Chapter 43 : Where the Secrets Lies

As the sun greeted another morning, Angela slowly opened her eyes, feeling the weight of exhaustion clinging to her head. Despite her grogginess, she mustered the strength to rise and stick to her daily routine. The diary still lay by her side of the bed, untouched. The warning on its first page had deterred her from delving further into its contents, leaving her hesitant to open the second page. After a few futile attempts, she decided to let Leonardo be the one to decide what to do with the diary. Resolving to shake off her weariness, Angela made her way to the shower room, hoping the water would wash away the heaviness she felt.
She didn't linger long in the shower and swiftly slipped into a fresh dress from her limited luggage. Today, she made a conscious decision not to touch Esmeralda's dress, perhaps trying to distance herself from the mysterious owner's past.
As Angela stepped out of the pink room, she was struck by the eerie silence that engulfed the lobby. It sent shivers down her spine, as if unseen eyes were observing her every move. Locking her door behind her, she proceeded cautiously toward the living room. Once there, she heard voices outside the house, engaged in lively conversation. Intrigued, she opened the main door.
It was Mrs. Vera who first noticed Angela's presence. "Please, join us, Angela," she beckoned, her hand gesturing warmly. "This is our new house guard, Angela."
The man standing before Angela was tall and exuded a strong, masculine presence. His age appeared to be between 36 and 40. As he looked at Angela, a genuine smile graced his face. "Nice meeting you, Miss."
Leonardo, adopting a casual tone, chimed in. "Her name is Angela Brinson." He then asked Angela to accompany the new guard for a brief tour of the house. Angela graciously offered her assistance, and together they made their way to the guard house, where the new guard would now be stationed.
Once breakfast was finished, Angela embarked on her usual routine, tidying up Leonardo's room. Meanwhile, Leonardo sat quietly in a chair near the open window, enjoying a cup of coffee resting on a small table.
"I think the diary is ready for you, Leonardo," Angela mentioned casually, breaking the silence.
Leonardo paused, taking a sip of his coffee before placing the cup back on the table. "And what are your plans?" he asked curiously.
"Honestly, I'd like to read it for you, if you allow me," Angela replied sincerely.
Leonardo raised an eyebrow. "Did you take a peek at what she had written?"
"No," Angela replied firmly, folding an old blanket. "I don't have the right to read its contents. It's your privilege to hear what she wrote."
"Why is that?" Leonardo inquired, his curiosity piqued.
Angela took a moment to explain her perspective on respecting personal belongings. "I simply dislike intruding on things that belong solely to other people, especially when it comes to a diary. Even though I may be curious to know what happened to Esmeralda, the fact that it is explicitly prohibited to read it means I must honor the owner's wishes, even if it means never discovering the truth."
"Her secrets hold the key to her demise," Leonardo remarked, his tone firm and resolute.
Angela was about to delve deeper into her reasoning when the door swung open, and Lara stormed into the room, anger burning in her eyes. "Why did you give strict orders to the guard not to let me in without an ID, Leonardo?"
"It applies to everyone," Leonardo responded calmly, while Angela's eyes sparked with fury.
"And you, woman," Lara turned her attention to Angela, accusingly. "What have you done to Fredrick?" She pointed the finger at Angela, blaming her for Fredrick's disappearance.
"What are you talking about, Lara?" Leonardo interjected, his tone tinged with irritation.
Lara's accusations grew more intense as she revealed that the doctor who had tended to Angela's wound had informed her about their appointment, implying that Angela was the last person seen with Fredrick. "The doctor would never fabricate lies for you, Angela! Now, tell me, what happened to Fredrick? Where is he?" Lara screamed, her frustration boiling over.
"Fredrick attempted to rape Angela, Lara!" Leonardo's voice barked with a mix of anger and disgust. Lara turned to him in surprise, her face frozen with shock. "He lured Angela to accompany him to the cliff and then attempted her. That's what happened," Leonardo continued, his face pale with rage. "And I know that you and Fredrick have bigger plans behind my back, Lara."
Lara's face turned ashen, and she stood motionless, unable to process the revelations she had just heard.
Angela could sense the innocence of ignorance in Lara's expression, unaware of Fredrick's true nature. Lara attempted to defend Fredrick, but Leonardo's quick wit and the damning evidence against him were undeniable. "You and Fredrick deceived me with the art exhibits, spreading lies about what was sold and what wasn't," Leonardo recounted, elaborating on his discoveries of tampered paintings and the manipulation of important visitors' names during the exhibits. "Liars are skilled at cheating and committing crimes with confidence."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Leonardo," Lara stammered, stepping back as Leonardo continued to expose the truth behind the art exhibit incidents.
"Perhaps it's time to bid farewell, Lara," Leonardo declared, his voice filled with seriousness as he accused her of lying and betrayal. He stared at Lara with a piercing gaze.
"No, Leonardo!" Lara cried out, falling to her knees before him. However, Leonardo remained resolute in his decision to sever ties with her. "You're mistaken in defending that woman. She's a fraud!" Lara raged, accusing Angela of being responsible for Fredrick's disappearance. "She's a bad omen for all of us!"
"Enough with this nonsense, Lara!" Leonardo shouted, his frustration reaching its peak. "You can leave now!"
Lara stormed out of the house, getting into her car, while Mrs. Vera appeared, seemingly appearing out of thin air, her expression filled with concern. "What have you done to Lara, Leonardo?"
"I can no longer trust her, Mother," Leonardo replied in a flat tone. He then requested Angela's presence in his room, and after closing the door behind them, Leonardo made a demand. "I want you to read Esmeralda's diary tonight, in your room."
As the chilly evening cast its spell, the hands of the clock reached the hour of seven, and the world outside grew darker. In this dimly lit room, Angela carefully positioned the diary upon Esmeralda's bed, its pages filled with secrets yet unknown. Sensing an air of anticipation, they decided to partake in their midday meal earlier than usual, eager to unlock the mysteries that lay within.
Seated in a peculiar arrangement, Leonardo positioned himself sideways from Angela, his gaze fixed on the wall blankly. Angela's eyes, however, were fixated on the diary before her, a pink embodiment of an enigma that beckoned her closer. As she stared, her heart quickened its rhythm, pounding with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Unexplainable uneasiness churned within her stomach, yet she summoned the courage to open the diary and reveal its contents, her trembling hands betraying her inner turmoil.
As Angela attempted to turn the page, a strange force seemed to bind it to the next, causing the diary to open in the middle. At that moment, the pages that unveiled themselves held a clearer glimpse into the unseen script. Undeterred by this unexpected turn of events, Angela's trembling hands and parched throat pushed forward, determined to make sense of the words that lay before her.
And so, with a voice almost whispered and the words barely escaping her lips, Angela began to read aloud the initial entry of the diary, beginning with the haunting phrase, "Dear Diary."