Betrothed To The Heartless Heartbreak...

Throughout my years at The Fields, I felt I had discovered the right spot to call home for the rest of my life. Who wouldn't enjoy this spot when all we could see was tranquillity and beauty? The Fields, which I had grown to adore over the years, was the enormous estate held by my foster mother, Mommy Carol, who had formally adopted me after my parents died in a car accident when I was eight.

The Fields was the name given to a large area of land just outside the small community of La Carlota where Mommy Carol's ranch, flower plantation, mango, pineapple, sugarcane, and coconut plantations, the woodland garden, and the Sarmiento River were established. And amid that vast land stood Mommy Carol's beautiful palace, better known throughout La Carlota as Palacio de Sarmiento.

Why had I fallen in love with this place so much? Aside from its beauty, I discovered everything... I found stillness, a new way of life, dreams, and love...

Mommy Carol became my second mother once I met her. I got the complete attention and affection of a true mother from her. She gave me everything -- a bedroom fit for a princess, lovely clothing, lavish accessories, private schools, a colossal allowance... you name it, I got nearly everything, whatever any La Carlota girl could want. To top it all off, Mommy Carol was ready to give me my heart's desire -- her son, Nigel.

Nigel, you are correct.

Noble was his given name. It was perfect for him since he was the king of my heart.

I knew he was unique the moment I saw him when I initially arrived at The Fields. I was only eight years old at the time, but I already had that adoration for him... He was, in fact, five years my senior. He was a popular adolescent at the time, with many fans in his school. Many females adored him, and many guys wanted to be his buddy. He was very honorable. My emotions for him began as a childish infatuation and grew into something strong. I fell head over heels in love with him on the spur of the moment!

But he was an aloof adolescent. He spent a lot of time alone. Every afternoon after school, he would retire to the Forest Garden, his secret sanctuary where no one could bother him while he sketched or painted. So, besides being very attractive, he was also an accomplished painter.

He was the most valuable item I discovered in The Fields.

That's why I loved this location so much. Everything is here.

The issue, though, was Nigel's handling of me. He was completely numb to me, completely disinterested, uninterested, and cold to me. It was obfuscating at first, but it was plain to me now that he disliked my presence in The Fields. He seldom spoke to me and never looked at me until I followed him, or should I say stalked him, to the Forest Garden, where he would frequently turn to me with a frown and tell me to go. He made it evident to us at the mansion that we should maintain our distance. I couldn't figure out why he despised me.

Since I couldn't be with him anywhere in The Fields, I made a place for myself. Because it was somewhat solitary, it was ideal for meditation or reflection. It was a flat spot on the bank of a tiny lagoon next to a shallow section of the Sarmiento River. With the breathtaking scenery of the distant mountains, huge mahogany trees, and lovely flowering shrubs surrounding my haven, I would always lie with my back on a blanket laid out on the ground filled with dried mahogany leaves and watch hundreds of butterflies of various colors hovering over me. There, I fantasized about the future, about Nigel, and about being together.

One Saturday morning, I was attempting to sleep on my usual blanket beside the lagoon when I heard familiar footsteps approaching.

That was my thirteenth birthday, so I recalled it well. I was really extremely upset at the time since Nigel was about to go to the capital city to study at his long-desired institution.

I was attempting to sleep to forget about his impending departure, but I was startled by the slow and steady steps approaching where I lay. Nigel's face was falling on me as I opened my eyes. His eighteen-year-old size cast a shadow over my then-petite physique.

"So... this is what you've been up to all this time, Princess," he said quietly, but I could hear scorn when he spoke the term Princess.

"H-huh?" I inquired innocently, unsure of what he meant.

"While everyone else is preparing for your party tonight, you're having the time of your life. That's rather kind of you, isn't it?" He said wryly.

"Huh?" I murmured again, puzzled until I realized everyone in the mansion was busy planning my thirteenth birthday celebration.

What exactly did he mean? Did he expect me to assist with the planning? Was it because I behaved like a princess when I didn't have the right to be that he merely dubbed me Princess?

I got up from where I was lying to adjust the pleats on my miniskirt.

He grasped my elbow as I got up. "What are your plans?"

"T-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t

"No need," he murmured, shoving me back into the blanket. He was kneeling across me this time.

I sat there staring at him. I couldn't read his face.

He gazed about, kneeling but bending his legs so that his buttocks touched his heels, at the trees, flowers, butterflies, and the glittering water in the lagoon.

"You know, I'm just too pleased to be finally out of here," he said, staring at me.

"What exactly do you mean?"

"I'll be in the capital next week. Finally, I'll be leaving."

"Are you relieved to be leaving The Fields?" I was astonished and asked. "Why? Do you dislike it here? This is yours, T..."

I was interrupted when he extended his body and bent down to meet his gaze with mine. I could feel my nerves trembling inside me. What was he up to now? He pressed his lips towards mine as if he was about to kiss me...

I gazed at him, my eyes wide open, and saw his cheeks become redder than before, his brows meeting, and his eyes penetrating mine.

I became aware of the quick vibrations in my chest. I was ultimately out of breath.

"I'm relieved because I won't have to see your face again," he said.

His eyes remained fixed on mine. They were like daggers piercing my own heart and soul. This was how much he despised me. Why?

"W-why do you despise me?" As tears streamed down my cheeks, I inquired.

He breathed and exhaled quickly, as though grabbing for oxygen. I could smell his fresh breath as his face remained close to mine.

"Don't you understand? You will never be accepted as my sister. You will never be able to replace Annie!"

Oh, he was talking about his younger and only sister, Annie Caroline, who died a year before I went to The Fields. Mommy Carol informed me that she and Nigel were the closest of siblings. They spent a lot of time painting in the Forest Garden together. In this artwork, they were both geniuses... until she died of cancer.

Oh, no! I never planned to take Annie's place in his life. What did he mean when he said I was taking Annie's place?

"W-what exactly do you mean?" Astounded, I inquired.

He eventually got up and looked at the gleaming water in the lagoon opposite us.

"Mom told me this morning that she's going to adopt you formally. Her lawyer will provide the necessary documentation to your party tonight. Althea, can't you see? I'm sorry, but I can't accept you as a sister."

I had no idea my mother intended to adopt me formally.

I couldn't accept it either. I'd never wanted Nigel to be my brother in my life. I liked him... I liked him, but not like my brother. I adored him even more!

"Talk to mom!" he yelled angrily. "Tell her that we can't be siblings! I'm not going to accept it!" After his violent outburst, he walked right out of my sight.

I'll never forget that day... because it was the day he finally spoke to me... and even gazed at me. I didn't care whether he was upset or not at the moment, as long as he spoke to me and eventually addressed me by name.

That was also the day I did the most insane act.

That was the start of my incredible love adventure.

When I returned to the mansion that afternoon, I went straight to Mommy Carol to discuss the adoption. I discovered her in her office. I addressed her without hesitation, and she confessed the news.

She was disappointed to hear that I had already discovered it since she had been preparing it for a long time and wanted to surprise me on my thirteenth birthday. She enjoyed surprising those she cared about. Mommy Carol was that sort of lady.

"No, mum, you can't adopt me," I said after her string of reasons. I didn't want to hear them all. All I wanted to say was what my heart was asking for at the time.

She was taken aback by my look. "Althea, why? Do you dislike having me as your mother?"

"Mommy, of course, I like you. I adore you and couldn't fathom my life without you."

"Then why don't you want me to adopt you formally?"

"B-because..."

"For what reason?"

"Because... Nigel cannot be my brother."

She gave me a puzzled look. "Nigel may seem distant and frigid, but he is not cruel. He has the potential to be a nice brother."

"I know, but I want him to be a more mum."

She raised her brows to urge me to elaborate on what I had just said.

With quivering hands and feet, I declared my genuine desire, "I want Nigel to be my spouse in the future, mum."

Heaven knew what had just occurred to me, but it was not a reckless thought. This was everything I had wished for. I was only telling Mommy Carol the truth.

I realized it was a coincidence when I noticed mommy's stunned expression. She remained stunned, staring at me as if I were insane.

"That's all I want, mama," I begged.

When I spoke again, I could feel a bell ringing in her mind. Her look progressed from astonishment to confusion to enlightenment. I finally saw her grin grow on her lips.

"Is it truly what you want?"

I agreed by nodding.

Althea, there was no going back now, I told myself.

"Okay, then, that's all there is to it! You're getting married to my Nigel! Let us share the wonderful news!"

As a result, at my thirteenth birthday party, mom proclaimed in front of all our guests that I, Althea Molina Ruiz, would be the future bride of her only son, Nigelito Joaquin Saavedra Sarmiento.

What could I say? Was I engaged at thirteen?

Nigel was taken off guard at the announcement. He was probably ten times more surprised than Mommy Carol when I spoke to her that afternoon.

Was it a surprise, Nigel?

He glared at me with venom that if his gaze had been a knife, I would have been stabbed. I could understand his dissatisfaction...

He didn't stay till the end of the gathering. He went outside, and I ran after him like a mad person. No, he did not panic. "You will never win this, Althea," he said with an ice-insensible look. Then he moved with large steps towards the dark road.

He left the house the next day to go to the capital. I assumed dad was so upset with both mom and me that he couldn't wait until the next week to go. He'd finally gone.

It was midsummer when he left, and there was never a hint that he would return to The Fields. He was residing in a condominium apartment in the capital at the time. I knew it was the type of life he desired... to be alone with himself... to be finally out of the mansion where an ambitious young girl was finally out of sight.

I waited for him to visit The Fields over the holidays. He never showed up.

I longed for him to return home the next summer, particularly on my fourteenth birthday. He didn't show up.

I waited for him the next Christmas... and summer... and Christmas... and another Christmas... and another summer. Nonetheless, he did not return home.

Mommy Carol said he was too preoccupied with his schoolwork. His Business Administration course became his top goal.

So I pondered why he didn't major in Fine Arts. Nigel, as the only heir to the Sarmiento wealth, had no option, according to Mom. He would inherit the family estate and enterprises after college. Therefore, he needed to take a business course.

Mom also said that Nigel had no option but to marry me in the future since he was engaged to me. Mom would go to any length for me to have what I wanted. After all, I was the daughter she desired.

You could see I was self-centered. Yes, maybe I was selfish. And, for the time being, I didn't mind.

A charming present was given to me on my seventeenth birthday. I wasn't sure whether I deserved such a gift when all I could think about was being a spoilt, self-centered brat. In any case, I praised God profusely for this gift.

As usual, I slept in the afternoon on my favorite side of the lagoon. My seventeenth birthday was coming up, and I was scheduled to have a large party that night, but I informed mama I didn't enjoy parties. Since Nigel stormed out of my birthday party four years ago, I've avoided throwing enormous parties for my birthdays. Anyway, it was summer, and all of my classmates were on vacation, so there was no need for me to host a large party. So I just assured mum that I would eat with her that evening... just a private supper, as we had done for the prior four years. Dinner with Mom would be enough for me. Anyway, she got it, and we agreed to that type of celebration.

I simply wanted some alone time in the lagoon that afternoon since there was no party to worry about.

When I awoke, it was already dark. So I quickly fixed myself and stuffed my blanket and other belongings into the basket. Mom had most likely already prepared supper for me. Taking my basket with me, I dashed down the small, rocky road that led to the concrete sidewalk leading to the house. I tripped on a rock by the roadside since it was so cloudy on that problematic trail. It led me to lose my equilibrium and tumble to the ground. Diego, an eighteen-year-old teenager and the son of one of the mansion's employees, went by on his bicycle barely in time.

He quickly drew me up from the ground with his fast movements.

"Hey, are you okay?" he said, his voice concerned.

Except for a little scrape on my left ankle, I didn't feel much pain in my body.

"I'm perfectly well. Thank you very much, "I stated while looking for my basket on the ground.

I was never at ease with Diego since I had learned through several of the mansion's maids that he had a crush on me. He was attractive and pleasant but wasn't my tea cup. Everyone in The Fields knew I would marry the Young Master someday.

He gave me a ride to the mansion when he saw my basket.

"No, thank you..." I stated this with the uneasy sense of being alone on the dark roadside with a guy.

He grasped my arm and pulled me into the bike's back seat.

When a strange automobile passed us by, Diego held my arm in an uncomfortable situation. In addition to the fact that it was already dark, the car had thick tinted windows through which I couldn't see who was inside.

Who may be visiting Mom at this time? Was it someone who was going to join us for dinner?

When the automobile neared the corner, it came to a complete stop. I wondered why it had stopped, so I raced after it, leaving Diego behind, to inquire. I had a sense it was a visitor who was having automobile trouble.

When I was halfway there, the automobile started and drove to the mansion.

When I got to the estate, it was about 7:00 p.m. on my watch. The vehicle I had seen earlier was parked in the garage.

Who might be my mother's guest at this hour, particularly on my birthday? And why did my chest begin to beat irregularly?

That was something I had to find out.