CIARAN took a deep breath to control himself before he entered the private lounge of his mother at the Vireaux Estate. He knocked before he pushed to open the door. Then he saw his mother, comfortably seated in her swivel chair, swirling her wine.
“Did the board finish early?” tanong ni Celestine pagkatapos sumimsim ng wine.
Ciaran sat across from his mother, composed and controlled.
Tumango siya. “Yeah,” then he sighed.
Celestine narrowed her eyes just slightly. “You looked like you’ve been lost, my dear son.”
Hindi kumurap si Ciaran. “Esther’s gone.”
“Oh,” Celestine said, feigning innocence. “She left you?”
Nag-iwas ng tingin si Ciaran at tumango. “Yeah. She left without a word.” And that’s because of you.
Celestine sipped her wine, graceful and unreadable. “Maybe that’s for
