"Mommy, why you, Daddy, Nanny Rose and Nanny Dalia were arguing earlier? Is it because of that lady named Isabella?" Amara asked, as she looks up from her coloring book. Nerissa carefully choose her words whike continuously brushing Amara's hair. "Oh, my sweet girl, no. It's not like that. Your daddy and I... we never mistreated our maids. The lady, well, she's just someone from a long time ago who made some very bad choices," she said with a slight grinned on her lips. She wants it, to make Amara hate her real mother more than she hates Isabella. "Bad choices? Like what, Mommy?" Amara asked curiously, tilting her head sideways. Nerissa paused and totally face Amara, determined to thread a lies in Amara's mind. "Like... not being nice to people who cared about her. Sometimes, people can be selfish, and they hurt others without thinking. We don't want such people around us, do we?" Amara quickly shakes her head, uet it's evidence in her eyes that she's still having more questions in
Isabella steps inside the company. She looks around determined to find Mateo. "If I can't make you believe me, then you should at least give my right to my daughter," she mumbled. Isabella's expecting that Mateo will somehow understand her as a mother, who's willing to do anything to be with her daughter again. "Excuse me, may I know where can I find, Mateo Villanueva?" One of the employee turned to Isabella surprised. "Ma'am Isabella?" There she realized that the woman in front of her is an old employee here, that she knows her. "Rianne, you are still working here!" Isabella couldn't help but smile, as Rianne nodded in response, who's not still yet aware about the issues that the Villanueva's facing now because of Isabella's come back. "Yes, Ma'am! I'm glad that you are finally back. But... are you already aware that Sir. Mateo's already married to Ma'am Nerissa, your sister?" Isabella froze she looked so hurt by those words. "Ahm... Sorry, Ma'am Isabella." she apologize, Is
"No reply... I don't understand why he won't even hear me out." That night, Isabella feels more frustrated. Each passing moment without her getting back with his family feels like a loss of faith.Her thoughts keep wandering to the time that she had just spent with them until her phone beep, then she saw a message came from Dalia. The image displayed on the screen—a snapshot of Amara, her daughter, engaged in solitary play, her happiness shining through her face."My daughter... You are still beautiful. I'm sorry that you are growing up without Mommy by your side," she says aloud as she wiped the couple of tears that escaped her eyes. Suddenly her phone ring, someone's calling her. It's Dalia. "Hello? Isabella did you see the photos of Amara that I sent?" She asks excitedly over the line, but Isabella can't just give the same energy. "Dalia, thank you for this. It means everything to me right now," she replies before taking a deep breath.""I thought you might need a little light
Mateo sits behind his desk, his fingers drumming a slow, irregular rhythm on the polished surface. The room is quiet, save for the distant hum of the city and the occasional murmur of activity from the office outside his door."Maybe she would've given up by now. It's been quiet... too quiet," he started murmuring to herself. He leans back in his chair, a frown creasing his brow as he stares at the ceiling, his eyes unfocused. "But why does this silence feel so heavy? It's as if... No, I made the right decision for Amara." He thought, until a knock on the office' door pulled him from his trance. "Yes?" Mateo calls out, his voice barely above a whisper. "Sir, do you need anything?" His assistant asks him softly. "No, thank you. Please, ensure I'm not disturbed for the next hour." The assistant nods, disappearing as quietly as she appeared. Mateo then takes his glasses off, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he slumps forward. A sigh leaves his lips as he rests his elbows on the desk. He
Isabella who's standing in front of a mirror of the nearest café restaurant at Mateo's company adjusting a cap and uniform that clearly doesn't belong to her. She practices holding a package, her eyes glued to her reflection."Just a delivery. In and out before anyone notices," she muttered. She's already desperate. She can't just easily see and talk to Amara even it's just so easy to be in front of the Villanueva's mansion. No matter what she does, they keep on hindering her to do that. Cut to the bustling lobby of the company. Isabella, now fully in disguise, strides confidently towards the elevators. Her heart races, she's nervous. Her hands are shaking as she reaches for the button and presses it without hesitation.She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath, as the elevator stopped and its door opened at th exact floor where she can find Mateo's office."For Amara... I can do this," she whispered and looked around. As her eyes landed on the door leading to his office, she felt h
"Isabella, I really need to go back quickly at the mansion. I just pass by here since you said you really need to talk to me and Dalia. This vegetables needed for the stew that Madam Cynthia's requested," Rose explained. Isabella then give her a chair and they both sat across from each other. "Rose, thank you for coming. I know that you and Dalia are also busy. And... I really owe you this one," she said with a sincere voice. "We already told you, Isabella. We are willing to help you as long as we can. What's really going on?" Rose asked concernedly. " I... I need to ask, do you know if Mateo really signed those divorce papers while I was gone?" her voice shaking. Rose didn't expect that question, so it took her awhile to process it. "Divorce papers?" Isabella nodded, contrary to Rose' shaking of head as clasped tightly in front of Isabella."Isabella, I wish I could help, but I honestly don't know anything about the divorce papers. Mateo rarely discusses personal matters, espe
"Then, what are you planning to do now?" Dalia asked through video call, beside her is Rose who's cleaning some dust off the kitchen counter. Isabella told them about what happened with her conversations with the attorney, and after hearing her updates, they feel sad about her. "I have no choice, Dalia and Rose. I still can't get a chance to talk about my rights with Mateo. And you know that I can't just visit my daughter there. She thinks that Nerissa's really her mother, I don't want to scare her," she replied back, sighing. "I have an idea..." Rose spoke up slowly, as Isabella see on the screen that she looked around before continuing. "Tomorrow is your daughter first day at nursery school. You can try to approach Amara there," Rose suggested. Isabella feel like it was such a good idea too. But the sadness of reality immediately hit her. "S-She's going to start to study?" Both of the maids nodded. "Time really flies so fast. And it feels like I am running out of time to suppo
The nursery school is now a little bit crowded because of the parents and guardians waiting at the gates for pick-up time. Isabella, dressed in nondescript clothing and sunglasses to avoid immediate recognition, watches anxiously from a distance, her heart rate increasing every second. It doesn’t make much sense that they haven’t picked her up yet, she thinks to herself. She was too early here, hoping to see her daughter that she misses so much. "I'm already here, my Amara..." she mutters softly. As the school bell rings, children flood out of the doors, their laughter and chatter filling the air. Isabella's eyes search desperately among the sea of young faces for her daughter. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Isabella, Nerissa caught her already simply watching in a distance. This made her blood boiled instantly."I'm right... There's really something off with those maids!" she says quietly as she drives towards the gate of the school. As the school bell rings, children flood out of th