Ghost of My Heart - Chapter 113

While Hue was sleeping, Jennet was called for a meeting with the rest of the Lockhart. They gathered together at the spacious living-room.

“I have no idea why mama acted to that extend towards you,” Lloyd said after Jennet finished spilling the truth.

Rebecca inhaled a deep breath beside her brother. Rosella seemed not like the Rosella she knew based on Jennet’s story.

She glanced at Jennet, “Why haven’t you said anything to us?” She asked. She was concerned about her.

Jennet wiped the tears from her eyes, “I couldn’t trust anyone by that time. I thought everyone was the same,” She explained. She was broken-hearted and lose all hopes during that delicate time.

“Dave is dead because of mama?” Lloyd asked. He couldn’t believe the woman whom he married for more than twenty years was evil in disguise.

“Yes, and he died a few weeks after the accident,” Jennet explained.

Lloyd sighed again. A deeper and longer sigh. He had a murderer residing in his house and he had let her free for years, doing anything she desires behind his back. He thought she was a woman who was full of compassion but who would have thought she was so scheming and revengeful.

“So, that’s precisely the reason why you ran on the day you’re supposed to get engage with Anderson Hanvel?” Rebecca asked.

“Yes. I thought of it for a longer time. Since mama killed an innocent life, I had better destroy all of her dreams altogether with mine,” Jennet said. “I never once regretted my action.” She added strongly.

“Why didn’t you tell us about your sufferings?” Grandpa Ingell asked.

Jennet stared into his eyes and she shook her head as tears dripped from the rim of her eyes.

“I couldn’t. I feared that you, too, wouldn’t be on my side. I trusted mama so much before I knew of the truth. When I know of it, it was already too late. I was scared to even tell papa or to reach out to you all because I fear that no one will trust me. Also, I fear it will destroy papa’s marriage with mama. I fear it so much.” She said in tears.

She wanted to always be and live with a perfect family with a papa and a mama. She didn’t want anyone to leave her perfect family. She didn’t know why but mama wasn’t always herself.

Since her childhood, mama never fancies her. Mama felt disgusted about her. Mama said she was a mistake that she wanted to correct in her life.

When Jennet was only five years old, Jennet tried to correct the words of her mama’s friend’s child who couldn’t say ‘flower’ correctly. The child ended up crying refusing to be corrected and said Jennet’s words were incorrect. Jennet ended up being punished severely by mama in front of that child and Jennet was blamed for humiliating the child of her friend.

Since then, Jennet developed a fear to talk with other people. She feared she may offend them. Because of that kind of upbringing and thinking, until she grew up she had always had confliction in her action and speech. She always spends a lot of time thinking back of her action if she did it right or wrong. She became restless over a small decision she made alone because she feared the other party might feel offended or troubled.

Because she had always wanted affections of a mother, she became obedient to her mama, thinking her mama loves her. She had always tried to please mama which made her willing to do whatever for mama and was too blind to see that she had slowly become mama’s puppet.

She only knows what freedom meant when she entered secondary school and met the four notorious ladies, Shireen, Belle, Avina and Rosey. They taught her how to be herself.

Then, she met Dave Baroques and she fell for him at first sight. She got supports from her friends and they helped her to go on dates with him as well. Both of them were innocent and their relationship never went beyond holding hands.

With Dave, she felt what it meant for genuine attention. She soon learnt about mama’s hatred when she told mama about her relationship with Dave Baroques. Well, she just wants to share her happiness with her mama but it wasn’t happiness but a nightmare for her mama.

Mama forbids her from having any relationship with the opposite gender and implemented more rules in the household for the Lockhart Household in Pencia, the region that papa handled. All of the rules were meant to control her freedom. Papa didn’t know of the real reason behind the rules. All that was told to papa was it help to form their children into better young nobles.

Then Jennet assumed papa was on mama’s side and thought the same goes for the rest of the Lockharts outside of Pencia because mama had been so pious and loving before them. No one would have believed her if she said mama tormented her mind for years.

Jennet learnt that her obedience was nothing to her mama. She tried to share her sorrows with her siblings but mama forbade them from mingling with her because mama feared they would become rebellious like her.

Mama arranged for Jennet to go on blind dates with each of the suitable suitors in the country and in between her relationship with Dave became sour. She tried to save their relationship but when Dave mocked her mama as a woman with a twisted mind, she got mad and stood up against him.

After their quarrel, she found out Dave was involved in a fatal car accident and he was hospitalized. On his deathbed, that was when both of them was nineteen years old, Dave spilt the bitter truth about mama being the schemer behind his words and accident.

Ever since mama knew of their relationship, Dave’s family were threatened by mama. Since mama’s family, the Chester, had a blood feud with his family, the Baroques, mama wasn’t happy to know of Jennet and Dave’s relationship. It was even worse when Jennet said she wants to marry Dave. Mama immediately arranged for Jennet to get engage with Anderson Hanvel.

“I ran away because I don’t want to be the mistake that mama had to correct anymore. I want to break free from her clutches and also to heal the wound in my heart over what she did.” Jennet spilt the reason.

She wanted to forget about the sorrow of losing the love of her life that she couldn’t have in this lifetime. She wanted to find solace in another place if no one wants her.

“Then, I found rays of hope from Hue. He saved me from the misery of my dreadful memories. I found the courage to come home because of him.” She added with a smile.

She had vowed to never open her heart for anyone after Dave’s death but after meeting Hue, the door was already unlocked even before she knew it.

Rebecca sniffed silently beside her brother. She embraced Jennet tightly, “We have no idea about your sufferings.” She cried.

At the moment, every one of the Lockhart was angry at Rosella for what she did. She had scarred an innocent life, killed an innocent person and most importantly, she just severs the relationship between two households which so many hands had tried to peace before.

“Bless that Hue. Alright, wake him up! We need to toast for him!” Grandpa Ingell said.

He wished not to keep the sad air getting even thicker anymore. Everyone will end up crying just like what Rebecca just did.

“He hasn’t even slept for an hour yet, grandpa.” Evan interrupted. “Let him rest. He isn’t used to our lifestyle in the countryside, right Jennet?” He winked at Jennet.

“Yes, he’s too tired after the long hour flights yesterday.” Jennet backed her cousin’s words. She smiled while wiping her own tears.

She didn’t want to even stir her husband awake from his slumber. Though he may be a being with the superpower, which she will not spill to any of her family members, he still needs some rest.

“Well, then, you lots go and make preparation. We’re going to celebrate him into the family. Go now!” Grandpa Ingell said, giving orders as always.

All of his children and grandchildren left the living room, except for Lloyd and Rebecca.

“You two come with me into the study.” Grandpa Ingell said with a tone even sterner than when he spoke with Hue. He disappeared into the study room with dark and heavy air around him.

Lloyd and Rebecca followed their father shortly after that.

***

Rosella was fidgeting on the couch when she received a phone call from her father-in-law. He called her to attend his new grandson-in-law into the family.

“Please come if you have the time. Lloyd is also here to celebrate the day.” Said Grandpa Ingell with a cheerful tone.

“I’ll do my best to come, father.” Said Rosella before the call was ended.

Rosella glanced towards Helena who sat not far from her. She grunted before slamming her palm on the pillow by her side.

“Lloyd went to his father’s house without telling me. Lloyd really infuriates me!” She roared angrily. “And who is the new son-in-law? I didn’t know their family have any other daughters to marry off with anyone. The rest are all boys!”

“Aunty, calm down. Let’s just go there and find out.” Helena calmed her with a smile. “Don’t put on a long face please.” She stood up and massaged Rosella’s back.

Rosella grunted and left the living-room. Shortly after she left, a woman entered, looking all lavish and fashionable.

“Where is your aunty?” She asked and took a seat on one of the couches.

“She went to prepare herself to go to the countryside.” Replied Helena, unmotivated. She disliked the thought of going to the countryside with dirt and what’s not. But she had to keep the appearance as a pious child in front of Rosella.

“Katerina, you should come along too. The Lockharts had so many handsome guys.” Helena said, changing the topic. She doesn’t want to go there without a friend so she’s going to lure her cousin to tag along.

Katerina laughed sheepishly in front of her, “Come on cousin. I have seen a man even handsome than anyone I have ever dated. You know my taste and I had set my aim to get him no matter what.”

“Well, you always yapped about that imaginary man but still I couldn’t believe you because you didn’t show me his picture.” Helena fought back.

“Well, he’s married and his wife is always there with him,” Katerina said. “My mood soured just looking at her ugly face!”

She still couldn’t forget the fact about Hue whom she met at the mall before. The perfect and handsome face and body of that man tormented her minds and she had sleepless nights every night. She even followed him all the way to Bougainvilla Hotel but she ended up being slapped by Jennet in public. It was an embarrassing day for her and she won’t forget that day!

“Pity you.” Helena tsked and chuckled. “I haven’t seen your face like that. But, trust me. Let’s follow Aunty Rosella and see the Lockhart boys with your own two eyes. They are killers to the heart!”

“If they’re hot boys then, I’m not wasting the time to feast my eyes on them.” Katerina giggled. Her action changed drastically. She zoomed away to prepare herself too.

Helena was left all alone in the living room. She chuckled and leaned back on the couch.

“Humans are so easily tempted by mere words.” She whispered and her eyes turned into deep green colour just like the eyes of a snake. The colours of her eyes turned back to black when a maid passed by her.

***