Andrew’s POV“Are you okay?” I asked Selena as I walked up to her. She just froze when she saw me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was stunned because she thought I looked good, or if I just looked off in her eyes. “Y-yeah, I’m okay,” she replied, her voice soft, and flashed me a quick smile. I couldn’t help but smile back, though I was still wondering what had caused her to freeze like that. “You’re so beautiful, babe,” I said, and this time, I really meant it. “Thank you, you’re not bad yourself,” she said, her tone casual, as if she hadn’t just frozen when she saw me.Inaya ko siyang umakyat sa rooftop, kung saan nagpareserba ako ng table para sa aming dalawa, at isang table para kay Theo para kumain siya mag-isa. Kaninang umaga, tinawagan ko siya para tulungan akong bumili ng dress ni Selena. Wala na kasi akong sapat na oras kung gagawin ko pa ito mag-isa. Kinausap ko siya para tulungan akong planuhin lahat ng ito. I wanted Selena to have a wonderful first date with me.Na
Selena’s POVSMS From Andrew: I am at school na babe, I miss you alreadyI couldn’t help but smile as soon as I read the text message Andrew sent. He’s starting to get clingier, and now he’s bombarding me with messages. I purposely didn’t reply to his texts, hoping he would focus more on his studies instead of me.Abala si Agustin ngayon sa paghahanda dahil may aattendan siyang Business Summit bukas. Inutusan niya akong kunin yung suit na pinasadya niya para suotin sa event. Mukhang may mga bagong prospect siyang pinaghahandaan para sa underground business niya, kaya seryoso siya sa mga preparations.Before I picked up the suit, I decided to take the chance to visit Leonardo and Vania. I texted them ahead of time, just to make sure I wasn’t caught off guard again in case they were… involved with each other. I wasn’t really ready to confront them just yet, but I figured it was better to check in first to avoid any surprises later on.“Selena, you’re finally here,” Vania greeted me with
Andrew’s POVNasa pool area ako, abala sa pag-paint, nang lapitan ako ni Dad. Sabi niya may house party siya mamaya, and that it would be the perfect time to introduce me to people as his son.“You can’t just tell people I’m your son because you need a successor when you finish your term, Dad," I shouted, my voice barely containing the anger and frustration I felt. "I’m not a robot you can use or dictate what you want. I don’t even want to be in politics!”“If you’re worried about not knowing anything about politics, that’s fine,” he said, leaning back in his chair, calm and collected. “I just need you to run for mayor. That way, when my term is over, I can run as your vice mayor. You won’t have to do any of the work. I’ll handle everything for you. We’ll keep our power in the family.”I stared at him, my stomach twisting with disbelief. Power in the family. That’s what this was all about—an elaborate game to hold on to something that meant more to him than anything else.I shook my h
Selena's POVKaninang umaga, hindi ako kinakausap ni Andrew. Dinadaan-daanan niya lamang ako kapag nagkakasalubungan kami sa mansion. Pakiramdam ko ay wala na naman siya sa mood dahil narinig kong nagsasagutan sila ng daddy niya kanina. Hinayaan ko na lamang ito, baka matindi na naman ang argumento nila.Nang dumaan ang gabi, nakita ko siyang umalis ng bahay kasama ang kaniyang mga bodyguards bago magsimula ang party ng daddy niya. Hindi ko na nagawa pang tanungin siya dahil abala rin ako sa mga inuutos ni Agustin kanina. Ramdam ko na malungkot siya kanina nung umalis siya. Hindi siya mawala sa isip ko, at gusto kong malaman kung nasaan siya.Sa kalagitnaan ng party ni Agustin, kung kailan abala siya sa pag-entertain ng mga bisita at pakikipag-socialize habang pinag-uusapan ang politika, tumakas ako upang hanapin si Andrew. Alam kong kapag may problema siya o gusto niyang makalayo sa bahay, sa Poblacion siya pumupunta. Kaya nagtungo ako sa Poblacion, Makati, at inisa-isa kong pasukin
Selena's POVHindi ako pinatulog ng mga nangyari kagabi. Buong gabi, iniisip ko si Andrew at parang nagsisisi ako sa mga sinabi ko sa kanya. Hindi ko sana sinabi ang mga iyon. Buong araw ko siyang hindi nakita ngayon. Maaga siyang umalis ng bahay, at hatinggabi na, pero wala pa siya.Iniwan kong bukas ang pinto ng kwarto ko magdamag, umaasa na bibisitahin niya ako. Ngunit hanggang hatingabi, wala pa rin si Andrew. Inabot na ako ng alas-kuwatro ng umaga sa patuloy na paghihintay, hanggang sa tuluyan na akong nakatulog.Halos dalawang oras lang ang tulog ko at maaga pa akong nagising, nag-aasam na sana makita ko siya habang nag-aalmusal. Pero wala pa rin siya. Hindi ko na tinanong kay Agustin kung nasaan si Andrew, baka magtaka pa siya. Pinilit ko na lang maging abala sa trabaho upang malimutan si Andrew.Sa makalawa, magsisimula na ang opisyal na campaign period, at abala ako sa mga huling paghahanda—nakikipag-usap sa mga volunteers at sponsors ni Agustin, tinitiyak na ang lahat ng det
Selena’s POVToday marks the official start of the election campaign, and Agustin is swamped with tasks. He’s been running all over Makati, attending various events to gain voter sympathy. Leonardo messaged me to meet, so I figured it was the perfect chance since Agustin was preoccupied. I met Leonardo at a fine dining restaurant in Pasay. We took extra precautions, covering ourselves from head to toe to avoid being seen. He mentioned he had something important to give me.As I stepped into the restaurant, I spotted him sitting at a table. To stay cautious, we had agreed that I would sit at the table next to him, facing the same direction he was. It was as if we were complete strangers, making sure no one would suspect we knew each other.I kept my gaze straight ahead, not turning to face him as I asked, "What is it that you need to give me?"He replied in a calm, low voice, just loud enough for both of us to hear, "I’ll leave it here, inside the tissue box. Once I leave, take it imme
Selena’s POVKatulad ng mga nakaraang araw, mas lalong naging abala si Agustin sa kampanya niya, at madalas niya akong isama. Wala akong choice kundi sumama, kahit na hindi ko naman talaga gusto. Hindi ko lang talaga kayang tiisin yung mga kaplastikan niya sa publiko—yung mga ngiti at mga salita na pareho naming alam na hindi totoo. Mga pangako at plataporma niyang alam ko na hindi rin mangyayari.But at least this is his last term. Kawawa talaga ang mga tao. Sulitin na niya ang kampanya, kasi sigurado akong hindi siya mauupo sa pwesto.Matapos ang parade, naghanda naman siya ng mga argumento para sa miting de avance na gaganapin mamayang gabi, kasama ang kaniyang campaign manager. Pinapanood ko lang sila habang nandito kami ngayon sa munisipyo. Nag-hahanda siya ng mga sasabihin mamaya, at wala akong masabi—talagang magaling siya magpanggap at magkunwari. Kung hindi ko nga lang siya kilala, sigurado pati ako ay maloloko niya.I couldn’t believe that Andrew was his son. They were compl
Selena’s POVAgustin’s secretary had to take a few days off due to an unexpected emergency, and since it was one of the busiest days, Agustin asked me to step in and finish the tasks she had left behind. With him fully occupied by his campaign, I took on the responsibility of managing the work at the municipal office. Now, two days have passed since I saw Leonardo and Vania at Sylabu, and since that moment, I’ve been bombarded with calls and texts from Leonardo. Meanwhile, Vania hasn’t even had the decency to offer an explanation or send any message. It’s astonishing, the audacity she has to remain silent after everything.Buong maghapon, abala ako sa mga papeles at hindi ko na namalayan na alas tres na ng hapon at hindi pa ako nakakakain. Napagdesisyunan kong magtimpla na lang ng kape bago ko ituloy ang mga natirang trabaho. Pumunta ako sa Nook at nagtimpla ng kape, pagkatapos ay dinala ko ito sa opisina ni Agustin para doon muna magpahinga at inumin ang kape.Habang abala ako sa pag
Amanda’s POVI watched Andrew, his gaze fixed on the pictures in the photo album I’ve held onto for years. Every image, every snapshot of Audree was a piece of time I had carefully collected—her first smile, her tiny hands, even her sonogram, all of it was there. It felt like a sacred collection of moments; ones I had the privilege of witnessing firsthand. But as I saw his face, the way his eyes lingered on each photo, something inside me shifted.I pulled the album out to show him, thinking I was sharing a memory, but instead, I saw the raw pain in his eyes. I felt this wave of guilt wash over me, a heaviness that I hadn’t anticipated. In my desire to preserve these moments, I hadn’t considered how much I had taken from him. I had experienced the joy of Audree’s early days, the moments that a first-time father should have been there for, and in doing so, I had unknowingly robbed him of that.It wasn’t intentional. I never meant to keep those moments from him, but somehow, I had. I ha
Andrew’s POVGinabi na ako sa Casa Reyes kakahintay kay Amanda na umuwi. Si Audree ay nakiusap na magstay ako ng kaunti pa upang makita ko ang mommy niya, at pabor din sa akin iyon dahil gusto kong makausap si Amanda. Alas siyete na ng gabi nang dumating si Amanda. Nagulat siya nang makita akong nandun sa dining area ng dormitory kasama si Audree.“Andrew? Ano'ng ginagawa mo dito?” Amanda asked, clearly startled by my presence.I could see her reaction, and it was clear that she wasn’t ready for the conversation or the questions that I had. But I knew I had to do it. I needed to talk to her about everything that had happened—and about our daughter.“Mommy, si kuya pogi ang naghatid sa akin pauwi galing school,” sabi ni Audree, nakangiti habang palapit kay Amanda.Tumaas ang kilay ni Amanda, mukhang naguguluhan. “Kung kani-kanino ka sumasama, diba sinabi ko na si Ate Miranda ang magsusundo sa’yo?” pangaral niya kay Audree.Di ko na rin napigilan. “Huwag mo siyang pagalitan, Amanda. Ako
Andrew’s POVI could hardly hold back tears when I read the results of the DNA test I had ordered. Audree... she’s my daughter. The weight of those words hit me like a ton of bricks, overwhelming me with emotions I didn’t know I could feel. A mix of shock, disbelief, and a deep, overwhelming love flooded my chest. All this time, I had wondered and doubted, but now, the truth was laid out in front of me. The little girl who had unknowingly captured my heart was my flesh and blood. But as much as my heart swelled with the realization, there was also a growing anger and confusion. Amanda had kept this from me, hidden our daughter from me for years. I needed to talk to her, to understand why she chose to keep Audree away from me. What could have driven her to make that decision? How do I step into this role of a father after everything that’s happened? I didn’t have all the answers, but I knew one thing for sure—I needed to confront Amanda.I went back to Audree's school, but this time, e
Amanda’s POV“Sigurado ka na ba dito sa desisyon mo, Amanda?” tanong sa akin ni Bea habang kumakain kami sa bar area. Bumisita siya rito sa Casa Reyes kasama si Tita Lara para kamustahin ang mga staff.“Oo, Bea, sigurado ako,” sagot ko, sinisikap na mapanatili ang kalmado sa kabila ng kalituhan sa loob ko."Bakit bigla mong naisipan makipag-date?" she pressed, her curiosity evident.I had asked for her help earlier, borrowing some clothes and makeup because I told her I had a date in two days.“Naisip ko lang na gusto ko sanang mabigyan si Audree ng kumpletong pamilya,” I reasoned, trying to sound confident, though deep down I wasn’t entirely sure about the path I was choosing."Bakit hindi mo na lang sabihin kay Andrew ang tungkol sa kanya?" Bea asked, her tone softer, as though she were suggesting the simplest solution."Speaking of Andrew, I met him," I confessed, the weight of my words settling heavily between us."What? Wait, how?" she asked, shock evident on her face."He was th
Andrew’s POVSumunod na araw, bumalik ako sa school ni Audree. May dala akong laruan at mga pagkain, at matyaga kong inantay siya sa may waiting shed kung saan siya nakaupo kahapon. Maya-maya lang, nakita ko na siya papalapit sa akin, at ang saya ko nang makita siyang papalapit na.“Ikaw si kuya pogi kahapon, diba? Ano pong ginagawa niyo dito? Sinusundo niyo po ba ang anak niyo?” tanong ni Audree nang malapitan ako.Umiling-iling ako habang nakangiti, “Hindi, may binisita lang ako na kaibigan dito.”“Ah, okay,” sagot niya nang inosente, sabay tinanong ako. "Ano po yang dala niyo?"“Meron akong laruan at pagkain para sa iyo, Audree," sabi ko, habang inabot sa kanya ang dala ko. "Gusto mo ba?"Ang mga mata ni Audree ay kumikislap nang makita ang mga laruan at pagkain. "Wow! Salamat, kuya! I like it!" Sinimulan niyang tignan ang laruan nang masaya. Habang naglalaro siya, nakaupo ako sa tabi niya, habang nag kukwentuhan kami."Anong paborito mong laro, Audree?" tanong ko, habang binibigya
Andrew’s POVDalawang araw ang lumipas at hindi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa isip ko, basta na lang akong nag-book ng flight patungong Dumaguete at bumalik sa Siquijor. Nag renta ako ng kotse at nag-drive papuntang Casa Reyes. Hindi ko alam kung anong pwersa ang nagtulak sa akin, basta ang alam ko lang ay gusto ko muling makita si Amanda at ang anak niya.Dahil ayokong magmukhang invasive, tumigil ako sa isang sulok sa labas ng resort, malayo sa mga mata ng iba. Sana makakita ako ng kahit saglit na pagkakataon na masilip sila ni Amanda.Sakto bandang hapon, sa hindi kalayuan, nakita ko si Amanda at Audree na bumaba mula sa isang tricycle. Ang bata ay nakasuot ng school uniform, habang hawak-hawak ni Amanda ang backpack nito. Mukhang galing lang si Audree sa school. Naglakad sila papasok ng Casa Reyes, at ako naman, hindi ko maiwasang sundan sila ng tingin. When they disappeared from my sight, I drove away. Just catching a glimpse of them
Andrew’s POV"Andrew, let's go to the port, we might miss our flight to Dumaguete," Alexa’s voice snapped me back to reality. I hadn't even realized I had been standing there for a while, staring at the front desk, lost in my thoughts after the moment with Amanda earlier. She has a child. How? How did she have a child? Who's the father? The questions kept swirling in my mind, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something more to the story.Part of me wanted to talk to her, to ask her all the things I needed to know, but time was running out. I had a flight to catch, and I couldn’t let this moment slip by.Sumakay na ako sa van patungo sa port ng Siquijor, pero parang naiwan pa rin ang isip ko sa Casa Reyes. I couldn’t shake the image of the little girl, Audree. Her innocent face kept replaying in my head. There was this strange pull, this need to know more about her. How old was she? What did she like to eat? What were her favorite toys? I couldn't explain why, but som
Amanda’s POVToday is Andrew’s last day at the resort, and I find myself torn between conflicting emotions. Part of me feels a sense of relief, knowing that things will finally return to normal, that the chaos and uncertainty surrounding him will fade away. But there’s another part of me, a quieter part, that feels a deep sadness, the kind you can’t quite put into words. It’s the realization that once he leaves, I won’t see him again, and whatever lingering connection we had will be severed for good.I tell myself that I should be happy, that I should embrace the peace that’s coming, because I know deep down that there’s no future for us, that the past is nothing but a painful memory we can’t bring back. And yet, as much as I try to convince myself, the truth is harder to face. Maybe this encounter, this brief time we shared again, was the universe’s way of allowing us to finally close that chapter — a chapter that, even though we’ve tried to move on from, still lingers in the corners
Amanda’s POVThat evening, Andrew became preoccupied with the woman he was with. He didn't join his students for dinner, instead staying with her. They ate together, talking seriously, and I could see them from a distance. I was sitting in one of the lounge chairs by the pool area, feeling a strange mix of emotions as I watched them.Meanwhile, his students were in the function room, busy with indoor games after their meal, but Andrew seemed completely absorbed in his own world with the woman. It was as if he had forgotten about everything else, and it stung to see him so focused on her while I sat there, lost in my own thoughts.I don’t know what it was, but seeing him with someone else made me restless the entire night. I spent hours just staring at the ceiling, my mind racing with thoughts I couldn’t quiet. It wasn’t until around 4 a.m. that I finally fell asleep, and when I woke up, it was already 7 a.m. The lack of sleep left me exhausted, but my mind kept replaying everything I