The Baneful Possession

Chapter 1

Alyana stood silently in front of her mother's grave, her eyes swollen and her face flushed.

"Mother, why did you leave me? It hurts so much," she said, placing her finger near her heart as a single tear fell from her weary eyes. It seemed like she had cried all she could, and now only a few tears remained.

"It should have been me, not you. Mother, it was my fault. I should be the one lying there, not you," her hand trembled as she gently touched the engraved name of her departed mother on the tombstone.

"Mother, please take me with you. I want to be with you. I promise, Mother, even if we're there, we'll still look after Father. Mother, I'm begging you, just take me with you."

The young woman sat down beside the grave, resting her head on it, looking up at the sky. After a while, she heard someone calling her name.

"Alyana, my child?"

She sighed deeply and turned to see her father. "Father, I still want to be with Mother."

When her father finally reached her, he gently helped her stand up.

"Let's go, my child. You need to rest. You've been here for a while now. Look, your eyes are swollen."

"But Father—"

"Come on, your mother wouldn't be happy if she saw you crying non-stop. Let's go home, my child."

Alyana sighed once more, and before they left, she glanced back at the grave and bit her lip.

"I love you so much, Mother."

Alyana's Point of View

"Father, please let me stay here. I don't want to go to Manila. I don't want to leave Mother," I pleaded with my eyes, looking at him.

I had insisted on staying here in the province several times, but Father seemed determined not to agree.

"My child, this place is dangerous for you. As much as it pains us to leave the place where you were born, it's necessary."

Tears began to well up in my eyes again. "W-what about Mother? How can we visit her grave if we're so far away?"

"Don't worry, we'll come back for your mother. Losing her was heavy on my heart, but I can't show that to you. Alyana, I'm the only one you have now, and I can't let you see how deeply I'm hurting over what happened to your mother. As a father, it's my responsibility to ease the pain in your heart. I can't bear to see my only princess in such pain."

I hugged Father tightly and sobbed softly. I'll try. I'll try to be strong for you, Father.

When I pulled away from the hug, I immediately asked, "Are you sure about your decision? Will we be okay there?"

"You have nothing to worry about, my child. We'll be staying with an old friend of mine. He's a kind and helpful man. I'm sure we'll be safe there, especially you."

I don't know why, but my heart was pounding, and I had a bad feeling I couldn't explain.

For now, I'll trust Father. I hope... I hope we'll find peace there.

My eyes widened in awe as I looked at the towering buildings we passed by. It was so different from the province. There were hardly any trees in sight, mostly buildings. The city was beautiful; now I understand why my childhood friends would boast about their experiences whenever they visited the city.

Even though I was amazed by the surroundings, I didn't show it. They might think I'm just an ignorant girl from the province. I scratched my head, but that's the truth.

Father looked at me when I suddenly yawned. "Get some sleep, my child. The journey is long, and you'll probably get sleepy. I'll wake you up when we arrive."

I just nodded in response. I could already feel my eyelids getting heavy, and I was sure that in a few minutes, I'd fall asleep.

As Father said, he woke me up when we reached our destination.

"Alyana, my child, we're here. Get your things ready."

I looked at the large bag I was holding. I had another bag slung over my back, but it wasn't heavy. I only had a few things, so I wouldn't have trouble carrying them.

When I finally got out of the vehicle, a few people immediately approached us. They helped us with our things, including the large bag I had been holding earlier.

I looked up and gasped when I saw the entire house—mansion. It was huge and elegant. I used to only see houses like this in movies, but now it's right in front of me.

I hope I don't get lost in here.

Someone was approaching me, an older maid. Her gaze was fixed on my bag, and when she got closer, she asked for it.

"I'll take care of your bag, so I can put it in your room."

"Thank you."

The woman looked up and stared at my face in shock. I'm not sure, but I could see fear and anxiety in her expression, though awe was more evident.

"You're such a beautiful child, dear."

I smiled shyly because I didn't know how to respond.

The woman left with my bag and invited us inside. If the house looked beautiful and elegant from the outside, it was even more so inside. I wanted to pinch my own cheek to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

A man greeted us and hugged my father. This must be the Don Alessandro he mentioned. Although he was older, it didn't show in his physical appearance. He was still well-built and handsome. If Father hadn't told me that this man in front of us was his childhood friend, I would've thought he was only in his 30s. They were the same age, but if I were to compare, Don Alessandro was more handsome.

Don Alessandro turned his gaze to me, and I saw the surprise in his eyes. "Is she the daughter you were talking about, Reynaldo?"

"Yes, she is."