C11 11

"God, forgive me all my sins. Maybe all these horrific I am experiecing is because of the negative things I had done before. If I hurt any woman, please forgive me. But please spare Callea from all these horror. Please protect her, " Deive sincerely prayed while kneeling infront of the altar.

He was inside a church in Nagcarlan, Laguna. First thing in the morning he left the Villa Celesta to visit the nearest church and pray. For the first time in his life, he has analysed what was going on in his life. His impending marriage to Callea was a huge step that would change his life. Perhaps the unusual experiences was a wake up call to take his life seriously. To ponder the most improtant things in his life.

He had no plans to have a real marriage. It was a business arrangement on his part after all. But Callea started to grow on him. He found her endearing and quite attractiv her weird taste in taste in fashion. She was classy and elegant. Every inch a lady. He couldn’t just ignore her because she was caring and had a soft heart. She preferred Marina as a friend despite her deformities and treated her as an equal.

Most of the women he had met were too concerned about their appearance. They dizzed other women. They prefer the company of those who were as beautiful as them. He could hear them dizzing other women who were more beautiful than them. Callea’s cheeks turn crimson whenever he gives her compliments. As if she was not used to being called beautiful. How would people know of her beauty if she was cooped up inside the haunted house. He doubted if people knew she existed. That was good for him because she was solely his.

The presence of ghosts in the mansion aroused his protective instinct. He was not afraid of ghosts. He was just scared of what those evil creatures could do to Callea. Maybe her future bride didn’t just confide in him. He would do anything to protect her.

Therefore, he prayed for the forgiveness of sins. He didn’t know if the ghosts were the representation of his karma.

“Punish me but don’t hurt Callea," he begged and closed his eyes. He didn’t mind if he got tired of kneeling for a long time.

When he thought he already confessed all his sins and asked for forgiveness, he decided to leave the church. God won’t allow an innocent like Callea to be harmed. At least he awas confident that she wasprotected. Then he noticed that he stayed inside the church for more than two hours. That must be a lot of sins and lots of asking for mercy. Or maybe he was just really scared for Callea and their future.

It was already past ten in the morning when he looked at his Patek Philippe watch. There were hundreds of missed calls and text messages on his cellphone from his brother Keiran.He had been waiting for him at a mall in STA. Rosa, Laguna. He called his brother up. “Hey! I am sorry! Have you waited for so long? "

"I’ve been here even before the mall opened. Are you coming or not?" he asked in an irritated tone. “You are wasting my time.”

Great! His happy-go-lucky brother suddenly became responsible the moement he held a position in Hontiveros Coco.

"Okay. I am coming." He throttled his car to Santa Rosa. He was forced to treat his brother for lunch. His eyebrows meet during the meal. "I am sorry, bro. I went to church first and I didn’t notice the time.”

"Why? To fix the date of marriage?" He gave him a paperbag. "Do you need it for your wedding?"

He checked the items inside the paper bag. An antique cross. According to his Grandpa, the cross was found inside a cave in the settlement of pre-Spanish Filipinos. It was believed that it can vanquish the evil elements and ghosts. There was also salt from the Dead Sea that are believed to provide protectio from losts souls whose loneliness beckoned it to call to the living to take them to the afterlife.

He was forced to call an ex-girlfriend with an aunt who was albularya or a quack doctor. A classy albularya. She said that there must be cross and to make the ritual more effective they will use the miraculous Dead Sea Salt.

"I just need it for Callea." Deive patted his brother’s shoulder. "Thanks, bro! This is really important for us."

"You asked me to steal the artifacts from the collection of Granny in mini museum.”

“Borrow not steal,” Deive corrected.

“You nearly asked me to fly to Israel just for Dead Sea Salt. The aunt of your ex nearly used a love potion on me.” He shook his head he loathed the experience. “And the salt is expensive.”

“This is for your future sister-in-law anyway.”

He slightly leaned forward and looked him in the eyes. "Brother, seriously, do you have to marry Callea?"

He met his eyes and nodded. "Yes."

He made a tsking sound. "That’s too bad. My new assistant is gorgeous and has killer legs. That’s your weakness in a woman, right? "

He just grinned. "Not anymore. I am done with that.”

"Why not?"

“I am a changed man. Before coming here, I went to church and prayed for the forgiveness of my sins, my past liaisons with women included. And I promised that I would be faithly to Callea. I really want to marry her."

“I don’t think so,” Keiran voiced his disbelief. “I don’t think you will stick in one woman. Come on!”

"You will understand someday when you have found the girl who will make you commit. Even if you have to walk on your knees just to make sure that she is safe.”

Keiran clasped his palms together. "Amen."

Keiran won’t probably believe that he could change in such a short time. But Deive could feel the change within him. He doubted himself at first but he felt good about it. Like he was a new man.

Since he was already in the mall, he decided to shopp for Callea’s clothes. He would love see her in modern clothing and bright colors. Through she looked sultry on her bloody red dress the other night, it somehow gave him creeps.

Fortunately, part of his talent was to estimate the size of females. He didn't miss a boutique. He brought clothes which he deemed suited for Callea. Women loved him for his impeccable taste.

He was on the third boutique shopping and picked up a peach skirt that first he picked up when he was approached by two women. "Excuse me. You are Deive Hontiveros, right? "

He turned in suprise because the two women knew him. "Yes."

"I am Lindsye Marcelo," the woman with short ash brown hair and checkered dress introduced herself. "We’ve met at Averill's Party last year, remember? I am the daughter of Counsellor Marcelo of Nagcarlan. "

"Oh, Lindsye!" He took her hand in a formal handshake. "It's nice to see you again."

He couldn’t remember anymore. He met a lot of women last year so he couldn’t remember much of them.

Rather than accept the handshake, she kissed him on the cheek. "And that's my friend, Roxie."

Roxie also kissed him on the cheek. He was used to that kind of welcome but suddenly he was uneasy. The feel of another woman’s lips on his skin, no matter how innocent, made his skin crawl. It made him think of his girl back at the mansion.

I haven’t even kissed Callea yet my body and mind pledged loyalty to her. As if she owns me. This is he proof that my brother is looking for.

“Were you the one I spotted in Nagcarlan Church earlier?” Lindsey asked. “I was there because Mama asked me to give donation for the church."

He nodded. "Yes. I am staying at Villa Celesta.”

Lindsey and Roxie gasped in unison. Roxie covered her mouth with her hand while Lindsey pressed a hand to her chest as if what he declared shocked them. "Oh, God!" they uttered together.

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked.

"What are you doing there?" asked Lindsye, her face was full of anxiety. "That place is rotten and haunted. Many creepy things happened there. "

He didn’t pay much attention to their remarks. He didn’t want to add more fuel to the fire that Villa Celesta was haunted. He must also protectCallea. "I visited my fiancée. Callea Lopez. Do you know her? "

"That cursed woman," said of Roxie in a frail voice.

He gave her a sharp look. "What do you mean?"

"There is a rumor that she is a member of the cult who worship demons and evil spirits. That's why there are ghost sightings at the mansion. Nobody wants to go near that place during night time.”

His eyes squinted. "Don't you think it is true?" Sure, some people got restless imagination. His Calle, a member of a cult? That was highly unlikely. "You don't know her."

"She's not worth knowing. Are you not afraid of that weirdo? "asked Lindsye and rolled her eyes. "No sane human being can stand the sight of her."

"Except that hunchback who is not human and all," Roxie spewed more insult. "They look like like perfect characters in cheap horror film." And the two laughed mocklingly.

He curled his palm in frustration and pressed his lips toher. His Callea, a character in a horror film? No way! She was an angel. These two women looked more horrific to him with their thick make up. As if their artfully done faces could make up for their rotten attitude.

"I must be going. Enjoy your day," he said and turned away from the two. To his annoyance, he just left the skirt and didn’t pay for it at all. He was still a gentleman and didn’t want to engage in an argument with those two.

He did not want to see those two wicked women anymore. He must admit that he was taken by sophisticated beauties until a few days ago. Those women who knew how to dress up and say the right high fallutin’ words. It was easy for them to other people whom they felt were inferior to them.

But they had no right to judge anyone specially Callea and Marina just because of what went through in life, appearance or where I live.

He’d better leave while he could still can. He didn’t want to hear any absurd things about his beautiful Callea. He was sure that those two women were just jealous because she snagged a prime catch like him.

But he still had another pressing issue. He needs to exorcise the ghosts of Villa Celesta recalls and protect Callea. If he couldn’t fight off the evil spirits, he must take Callea away from the mansion to protect her.