The Grand Mistress

Everything happened so fast around the orphanage that when Simione bolted out the door, the directress and everyone whom the girl met on her way were all alarmed at how she acted. She didn't respond to all their questions and her demeanor tells something was up. The Directress who was all worried followed her to her room and saw that she was packing up.

Hawk who was waiting for Simione at one corner saw how all things went but because he was then still carrying Bunbun and saw the directress confronting the girl, he chose to let them talk first. He however handed Bunbun to another staff member and followed the two right after. When he was in Simione's room, he heard them talking.

"Cat, what is happening?" The old woman asked, confused.

"I need to leave," She answered in the midst of her chaos. "Brother Don needs me,"

"Did something bad happen?"

"No..no..it's actually good. He had woken up," When Simione said this and it ran to Hawk's ears outside, something inside him panicked. He didn't know what but inside him, he harbored some jealousy on the man and right then it only intensified.

"Then why are you like this? Why are you leaving?" The directress was all the more confused. Cat was telling her good news yet, it seemed that she was more in distress than happy about it.

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"He is hysterical. Grandmother doesn't know what to do and how to calm him up, he needs me," Simione explained and put everything she had in one bag, took a jacket and readied herself for a long journey back to Devon City.

"Cat are you out of your mind? The river is flooded," The directress reminded her just in case the girl forgot.

"The old folks were able to set up a rope toward the other side, I'll try to cross," Simione countered.

  Indeed earlier in the morning in the hopes of being able to gather some supplies from the nearby town, the old folks tried to set up some ropes where they could cling on while crossing the river, one end was tied to a big tree on their side, the other was tied on the other side. Of course, the nearby village on the other side was aware of their situation and to help them tied the ropes on the other end. However, despite the presence of the ropes, the old folks still failed to cross and were not successful in their attempts because the intensity of the rushing water was just too much.

"Cat, the village folks were not able to cross! How are you going to do it?" The directress became more worried about her plans. She knew the girl had her mind fixed on it already and so when she said she would cross she would really do it. "The river is very dangerous, you'll get killed for this foolishness!"

Simione didn't answer anymore and just left the room even with the directress' protest. At the hallway she saw Hawk, shooting daggers at her but she too ignored him and went on her way. There was something in her eyes that night that made Hawk aware she wouldn't just easily back down.

"Cat! Cat!" The directress hurried toward her but Hawk stopped her from following the girl.

"I'll talk to her directress," Hawk tried to ease up the already panicking woman. "Don't worry,"

"Oh Hawk, make her come back," The old woman begged. "When it comes to Brother Don she is really like this. She had always been like that ever since, she can do anything for him,"

The directress words only cut deep through the hurt that lingered on Hawk's heart. It only made him very aware how deep and tight Simione's connection was with her ex lover. He wondered then what exactly was their story that the girl can lose her mind like that just at the thought of him needing her. Why would she be all willing to risk her safely and even her life to cross a dangerous river just for him?

"Make her come back Hawk, she can't continue doing this to herself!" The directress didn't know what to do anymore. She herself wanted to stop the girl and all her foolishness but how could she just do it so? She knew Cat and she knew Brother Don, she both watched the two grow up together and fell in love and so she knew how deep their ties were and so was the love that once bound the two. In fact even when Cat confessed that she wasn't married to Brother Don and that they had long broken up, the ties that bind them both were still there. She knew their love for each other remained intact so was Simione's foolish devotion!

***

Simione was determined to Cross the river that even when the sun was about to wear off, she stubbornly went on her journey. Right then, she really couldn't think of anything but Lyndon. She was really worried, especially that grandmother had to call her up desperately for help. Something is not right with him, she had to go and see him now. Looking back through the past, it had actually been years since she hadn't seen the man. 

How long was it? Six years? seven years? And after such a long separation, at the time when Simione was ready to see him, at the time when she was trying to rebuild her life and the relationship with the Tangs, after all those longings, Lyndon came back with his life hanging around the edge. He encountered an accident even before he reached the Tang's mansion, leaving them all, especially Simione with another heartbreak. How could fate be that cruel?

Now that Lyndon needed her, she had to be there. She had to be there for him because as far as she knew, she had never really paid him much of all the things she owed to him. Even though she struggled so much at their separation, she couldn't deny the fact that without him, she could have not survived it all. After all, it was the man himself who saved her from the streets and the one who defended him from everyone. When Simione was young and defenseless, Lyndon had been a good brother to her and when everyone refused to love and acknowledge her, he did. He loved and defended her up to the point that the whole Tang household had to give up their friendship with  their longtime family friends.

This was how Simione ended in the Tang's. It was because of Lyndon. He was her saviour.

Simione reached the river after a long exhausting walk. The sound of gushing deadly water lingered on, warning everyone not to cross or one will lose their life. There across it was thick rope tied from one edge to another, hoping to help everyone who would cross but despite such promising support, one could easily see it was never safe to cross.

However, instead of stepping into safety, Simione readied herself to cross. She sealed her backpack on her body and held her breath as she took a grip on the thick rope. She was about to be submerged into the water when she felt very strong arms, jerking her back to edge and when she looked back, he saw Hawk Monsanto's angry mad eyes.

"What do you think you are doing?" The man was gritting his teeth when he said it. He was so mad that his grip dug into her skin,  immediately hurting the girl. It prevented Simione from moving back into the water and to cross it by herself.

"Let go of me!" Simione retorted, trying to free herself from him. However, as Hawk was one heck of a strong man, it didn't take much time before he was able to carry Simione back to the dry area, away from the edge of the riverbank that was ready to swallow them both alive.

"Cat can't you see the water? It's going to kill you! Does your life mean nothing to you?"

"My brother needs me," She pressed, not willing to listen to him. She never expected Hawk Monsanto to follow her and intervene in her business. Why would he? He literally had no interest in it.

"Your ex. Your ex who broke up with you already," Hawk spat to her face because it seemed like she was not admitting to it. "So I don't understand Cat why the heck would you be willing to sacrifice your life to cross this river just because of a fucking man who already left you!"

"You don't have to  understand it!" Simione was already annoyed at his intervention. "I just to go, I just want to see him now,"

"How could you treat him as superior in your life! How mad can you be for him? Does he even deserve it?" Hawk's anger became evident in his voice now. He looked at Simione with thorough frustration and disgust, very much disappointed on how she was risking her safety and all the more her life just because of a man. "Does your life mean nothing to you other than his? How pathetic is that Cat? Why do you even have to do this in the very first place!"