Moonville Series 1: Secret Lovers

Alex and Alice stayed at their house's second floor balcony after arriving from CPRU. Alice sat on the single armchair, and Alex went to the long sofa opposite her mother. She is bowed down and cried, while her mother is just looking at her blankly.

After almost an hour of waiting, Angel and Bryan arrived. Angel immediately went to her sister.

"Finally, you're here."

Angel looked at Alice. The latter looked at her coldly. Even Bryan stayed quiet because of the scary aura that Alice is emitting.

"What is this all about, Mom?"

"Let's wait for your Dad," Alice said instead.

Angel did not ask anymore. She just turned her attention to Alex.

"Alex..."

Alex looked at her with tears. "Ate..." She then hugged her.

Angel hugged her back. She is already having an idea what might have happened.

After a few minutes, Benjie came as well. He was surprised to see Alex crying.

"W-What is happening?" He looked at his wife

"Since you're here now, we could start, then." Alice looked at Bryan. "You stay, Bryan. I also have questions for you."

"S-Sure..." was what Bryan managed to say.

"Hon, what's up?" Benjie asked his wife.

"Why don't we ask Alex what's going on?"

Benjie looked at his daughter. Alex looked at him with tears.

"Dad..."

"What's wrong, Alex?"

Alex did not answer. She just cried instead.

"She's having a relationship with Richard Quinto."

Benjie looked at his wife. "What?"

"You heard me right. Richard Quinto is Alex's boyfriend." Alice looked at Bryan. "You know anything about this, Bryan? I'm pretty sure your cousin might have told you some details about this."

Bryan was surprised with Alice's question. "Auntie..."

"He doesn't know anything, Mom."

Alice looked at Alex. "Oh, really?"

"He doesn't know anything. As well as Ate..."

"Alex..." Angel looked at her sister with sympathy.

Alex gave her sister a sad smile. "Ate doesn't know anything about Richard. This is my secret alone. Richard also didn't tell anyone about our secret. It's just between the two of us."

Angel wants to oppose what her sister said. She wants to tell her parents that she knows everything. But with the look that Alex gave her, she felt that she doesn't want her to get involved. That made her cry for her sister. "Alex..."

"I'm the only one at fault here, Mom. Ate and Bryan don't know any-"

"Why did you do it?"

Alice's question was full of wrath. Alex just bowed down.

"Did you forget what I told you, Alex? I ordered you to stay away from the Quintos. So why the hell did you do it!?"

"Hon..." Benjie went to his wife and tried to calm her down.

But it seems no one can pacify Alice. "Was that so hard to understand, Alex? You're not stupid. You're smart. You are an honor student, second in your class, right? But why didn't you understand? Is it that hard to comprehend? Tell me!" Alex just continued crying. "I'm sorry, Mom..."

"Why the hell did you allow yourself to have a relationship with that Richard Quinto!?"

"Alice!" Benjie shouted to his wife.

Alice stood up and looked on at the garden. "I just don't understand why that simple request is very hard for you to do. I really don't understand why you did that."

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"I just love him, Mom..."

"Bullsh*t!" Alice looked at Alex.

"Alice, please!" Benjie said.

"Don't give me that crap, Alex. It worked for your sister, but it will never work for you."

"Mom...?" Angel gave her mother a questioning look.

But Alice continued looking at Alex. "It was different for her. Bryan is a de Vera. But Richard... he is a Quinto."

"What difference does it make, Mom?" Angel asked Alice. "Can't you also forgive Alex just like how you did to me? Can't you also accept her relationship with Richard? It could be true! They just fell in love-" "It's different and it will never be the same!"

"Why, Mom? We could not understand. Tell us how different it is!" Angel demanded.

But Alice will not give in. "I said it was different! That's all that you need to know. Alex, you disobeyed my orders. You lied to us. Do you know how painful that is to me? No! You will never know because you're not the one who was betrayed! That's why you need to take the punishment I will give you."

"Why, Mom? Will you also beat me, just like what you did to Ate?" Alex asked bitterly.

Alice was taken aback by that statement. She couldn't answer her daughter.

"Wait, what?" Benjie turned to his wife. "You beat Angel? Why?"

"Because she will not listen to me," answered Alice to her husband. "I told her she could not play with Garee Gonzalez, but she did not follow. She disobeyed my order."

"You spank her because she wanted to be friends with our neighbor?" Benjie could not believe what he just heard. "And how young was she then?"

Angel is the one who answered. "Four years old."

Benjie was broken hearted as he sat down.

"Do you know, Mom, that Ate was afraid to make friends because of what you did? She's afraid because she thought, if she befriended other kids, you will beat her again. That's why until now, she doesn't have friends. She's always alone. Do you know that she even eats lunch alone at the cafeteria?"

Alice seems to feel guilty with what Alex said. She looked at Angel sympathetically.

"You see, Mom, what you did to Ate had a bad effect. She became anti-social because of you. And that's because you will not tell us why you despise the Quintos so much!"

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"Don't change the subject!" Alice said to Alex. "You're the one we're talking about here. Don't include your sister on the discussion."

"No, Mom. This is about everyone who is affected by your anger with the Quintos. You see, we are getting hurt because of that secret that you will not tell us. It's because you just won't tell us the reason behind everything. Why don't you just tell us why you hate the Quintos so much?"

"Enough!" Alice shouted. "Enough of this nonsense talk. I won't tell anything because you don't need to know anything else. You betrayed me, you ruined my trust, so I have to punish you. You're grounded, Alex. If I have to home school you, I will. You'll stay here until you learned to regret what you have done."

"I didn't do anything wrong, Mom. I just fell in love."

"If you still won't stop, I'll send you abroad."

And with that, Alice left the group.

Everyone just kept quiet as they watch Alice leaves. Angel went to Alex to comfort her sister, who just cried again.

"Is it true?"

Everyone looked at Benjie.

Benjie looked at Angel. "Is what Alex said earlier true? That you became anti-social because... because of what your mom did to you?"

Angel nodded sadly. Benjie's heart was crushed. He went to his daughter and hugged her.

"I'm sorry. I was so stupid for not knowing that something is wrong."

"No Dad," Angel said to her father. "You didn't do anything wrong. You have been the best dad that I will ever have."

"But I could have been better," said Benjie. "To you and Alex."

Benjie held out his hand to Alex, and the latter went to embrace him, too. They stayed like that for a while.

It was Alex who first let go. "Dad, please tell us the truth. Why does Mom hate the Quintos so much? She said earlier that it's different with Bryan because he's a de Vera and Richard is a Quinto. What did she mean by that?" "Well, I guess, you really have to know the truth," Benjie said. He then looked at Bryan. "I guess your parents didn't tell you, too. Otherwise, you could have told Angel everything."

Bryan nodded.

"Well, this is what happened twenty years ago... Let me start by saying that, Ricardo Quinto, Richard's dad, was your mom's ex-boyfriend."

The two sisters were dumbfounded. Even Bryan was stunned at what Benjie said.