**Eumerriah’s Point of View**Since everyone in the building was busy, I stayed in the lobby, observing the people coming in and out of our company. Even though only two hours remained in the working day, Mommy and Daddy still hadn't arrived."Isn't that Gabrielle?" I wondered to myself as I saw him sit on the other side of the lobby. "What is he doing here?" I asked myself again. He was busy talking on the phone."Ms. Eumerriah, your parents aren’t answering their phones. They have an appointment with Mr. Sanchez. What should I do?" Daddy's secretary hurriedly approached me."Can’t it be canceled?" I asked, puzzled."Honestly, ma'am, it would be embarrassing to cancel again. This would be the fifth time if we do." She answered me sadly."What should we do?""Could you possibly attend in their place? If there's anything you can't answer, I'll be right beside you to assist." Daddy's secretary tried to convince me.I thought for a moment before deciding. "Okay, where will the meeting be
**Eumerriah’s Point of View**Several days have passed. I’ve completed my two-week training in the company. I don’t talk to Dad often, but I can tell he’s happy seeing me help them out. I haven’t yet uncovered the real reason or identified the spy within the company who’s making fake documents.“Ma’am, someone’s here to see you,” Dad’s secretary said as she entered my office. She’s been by my side constantly, teaching me various things. I have my own office to work peacefully.“Who—”“It’s me!” A well-dressed woman burst in.I took a deep breath, recognizing the voice. “You may leave us,” I said to Dad’s secretary with a smile.“You’ve got a lot of nerve spreading lies,” she started with a scowl.“Why do you need to ruin my marriage? Do you think he’ll go back to you? Do you really believe he still loves you?”“And you? Did he ever truly love you?” I must have hit a nerve because she quickly moved closer to me. “Don’t dare! You’re in my territory now!” I snapped, causing her to stop i
### Gabrielle’s Point of ViewI rushed home, skipping my next meeting after Mr. Ferrer. I couldn’t focus. I know Kristine—desperate as she was to marry me, she would never kill anyone, especially an innocent child.If what Eumerriah is saying is true, I’ll make sure Kristine pays for it. But if it’s a lie and she’s just trying to ruin us, then Eumerriah will face the consequences. She’s accused me and my family of so many things. I have my suspicions about my dad’s transactions, so I can’t fully defend him against her claims.I knew that one day, Eumerriah would come back. I thought I was prepared, but no amount of preparation can shield you from the shock of realizing you can’t trust everyone around you.I took a deep breath before entering the mansion. “Where’s Kristine?!” I demanded.“Sir, Ma’am isn’t here right now. She didn’t expect you to come home with Ms. Kim, so she didn’t prepare dinner,” Manang replied.I took my phone out of my pocket. “Where are you?”“Oh, a miracle. Afte
**Eumerriah's Point of View**I came home late, completely exhausted. I had been busy all day with work and training at Daddy's company. He had so much work for me to do, so many orders that I sometimes got irritated. But I need to learn all of this to help them. I know life hasn’t been easy for us with him. Life hasn’t been easy for me with them. But that's not a reason to turn my back on them. They are still my parents, and they need me.Before entering my room, I passed by the kids' room. I gently opened the door. They were already sound asleep, clearly tired from studying and playing. I smiled when I saw them like that.“Oh, you're home. You’re late again. Have you eaten?” Shaira suddenly said from behind me. She must have come from her room and heard me open the door to the kids' room.“I already ate earlier. I had a dinner meeting,” I replied. “A dinner meeting with one of the company executives. There’s so much work, it's exhausting.”“Well, you should get some rest. You’ll be
We all had breakfast together with the kids: me, Shaira, Dustine, and Justine.“Don’t you have work today? You don’t seem to be in a hurry,” Shaira asked.“No, it’s my rest day. What should we do? I want to make it up to you all,” I replied.“Mommy, let’s buy food, toys, and school supplies. We’re missing some stuff for school,” Justine responded.Justine, who is already 15 years old, knows exactly what’s lacking at home, his school supplies, and other things around the house.“Okay, sure. We’re going to the grocery store, alright? Get everything you need for this month. Then after that, let’s go watch a movie. Does that sound good?” I said, smiling at them.“Yay!” Dustine replied excitedly.“Alright, we’re going to have a bonding day today. Mommy will make it up to you, okay? Don’t sulk anymore,” I reassured Justine.“Mommy, I’m not the one sulking,” he said. “It’s Dustine,” he added.“It’s because, Mommy, you’re always gone. Daddy Jayson isn’t here either. Both of you are never arou
I woke up early to have time to drop off my child at school before heading to work. I’ll make up for lost time as much as I can and while I have the chance.After dropping him off in his room, I went straight to the faculty room to check on him with his teachers.When I entered my child’s classroom, I thought I could hide for a moment behind the door. It was amusing because he was sitting at his desk, chatting with his classmates. But I was shocked when I saw Gabrielle sitting beside my child’s desk, attending to him. Gabrielle looked serious, as if telling my child about something that happened to him. This scene filled me with a worry I could no longer control.“Gabrielle!” my voice echoed through the room. The children, including my child, turned to look at me, and he quickly stood up from his seat. Gabrielle’s face was hard to read—whether he was surprised or startled.“Yumi,” he replied calmly, but I knew this wasn’t the time for calmness. “I didn’t know you were coming here.”“W
**Gabrielle’s Point of View**It’s been almost a month since Eumerriah discovered my attempts to get closer to the children. Eumerriah and Shaira’s children are kind, and deep down, I know that Justine is my child. My older brother Jerome is infertile, and our entire family knows this, which is why my parents can’t accept the situation."Shairaa!" I called out to Shaira when I saw her exit the gate of Justine’s school. She looked around, probably checking to see if anyone was watching us."What are you doing here? Can you please leave the children alone? Eumerriah is furious!" she snapped at me as soon as she got into my car. "I can’t stay long, Gabrielle. I don’t want Yumi to think the worst of me! Leave us alone, leave the children alone. No matter what happens, Yumi won’t allow you to use her children.""What do you mean? Justine is Yumi’s child too?!" I asked in shock."Of course! Justine and Dustine are both our children! Now, get out of here. Eumerriah will be coming out of that
**Eumerriah’s Point of View**I couldn’t sleep properly last night because of Gabrielle’s words. I don’t understand how he can say such things. I had prepared myself for this moment; I knew the day would come when Gabrielle would seek his child and not believe any of my explanations, as he would only listen to the call of his own blood.“Oh? What’s that look? You look like you didn’t sleep,” Shaira greeted me.I sighed. “I had a hard time sleeping.” That’s all I said. I wasn’t ready to tell her what Gabrielle knows or his suspicions about his child, Justine. I knew it would only hurt her more and bring back the trauma of an event she never wanted but left a lasting impact.“What are you cooking?” I asked her. We had met in the living room but walked into the kitchen together. I grabbed a cold glass of water from the fridge while she went straight to the stove. I felt as if I had been drunk last night, and my throat was itching from dryness.“Corned beef with egg. Justine requested it.
Eumerriah's Point of ViewFor so long, Gabrielle and I had been at odds. I couldn't understand why he needed to distance himself from us. All the truths had come out—their marriage to Kristine and how his life had unfolded with Paul. He regretted his choices, and even Paul seemed to notice his mistakes."You really don’t understand me," Gabrielle said, frustration lacing his voice."Then explain it to me!" I shot back, unable to hold back any longer."Okay, let me ask you this. Why did you choose to distance yourself and hide, huh? Fifteen years! Fifteen years I haven't seen or been with my child, and then I find out he's legally Shaira’s child! How do you explain that to me, huh?" he questioned, filled with anger and disappointment."Listen to me!" I said, barely able to contain the pain in my voice. "Shaira lost her child because of your marriage! What do you think I should do? Of course, I thought about our child's safety. If I hadn’t done that, we might not have a child anymore. S
Eumerriah's Point of View“Where is he?” I asked Kate, my curiosity evident.“If you want to know, follow me,” she replied, getting into her car. I nodded, but instead of driving my own car, I hurried into the passenger seat of hers.She furrowed her brow and gave me a questioning look. “Why are you too lazy to drive?” she asked, a hint of irritation in her voice.“I just want to ride in the car of the girl who used to really like me,” I said, trying to make a joke to lighten the tension.“Tsk! If it weren’t for Kuya Gabrielle, I wouldn’t like you,” she retorted, but a playful smile was on her lips.“What do you mean?” I asked, a bit confused, but I knew she was hiding something.“Secret,” she replied, laughing as she drove.I looked out the window, but I couldn’t help smiling. I never thought that the cheerful little girl who used to cling to me, who liked me so much, would turn into a woman who was now even more assertive in front of me.Behind her teasing and boldness, I was please
"Eumerriah!" Kate called out to me, her voice filled with concern.I turned to face her and saw the serious expression on her face."Do you still think about him?" she asked, her voice full of worry. "Do you ever wonder how he’s doing?"I stood silently, trying to block out the people around us. A heaviness settled over me. I thought of Gabrielle. Despite everything that happened, he still held a place in my heart, but I didn’t know how to face him now."What are you trying to say?" I asked, struggling to hide my emotions."I just wanted you to know," Kate began, her voice serious, "that even back then, he struggled with the thought of losing you like that. And now that you’ve suddenly come back, he feels like he failed you, like he didn’t even try to look for you."As I absorbed her words, it felt like a sharp pain erupted in my chest. I could feel Gabrielle’s anguish over the years I was gone, but I couldn’t ignore how he had avoided me and chosen someone else during those times.We
"Another movie you slay!" Shaira greeted, hugging me tightly."My mom is really amazing," Justine complimented. He was now dressed like a young man, his hair neatly styled, and his suit covering his whole body. He looked at me with great admiration, as if he had learned all these things from me."You always look pretty, Mommy," said Dustine, who, despite being young, had simple words that could warm my heart. He smiled at me, his eyes full of happiness and love."Beautiful and endlessly talented," Jayson praised, standing beside me, his eyes full of respect.We had just finished the premiere night of one of our most successful movies with Jerome. The story was filled with emotion, and I never imagined it would turn out like this. After weeks of hard work and exhaustion, this moment brought joy and success to us.We were in the middle of guests, media, and fans who were all celebrating our achievement. Cameras kept flashing, capturing our photos, but my eyes wandered to the loved ones
Eumerriah's Point of ViewFor six months, everything was in order. No fights, no drama, even though I worked closely with Jerome more often now."Is it still him?" Jerome asked."What’s it to you?" I replied, my tone sharp.It was as if he didn’t care about what happened in the past, like he wasn’t the man I once went crazy for."If you had just kept being crazy about me, maybe I could have learned to love you," I teased."Whatever you say," he responded, seemingly indifferent."You’ve become so tough now, like you weren’t once crazy over me," I pressed."It’s been 17 years, and still? Haven’t you moved on? You couldn’t even fight for my best friend, the first man you loved. So why would I expect you to fight for me, when you just used me?" His words stung."It wasn’t my fault my family couldn’t accept him.""It’s your fault you led him on and didn’t truly love him.""And what do you know about real love?""Well, what about you? What do you know? We’re not kids anymore. If you think y
Eumerriah's Point of ViewThree months have passed since Gabrielle’s sudden disappearance, and no one has heard any news from him. Everyone is worried—even Kristine and Kimberly are confused about what’s happening. I don’t know how to tell them that even I have no idea where he is or when he’ll return.Despite everything, Shaira and I have slowly resumed our daily lives. I continue to work for our family, while Shaira stays home to handle the household chores and take care of Justine. The days have flowed smoothly, but the weight of unanswered questions remains ever-present."Has there still been no word from Gabrielle?" Shaira asked as she arranged Dustine's toys on the floor.I shook my head, feeling the sadness settle in my chest. "Even Kristine has been asking me. She said things are chaotic at their company because of his sudden disappearance. Some employees have also asked me if I know anything, but I have nothing to tell them."Shaira paused and sat down beside me. "Anyone woul
Eumerriah's Point of ViewJustine has recovered from his illness, and despite everything that has happened, I am deeply grateful to Gabrielle. His support for us is something I will never forget. However, after our meeting and discovering that his close friend Paul is Kimberly’s real father, it was as if a heavy burden was lifted from him, but I still cannot fully explain what he's truly feeling.It's been two weeks since I learned the truth, but I haven't heard from Gabrielle since. He’s disappeared, and no matter what I do, I can’t find him. His absence feels like a new torment added to my trials.Amid all this, Jayson has been visiting our house more often. Justine refuses to be bathed by anyone else, so we chose not to hire a personal nurse. Sometimes, I see Jayson hiding his true emotions, trying to act like everything is normal, but I know it’s not easy for him.Because of what happened, I had to change my plans. I no longer accepted new jobs and instead started working from hom
Gabrielle's Point of ViewI don’t know how I managed to leave everything behind. Sometimes, it feels like all of this is just a dream—the life I left, the family I destroyed. But this is the reality I created for myself, and with each passing day, it becomes clearer how big a mistake I made.Kristine, the woman I spent so many years with, the mother of my daughter, Kimberly. We built a family together, a family I once dreamed would be happy and whole until the end. But now, that’s gone. And it's my fault.It all started when Eumerriah came back into my life. I never expected to see her again, never thought I’d feel the emotions I had long buried. I thought everything between us was over. I thought I could forget her and move on with my life with Kristine and Kimberly. But when I saw Eumerriah, all those feelings suddenly came rushing back—feelings I never thought would resurface.That’s when my confusion began. I no longer knew what was real or what should be. I started looking for wa
Serenity's Point of ViewI never expected Gabrielle to come back into my life. It’s been a long time since we last saw each other, and so much has happened between us. Yet now, it seems he’s slowly finding ways to reenter my life, even though we don’t share the same roof.It all started with small things. Sometimes, I’d suddenly receive a message from him. They were simple questions like, "How is Justine?" or "Don’t work too hard; you need rest, too." These messages were straightforward, but I couldn’t help but feel a strange warmth in my chest whenever I read them. I never expected to get such messages from Gabrielle, especially since we haven’t been together for a long time.Justine often asks about Gabrielle as well. I know the child struggles to understand our situation, so I just tell him, "He cares about you." But every time I say that, I feel a pang in my heart. Why does Gabrielle still care? What’s the reason?Whenever Gabrielle visits to see Justine, he always brings the chil