"Collet, there you are," Her mother Salsa came to welcome her with red puffy eyes. Seeing her messed up tear filled face, Collet knew something was wrong.

"What's wrong mother?" Collet was then worried. A maid was still in the process of taking off her coat when her mother rushed to held her hand, stopping the maid from further a.s.sisting Collet.

"Your father," Salsa's voice cracked up as she look at her daughter with pity. Collet had always been close to Martin. She was a daddy's girl and the latter had spoilt her to no end and so Salsa knew Collet would take this news very badly. "I don't know what happened but his previous illness came back,"

Collet understood what Salsa meant and she was devastated with the news. Growing up, she knew how her father suffered a mental illness due to his severe depression. Because of it, she was forced to dress up and colour her hair to help her father recover. She allowed him to call her Ava for a long time until he recovered but then she remembered those hard times and the inconvenience and irritation of pretending to be someone else.

"Why? How could this have happened mama?" Collet questioned. She then realized that the people that flooded in the hallway where all medical pract.i.tioners. She recognized some of them too, like her father's psychologist and personal doctor. "I thought he was already fine. She had already recovered,"

"Something must have triggered him and to make him succ.u.mb to his previous state this bad, the stimuli must be something big that he end up very bad condition," The psychologist intervened when she saw that Salsa was not in a good state to explain it.

"But what could have triggered him?" Collet raised a hand to her mouth, making her expensive bangles cascade down her arm. The news got into her stem immediately and she flushed a worried devastated look. "My papa was fine and he was perfectly healthy the last few days,"

Salsa laid her hand gently to her daughter's shoulder to comfort her. "I'm sorry sweetie but your father had not been well the past few months, I just never told you about it,"

"What?" Collet let go of a cry.

"I had talked to some of his staff and they revealed to me that your father had launch and extensive search for Aviona and that on the CGC building, a statue of Aviona had been found," Salsa told Collet. 

Salsa knew something was wrong with Martin's behaviour for the last few months. He constantly stayed upstairs to the master bedroom where all of Aviona's things were and she had noticed how stressed he had been. It was the same reason too why Salsa was brave enough to redo the Golden Villa, because she thought Martin was too preoccupied to notice.  With all of this, Salsa conducted a small investigation about what was her husband up to and knew that he was again obsessing again with his dead wife. "He must have hired someone to build that statue for him,"

"But mama why did you not told me this?" Collet face was now marred by a frown and tears.

"Collet I don't want to worry you with all these things," Salsa told her seemingly flus.h.i.+ng the same sentiments with Collet but the truth was that she felt entirely opposite.

Martin was getting out of control lately and all these years, she made her felt like Aviona's copycat—insignificant and unloved. And so Salsa kind of endured all this knowing that someday, when Collet will grow old enough, she can inherit all of CGC and that they will not be dependent on Martin anymore. That's why when she saw how Martin was succ.u.mbing onto his depression again, she cared less and wished he will eventually become mentally ill so Collet can now take over. "Besides, you are busy with your career I don't want to disturb you with this,"

"But mother, papa situation right now is—"

"Hush sweetie. Your papa's situation is no one's fault. For all we know her mental state is not stable and that eventually he will become like this. The thing we need to do right now for him is to make sure he get all the care and comfort he needed," Salsa tried to dismiss the drama right away since there were a lot of things that they needed to attend to for the day. Unknown to Collet Salsa had also invited some guest to come over so that she can perfectly make sure Collet's inheritance was safe.

"I understand mama. But if that's the case then, can I go and see papa? Perhaps when he sees me he'll be better,"

"Not yet sweetie. We still have some guests waiting for you," Salsa informed her and carefully dragged her daughter to an office in the first floor, leaving the medical pract.i.tioners in the hallway.

When they entered, Collet saw some familiar faces and realized that the guests her mother was referring to were all their private lawyers.

"Mama what is happening?" Collet turned to her mother to question the sudden meeting.

"Sweetie. You know your father's condition is very alarming and with that he cannot anymore attend to all our business and properties so I called on all of our lawyers to make sure they can make the necessary papers for the takeover," Salsa explained. Over these years, this perhaps was one of the days that Salsa was waiting for—to Collet to step into everything. Previously, Collet was not an acknowledge child of Martin so Salsa was so desperate to help him recover so that he can change Collet's legitimacy.

Now that Martin was back to being mentally disabled, of course it was just right for their daughter Collet to step into whatever his father had left.

"Mama don't you think these things are actually improper provided with the situation?" Collet told her with much concern and confusion. She had spent all these years lavis.h.i.+ng on their wealth and her popularity and running a business was surely something she was not an expert of.

"Collet you are old enough. Now is the time that you have to step into CGC especially that your father is not well. I hate to say this to you but there are other people who had an interest with your father's estate and of course we have to protect it,"

"Miss Collet," One of the lawyers stood to speak. "Since you are Martin's rightful heir, you can easily step into his position. Since your father is not in a good state of mind, you can represent him in all legal ways possible including the management of everything he has,"

"But mother I don't have any experience managing a business," Collet was kind of doubtful. Truth was she was never really interested about CGC, nor was she skilled in working in an enterprise, more so in management and the obligations that they were forcing into her kind of overwhelms her.

"We can pay people to do that for you," Salsa pressed in. "All you need to do is announce to the board that you are stepping into your father's shoes. You need not to worry sweetie,"

"But mama—"

"Collet!" Salsa's voice was a little loud already. "If you truly care for you father, you must do this for her. Imagine what comfort it will bring him when he knows that CGC was safe in your hands. Besides, you don't want anyone else to blunder everything your father work hard for don't you?"

"Of course I don't," Collet admitted badly.

"Then do as I say. Besides, haven't you heard? The Lagdameo heir is back. This is your chance to get close to him more," Salsa persuaded him dragging Darryl into the picture.

"What do you mean about that mama?," Suddenly Collet became interested.

"You are to become the powerful person in the country. Being the CEO of the CGC, then you can do a lot of favour for the young master," Salsa hinted and right then Collet's eyes brightened.