CHAPTER 31

"DO you know where Mang Lope lives, Aling Tere?" Patricia asked once more, her voice carrying a softer tone, almost as if speaking too loudly would shatter the fragile concern blooming in her chest. The gentle afternoon breeze rustled through the leaves of nearby trees, and she found herself momentarily lost in its soothing whisper.

“Yes, it’s not far from here,” Aling Tere responded, her voice light and casual, unaware of the emotional weight those words carried for Patricia. She rattled off the house number, her hands busy wiping down the counter, while Patricia stood still, her thoughts elsewhere.

Patricia's gaze shifted toward Alvin, standing beside her, his tall frame casting a protective shadow over her. His presence had always given her a strange mix of comfort and unease—something she couldn’t quite understand but didn’t mind either. She studied his face, the sharp lines of his jaw, the way his dark eyes observed her with quiet curiosity. There was something grounding about hi