“Dear Bea, First of all, I want to apologize for not being by your side when you needed me—when you gave birth and when you returned to the Philippines. Trust me, I didn’t want that, but it just happened. Second, I want you to know the reason why. Only a few days had passed after I gave birth before you left, and then Mom died. That day was so painful for me. I didn’t know what to do—whether I could endure it or if I’d ever move on. And then, when Mom’s burial was still fresh in my mind, another blow hit our lives. Bank representatives came and told us we were bankrupt, and all our properties would be used to pay off our debts. We had no choice but to leave the house. We started over, even if it meant renting, and I found a job—until another unexpected thing happened. Zayne got sick; he had dengue. During that time, I began questioning everything happening to us, especially when my eldest almost died. We survived that crisis, and my son lived, but at the cost of the little m
Quinn was in her second year of college when Claire was just a first-year student, but Claire took an exam that allowed her to skip ahead to the second year. When she passed the exam with a perfect score and no mistakes, all the professors began to take notice of her. She became the go-to person for many whenever there were major events or last-minute dress designs needed. In short, even before she graduated, her professors were already hiring her. Their dean fully supported this, and to her surprise, Quinn’s parents owned the school. Quinn then offered to help Claire with her studies since her family owned the institution. While studying, it was no secret that Claire already had a child because she sometimes brought Zoey to school. Zoey grew up beautiful and intelligent, just like her mother. Many said she would follow in her mother’s footsteps, and Claire believed it—she had seen Zoey’s potential since she was a baby and was proud of it. Now, their lives had returned to th
“WOW, Mommy! It really is beautiful!” A house greeted them, adorned with flowers in every corner. The arrangement of items inside felt familiar, reminiscent of Mommy Lucing’s touch. “It’s just like before,” Claire smiled at her mother’s words. “I made sure of it, Nay. I wanted it to feel exactly like our home when we left,” she said. Claire glanced around, feeling a weight lift off her chest. The joy she and her mother shared was immeasurable. After touring the house, they settled into their respective rooms, while Claire and Zoey shared the same room she once had. “Mommy, was this your room before? It’s so pretty!” Zoey grinned, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking around. Claire smiled and sat beside her daughter, taking in the familiar space. “You know what, my daughter? I have so many memories here—happy ones, and of course, sad ones too. I grew up here, from childhood until Grandma… until your lola passed. I don’t regret buying this house back.” “If I were
CLAIRE couldn’t move the moment Bea hugged her—not because the embrace was too tight, but because she never expected to see her at that exact moment, in that exact place. Of all people, Bea was the one she least expected to be the one standing before her, the one she had once resented for not being there when she needed her most. “How have you been? You’re so beautiful, Claire! You’ve changed so much!” Bea said as she pulled away from the hug. She took a moment to look Claire over, and just like her, she was already crying. “When did you arrive? I waited so long for you, Claire. I’m just so glad you’re finally here.” Overwhelmed with emotion, Claire lowered her head, tears streaming down her face. She cried like that while Bea held both of her hands, but after a moment, Bea let go and instead cupped Claire’s face, tilting it up so their eyes met. Despite her tears, Bea smiled at her. “Your eyes haven’t changed at all—still just as beautiful.” That only made Claire cr
“H-how is Zayne, Bea? How’s my son?” Claire’s question made the couple pause from eating. They exchanged glances, and Dylan subtly nodded at his wife, prompting her to smile and pull out her phone. “I have a lot of pictures, Claire! From the time you left up until now! I made sure to take videos and photos of him. I have every important moment in Zayne’s life!” Claire smiled at her friend’s words as she fiddled with her phone. But she couldn’t help feeling a pang of sadness and envy—Bea had witnessed her son’s growth while she had been absent for five years. “Ahem, Love.” Bea froze at her husband’s call and looked at him, only for him to gesture toward Claire. Realizing what she was doing, Bea quickly lowered her phone. “I-I’m sorry, Claire. I just wanted to show you. Please don’t be jealous.” Claire shook her head. “Come on, of course I’m jealous—but just a little. From the very beginning, I prepared myself for the fact that I wouldn’t be there for my child. That was
CLAIRE “How was the meeting, Claire?” I turned toward the living room at the sound of a familiar voice and saw Quinn waiting for me. I smiled at her and walked over, taking a seat beside her. “Judging by that smile, it must’ve gone well, huh?” My grin widened at her words. If only she knew how happy I was after reuniting with Bea. I had waited so long for this. It never even crossed my mind to meet her when we first returned because I had to stick to the plan. But things changed—and I was glad they did. “Would you believe that the girl you were talking about is my best friend?!” I said with a grin, making her frown. “That girl? Wait, don’t tell me—NO! No, Claire, no!” I laughed at her reaction and nodded. “She’s your best friend?! Mr. Anderson’s wife?!” I nodded again, and her shock deepened. “So she’s Bea?! Oh my God, Claire! She’s terrifying!” I laughed even harder. I knew why Bea acted that way—aside from being pregnant, she was also guarding the company, wa
“Be careful out there, Claire.” I smiled at nanay because of what she said. They walked me to the door today because it was time for me to leave. “I’ll be careful, nay, I promise,” I hugged her and kissed her cheek afterward. Next, I hugged Quinn. “Take good care of them, Quinn. I’m counting on you.” “Yes, ma’am!” We both laughed at his response. Last was Zoey. I stood at her height and hugged her tightly. “Be careful, Mommy. Call me every night, okay? If you don’t call, I’ll really get upset!” I smiled at her words and ruffled her hair. “I promise. I love you, my daughter.” She smiled at me and hugged me again. “I love you too, Mommy.” After our goodbyes, I got into the van. I had a driver with me. For the last time, I waved at them through the window. Once we were far enough, I quickly composed myself. I closed the partition between me and the driver. Inside the van, everything was complete—my suitcase was there, containing the few clothes I brought. I chan
I still can’t believe what happened earlier. Right now, I’m lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. The place I’m renting is on the second floor. It’s not very big, but since it was built in the olden days, I really liked it. It’s made of wide wooden planks and varnished. The window is pure wood and swings open sideways. Yes, I grew up in the Philippines, but I don’t know what that type of window is called—I forgot a long time ago. My bed is also made of wood and has a space for a mosquito net, like the sleeping quarters of the wealthy back in the day, but with a touch of modern style. The place has been renovated, so from the outside, it looks pleasant and beautiful, while the inside is absolutely stunning. They say the owner lives abroad and just wants to rent it out so someone can live here. Now, back to what happened earlier—I can’t believe I just talked to Zekiel’s parents! Out of all people, why them?! Oh my God! I immediately sat up and grabbed my hair in frustration
Zekiel had already decided to quit his job and go home to finally see his family—the family that gave him strength. As he was leaving the office, he grabbed his cellphone to inform Hero, but he froze when a flood of notifications came in one after another. His eyes widened as he read the last message: “Kiel, Claire still hasn’t come home! She’s been at the mall since this morning!” He was startled when the door suddenly swung open, revealing a worried Hero. “Claire is missing!” Without hesitation, Zekiel rushed out, with Hero following closely behind. They quickly got into the car, and while Hero drove, Zekiel immediately called Dylan. “Mansion ASAP, Claire is missing.” He hung up and called his other connections who might help track down his girlfriend’s location. “I was shocked when I read Quinn’s text. I was busy with work, so I didn’t find out right away,” Hero said seriously as he focused on driving. “I know. We need to find Claire now.” At that moment, Zekiel was
CLAIRE We’re currently riding in a large van, and I’m the only one sitting right in the middle while the others are in front and behind me. The fear I feel is overwhelming—not for myself, but for my children. If only we could fly straight to where the twins are, I’d do it just to be with them. I glanced around. The road we were taking was unfamiliar to me, and I had no idea where my American enemy was lurking. Zekiel! I’m sure he’ll worry once he finds out I haven’t returned yet. I need to text him. I leaned back in my seat and subtly observed my companions. All of them were silent, paying no attention to me. My cell phone was in the right pocket of my dress—all I needed was the right timing to take it out and send a message. A cold sweat broke out on my skin because I couldn’t afford to get caught. If they found out, they might drag Zekiel into this, and I don’t want to make things worse. I thought of a plan, so I slowly lay down and noticed them staring at me because of
“I saw that car on a CCTV. I tried to follow its route through other cameras, but strangely, the footage was gone.” Zekiel stared intently at the license plate number—it looked familiar, and he wasn’t mistaken. A moment later, he remembered it was the same one he and Claire had seen before. Just like then, only one camera had captured footage of that car. “Days ago, when Zoey was operated on, she wasn’t actually attacked at that time. Someone tried to kill her.” The other two widened their eyes in disbelief, staring at Zekiel. “Seriously?!” Dylan asked in shock, prompting Zekiel to nod. “The doctor told us everything—someone has been watching our daughter. So Claire and I decided to set a plan to catch the culprit.” “Wait, what plan? You and Claire?” Hero asked, confused. “Yes. We just finalized it earlier, and it turns out the car we found matches the one you saw.” Zekiel pulled out a printed copy of a black car. “That’s it! That’s the same car!” Hero exclaimed, makin
When Claire left, Zekiel went straight to the bed and saw the twins hugging each other. He approached them and gently stroked their hair. “Daddy won’t let anything happen to the both of you,” he whispered softly to the twins. “I’ll make sure whoever’s after your lives pays for it,” Zekiel said before standing up abruptly, grabbing his phone, and dialing a number. “Hide out within twenty minutes,” he ordered before ending the call and heading straight to their hideout. Meanwhile, Hero was knocked to the ground after being punched by a man waiting for him outside his office. After finishing his work, he had gotten into his car, only to realize another car was tailing him. He tried to shake them off but was cornered, leaving him no choice but to surrender. “Y-You won’t get me with just your punches!” Hero shouted back at the man, who only smirked in response. Two more men appeared, pointing guns at him. “Well, you’ll give in to this,” the man said, pulling out a gun from his
”We need first, to hack their CCTV cameras,” Zekiel said seriously as he typed on a computer, while Claire watched the footage appearing on the large screen above. She silently observed what the man was doing, and a heavy silence enveloped their surroundings. Claire kept her eyes fixed on the screen, studying how he was doing it. “Gotcha!” Suddenly, multiple CCTV footage from the hospital appeared. “Then what’s next?” Claire asked. “To review—we need to watch the footage from the time our child was in the hospital,” Claire let Zekiel continue checking the CCTV while she stared intently at the large screen, determined to spot the culprit. But contrary to Zekiel’s expectations, they found nothing. “Sht!” Zekiel cursed in frustration, slamming his fist on the table in disappointment. He needed to think of another way to find even the smallest clue. “Let me,” Zekiel glanced at Claire as she spoke, now standing beside him. “What?” he asked, surprised. “I’ll try,” Zekiel f
They were already on their way home because after that encounter, they didn’t stay much longer, especially since the weather was getting hotter. They only had lunch at a restaurant, and now the twins were asleep in the back of the car. While on the road, Camille suddenly crossed Claire’s mind. “Zekiel, where is Camille, by the way?” Zekiel glanced at her briefly, his brow furrowing because she had brought it up so suddenly. “That girl? According to Hero, she’s in jail.” “Jail? Why? Is she locked up permanently?” Zekiel’s frown deepened at her question. “What do you mean ‘why’? Of course, she deserves to be there! She almost got you all in danger because of her, and I won’t let that slide.” Zekiel’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, while Claire fell silent, lost in thought. ’In danger…’ she whispered in her mind before her eyes suddenly widened. “Do you think Camille was the one who did that to Zoey?!” Zekiel looked at her briefly. “Impossible, my life. She had jus
“Z-Zekiel, fine. I’ll introduce you to Mama, and we’ll visit her grave. But I have one question,” Claire said nervously. She didn’t want to reject him—it would hurt him, even though she did want what he was offering. It just wasn’t the right time. “Go on,” Zekiel replied quickly, making Claire sigh. “The kids, Zekiel. We can’t just forget what happened to Zoey. What are we going to do about it?” Zekiel fell silent, then immediately felt anger rise within him. In the brief moment of happiness with his family, he had forgotten about the person who had tried to kill his child. “I’ll find him,” Zekiel said firmly. “I’ll go with you, Zekiel.” He turned to her, his expression softening. “No. I won’t let you put yourself in danger, Claire—especially not while you’re pregnant.” “Who said anything about fighting? I’ll just help you plan and search.” Zekiel was taken aback—how did she know they were going to fight? “How did you know we’d be fighting?” “Huh? O-Oh—“ Claire flinc
“Daddy, I’m so happy that we are complete now,” Zoey said with a smile as Zekiel adjusted the blanket for her, while Claire did the same on the other end. “Me too. We’ll never be separated again, okay?” “Your daddy is right. We won’t let anything tear us apart,” Claire said sweetly, making Zekiel glance at her and smile, which she returned. “Goodnight, Mommy and Daddy!” Zayne suddenly said, already lying down and yawning, making them laugh before they settled in as well. “Goodnight, twins,” Claire turned off the lampshade beside her and hugged Zayne, who snuggled into her. Her eyes met Zekiel’s from the other side of the bed, their children nestled between them. ‘I love you,’ Zekiel whispered into the air, and the woman understood, replying softly. ‘I love you too.’ --- THE NEXT MORNING, Claire woke up early and saw that her family was still fast asleep. She quietly walked to the veranda and opened it to breathe in the fresh air. She closed her eyes, savoring the p
Everyone had dinner together after arriving at Zekiel’s house. The noise around them never stopped, especially because of the kids—Bea and Dylan’s child was there. “What’s your baby’s name again, Bea?” Quinn asked with a smile, holding the baby’s tiny hands. “His name is Fritz.” “What a beautiful name, baby boy! And you’re so cute!” Quinn cooed happily. “Do you want one like him?” Bea teased, grinning as Quinn nodded while playing with the baby. “Then tell your boyfriend that,” Bea added, making Quinn widen her eyes in shock as she stared at her friend. “How did you two even happen?! I was only gone for a few months, and now you and Kuya are together?!” Claire pretended to scold her friend, making Bea burst into laughter at her reaction. “W-wait! I had nothing to do with that—“ ”Oh, Claire! Quinn here loves me so much—she’s absolutely obsessed with me,” Quinn’s eyes nearly popped out when Timothy suddenly appeared. “You’re so shameless! You twisted the whole story!”