Callea was holding her breath as she held her cat. She was crouching beside the window, away from the prying eyes of many. Even the moonlight couldn't reach her.

"Do you think Deive saw me, Luna?" she asked the cat.

She had been waiting for Deive Hontiveros since this afternoon. She prepared a sumptuous dinner for him. She didn't want to disappoint him. Even if she didn't want to marry him, she was taught at a very young age how to properly treat visitors. She needed to get his confidence if she wanted to make her plan work.

But the dinner was already cold and he still didn't come. She thought that maybe he decided to back out from their wedding. So, she told Marina to just put the food in the fridge. She was about to sleep when she heard his car purr as it arrived at Villa Celesta.

She decided not to welcome him anymore. So, he would know that she would not be the type who wait out for him if he decided to show up late. She just told Marina that she would just sleep.

Callea told herself that she was not interested in Deive. But something pulled her towards the window and peep. She couldn't see much of his face because it was dark. But with the help of the moonlight, an image of a vigorous young man was formed.

Her eyes rolled heavenward. "So, he was a hottie. So what? What kind of man would let a woman wait for him for several hours. That is hardly a man."

If only she didn't need Deive Hontiveros so badly, she won't allow him to set foot in Villa Celesta. "But why does my heart beat so fast at the sight of him?" she asked Luna as she touched her cat. As if her head would explode when he looked up her way. What was happening to her?

Her long, lustrous hair fell on her face. Then the gray cloud covered the moon. On Deive's arrival, her life was about to change. She must follow her grandfather in the meantime. She would get her hands on Villa Celesta soon.

And Deive Hontiveros would be out of her life.

"THERE are six rooms on the second floor and there's also the attic. Don Leandro has six children. He was the one who built this house and he is Señorita Callea's great grandfather. But after some time, nobody stayed in this house anymore because the family decided to leave someplace else. Others are even abroad. Only Señorita Callea choose to stay here."

Deive gulped as he ascended the grand staircase. Marina was leading him to the second floor to the room that he would stay in. She was like a tourist guide. He bet she could explain the history of each part of the house.

He felt like he was back in 1920s when the mansion was still lively with all the original settlers who lived there. The furniture was also from the olden times. But the place gave him creeps. As if anytime, a head would roll on his feet or a white lady would just show up.

He stopped midway when he saw the painting of a beautiful woman wearing a white ball gown. With all the decorations at the mansion, it was the only thing that caught his attention. It was as if the image was alive. Even the black cat on her lap has intimidating green eyes.

"Who is she?" he asked Marina.

"She is Doña Celesta, the wife of Don Leandro," the woman answered. "She looked a lot like Señorita Callea. Whoever sees her though Doña Celesta went back to life. Unfortunately, she died giving birth to Don Tomasino. They mourned for her. Don Leandro loved her so much and decided not to marry anymore."

He looked away from the painting. He felt Doña Celesta's eyes on him. As if she knew his intentions for her great granddaughter. He felt guilty in a way. The house was built by two people who love each other. The house was a fruit of their love and devotion for each other. While he was there to marry a Lopez for his own interest.

His room was simple yet elegant. A huge four-poster bed dominated the room. There were two old lampshades beside the bed. A replica painting of Francis "Botong" Francisco hangs at the head of the bed. There wasn't much modern furniture even if there's electricity.

"If you want to watch TV, there's an entertainment room downstairs. Don Tomasino preferred that the family will watch TV together or listen to music. So if you want to watch, you do it with Señorita Callea."

He smiled a bit. "No problem. Where is her room?"

"At the end of this hall. But she doesn't want to be bothered especially at night."

Deive nodded and sat on the bed. Great! His room was near to the beautiful woman he was about to marry. Not that he had plans to enter her room without permission. He was not that type of man and he didn't have to force any woman. Well, if Callea wanted to get to his room, that's another thing entirely.

Sleep was starting to lull him. The bed was soft and comfortable. The air was cold and he didn't even need a fan or an air conditioner. He could hear the hymn of night insects as if they were singing him a lullaby. Perhaps it was the dim light from the old silk cocoon lamp that was making him drowsy.

He was usually specific that all of his needs were met whenever he arrived at a new place. But all he did was lean back at the bed's headboard and close his eyes.

"Do you want me to help you with unpacking your things, Sir?" Marina offered.

He flicked his hand while his eyes were still closed. "Let it be. I just want to rest. You may go. Thank you, Marina."

He listened to her footsteps. It was so relaxing. He had never been so at home before. The eerie feeling was gone. He felt better in that room than his own condo or any elegant hotel in the world he had stayed in. Even the ancestral house of the Hontiveros clan in Camarines Sur never gave him this feeling as if strong giving arms were swaying him. He just wanted to sleep.

"Just tell me if you need anything, Sir. There is a rope that you can pull and it will ring in my room. I will attend to you right away."

He opened an eye and smiled at her. "Okay. That would be all. Goodnight!"

"Señorito, whatever you hear during midnight, don't mind it. And don't ever leave this room." Then he heard the door squeak as it closed slowly on her wake. What did she mean by that?

He didn't care about the noise or even the ghosts. The paranormals could party for all he cared. And for the first time, he had a good night's sleep that he never had for years.

Callea's hands were moving swiftly over the paper. She was focused while working on the drawing table with a little lamp as her light. The rest of the room was pitch dark. The night was silent and still. It was midnight. All she could hear were the cicadas singing in the night and the night birds hunting for food.

Nobody would think that her room was owned by a beautiful and comely lady. Perched on the wall are different sketches and paintings of scary creatures that would give people nightmares had they been alive. Two skeletons stood guard on both sides of her table. One was wearing an elegant wedding dress. It's skull has blonde curly wig topped with white veil that matched the gown. The other skeleton was wearing a pirate's garb complete with eyepatch, swishack sword and a red bandana. It was a match made in heaven in her eyes.

While Callea was wearing a white night dress. Her straight long black hair flowed down her back. Some strands of her hair was covering her forehead. The strong scent of blood that stained her gown permeated her nose. She was not Callea anymore. She was Althea, an avenging white lady. She was a woman in the 80's, a beautiful nursing student who fell in love with a doctor and got pregnant.

The image of a handsome man formed inside her head. His piercing eyes were so powerful, as if it touched her soul. He was supposed to be Althea's boyfriend He was rich and devastatingly handsome. He easily seduced the virgin nursing student and kept their relationship a secret. When Althea got pregnant, he refused to take responsibility because he was about to marry another woman who would do good for his family's financial and social standing. He forced Althea to abort their child instead and died during the operation.

Gathering all her energy, she started sketching the man. Only to end up starting at the gorgeou sketch of Deive Hontiveros, her own fiance.

She snatched her breath. "No!"

She snatched the paper with her sketch, crumpled it and threw it to her cat, Luna. It was playing with the papers that she crumped beforehand. All of it has skecthes of Deive Hontiveros' face.

She dropped her pencil in frustration and looked around the room. She pulled her hair and groaned. "Why does he keep on popping up on my drawings? I don't even like him. I don't like him."

Callea was a graphic novelist for horror stories. She preferred writing at night where she was usually on the mood. As if the darkness was colluding with her, its secretive and mysterious energy allowed ideas to flow inside her head. It made her feel sane, her normal self. But for that specific night, she was not herself. As if she was insane and the night couldn't deliver the inspiration she needed.

She started sketching for the new story in her mind. To get into the mood, she loved dressing up like the characters she created - from mermaids to fairy and evil witches. She loved cosplaying while working. That's why her room was full of different costumes and she had files and discs of horror moves to motivate her more. She loved her white lady character, a woman who was forced to have an abortion by her boyfriend and died in the process. That's why it had a full blood effect on her dress and skin.

Usually, being in character sets her in the mood. She was particularly bothered tonight. After viewing Deive from afar, her story was in a disarray. She couldn't focus on her work. The full moon was not effective anymore and her costume didn't add an ounce of motivation to her.

"What's missing?" Callea asked the skeleton couple standing on both sides of her desk. The two didn't give her an answer. She got up from her desk and sat in front of her cat Luna that was busy playing with her balls of scratch paper. "Luna, why am I still thinking about Deive?" She put her palm on her cheek. Her heart was beating like crazy when she thought about his handsome face. "Why is my heart racing with the thought of him. What's wrong with me?"

She had always been in control and she never had this kind of reaction to a human before. She was excited yet scared at the same time. She was more interested in anything gross, creepy, scary, and grotesque. Those things helped her form her stories. Her fans loved it in return.

Deive was far from gross, creepy, scary, and grotesque. He was more of a Prince Charming on a fairy tale. She hated fairy tales with a lovely princess and a handsome prince. Those are the things she was hiding and running away from. And she won't fall for that fairy tale trap or crap.

She felt safer in the world of darkness. Because she learned that sometimes, Prince Charmings could be monsters.

So, how could she overcome this awesome obstacle?

An idea clicked inside her head. "I know just what to do, Luna. Let's play the piano."

Her cat was restless when she lifted it out of the room. She promised Marina that she won't leave her room wearing one of her costumes, won't play the piano, and won't bother anyone of the night.

But she won't be at peace if she couldn't feel the piano keys under her fingers. She needed the music to set her in the mood. She won't' be able to write at all if she won't play music tonight. It was her only chance so she could focus on her story and get her back on track.

Luna meowed in protest and tried to scratch her skin she would let it go. But she kept a tight hold on the poor cat and shushed it. "Shhhhh! Be quiet, Luna. Just let me play. Just one piece and it will be over."

With the help of the moonlight, she carefully tiptoed down the living room where the grand piano was. She felt excitement course through her veins as she lifted the lid of the piano. The moment she sat down on the piano bench, the old grandfather clock chime, and the sound resonated at the whole mansion.

It was twelve o'clock at midnight.

A smile curved on her lips. "Perfect!"

DEIVE woke up to the booming sound of the old grandfather clock. It was deafening in the silence of the night. In horror films, it served as a warning that nocturnal and scary creatures are out to roam at night - from a white lady, a beheaded priest, cut-off arms that had a life of its own, and many more.

He took off his shirt then laid facedown on the bed. He didn't give a freakin' f*ck if those creatures wanted to scare people. He just wanted to go back to Dreamland. He was so tired and the horror stuff were the last thing he wanted to worry about.

The cold of the night was starting to lull him back to sleep when he heart the sound of the piano. He let it pass at first on the first new notes. Maybe it was just his imagination. Who would dare play piano in the middle of the night?

After a few moments, the note formed a piece of melancholic music yet hair-raising music. He suddenly jolts awake. He couldn't sleep at all. That song kept on ringing inside his head.

"I'll be damned!" he uttered and felt goosebumps form all over his body. He remembered the horror film he watched as a kid where a severed bloody hand was playing the piano in the middle of the night.

He remembered the stories a while ago at the store along the road. Villa Celesta was haunted. Not even the bravest could stay there for long.

He stood up and took the flashlight on the bedside table. He mustered all his courage. He didn't believe in ghosts. And he would prove that there were no such silly things. It was just formed by wild imaginations. If Callea and Marina who were both women could stay in the house and were not frightened at all, then he could do it as well. He was a man. A real man. He was not scared. He could face everything. He won't be defeated by ghosts... if there was any.

He slowly walked the quiet and dark hallway of the mansion. He didn't bother with the slipper because it might squeak and create noise. The wood was cold under his feet. Maybe the music was coming from the entertainment room. According to Marina, there was a television set and a modern sound system inside that room. He must give credit to the entertainment system then. It was like listening to a piano concerto. Right. Maybe it was Callea's lullaby.

He calmed a bit with the thought. Perhaps he would buy her a music pod so only she could listen to her music. It won't bother him anymore whenever she wanted to play her unearthly playlist during midnight. It almost turned his experience into a horror fright night.

Right. It was just some silly entertainment system music. Maybe he would just lower the volume. If Callea was fast asleep, perhaps she won't mind.

He was near the stairs when the music stopped. Holding the banister, he saw a woman with long hair and wearing a white nightdress walking out of the mansion.

He moved down the stairs with. Did he really saw that woman or it was just an imagination? The piano's lid was open. The bench was a bit far from the piano itself as if someone sat there and played the music.

"Luna! Luna!" called the woman with a melodious voice.

His eyes strayed to the open door. The woman's voice was coming from the garden. He stepped towards the door.

According to Marina, he must not pay heed to whatever he hears. It means he knew about the mystery in the house. His resolve became stronger. He must discover that mystery. He was already here. He had no plans to turn back.

As he stepped outside, he was faced by the looming shadow of what seemed like a menacing creature, guarding the night and ready to attack him and eat him whole. He stepped back and held his pounding chest. He nearly ran back inside while screaming the house down. But he calmed down when he realized that it was just a huge old tree. The head of the tree with the hollow of the branches made it look like a monster. The extended branched made it look like its extended arms.

"It is just a tree," Deive breathed. Just a harmless tree. Of course, what would an innocent tree do to hurt him? He was safe.

He heard the woman's voice again. "Luna, where are you? Please come back. Don't hide from me." It sounded like she was worried and about to cry.

He made a few steps and saw a woman. It was the same woman wearing the white gown awhile ago. She was standing under the tree.

He walked in her direction. His head was telling him to turn tail and go back to the safety of his room. But her voice was beckoning him to come closer and there was nothing he could do about it.

She looked vulnerable while the wind was blowing her dress and her long straight hair. Her cries resonated through the night. It looked like the cold of the night didn't bother her a bit with her thin nightdress. The moonlight bathed her body as if it was comforting her. How he envied the moon.

It was like a fairy tale. He had never met someone like her before who arouse his curiosity right away. Perhaps he felt the sadness and worry in her voice. He hated to see a woman cry.

He stopped just a few steps away from her. "Miss, are you okay?"

Deive heard her breath hitch. She hid behind the tree right away. Did he frighten her? Did she think that he was a bad guy? Then he remembered that he was only wearing his pajama and none on top. He was in a hurry to check the music a while ago and he forgot to dress up.

He scratched his head. This was the first time that a woman got scared of him. He was used to women fawning over him, ready to devour him in his half-naked state. And they couldn't get their hands off him.

He tried to explain. "Miss, wait. No need to be scared. I am not a bad guy. Just tell me if I can help you with anything. Who is Luna? Who are you looking for?"

And who was this woman? Maybe there were other people in the house aside from Marina and Callea. They just didn't inform him so it won't bother him.

He heard a purring sound. "Luna!" the woman exclaimed in glee. She followed the sound of the cat and pick it up from between the bushes. "You shouldn't have run away. What if someone takes you away from me? You got me so worried."

He hated cats but he wanted to see the smile on her face. He followed her. When she heard her footsteps, she stood up and hid behind the other side of the tree. She was deliberately avoiding him.

"Miss, I won't get mad at you even if you bring a cat or whatever. Don't be scared."

"What are you doing here?" she seethed in a menacing voice.

He walked a bit towards her. "I heard someone playing the piano so I decided to check it out. Were you the one playing the piano? If you want to keep it a secret, I won't tell." Of course, the rich don't allow their helpers to use their expensive properties unless to clean it perhaps. But for a helper, she was really a great player.

The mysterious woman didn't answer. She just kept her head down. Her long hair hid her face while holding her cat. He couldn't see her face because the cloud suddenly covered the bright moon and cast its shadow. Maybe she was really scared because she didn't expect that he would see her. Maybe cats were not allowed in the mansion but she decided to keep it.

"I am Deive. I am a visitor here. You and your pet are safe with me," he reassured. How about you? What's your name?" he asked.

"You shouldn't have come here!" Her voice was full of venom and warning. As if coming there was the worst decision ever. And he didn't know why.

The wind blew once more and sent chills to his spine. The moon was released from its temporary shade and cast its light once more to the woman. She could feel the woman's penetrating gaze on her despite the bunch of hair all over her face.

But he couldn't care about her face right now. The view in front of his was ghastly. He was totally horrified when he saw the blood stains in front of her white nightdress. Blood. Bloody hell!

There were blood on her sleeves and the hem of her dress. But there was a lot of stain on her abdomen. As if someone stabbed her or abused her. A victim of a henious crime.

He was stunned, his feet were planted on the ground. His brain was screaming with fear until this head hurt but there was no voice coming out of his mouth. He was as still as a statue in utter shock.

This was no ordinary human. She was a ghost. A bad spirit. She didn't belong in this world anymore. Ghosts were real.

He felt like he was in a bad a dream and he couldn't find a way to go back to reality. The girl whom he thought was beautiful and mysterious was replaced by a nightimare. A real nightmare.

If this white lady would grab him and suck the life force out of him, he won't be able to move. And there was nothing he could do to fight her except pray. He didn't even know what prayer to recite to save himself. He was numb and his mind was not functioning at all. He was doomed.

The cat screeched at him. Dagger looks were thrown his way, ready to protect its master. His breath hitched. The other eye was mutilated. An equally menacing creating. It jumped out of the woman's arm straight to him. His reflex was not working and he felt its claws bury on the skin of his chest.

"Ahhh!" he shouted and pried the cat off his chest. He really hated cats but now he hated them tenfolds specially this hellcat. But no matter how much he wanted to keep it away from his body, it kept on scratching him. He couldn't believe that he was overpowered by a mere cat.

But this is no ordinary cat. It is a ghost. How can I fight a ghost?

"Luna, stop it!" the woman repimanded its cat.

The cat suddenly stopped attacking him. It jumped out of his arms and scurried back to its master. He seethed in pain as he felt his wounds smarting. He balled his fist and breathed heavily. Once he gets his hands on that cat, he would choke the life out of it.

"Luna hurt you?" the woman asked in a concern voice and lifted her head. "Do you want me to treat you?" She started walking towards him.

He shook his head and stepped back. "No. Please don't come near me.!" But the white lady kept on walking at extended her hand. "No! Go away away! Scram back to where the hell you came from. Go with the light and have a peaceful life. You and your cat."

He remembered the stories about souls of the dead who thought they are still alive and couldn't accept their untimely death. Some were also looking for justice on their deaths. Most of them were victims of crime. And because of their grief, they also take the lives of living people in the after life to join their misey.

Drat! He still wanted to live longer. He still has dreams. He wanted to see his pirate cruise ship sail the sea and turn them into fleet. He still has a woman waiting for him to marry her.

If the heavens would punish him for appreciating beautiful woman and tasting the goods, hopefully not this way. A bloody white lady with a hellcat was definitely the last on his list. And it was something that he won't wish on his worst enemy.

The white lady held her hand up as if she was trying to stop her. "Don't move! On your back..."

"I told you don't come near me, you evil spirit!"

He retreated and didn't heed her warning. He yelled when he realized that he was walking on air. He lost his balance and plunged into the depths of cold, freezing water. Is he gonna die?