Aira Jane's Point of View"Sorry, but I won't go there alone," Raven stubbornly said.Raven and I were having an argument since she introduced her so-called new boyfriend. I couldn't understand why she needed a boyfriend just to show up in front of her parents, whom I couldn’t even tell if they were her exes. I didn't agree with her using someone just to avoid embarrassment."Let her be. If that's how she wants to show that she knows her worth, so be it," advised Miguel.I shot him a disapproving look. I didn't expect him to side with Raven. I sighed deeply. "Fine, do what you want. But if you end up getting hurt..." I sighed again, more heavily this time. "We'll be here for you. Try to go alone, and you'll get a piece of my mind. Come on, let's leave them. It's what she wants." I stood up and walked out of the restaurant."Thanks, best friend! I love you," she shouted, shamelessly, even in an upscale restaurant."So, you changed your mind?" Miguel asked as we got into the car."I st
Aira is currently living at home while her condo is being renovated. The renovation process has been challenging, particularly with the frequent noise complaints from Meriam, who lives in the neighboring unit. Considering the inconvenience, Aira is seriously contemplating living with her boyfriend, Miguel, during the renovation period. Miguel has been incredibly supportive throughout this time, offering her a sanctuary away from the chaos.Aira feels a growing disconnect from her best friend, Raven. She recently discovered significant changes in his life that she wasn't aware of, which has left her feeling out of touch. Raven now has a girlfriend named Angela, and his brother has moved in with him, living in the other room. This distance between them has been troubling for Aira, who once shared everything with Raven. The changes in Raven’s life have amplified her feelings of isolation and concern, particularly about her own emotions towards Miguel and the uncertainty about having Nate
After Angela's wedding, we didn't go home right away. It was my decision because I wanted to rest first. I didn't want to worry about problems back home. I avoided thinking about things that would stress me out. I knew deep down that she had a profound reason, and if she didn't want me to get involved, then so be it. Who am I to her, right?"Ate, are you sure you want to go home?" Ken asked."We left work behind. Besides, I'm sure I can handle myself. I've learned a lot. I'm not a child," I replied simply while packing our things. We were cleaning up the hotel room we had stayed in for almost a week."Don't worry, Ken. Your sister can handle it. If anything happens, we're here for her, just as she has always been there for me. I can't even remember what I did to deserve her company, even though she didn't really want to be here because Miguel wasn't around," Raven said as he approached and hugged me from behind. I gave him a bitter smile before walking to the bathroom to gather my ess
**Meriam’s Point of View**“Does Ate Aira know about this?” I asked my siblings, who were with me in the living room. I didn’t even know why we were all here while the two were away. Ken was always with Raven and Ate Aira. He’s really close to them since they’re almost the same age.“She probably doesn’t,” Ate May answered simply.“Why did this have to happen when they’re about to travel? I approved Miguel’s leave because he said it was his only chance to make up to Aira. I didn’t expect he’d get married to someone else during his leave. He’s so irritating. Dad accepted him wholeheartedly and trusted him,” Ate May said unusually long.“If May hadn’t stopped me, I would’ve confronted him by now,” Dyson, who was sitting next to Ate May, said angrily. I didn’t like Dyson’s arrogance, but what could I do if he was the one Dad chose to be Ate May’s partner.I was annoyed that all my siblings were getting married. At least Miguel married someone else. I wasn’t exactly thrilled, okay, maybe
**Aira’s Point of View**"I told you, right? No one should disturb me. I need to rest. What's so wrong with that?" I shouted from my room as someone knocked on my door again."He said he’s here and wants to talk to you. Don’t shout at me; I’m just doing what I think is right. You’re too hot-headed. If you don’t want to talk to him, tell him yourself. You're so high maintenance," Meriam's voice boomed. I could hear her stomping. I sighed deeply.“Where is—Miguel?” I exclaimed in surprise when I opened my door.“What are you doing here?” I asked again.“Can you calm down first? Let’s talk properly,” he said calmly.“Come in.” I walked back into my room. “Lock the door.”“Aira, I’m sorry!” he began.“What are you sorry for? For not joining us or what?” I asked sharply.“For everything,” he added.“People apologize for things they didn’t mean to do. Do you think you didn’t mean to do that?” I faced him.“I-I don’t know what you want to hear. If I tell you the truth, will you accept it? Wi
**Aira’s Point of View**“Hey!! Wake up!” I shouted.Everyone was asleep in the condo's living room. It was already noon, and since it was Monday, I knew we all had work, especially Dyson and Ken.“You're going to get in trouble with Ate May,” I warned as they groggily got up, rubbing their eyes. Dyson rushed to grab his phone from the kitchen table. “Oh crap! Why didn’t you wake me up earlier? I'm going to be in trouble with your sister! This is going to be another 'talking to' day!!”“What’s a 'talking to' day?” Raven replied casually as she emerged from the bathroom. “Why didn’t you wake me up? You look like you’ve been awake for a while.”“I just woke up. We drank too much last night, so I took a shower right away to cool off. You should shower too, so when your wife scolds you, at least you’ll look fresh.” Raven teased.Dyson dashed to the bathroom while Ken took his time. I shot him a disapproving look. “Just let it go. I’ll explain to Daddy. I don’t want to get eaten alive by A
**Aira’s Point of View**It has been two weeks since Miguel last contacted me to explain himself. He also said he would wait for me to call and let me get ready. I haven't gone home to the mansion yet. I'm staying in the condo because Mama, Miguel's mother, wants to see me. I don't want to go to their house because I don’t want to see Miguel. I suggested we meet outside, but Mama insisted on talking privately, so I thought the condo would be a good place. I asked Ken to pick her up so that Miguel wouldn’t be the one to drive her. Well, Miguel isn't even aware that Mama wants to talk to me, which is one reason I agreed. It seems important.Someone knocked on the door, so I opened it immediately.“Please come in. Wait for me downstairs. Mama and I just need to talk,” I told Ken. I didn’t let him inside. “Sorry it’s a bit messy here. How are you? Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, or something cold?”“Don’t bother, I’m fine. I’m just here to ask for forgiveness,” he began.I
**Aira Jane’s Point of View**I’m sure now.I’m ready to talk to him to clear my mind. I know I’m prepared, so I met him at a private restaurant. That’s what he wanted. If he can’t explain himself properly, I’ll make sure he gets a couple of slaps.“Have you been here long?” I was slightly surprised to hear his voice.“Not really.” I stood up, but he just followed my lead and sat down.“Let’s order first.”“No need. I ordered for both of us earlier. We just need to wait for it to arrive.” I replied while looking around.“We still need to order something, but maybe we can do that later when it arrives.”After a while, a strong-looking man arrived. His attire indicated he held a high position in society. Miguel introduced him as his attorney. He said it was important for him to explain things to me so that I wouldn’t doubt anymore. I didn’t fully understand his initial explanation because I was focused on his reason for being there.“Okay, here’s the deal. Abby and Miguel’s marriage can
**Miguel’s Point of View**I don't know if I should be happy that Aira agreed to marry me, even though we won't be getting married this year. Her parents want a grand wedding since it’s also a celebration of the merging of two major companies, the Villanueva Group of Companies and Santiago Enterprises. What can I do if that’s what they want? They also don’t want any negative comments about our wedding because of Abby’s post about our supposed wedding. That would get more attention than our actual wedding.“Don’t be sad! We’ll still get married, not now but I’m sure I’ll marry you and no one else,” Aira cheered me up.I smiled at her. “Just promise me you'll marry me and no one else, okay?” I reassured her.She raised her hand with the ring. “This is not just a simple ring. This is a promise ring. This symbolizes our promised wedding.” She kissed me, probably to stop me from worrying.Aira and I are currently at a resort in Palawan. We have the island to ourselves, so we have plenty of
**Miguel's Point of View**Aira and I were lying on my bed. She was resting her head on my arm as I gently stroked her hair. I never imagined I would feel this way again. I never thought we would reach this point in our lives again, where we could be together without worrying about other problems.Some people might say our relationship is too typical. Coming from feuding families, both products of broken homes, and both children born out of wedlock, but none of that became a hindrance. Instead, it allowed us to understand each other better."How many children do you want?" Aira asked me while looking at me.I smiled at her and thought for a moment. "I want more than four, I think. I want them to have many siblings so they won't feel lonely and will have playmates. I want them to be each other's best friends," I answered happily.She frowned, making me raise an eyebrow. "I already told you that I don't want to have many children. Besides not being sure if my womb can handle it, I don't
**Miguel's Point of View**I was happy to go home after bringing Abby to a facility. I took her child to her mom. I didn't tell Aira what was happening because I wanted to surprise her.Auntie was shocked when I arrived with Abby's child. They thought I had taken the child without permission, so they immediately went to check on her. Auntie was very thankful because, finally, her daughter came to her senses. She chose to get better and free herself and others.Even though it was a bit difficult, I was always thankful that it was finally over. Now, all I need to focus on is my dad's company. I don't know what's going on within his family. The only thing Cheska told me was the frequent fighting between Daddy and his wife, and even she doesn't know the reason.Dad prepared everything before he surrendered to the police. He also arranged to transfer his shares to my name. Cheska was also left with some shares. Dad's buildings, farms, and small businesses were divided among us. Dad left ma
**Miguel Ice's Point of View**"Finish that later, eat first," Abby said as she entered my office at her house.I didn't want to, but for my mother's peace of mind, I did what she wanted. Mama has a soft heart, especially for children who beg."I'm not hungry." Since I started living here, I couldn't even look at her. She could touch me, but I wanted to push her away, yet I couldn't because of pity.She's fine at home, attentive, and caring for her child. I used to enjoy playing with her child, who she introduced to me as "Tito-Daddy." Playing with the child made me happy, but when I married her because of her threats, their affection for me disappeared. Let's just say the child shouldn't be involved, but he's a significant reason why Mama pleaded with me."How long will you be like this? I'm your wife, but you treat me like a mere pawn!" She started arguing again.She's often like this, but I ignored her. I let her say whatever she wanted."You won't talk to me again, and then what?
**Aira Jane’s Point of View**After what happened between Miguel and me, we haven't seen each other again. I left that night while he was asleep and didn't say goodbye to Mama."What if your half-sister finds out? It'll just cause more trouble, Aira!" Raven told me. I had a headache when I arrived at work; it's tough pretending everything is okay."How would she know if no one tells her? Miguel probably won't say anything either," I replied, resting my head on the table."Oh, come on! You never learn! If you're not going to fight for Miguel, then stop giving in to your feelings. Honestly, you're being unfair.""Why me? Why am I the one being unfair? Isn't it him?" I asked her, surprised."Tsk." Raven rolled her eyes, leaving me confused about what she meant."Imagine, you just accept their explanations without expressing how you feel inside! Do you think that's right? Do you think that's not unfair to Miguel? He's fighting and doing what he can to solve the problems. While you, you ju
**Aira Jane’s Point of View**I didn't go back to the mansion. They wouldn't look for me anyway. I'll sleep here at Mama's house. She doesn't have anyone with her, and besides, we were both tired from shopping and wandering around the mall. It was already 11 PM when we got home."Sigh, this is my third day in this room, the second time I'll sleep here," I whispered to myself as I flopped onto the soft bed."Aira, dear?" Mama knocked on the door of the room. I got up, but Mama had already entered the room. "I just want to know if you're going to eat. If you are, I'll cook something for you. What do you want? Miguel is coming home, and I cooked some soup since he called drunk." I quickly sat up."Ma, can I go home?" I asked Mama."Why? Are you avoiding Miguel?" Mama's question left me speechless. I didn't know, but I couldn't be with Miguel when someone else was watching. I felt like Miguel and I were using them to deceive Abby, which I didn't want. I didn't want to use others just to b
Aira Jane’s Point of View“What time is it?” I heard Miguel ask.“It’s afternoon, almost five. How did you sleep? Are you hungry?” I asked with concern.I dozed off while watching him, but the heat made it hard to sleep again. Miguel, on the other hand, was deeply asleep; he looked exhausted. “I’m sorry if I disturbed you,” he said, asking for my forgiveness.“It’s nothing, just make sure this doesn’t happen again.” I stood up from the tent, but he stopped me. “Sit down first; let’s talk.” I looked at him and started to sit back down.“Can you go home and stay with Mom?” He surprised me with that question.“Why? Did something happen to Mom?” I asked worriedly.“Nothing happened; I’m just worried she’s alone there. I’m always at work, and when I come home, it’s usually to Abby's house. You know her, right? She always exhausts herself.”“Sounds like you.” I whispered, raising an eyebrow at him. “Alright, I’ll try to bring her to the condo. I’ll do my best.” I replied simply.“Thank you
**Aira Jane’s Point of View**“It looks like you’re in a good mood today. Have you and Miguel reconciled?” Meriam asked me with enthusiasm.I continued walking towards the dining area, ignoring her because I didn’t want any commotion to disturb my beautiful morning. I woke up feeling light, as if all my worries had vanished. I wasn’t sure if it was because I realized Miguel truly loves me and I’m still his safe haven, or if it was because I had spent almost the entire night with him.“Did you know you’re trending again? Ever since you started dating Miguel, you’ve never left social media. You’re always the topic of conversation.” She followed me while saying all this. I turned to her and replied, “You know, Meriam, after all this time we’ve been living, aren’t you used to being talked about by others? Their opinions don’t matter to me, unlike yours.” I said it sharply without even looking at her.“Really? What if the topic now is your boyfriend marrying his fling? Doesn’t that matter
**Aira’s Point of View**Three weeks later,"What did you say?" I asked Ken again. He had shared some news that I could hardly believe."Yes. My brother-in-law left the company to help his sister Cheska run their own business because their father surrendered to the police. I don't know the other reasons, but one thing is certain: my brother-in-law has left us," Ken said sadly."I can't do anything about that. If he wants to go, then let him be. It might even be good for him; he knows a lot about our company that he could use for theirs or to undermine us.""That's not how my brother-in-law is, ate. You know that!" I shrugged and walked out of the mansion.He has no gratitude. After being fully accepted by Dad, he just leaves for the person who caused our problems before. I might be trying to forget what happened, but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven him. They say you can’t truly forget until you learn to forgive."Here you are again," Raven commented when she saw me in the bar."As far