“What?! Are you that desperate now, Ate Vivien? You're going to block Dad's happiness? You're going to use the annulment? What a childish act! You're still forcing yourselves even though Dad's no longer happy with you. So selfish!” My anger flared up again. “Coming from you, Loraine? We’re the desperate ones, huh? Those words are really coming from you? It’s like we’re the ones who are the second family and the mistress here. You’ve got some nerve. You’re just showing your true agenda.” I turned to Vanessa, whose face was now unreadable. “You think you’re going to get everything? You think you’ll succeed? Dream on! You’ll never be legal, you’ll never experience the life of a queen, and you won’t get to use my dad’s money!” I shouted.“And how do you know that?! Are you the one in charge of Dad's money? Are you the one handling it? Don’t act like you know everything! I have a right too because I’m Dad's daughter!” Loraine shouted back, her victim act now gone, replaced by a fierce,
**Vivien**I woke up the next day with stinging eyes. I cried the whole night, letting out all the pain and resentment for the people who were important to me, for the one I loved, but in the end, hurt and deceived me.I texted Penelope last night not to knock on my door and that I didn’t feel like eating. I knew she was worried, but it was better to release all my pain and tears last night so I could work properly today.As I got out of bed, I had to hold my stomach; it was churning again. I rushed to the bathroom and threw up in the sink. I looked at myself in the mirror, feeling weak and cold sweat running down my body. I looked like I hadn’t eaten in days; I hadn’t eaten again last night. Could this be an ulcer?Maybe I need to see a doctor; I need to take care of it before it gets worse. I was looking pale again. Penelope shouldn’t see me like this; she’d worry. I took a deep breath before going back inside to find some clothes. I had a shoot later that afternoon, so I needed to
“We’ll go see an OB-GYN later.” Huh? OB-GYN?“Ha?” She sighed and looked at me with dim eyes.“Girl, did you have your period last month?” I thought for a moment, last month?“No, I haven’t gotten it this month either—” I suddenly stopped, my eyes widening as I looked at Penelope, who was now teary-eyed. Oh my god… A wave of anxiety surged in my chest. Tears were welling up in my eyes; I hadn’t had my period last month, and now the month was almost over, and I still hadn’t gotten it.“Girl, at first, I thought maybe you were just tired or it was really an ulcer, but I’ve been really confused. You’ve been acting so differently; you always have morning sickness, you’re being picky about food that you used to eat without a second thought, craving things, even at night when we were searching for food, and you’d get upset if you couldn’t eat the things you wanted. I’ve been watching your every move for a week. I just didn’t know how to bring it up because you were so stressed about what ha
I weakly held onto the sofa as I was stunned. Penelope looked at me in surprise, quickly standing up to help me, now noticing me because she had also been fixated on the news on TV.“Oh gosh! Are you okay, Girl?” she asked, concerned.“What's that, Girl? What's happening? Why is Kuya on the news?” She sighed.“It seems people already know about your dad's foolishness. You know your company is one of the most famous here in the Philippines, and your mom and dad are known as a long-time sweet couple. So the news of your dad having a mistress is a bombshell for everyone. They didn't expect that behind your parents' sweet smiles and actions, there was a hidden mess, that your dad had been lying all along.” I was out of breath, my chest tightening from what Penelope said.What is happening to my family? Why is all of this happening?! Why is it all happening at once?“Hey, hey, please don't think too much. Remember, you can't be stressed, Girl,” Penelope reminded me, grabbing a bottle of mi
My head heated up because of what I heard. What the heck? That's too much to ask! He's going to do everything for his bastard? Did he really not think about how I feel? How my brother feels? I laughed bitterly.“Your request is too much! You want me to talk and pretend we're okay with that girl? And lie to so many people for the sake of that bitch!? NO! Over my dead body! I will never allow what you want! You didn't even respect Mom, and now you're not respecting how I feel or how my brother feels either?! Are we always supposed to adjust to your mistakes and foolishness? You're all abusers!” I yelled angrily, glaring at Dad. I hate him!“Watch your words, Vivien! Don't scold me, I'm still your father!” he shouted angrily, his face turning red.“Then leave! Stop wasting your time, I won't do your crazy plan. You did this, so face it! You three handle it! Don't involve us in the problem you're creating! We're the victims here, hurt and deceived! And now you're asking us for help? Now l
“Gosh! Now I understand. You're going through a lot right now, and on top of that, you're pregnant.” I smiled sadly and nodded.“Yeah, the stress I've been dealing with over the past few weeks has been overwhelming. The doctor even told me to avoid overthinking and stressing out. I need to control my emotions because it's not good for the baby. My pregnancy is delicate, Sis. I need bed rest. I also need to take care of myself, eat on time, and sleep early,” I explained at length. Her beautiful face showed concern.“There's really a reason why all of this is happening. Look, the issues in your family are preventing you from going out and working, and you need bed rest, right? So, see? There's a reason behind everything. I admire you for handling all the problems that came your way. You've been brave and strong. I know it's incredibly hard for you right now, and it must be painful.”“I need to be strong for my mom, my brother, and my baby. I can't give up.” It really hasn't been easy—st
Vanessa and Loraine stood up, We all turned to look at them. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what kind of scene this was. “Dad, we’ll go out and get the food,” Loraine said politely and sweetly. Tss. “No, sit down, Loraine. There’s staff to get our food,” Dad replied. Of course, since we’re in the VIP section, we can just ask the staff to bring us food, but you could also go out and get whatever you want yourself, so you can pick exactly what you like.“I know, Dad. What I meant was, we’ll accompany the staff to point out the food we want to be sent here, and so we can choose.” Tss.“Oh, okay. Vivian, what food do you want?” Dad asked Mom. I cleared my throat before glancing at Kuya. He nodded, understanding what I was trying to say.“It’s okay, Dad. Kuya will pick and get our food. He knows what Mom and I like better, right Kuya?” I said, smiling at him. “Yeah, I’ll take care of it.” Kuya stood up and started walking out, followed closely by the mother and daughter duo. Psh. I knew
I raised my eyebrow. Why is he looking at me like that? He quickly approached us and slapped me without saying a word.Mom gasped.“Louis!” Mom shouted.“Dad! Why did you slap Vivien?!” Kuya said angrily as he stepped in front of me.I was shocked by Dad's action. I turned my face to the side from the force of the slap, feeling a bit dizzy. What was that slap for? What did I do?“I know you hate your sister! But I never thought you could do this to her! Did you give her the pasta you were eating because you knew she was allergic to seafood?! I didn’t know you would end up like this, Vivien!” he shouted furiously.I couldn’t believe what Dad was saying; he was accusing me! I trembled and felt incredibly hurt.“Do you hear what you’re saying, Louis?! How would Vivien know that Loraine is allergic to seafood?! You slapped your own daughter based on a false accusation?! How dare you!” Mom shouted back angrily.“Then why did she give the pasta she was eating to Loraine willingly? We haven'
Lex stepped back when he saw his uncle calling.I answered the call right away.“Hello, Kuya?”“Bunso? Are you busy right now?”“I’m not doing anything, Kuya. Lex and I are just resting; we just got home from the park. Why?” I asked, curious.“Can I talk to you for a moment?”“Sure.” I adjusted my sitting position to hear him better, while Lex moved to the single sofa and grabbed his iPad from the center table, keeping himself occupied for now.I waited for Kuya to speak.“Are you busy again? Is your schedule hectic? Do you have a lot of shoots this month and next month?” His rapid-fire questions made me furrow my brow, and his tone sounded different—agitated and troubled.“I’m not busy yet; I haven’t started any shoots. I said I’d begin next week because I need to take care of the resort I’m building. Why? Is there a problem?” I asked, worried.He took a deep breath before answering.“I know you’re focused on your modeling and on Alexis, but Kuya needs your help now,” he said sadly.
What is he doing here? Has he been here for a while? Is he waiting for Loraine? But there aren’t any other people inside.I swallowed as his gaze swept over my entire body, finally stopping at my left hand where I held my purse. His eyes darkened as they settled there.I felt uncomfortable with his scrutiny, so I stepped forward, planning to walk past him, but he suddenly blocked my path. I couldn’t believe I was looking at him.“What do you think you're doing, Montenegro?” I asked, irritation creeping into my voice. What’s his deal? What if Loraine sees him? What would that saintly girl think? This is going to cause trouble again.I was taken aback when he just smirked and then shot me a dirty look.“Stay away from my cousin, Ms. Herrera. You already have a fiancé, but you're still flirting with my cousin, huh?” My eyes widened at his words. What is this guy talking about? I glared at him.“What are you saying? I'm flirting with your cousin? Are you sure of what you’re accusing me of
Mom gasped in shock. Oh come on, Mom, can’t she get it yet? My brother stayed silent, looking like he already knew why I was wearing a ring. Meanwhile, I could feel Penelope holding back her laughter. What have I gotten myself into?Since I gave birth to Alexis, I've done nothing but work and take care of my child. I don't have time for anything else. I admit that I had suitors when I was in California, but I cut them off right away. My top priority is my child, nothing else. “Sorry, Dad. I didn't take him with me. He's busy right now, and everything happened suddenly.” Gosh, it’s so awkward. “Aww, is that so, Ate? What a pity, then.” I rolled my eyes mentally. Why is she answering? I’m talking to Dad, not her. Does she feel close to me? Maybe she’s forgotten that we’re not okay? And we will never be okay because I can't accept her as my sister.“Excuse me, everyone, I just need to borrow my best friend for a moment. We forgot to go somewhere. The manager is looking for her, and he
I ignored the whispers and walked confidently toward Mom’s table. Why are my family, Dad's family, and Xander's family all at the same table? Is this some kind of mini-reunion? Tsk.I glanced at the other table where Penelope stood, smiling, with Chad next to her, also smiling.As I approached the table, Mom greeted me with a tight hug.“You're back! When did you get back? I miss you, sweetie…” Mom whispered, almost in tears. I hugged her back tightly. I missed her so much too.“I just got home the other day, Mommy. I was supposed to visit you at your office, but I found out you were in Cebu, so I didn’t go.”“Yes, I just got back from Cebu this afternoon. Come, let’s sit down.” Mom helped me, but before we reached the table, my best friend intercepted me.“Aunt, can I borrow BFF for a moment? I just need to chat for a bit, just a quick one, hehe. Is that okay?” Mommy chuckled softly.“Alright, you two. Just be sure to come back to the table, okay?” Both Penelope and I nodded before
After I talked to Penelope, Alexis woke up just in time. Thankfully, she didn't wake up earlier when I was talking to her aunt.When she saw the snack I made, her eyes lit up, and she smiled as she sat down. I could only shake my head. I got a small plate and filled it with baked mac and a piece of garlic bread.Before I sat down, I went to check on Manang Fe in the guest room to invite them for snacks. I had also let them rest after lunch since there was nothing else to do, and my priority was to watch over Alexis. When I'm not around, Manang Fe cooks for them while Len keeps an eye on Alexis.We all ate snacks together, and at first, Manang Fe and Len didn't want to join us. They said we should finish first, but I’m not used to that. I consider Manang Fe family; she's like a second mother to me.She happily shared stories about Alexis, saying she’s a kind, respectful, and obedient child. Alexis doesn’t misbehave, and she knows when it’s time to bathe and sleep in the afternoon with
I couldn’t believe what Penelope had said. She looked at me with uncertainty.Xander was here earlier? Jeez! Thank goodness I spent three hours at the agency! Otherwise, we might have run into each other. “Good thing you came here only now; I didn’t know you had already returned, so I didn’t get a chance to let you know,” Penelope said softly. I sighed; it would have been my fault if we had met.I hadn’t told Penelope that I had come back suddenly.“It’s okay; let’s just be grateful we didn’t run into each other. Fate is still kind to me. So, changing the subject, why are you in such a bad mood?” She exhaled before returning to her seat and picking up the design she had been looking at earlier.“Well, I’m not satisfied with the design. I feel like something’s missing, but I don’t know what,” she said, staring at her design. I approached her to check out her interior design.“What do you think, girl? What else is missing or wrong here? I can’t think straight,” she said, pouting as she
What happened? How did Loraine become a Herrera? Why didn’t I know about this? Why didn’t Kuya or Penelope mention it to me? Since when has that woman been using our last name?And so, she’s still with Xander, huh? I smiled bitterly. After all these years, they ended up together in the end. They’re getting married, and that woman’s even an actress now? Tsk.The elevator doors opened, and the two women stepped out. I sighed, leaning back against the wall. I’ve just returned to the Philippines, and already I’m hearing all sorts of things. Well, I had been cut off from everything that happened for the past seven years because I asked Penelope not to tell me anything. So, it’s no surprise I’m shocked by what I’m hearing now.As the elevator reached my floor, I straightened up and quickly exited. I shouldn’t dwell on what I overheard; we each have our own lives now. When I reached my unit door, I entered my passcode and stepped inside. I’d link my fingerprint tomorrow.I set down some of t
In life, you’ll realize that there’s a reason why you meet certain people. Some come into your life to use you, some to break you, and others to hurt you.Even if they used you, broke you, and hurt you, at least in the end, you learned something.—**PRESENT**Jeez, how much longer for my order? I really want to leave this place. I’ve been sweating nervously for a while. It seems Xander didn’t order takeout; he’s eating here! Gosh, he chose to dine in.Of all the fast-food places here, why did he have to pick this one? So annoying! What a lovely way to kick off my return to the Philippines.I remember when I left seven years ago, Annie and I left together. I thought my boss wouldn’t let me go, but he understood my situation. Annie even volunteered to come with me, no matter what.Two weeks later, Penelope joined us in California. She told me Xander had been pestering her constantly, pressuring her to reveal my location. He wouldn’t leave her alone and even went to Batangas and Bulacan
I gasped when he turned me to face him.I was shocked to see him in tears, his eyes filled with pain and pleading.I covered my mouth as he suddenly knelt, gently took my hand, and kissed it softly while crying. “I'm begging you, Dawn. Please…” His eyes were speaking to me as he looked at me, while I, in disbelief, stared back at him as he knelt before me.My tears began to fall again. Why does it hurt so much? I could clearly see the pain in his eyes, his suffering and pleading. Why, Xander? You're only making things more confusing.But this is wrong. No, I shouldn’t be swayed by what I see. It would be best if I went away.Our baby's life is more important than the two of us. If I stay here, the problem may get worse, and I might not be able to handle the stress.With trembling hands, I slowly pulled my hand away from him before shaking my head. “I'm sorry, Xander. I have to do this. I have a strong reason for leaving. Forget me and go back to Loraine. She needs you now... Goodbye