THE PROMISE

It's okay to let people in, my love.

***

CHAPTER LIX

*****

"EMMA!"

There was something about how Daniel's voice broke that made my heart ache in my chest. I could only stand and foolishly watch from the doorway as both Pablo and Daniel rushed to Emma, he was sitting in the empty, porcelain bathtub, unconscious.

"Go away."

Or maybe not.

"What the fuck did you do?" Daniel sounded angry, but I could only see how his eyes filled with pain and worry as he yanked his younger sister out of the the tub. "What did you take?"

He didn't focus on one question and instead turned his attention to me. "Call the hospital. Tell them it's an emergency."

"I'll go get the (vomiting syrup)," Pablo said, speaking up for the first time since he had come on.

I followed him out of the bathroom and instead rushed to the nearest phone which was sitting on her bed. I picked it up and swiped but cursed as I was immediately hit with a password screen.

Knowing how her phone worked, I rushed back into the bathroom. Daniel was on his knees and had her head in his lap, holding her upright so if she puked, she wouldn't choked on it. He kept talking to her, engaging her in conversation to keep her conscious even while I pressed her thumb against the home button.

The screen lit up immediately and I hit the call button before finally realising that I didn't have to do all that and I could've just made an emergency call. I didn't have time to beat myself up about it. I dialled nine-nine-nine and pressed the phone to my ear as it started to ring. It didn't take longer than five seconds before someone answered, but it felt like it had been centuries.

"Nine-nine-nine, what's your-"

"I think she's dying."

"Okay, miss? I'm going to need you to calm down and explain to me what's happening?" the responder said in a soothing tone, making me take a deep breath even though it had no affect on me. "Now, what is your situation and who is dying?"

"My friend. I think she took some pills. Overdosed on them. I don't... Um."

"Okay,sweetheart, we're putting you through to an emergency team right now," she said in that same calm and soothing voice that did absolutely nothing for me. "Do you know what pills she may have took?"

I walked back into the room and picked up the empty orange bottle before flipping it over so I could read the label. With trembling fingers, I read off the long name that I knew was a common sleeping pill, but I could hardly pronounce.

"Do you know how many of them she took?"

"I don't know, but the bottle was half-through and now it's empty."

"How long has it been since she took the pills?"

"I don't know. I don't know. I just found her lying in the bathtub."

"What's the dosage in each pill?" the lady asked, making me get fed up with the millions of questions. The more she asked, the less we were getting down.

"I don't know. Is the team on their way now?" I asked, switching it around so I could finally get some answers.

"Yes, but it may take a while since you're far out." My stomach dropped at her words and the panic that was only beginning to fade away hit me again. I watched cautiously as Pablo came running in with a bottle of (syrup) in his hands. He handed it to Daniel who unscrewed it immediately and tipped a genorous amount down her throat.

"If she's still conscious, we're going to have to ask you to make her throw up. Is that okay? Are you in a safe environment where you would be able to do that?"

It was too late for that. Emma lurched forward, getting puke all over her brothers clothes, but he looked like he could careless. She puked so much, I actually started to worry for her, but soon she collapsed into Daniel's chest in exhaustion, letting him wrap his arms around her and hold him close to him.

"Miss?" the responder called out into the phone, gaining my attention again. "Miss? Is everything alright? Are you still there?"

"She's thrown up already," I answered, my voice comin out small as the headache I had woken up with that morning intensified by tenfold.

"That's good. We'll need you to keep an eye on her until our team reach you. Keep her upright so she doesn't choke in case she vomits again and try to keep her conscious. Keep an eye on her breathing patterns and heart rate and call again immediately if there are any drastic changes to them. Okay?"

"Okay."

"The medics are on their way."

I nodded, even though she couldn't see and cut the call before chucking the phone onto her bed. Walking into the bathroom again, I saw Emma in the bathtub now filled with water with Daniel sitting on the closed toilet seat shirtless. Pablo was sitting by the edge of the basin, stroking back blonde hair and looking at her as if she would disappear.

Feeling out of place, I focused my attention of cleaning up the vomit on the floor, but Daniel had called for my attention.

"Leave it. A maid will clean it up."

I glared at him, surprised when he flinched back at the harsh look I shot his way. "I am a maid."

"Okay," he breathed out, making my heart break in my chest. He was tired and I probably wasn't making the stress he was going through any easier.

Still, I focused on cleaning up the mess on the floor because I was a maid and it was my job.

And I had way too much pride.

***

"Thankfully, the most it would've have done to her was give her an upset stomach, so you did well." The doctor smiled as if all was good in the room, but all was not good because Emma had attempted to kill herself.

For the third time.

"As soon as she recovers," the doctor said, bringing his voice down as if for her not to hear us even though we were in Daniel's study. "I'd advise that you admit her in the nearest psychiatric clinic for her own good. I believe it would do her some good."

I looked away from the doctor to Daniel instead who kept his eyes trained solely on the papers in front of him even though I knew they were blank.

"There's a lot of stigma when it's comes to these kinds of places, but I assure you that they aren't how the media portrays. I know there, she'll get the help that she needs."

"I will... Think about it. Thank you, Mr. Andrews."

The doctor nodded, taking that as he cue to leave as he got up, picked up his stuff and walked out of the door. Pablo was with Emma, making sure that she had everything she needed so it was just him and I - and I wasn't sure if we were on speaking terms again.

After a second of tense silence, I sighed and got up, making my way over to Emma's room. I just wanted to make sure she was okay because after this, all I wanted to do was sleep the day away.

I was out of my job so that wasn't a concern anymore.

I turned the knob of her room, allowing myself in, but wishing I didn't the second j set eyes on who was there.

"Well, well, well. If its isn't lady Araceli?" Lucien mocked, completely ignoring the fact that he was going to attempt to disgrace me in front of his daughter who was recovering from an attempted suicide. "What brings you here, Ms. Reyes?" he asked, his tone teasing as I sighed and stepped into the room fully. "Shouldn't you be warming my son's bed?"

I wanted to chew him another one for the sneaky comment. Just because he wanted me and he couldn't have me didn't mean that he had the right to mock and belittle me.

But who was I to speak? I couldn't come around here and pretend that I was some bug shot, I wasn't. I was a maid. An ex-maid really who found a way to get into bed with her boss and somehow ended up pregnant along the way. Daniel said it himself, the reason he kept me around was because of my baby.

"Well then, woman? Aren't you going to say something?"

I wanted to. I really wanted to. But Emma was lying on the bed, watching us drowsily and the last thing I wanted to do was cause a scene in front of her. Plus, if I planned on staying with Daniel (which I did only if he planned on keeping me around) then the best thing for me to do was find a middle ground with Lucien and tolerate the man as best as could.

If that meant biting my tongue and standing there until he was done putting me down, then so be it. I finally realised where I was and who I was and it short, it wasn't very much.

It was too late to leave so the beat I could do to ensure survival was find my place in Daniel's life and own it. All I knew was that no matter what happened, I would never let anything hurt my child.

"I see you've finally found where you belong," he chuckled turning back around to look at Emma. "All you'll ever be to my son is an incubator. Don't be surprised when he turns around after the baby is born and goes ahead and marries Celeste instead. Or maybe Morgan. Any woman is better than you."

Hot fiery rage burned through my blood, but I curled my hands into fiat's and glared at the back of his head. I almost wanted to laugh in his face, because Morgan had told me the exact opposite when she was here.

"Dad," Emma groaned, gaining the both of our attention. "Please, stop."

"I don't want you talking to me," he said in a harsh tone, glaring at her as she cringed back and looked the other way. "You're a disgrace. Do you know that? What do you want from me? I've given you everything - everything you could possibly ask for and it's still not enough for you! You still go and pull this bullshit."

"Sir-"

He snapped his raging eyes to me and swiftly cut me off.

"Shut up, woman." He then turned back to his daughter, ignoring the tears that trailed down her cheeks. "You better learn from her! Better learn to be a good wife and keep your mouth shut because you'll be the next person to get married in this house. I'm already arranging your marriage to José Luis as we speak."

Emma didn't react. She rolled onto her side and stared out the window as her father tore into her, seemingly used to his terrifying and hateful presence. She didn't seem surprised that he was going to arrange a marriage for her, neither did she protest. She just cried silently as if he weren't even there yelling into her ear.

I placed my hand on her shoulder and rubbed it softly, but she didn't respond to anything.

"Lucien," a strong voice finally said, making me turn to Daniel who stood at the door, glaring at his father's figure. "I think it's time you leave now."

Lucien's demeanour changed and the scowl fell off his face as he straightened his position and rebuttoned his suit. He nodded once at Daniel before making his way out the door.

I found their dynamic odd. And slightly terrifying.

I'm that moment, Pablo walked out of the bathroom with pained look on his face. He walked to the chair and picked up his jacket, not throwing any of us a goodbye before he was out the door.

Daniel completely ignored his presence and walked around the bed to crouch in front of Emma so she would see him. She didn't look away, but I knew that she wasn't focused on him.

"I won't let him do what he just said," Daniel said softly, his hand stroking her hair as she continued to cry silently. "I'm going to send you to a mental institution. They'll help make you feel better. And..." he faltered, looking at where her hands were under her pillow before looking in her eyes again. "And by the time you'll come back, I'll have full control of this place. And I'll keep you away from him. Okay?"

She nodded, but still didn't look at him. "Okay." She sniffled and turned onto her back. "I want to be alone."

Daniel sighed and shook his head. "We can't... We can't leave you alone."

"Right," she chuckled, rolling her eyes even though she found nothing funny. She then turned to me. "Could you... Could you go please?"

I ignored the ache in my heart and smiled before nodding my head and making my way towards the door, not casting any of them a second glance. I knew she needed her brother.

With a sigh, I made my way back to my room and took a much needed rest. I didn't have a job to keep my business so it was the only other option available to me.

*****

Almost didn't update today so before you yell at me you're welcome.

Oh and also I'm about to have a mental breakdown because I'm beginning to question everything I've ever known - including my sexuality.

Apologies for the inactivity, but I honestly feel like I'm going to cry.

Note to parents out there; please please please speak to your children about sexuality and give them room to explore it. Thank you.