Arranged Marriage: To Hear Your Voice

Sabrina drove her car downtown to Mondragon Palace. The guards from her grandfather’s own army open the gate for her. She saw the high security around. She noticed everything. Something was wrong all of these years. Her grandfather has been protected with two dozen of men, what was he hiding?

She notice every detail and start brainstorming like Sherlock Holmes would do. But she’s not a sociopath—or maybe she was a high functioning sociopath. The old butler Eugene Kinsley greet her warmly. She smile at him.

”How are you, Eugene?”

”Lady Brina, it’s been a while. Your grandfather is waiting in his study. Any request?”

”Chamomile tea please.”

”Got it.”

She knock on the door and then open it when she heard the old man’s voice. She open the door and was surprise that her grandfather looks healthy and like he hasn’t aged from the last time she saw him.

”Sweetheart!” The old man looks younger as he smile and stand up.

”Grandpa, why do you look so young?” Sabrina’s first thought would be someone was pleasing her grandfather.

”It’s not what you think, my sweet granddaughter. Come here and sit.” She did as she was told. She sat down and cross her legs.

”So, what’s the sudden call of meeting?” She asked coolly.

”You are finally talking. Does this man of yours makes you talk?” Ezekiel asked.

”Hmm, let’s put it that way.”

”I already did a background check on him. He’s a good man. I hope that he isn’t like your father.” Ezekiel brought a cup of tea to his thin lips.

”Well, father was manipulated. However, he shouldn’t fall to that easily.” She lean and look out the window. ”Tell me, grandpa... how have you been these days?”

”I exercise a lot.” He said. ”Eat a lot of green leafy vegetables and smoothies. So, I look young and healthier than my brother.” Sabrina chuckle.

”Grandpa Xandro is getting old.” Sabrina said. ”I haven’t seen him for a while.”

”Visit him as well.” Ezekiel’s older brother was Alexandro Mondragon. He was a General as well of the country and has his own Army that’s under the government.

”Hmm.”

”Brina, promise me that you’ll never turn back on your mission.” Ezekiel said. Ezekiel was the one who persuade her and she did it. ”You are my only hope to avenge your mother.”

”Grandpa, I’ll make that man pay a thousand folds from what he did to mom.”

”You got married too soon, I just wish that I was there to stop that marriage.”

”Grandpa, Gabriel isn’t like other men. I love him and he isn’t a barrier to my mission.”

Ezekiel didn’t speak for a while until her tea was delivered to her. She takes a small sip and put it down.

”Gabriel would back me up.”

”Hmm… EPUA has been doing great. Because you took the man’s bastards… they are in great use. I never thought of that.” He sneer. ”I don’t want the other one to marry my grandson. Take note of that.” It sounds like an order. Sabrina laugh sarcastically. She is the only one that could defy her grandfather.

”Grandpa, you can’t stop them from loving each other.”

”What’s the use of the contract that you make them sign?” Ezekiel’s eyes looks a little furious but she never fear her grandpa.

”Papa, it’s only a contract for marriage. They can’t get married until the mission is done.”

”Soon, the mission will be done.” Ezekiel said sharply. ”I don’t like seeing the bastard’s blood lingering to my grandson!” He raises his voice but she keep calm.

”Grandpa, you can’t force Enzo. He’s willing to turn back from the family… and to you just for Catriona.”

Sabrina didn’t want to argue with her grandfather anymore so she changed the topic.

”Anyway, let’s get straight to the point. Why am I here?”

”I found interesting thing.” He pull out an envelope and gave it to her. She open it and pull out a printed paper. Then there’s photos of Eros, the man who betray her and EPUA meeting with Francisco. ”I had it recorded by someone.”

She pull out the recorder and listen to the conversation. From her analysis, they are planning to make another laboratory in London. She furrow. Alanis might be with them. And to her surprise, they are planning to pull down EPUA once they know who the Big Boss is. Eros still don’t know that she was the big boss at first he thought that she was a trainer like them since she disguise as one for her safety.

”Once they know that you are behind EPUA, our long year plan will disrupt. I want you to stay low and let your agents do all of the work.”

”I can’t betray my agents.” She mutter. ”I have to protect them as well.”

”You are protecting them.” Ezekiel said. ”Never turn back from your mission, Brina. This way, we could give your mother justice.”

”Janine killed her.” She told him. He never know about that. ”Janine killed her with a gun and Francisco doesn’t know anything about it.”

”Francisco is Janine’s mistress. Your mother was killed because of him.” Ezekiel still persuade her.

Even though Francisco didn’t kill her mother directly, she will still avenge her for raping and hurting her. Her fist clenches from the arm chair that she’s sitting and grip her teeth.

”Francisco has to pay everything that he has done.” Ezekiel said persuading her more. She didn’t need to be persuaded, she already planned it. She want to torture him until he gets crazy and eventually kill his own self.

Sabrina walk out from the study room and then, she stop from her track when she heard a soft music coming from the other room. She turn to the room and was about to go there but Eugene called her and told her that her car is waiting.

She smells a woman’s perfume. It smells like her mother’s. Maybe her grandfather is still mourning since he both lost his wife and his only daughter. The odd atmosphere inside the house makes her think more. Is her grandfather hiding a woman inside the mansion? Maybe its someone to please him that’s why though he has white hairs, his face isn’t that wrinkled like others.

Before she enter her car, she felt that someone was watching her so she turn to the room just two doors away from the study of her grandpa. There’s a figure standing there but she can’t seem to see her face and guess who it was. A woman’s figure.

It was odd that now that her grandfather is old, he would hide a mistress. She gets in to her car and drove away from the Mondragon Palace.