"SECRET"

THAT night Ara talked to her parents to let her stay in the mansion.

At first, they seemed hesitant to allow her, especially her father. But in time, she was able to explain everything to them.

She first put her diary in her bag with the letters from Daniel. Even though she has read them many times, she still does not get tired of repeating them, because the love and warm feelings that caress her heart does not change every time.

"Just go back for the other things that you need, after all, Daniel's house is not far from here," said her mother Susan who was standing at the door of her room.

That was when Ara turned to her mother then forced a smile. Then she continued what she was doing.

"Don't lose hope," she soon heard Susan speak again with a careful squeeze on her shoulder.

Ara's eyes warmed at what she heard but she stopped herself from crying and she succeeded there. "M-Ma, what did you do when our father left you?" she asked.

Isn't her and Bella's father an Italian who left their mother pregnant?

For her somehow that bore a resemblance to her situation today. She does not give up and loses hope that Daniel will recover but there is still a part of her that says she needs to learn to let go so that her boyfriend will not have a hard time.

"I would be lying if I didn't admit that I was hurt very much. I loved your father so much even in the short time we were together," Susan began. "True love is not measured by how long you have been together, but by the number of trials you have gone through together and still have chosen to hold on to each other's hands because you feel that what you have is a thing worth fighting for and gambling on,” she begins.

"B-But didn't he just leave you?" Ara's insistence on not crying made it difficult for her to speak again.

"It hurts to be left behind, but nothing hurts more than the feeling that you have to leave the person you love because that's what's needed, even if it's against your will," was Susan's meaningful reply to her that she got the meaning.

"I-I can't let go of Daniel, Mama," now her tears were finally flowing.

"I know, and it's too early to do that sweetie. Your fight is just begun, be strong for him. Don't leave his side, Daniel loves you so much and whatever the outcome will be, I know in the end you will still end up together," her mother hugged her tightly afterward.

Her father Anselmo drove her back to Daniel's house. At the gate, she saw the young man waiting for her.

"All of this, no matter how painful, has a good reason. Even if you don't see what it is right now, in the end, you will definitely still be grateful for everything," her father said while she was still inside their car and she was quietly watching Daniel waiting for her at the huge gate of their house.

With that thought, the corners of Ara's eyes grew even hotter.

She had always loved that mansion. Even when mother Daniel hadn't bought it yet.

Who can say that the best events of her life with the young man will take place in the same house? And even those were hidden and will be hidden from her parents, the man would soon become her beloved husband.

Maybe it's true what many say that you will keep something a secret if it's not so important to you.

And that is how she exactly feels at that very moment.

Because if there is a certain word greater than 'very much' that is what she truly feels.

Daniel is the most important person in her life now. And everything that happened between them will remain and kept as a secret in the deepest part of her heart, forever.

"P-Papa?"

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"Can you please tell Mama not to mention this to Bella? I don't want my twin sister to worry. I know she could feel now what I'm going through, I do not want her to be forced to leave here in Manila when she finds out about it," she thought to say before she finally got out of the car.

*****

"FOR the meantime you will be staying here, is it okay with you?" Daniel asked as he led her to the room next to his and opposite Danica's while Marielle's was at the far end of the hallway.

She nodded. "I-Isn't Salyn going to tell others about our plan?" she asked sitting on the side of the bed.

That was when Daniel knelt before her. "Mama has already talked to her, don't worry, we treat her like family so I'm sure we can trust her," the young man held out her hand.

"I love you so much," she said, lovingly caressing the young man's face.

"I'm sorry if you have to go through all this. Why we have to keep everything a secret. But that doesn't mean that what we have now isn't true anymore," Daniel said in his apologetic tone.

Ara smiled at what his boyfriend said. "I know, I understand everything," she replied bowing then kissed him on the lips.

"Thank you for understanding, sweetheart. You don't know how happy I am to be with you now. You will be staying here in this room for a while, after our wedding you'll move to my room," the young man said quickly. Ara's face turned red.

"Oh, why is your face blushing?" he asked in amusement after noticing the intense redness of her face.

It was then that Ara giggled at the question along with the intense romantic excitement that enveloped her heart. That's why she shyly covered her own face with her hands.

"Stop it, you're still a real bully!" she laughed again.

"I will let Mama take care of our wedding, she has a friend Judge who can marry us soon," at that moment Daniel's tone was serious but full of hope.

Ara's heart was filled with excitement because of what Daniel had said to her. Not to mention the young man's beautiful bright eyes. Even in this kind of situation, the two of them still have reason to be happy.

"Now I believe that truest feelings are often kept in secret. Just like what we have," she said bowing again to the young man then planted a tender kiss on Daniel's forehead.