"Are you sure you don't know anyone, maybe a relative or a maid, who gave birth fifteen years ago as well?" Nonno asked.
No surely, because if it did, my parents is so kind that they would surely offer something for that baby.
After what I learned last night, we are now dealing with who Amirah might be and what happened to her. But no matter how hard we try to figure this out, none of us knows the answer. Not even this necklace as it's not saying anything. Mom and Dad never mentioned finding a baby, and at that time, I was probably 11 days old. I was born on January 1, so it's very impossible for me to know.
"I will go back to the house. If we want answers, that's the only place we can have it," I said.
"RJ, Micah, maybe you should go to school. You're jeopardizing your studies for this," I seriously said. They have literally been absent for three days, and I feel guilty—it's my fault. "Also you, Jad. I know you're not doing okay yet, but prove to Harmony's parents that they were wrong for judging you, and skipping school doesn't help you" I smiled to assure him.
"I will, Mary—but not today. If you're going back, I'm going with you," he said determinedly. He said it as if it wasn't something to argue about.
So that's what we did. Micah and RJ both went to school, and now Jad and I are walking our way back to our house, looking for something that might help us.
"Mary… be honest. Something happened after I left you last night, right? What is it?" The silence between us was broken by Jad. It's been almost 20 minutes since we started walking, and no one dared to speak.
As for me, I was too occupied with questions. Why did the Mutchesters take my ring? It's been with me since I could remember. Ever since I was young, I already had that ring. I don't even know how I got it, but it's somehow important to me. Then the news about Astrid first arrived at our household—that the house I've lived in my whole life is actually the same lot where Emerald died. Amirah's whereabouts—everything is occupying my head, and it's killing me. I am desperate for answers. I want to move on with my life, but this has already brought me this far.
"Earth to Mary Quinlan!" I snapped back to reality when fingers clicked in front of my face.
"O-Oh, I'm sorry… I—" I nervously spoke, not sure what to say. "Were you saying something?"
"I asked if something happened to you last night after I left. You look messed up," he said.
Should I tell him?
I thought for a brief moment before sighing and admitting it.
"Since the sports festival, I've been followed by some shadows. They say they're guiding me and helping me. They said they'll help me on the condition that they take my ring."
"Your ring? The same ring you never took off since birth?"
"Yeah… and last night, I saw them again. We didn't even get to talk—I didn't get to speak—because before I could do anything, they already left, along with my ring."
"Oh my gosh… what do they need that for? It's just a simple ring," he asked, confused.
Right on track, we just arrived at the house. We were welcomed by the guard and maids. They didn't say anything and just let us go on with what we wanted. They probably know the deal we have with Uncle.
"You search that part, I'll do here," Jad said. We started rummaging through my parents' stuff—old books, old documents signed by people already dead.
We checked every inch, every folder opened, every document read.
"For heaven's sake, we've been searching for hours, and we found everything but the one we're looking for," Jad said.
He was right. We've been here in my parents' room for approximately 2 hours and 14 minutes, not even sure what we're looking for—adoption papers, birth certificates—I don't know. We were interrupted by the door opening.
"Dad!" Jad uttered.
"What the hell is this?" he said, looking at the papers scattered all over the floor. "What are you two doing?"
"We're looking for something that is none of your business," I said with attitude.
My uncle didn't answer and just left, closing the door.
I was about to lose hope when I accidentally hit the side cabinet.
"Are you okay?" Jad asked concernedly.
"I'm fine. What's not fine—" I stopped when a small compartment opened at the side.
"What is this?" I muttered.
I looked inside and found a brown envelope. Jad and I looked at each other, not sure if we should open it or not. But the fact that there's a secret compartment—if I hadn't hit it, I wouldn't have known.
"Your parents have a secret compartment."
"Yes… a secret compartment means they have a secret to hide." I held the envelope and slowly opened it.
And to my horror, for some reason, I wished I didn't.
"What is that?" Jad asked, but I know he already knows what it is.
I was shaking as I held the paper in my hand.
"CERTIFICATE OF DEATH," I read at the very top.
Name: Mary QuinlanParents' Name: Aries Quinlan, Cris QuinlanDate of Birth: January 1, 2010Time of Death: 10:17 AMDate of Death: January 3, 2010
What in the name of heaven is this?!