged with red and blurted.
• “What happened to your face? What did you do…you’re all red Mrs. Monson?”
• Sia planted a convincing smile on her face, “I just had a shower and you know the water is hot so…” She shrugged.
• Hearing Sia’s explanation, Michelle sighed.
• “Thanks for this lasagna.” Sia beamed at Michelle as she gulped the mouthful of lasagna, savoring its delectable taste.
• “Anything for you, Mrs. Monson.” Said, Michelle. After setting the platter for Sia’s cheesecake
• she’d eat as dessert, Michelle made to leave but abruptly stopped on her way.
• She tottered back to the dining and leaned closer to Sia.
• “Mrs. Monson…” she called, drawing Sia’s attention.
• Sia’s looked up from her plate, holding Michelle’s gaze.
• “Any problem Michelle?”
• “Are you aware…that Silas and…”
• Sia’s phone rang, interrupting the ongoing discussion. Sia simpered and excused herself to take the call.
• “Business people and too many calls,” Michelle mumbled and crawled back to the kitchen.
• However, Sia was already on the call with Estrella.
• “Hi girl…how are ya?” Came Estella’s voice.
• “Pretty cool. How is it from your end?” Sia asked.
• “Feeling funky.” Estrella chuckled. “I had a whole day of rest. Thank God I won’t pass through the stress of prepping for an engagement party again.”
• “I know right? It’s always stressful.” Sia agreed. They went mute for some time, each shackled in their thoughts but Sia broke the deafening silence.
• “Hey, I’m so sorry I messed up at your party. I mean I shouldn’t have behaved so ridiculously. I’m so sorry for leaving without informing you. I just stormed out from the ballroom, angrily and I’m deeply sorry.”
• “It’s okay, Sia. I bet yesterday wasn’t really the day for you so it’s fine.” Estrella said, meaningfully.
• “I’m glad you understand me better…” Sia let out a long sigh.
• “If I don’t, who then will understand you?”
• “No one. Absolutely.”
• They both erupted into laughter.
• “Sia…” Estrella called, quietly.
• “Hmmm…” Sia crooned but she already knows Estrella has questions stacked up at her neck.
• “What happened between you two yesterday? Do you know Lucas Evangelista before…I mean did you two once have a thing? Why…why did Danika keep referring to you as the ‘slum girl?” Estrella threw her imploding questions at Sia, eagerly waiting for answers.
• Sia sighed, feeling a blast of anger sweeping through her nerves as Danika’s words spiraled through her mind.
• “Estrella…I don’t wish to talk about…”
• “It’s fine. I understand…” Estrella cut Sia’s words off with hers, chuckling. “I’ll be all ears whenever you’re willing to talk. Just be find that’s what that matters.”
• Sia took a breath of relief, “thanks for understanding dear. I need to finish my food it’s getting pretty cold.” Sia spat.
• After wording, a few things they hung down the call, and Sia went back to eating.