Day 3

The Mercedes Benz comes to a stop. I am about to climb out of the car when I see Ramon rushing to open the door for me.

Ramon stretches his hand out to me and I take it and step out of the car. It's the first time I am seeing him in broad daylight. The sun looks good on his perfect caramel skin. He looks dapper in a black, perfectly ironed suit and a maroon tie.

He bought me a pair of jeans, a buggy girly shirt and some pair of sneakers since my clothes were wet and dirty. I threw them away. He insisted on buying me more clothes but I refused. He's way too kind and it's kind of scary. Honestly...

"Thanks for driving me home," I tell him looking up at him.

He displays a broad smile that makes him way cuter than he is. "it's nothing, Mila."

I groan. "Please stop calling me that."

"Okay, Mila..." he chuckles.

I scowl at him and he facepalms. "Sorry Mila..."

I growl. "Seems like that's the price I have to pay for your kindness..."

Ramon shrugs. "sadly..."

"Thank God I am never seeing you again."

Ramon gasps. "You are going to cut me off your life just like that?"

He says that in a humorous way that I find myself laughing.

"I am getting late for work. I should get going," he hugs me briefly. "See you."

I watch him as he slides into his car. I cross my hands across my chest and smirk. "I am never seeing you again."

Ramon frowns for a second then his face suddenly beams. "We'll see about that," he pauses. "Mila."

I groan angrily at the mention of that name. He immediately starts the engine and speeds away before I show him the middle finger.

I turn to look at this house. The house I grew up in. The house I had so many memories; good and bad. This house will forever hold a special place in my heart. I had one of my best days in this house: my birthdays, parties, my parents' anniversaries, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. My dad used to be big on parties. This house was like a club. It's strange how I look at it now and I see nothing but emptiness and sadness... And lifelessness... It's nothing but a structure now. A structure I hate to the core.

This is the place where my dad was coldly killed. In front of me. On my birthday. And the murderer, wherever he or she is, got away with the murder. And my life has never been the same...

When he died, I was affected mentally, emotionally, physically and even academically. It was so bad that my uncle and my mom put me up on therapy. Jeez! I hated therapy. Sitting right next to a person for hours just to tell them what your problem is. I always found it ironic that I'm the one to tell my therapist the problem. She should have been the one to figure out my problem, right?

I open the gates to the mansion and I am warmly welcomed by the watchman.

"Ms. Clarkson, welcome home."

"Thankyou Tom," I say politely. "is my uncle in?"

Tom nods. "Yes. He is going to be delighted to see you."

Everybody knows how fond of me my uncle is. I hate my birthdays since it's the day my dad died but my uncle buys me gifts and spoils me just like my dad used to. But still, it's not the same. No one could ever fill up the extreme void my dad left. Not even uncle Terrence.

"Babyyyyyy!!!" Uncle Terrence swings the door open even before I knock. As usual, he's neat in a gray suit and leather loafers. Being a lawyer demands being neat at all times, uncle always says.

"Uncle Terrence!" I exclaim with as much enthusiasm.

So my uncle took ownership of this house after dad died. My mom didn't want to live here after dad's will stated that nothing was left in her name. Everything was left only to me with uncle Terrence as the trustee of the will. It was stated that his company, his numerous houses in different states and all his properties would be handed to me at twenty one. I am turning twenty one in a few days and the thought of my net worth in a few days to come freaks me out.

Uncle Terrence invites me in. The house has changed so much since the last time I was here. There are new black couches, I note and the wooden table my dad loved so much has been replaced with a glassy round table with a flower vase on top. The walls are pale pink unlike the usual cream colour. The changes made to this house impress me:not because it looks more beautiful but because it reminds me less of my dad and the memories we shared.

"Sorry Elena decided to change up the house abit," Uncle Terrence says when he notices how carefully I am observing the living room.

I smile sweetly. "Don't be sorry. It's your house now. You can do as you so please."

I don't want this house. My uncle has been living here for almost five years now after mom declined living in it. I have no plans of repossessing it.

"Have a seat," he points to the couch. "Lizzy! Coffee please! Make it two."

"Uhhh... No..." I just had some sandwich and coffee at Ramon's house for breakfast.

Uncle glares at me. "I insist."

I shrug. "seems I don't have a choice."

Uncle and I sit on the same couch. Lizzy, the house help, brings us two cups of hot black coffee. I take a sip and get a taste of what I've been missing, Lizzy's coffee.

"Sorry I couldn't make it to your graduation," uncle apologizes for the millionth time. "I was busy getting your papers ready for the inheritance."

My uncle has been so concerned about my inheritance. He has kept my inheritance well, making sure nobody dared steal a single cent from me. I don't know how I would ever thank him back.

"How have you been? How has school been? Your graduation? When did you come back?" Uncle Terrence blabbers.

Well, everything has been far from good. Horrible to be precise! Caught my man cheating on me with my best friend. Got rained on after leaving his house. Stepped on my phone and smashed it into pieces. Some stupid cheap car splashed water on me. Then I met him... Ramon... And he was kind of... Sunshine in the rain...

"I've been great. School is great. My Graduation was great just that none of you guys came," I say in disappointment. "I came last night. Slept at a friend's place."

"That pathetic boyfriend of yours?" Uncle Terrence retorts.

Uncle Terrence never hid his dislike for Jace. He always warned that he was just with me for the money. And now that I look at it, I think he was right. Jace was with me because of the financial benefits he got whilst with me. Not because he ever loved me.

I would hate it if uncle found out that Jace and I are apart because I caught him cheating. Why? Because one. That would prove him right and he would keep singing he told me so. Two. Uncle would have no choice but to end up in jail since he would kill Jace with his bare hands.

"Yes, I slept at Jace's," I decide to lie.

My uncle's eyes narrow at me, he does not seem to believe a word I said. He's about to say something when his wife steps down the stairs, noisily, holding the railing as she sneers at me.

Elena has never liked me. Well, I've never liked her too.

"The evil princess is back," she displays a frosty grin.

"Hello evil queen," I grin sarcastically.

"Elena, that's not the way to welcome your niece back. Grow up!" he scolds.

"What? She also called me an evil queen!" Elena snaps.

"Stop being childish, Elena! Camilla is the owner of this house and she can kick us out anytime she wants if you continue treating her the way you do."

Elena grimaces and stomps upstairs, the back of her satin dress dancing in the air. I don't know how the hell my uncle has managed to stay with that witch all these years.

" Sorry for that drama. Elena can be a little... Extra sometimes... "

Extraordinarily crazy you mean...

"How is Gina?" Gina is my cousin. I've never liked her too. But compared to her mother, she's way better...

"She's in Italy."

"Italy?"

Uncle nods.

"What's she doing in Italy?"

He looks a bit nervous talking about Gina. "Studying."

I've never known Gina to be a person interested in books.

"Studying what?"

Uncle sighs. "Can we please stop talking about her?"

I nod when I notice how uneasy he is. I know with time he will tell me what's really going on.

"Uncle, could you please call my mom?" This is another reason I had come here other than seeing him. "I need to see her but I don't know where she lives. Do you?"

"No I don't... But I heard she's on vacation with her boyfriend."

This is why I hate small towns like Kingswood. Rumors travel so fast.

"Please assist me with your phone. I need to talk to her."

I call her and she picks up on the second ring.

"Who is this?" she sounds cold and irritated.

"Mami!" I call her in delight when I hear her voice.

"Camilita!"

There she goes with these latino names.

"Are you back already? Sorry I couldn't come to your graduation. I really wanted to though. How are you! I miss you so much pumpkin! Where are you?"

"I'm at Uncle Terrence's house."

"You mean at your dad's house," I can see her rolling her eyes.

She hates uncle Terrence.

"Where are you mom? I miss you. I want to see you..."

"I'm with hubby on vacay," she's talking like one of those Kardashian girls, stressing on each word. "But I have to come back tomorrow to see you. I promise."

"I will be waiting for you. Please send me the address to your house."

"I will but please be careful around those venomous snakes."

By venomous snakes, she means uncle and Elena.

"Goodbye. Love you."

She hangs up.

"I will visit her tomorrow," I hand uncle back his phone. "she's not around."

"Yay! Some more time with my best niece!"

Uncle Terrence's phone rings. One Mr. Howard is calling him. Right after picking the call, the doorbell rings. I have to get the door.

The door flies open and there he stands, hands in the pockets of his jeans.

Jace.

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