The Castillo's Series: Echoes of Love

PROLOGUE Blue's Point of View The air was thick with anticipation as Mom's words hung in the room like a delicate secret about to be unveiled. "Boys, we have a new housemaid. She's Aling Maria's granddaughter, and if I'm not mistaken, she's around your age, Blue," Mom said, her gaze piercing through the morning light, fixing me in her sights. We had all gathered in the sunlit living room, a hushed excitement brewing as we waited for the revelation of our newest housemate. A mischievous glint danced in my eyes as I couldn't resist injecting a bit of playful curiosity into the moment. "Oh, okay. Is she pretty?" I asked with a teasing grin, immediately igniting a spark of laughter from my siblings. But Mom's stern look crashed over me like a tidal wave, quelling the laughter in an instant. "Yes," she replied, her voice carrying a mix of warning and caution. "But don't you ever make a move on her, Blue. I wouldn't want Aling Maria to get angry." Her words hung heavy, momentarily transforming the room into a silent chamber of unspoken intentions. I couldn't help but raise my hands in surrender, the gravity of Mom's warning settling in my mind. "I'm just joking, Mom," I reassured her, my grin replaced with sincerity. "I'm more afraid of Aling Maria and, of course, of you." My confession elicited a small smile from Mom. Despite my playful exterior, I was, at my core, a good son. A good boy. The mention of our new housemaid's appearance had been nothing more than a momentary lapse of mischief. I was genuinely curious about this new addition to our family's ever-expanding household. We had rarely encountered housemaids close to our age, and each had become an indelible part of our lives, cherished and treated as kin. I reminisced about our childhood encounters with Aling Maria in the kitchen—those moments when we were young, mischievous, and oblivious to the gravity of our actions. She had wielded her scoldings with an air of culinary authority, making it seem as if we were destined for a simmering fate within her pots and pans. But Aling Maria had been more than a disciplinarian; she had been family. Her unwavering presence has cast an enduring imprint on our lives, endearing her to Mom's heart as a favorite. And so, even as adults, we continued to tread carefully in her presence, the memories of her stern but loving guidance eternally etched in our minds. My mind returned to the impending arrival of Aling Maria's granddaughter. Aria, they called her. A name as graceful and mysterious as the lilac-hued eyes Mom had described. "I know you, Blue Matthew Castillo!" Mom's voice echoed in my thoughts, jolting me back to reality. "Aria is very pretty, the same age as you, kind, and very sweet. She's Aling Maria's favorite granddaughter, so you had better behave." I tsked at the implied distrust, a playful defiance that masked my genuine respect for our household and the people within it. After all, I had no intention of causing trouble for Aling Maria or anyone else. No matter how many girls may cross my path, my heart belonged to one woman. Frances Nicole Mendoza—a name that has become my beacon of unwavering love. Though separated by time and distance, she remained the keeper of my heart, an indomitable presence against which no other could compete. With a final admonition, Mom redirected our focus. "Tomorrow is her first day here, boys, so be nice to her, especially you, Blue!" So, with a silent nod, I acknowledged Mom's warnings, aware that further argument would be futile. With the announcement concluded, Mom retreated to her room, leaving my siblings and me to contemplate the impending arrival of Aling Maria's granddaughter. As Mom retreated upstairs to her and Dad's sanctuary, my siblings and I lingered in the living room, the weight of her words still hanging in the air like a tantalizing secret about to unfold. "Okay! We have a new housemate and not just any housemate, she's Aling Maria's granddaughter and your age, Blue," Red chimed in with an air of excitement, the energy of his words revitalizing the room. Yet, I remained nonchalant, my indifference unshaken. Thadeus joined the conversation with his characteristic stoicism. "We have to be extra careful with our actions so we don't make her uncomfortable, especially you, Blue." I maintained my poker face, my inner thoughts dancing with a hint of bemusement. Why was I always the designated target? Did my brothers truly see me as a troublemaker? I couldn't help but scoff inwardly. "Why me again?" I questioned, a puzzled expression etching itself across my features. Red, never one to beat around the bush, offered an unvarnished response. "Because you're always the one causing trouble and fooling around here." His words elicited hearty laughter from him, and I couldn't resist a playful nudge with my elbow. After all, our sibling dynamics thrived on banter, even in the most serious of moments. Yet, my heart was light; I feared nothing but Aling Maria's wrath. As the living room slowly emptied, I pondered the enigmatic presence of Aria Amethyst Aragon. Would her arrival herald a change in the steady course of my life? Or was she merely another piece in the intricate mosaic of our shared history? Tomorrow was destined to bring answers, but for now, I allowed the anticipation to wash over me, my thoughts consumed by the unknown force that would soon become a part of our lives. And little did I know that the arrival of Aria would shatter the complacency of my existence, setting in motion a chain of events that would redefine everything I thought I knew about love and fate.