Eumerriah's Point of ViewFive months. Five months of relentless work, sleepless nights, and meticulous planning to ensure everything is perfect—from the operation of the minimart, revenue, down to the smallest details of this project. Today, we’ve finally reached the point where we’ll see the fruits of our labor. The couple who will be buying this branch is finally arriving.I’m standing beside Gabrielle, both of us feeling nervous. I can hardly stay still, looking around, hoping everything looks as perfect as we planned it to be. Gabrielle is quiet, but I can see the same tension and anxiety in his eyes that I’m feeling. This isn’t just any project—it’s the culmination of all our efforts.“Are you okay?” Gabrielle asks, adjusting his shirt as if he can’t help but try to calm himself.“I’m fine. Just… anxious, I guess,” I reply, no longer hiding my nervousness. We both waited in silence, watching the entrance, anticipating the arrival of the couple who would be purchasing the branch.
**Gabrielle's Point of View**I still can't shake the shock I felt when I saw Kate and her stepbrother. From the moment they stepped into the minimart until the time we spoke, I couldn’t believe it. Seven years. Seven years since Kate left, and during that time, we had no communication. Now, here she is, suddenly back on the scene with a stepbrother I don’t even know.As Eumerriah and I walked to the back of the minimart, my mind kept replaying how I should react. Why here? And why didn’t I know? I don’t know if this was just a coincidence or intentional, but there was no warning or even a hint that she was the buyer of the minimart.When we reached the back, I paused and took a deep breath. I knew I couldn’t let this go. I needed to know why Kate suddenly came back—and why only now.“You stay here for now, Eumerriah. I need to take care of something,” I said to her. She nodded immediately, seemingly understanding that I needed to face Kate.I approached Kate, who was talking with her
Eumerriah's Point of ViewI felt a wave of nervousness as we walked toward the main event area. This is it—the culmination of all our sacrifices and hard work on the project. I stood next to Gabrielle, but even though he was right beside me, I felt as though I was alone. I couldn't tell if it was because of the large crowd or the presence of Kate and her brother Thomson, but the uncertainty in my heart was palpable."Good afternoon, everyone," Kate began, wearing her formal smile as she spoke in front of the staff and guests. "This has been an incredible journey, and I am truly grateful to be part of this project. I want to thank Gabrielle for his guidance and dedication to making this possible. Without his expertise, none of this would have been achieved."I heard the applause of the people and saw Gabrielle smiling beside me, but I couldn't bring myself to smile fully. It felt like I had done so much work for this project, yet in front of everyone, I seemed like just a shadow.Kate'
Eumerriah's Point of ViewThree days have passed since the turnover of the minimart. The project is complete, and I should feel relieved. This is the moment I’ve long been waiting for—the time to rest and return to my old life, to being an actress. But despite everything, why do I feel this way? Why does it seem like instead of being filled with relief, something is missing?Three days. For three days, I’ve felt like I’m just going through the motions of things that used to bring me joy. But now, I can’t seem to feel the same excitement that I used to. I go to the set, act in front of the camera, and interact with the people on set, but in every scene, it feels like something is missing. It’s as if my heart is searching for something that I can’t find in the scripts or the lights of the camera.I find myself missing the noise of the construction site, the smell of paint, the exhaustion from endlessly organizing documents. I miss the moments when Gabrielle and I were together, even tho
**Eumerriah's Point of View**I did not expect this day. It was supposed to be just another regular taping day—one of those days I thoroughly enjoyed my work as an actress. I had grown accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the set—the busy people going about their tasks, the restless cameras, and the directors who seemed to never stop giving instructions.I was resting on the side of the set, sitting on a folding chair while waiting for the next scene. I was just looking at my script, thinking about my upcoming lines. But all of that was suddenly interrupted when I heard a loud voice, full of anger, coming from a distance."Where is she? Where is that woman?" shouted a familiar voice, getting closer and closer to me.I looked up, and there I saw Kristine, Gabrielle's wife, approaching me. Her brows were furrowed, her eyes blazing with fury. My world nearly stopped in shock. What was she doing here?I had no time to think. In an instant, I felt her strong grip on my arm, forcing me to
**Eumerriah's Point of View**I just wanted to pick up the kids from school—a simple act of motherhood to ease the sadness I've been feeling these past few days. Every hour that has passed since I left the world of business, returned to showbiz, and tried to rediscover the joy of acting, has felt empty. No matter how hard I try to chase away the loneliness, something still feels missing.Only Justine and Dustine can fill that void. So even though I knew I had many other things to do, I decided to pick them up. I was looking forward to seeing their smiles—the simple joy of children that lightens the heart.When I arrived at the school, I immediately noticed some commotion near the gate. A few students were quietly observing, their eyes fixed on a scene I couldn't quite make out at first. But one thing was clear—at the center of attention was Justine, drenched from head to toe, while a girl about his age stood in front of him, still holding an empty water bottle.I almost lost my breath
**Eumerriah's Point of View**After a few minutes, Kimberly finally calmed down. As always, I was deeply grateful to Shaira for her ability to soothe others, especially children like Kimberly. When Shaira recognized Kim, she quickly spoke to the teachers and convinced them to let us take Kim home. I didn't want to leave Kimberly alone, especially knowing she was going through something very heavy emotionally.When we arrived home, I immediately sent Justine and Dustine to their rooms. I knew they needed rest after what had happened. I made sure they were safe and comfortable before going back downstairs. The three of us—Shaira, Kimberly, and I—were left in the living room. Kim remained silent, her eyes showing the deep exhaustion brought on by her earlier crying."Have some water, Kimberly," I said as I handed her a glass. I saw her nod slightly, take the glass, and drink slowly. It was heart-wrenching to see a child in pain, especially knowing that I was, unintentionally, part of the
**Gabrielle's Point of View**I stared at my phone, trying to figure out how to deal with everything that was happening. My day started normally, but it was suddenly filled with anxiety when Kimberly’s driver called."Sir, Kimberly isn’t at school," the driver said, clearly nervous. "She didn’t come out of the gate like usual. I’ve searched around, but I really can’t find her."I froze, feeling like cold water had been poured over me. How could this happen? I was sure she was at school this morning. What do you mean she’s not there? Fear and panic welled up inside me as I called the school, each ring of the phone intensifying my worry. A few moments later, I received a call. I quickly answered, hoping it was Kimberly."Gabrielle?" I heard Eumerriah's voice on the other end, filled with surprise and concern. "Kimberly… she’s with me right now. Something happened at school, and she didn’t go home."I was stunned, unable to believe what I was hearing. "What do you mean? Why is she with y
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