Prologue

How do people learn how to love and trust again after being hurt so many times by their loved ones?

I know that emotions are hard to deal with, but we have to face them when they come to us. Hurt is a difficult one, but you have to learn how to handle it as well as any other emotion. You are sad, perhaps angry; you don't want to deal with it, but you have to. And that's how life works...

As I stand here while drinking my red wine on either side of the ledge, looking down from twelve stories above the streets of Metro Manila, I can't help but think about suicide.

Of course, not my own. I love my life enough to do those things. I can only imagine how they could decide to end their lives. Do they ever regret it? I know we all have our own challenges, but is suicide really the solution?

"Zari!"

I rolled my eyes when I heard my sister Margot's voice. I know the reason why she is here.

"I've been looking for you for a while. What are you doing here?" she asked me.

I sighed and backed away slightly before facing my brother.

"I just want to be alone," I answered sparingly.

"You want to be alone, or you're just avoiding me, so I don't force the favor I'm asking you?" she asked, then laughed slightly.

I was once again tormented by her, because she said the same thing.

"Oh, come on, Zari. We've talked about it," she said as if there were sadness in her voice.

I looked her in the eyes and saw myself pleading with her.

"Why me? Why don't you ask Bettina instead?" I asked her.

Her shoulders slumped even more before she answered me.

"She can't. They're going to the States, remember?" she answered.

I bit my lower lip. She's a principal in a school province. They have an event there, but she can't attend because she has a promise to her son that they will celebrate her birthday in Japan. She needs a representative; that's why she's asking me to attend.

It's not that I'm rejecting the favor that my sister asked me, but I promised myself that I would never return to that place again.

"Please, Zari. I just really need you to be there," she added.

I sighed again and nodded to her. I also know that I can't do anything because I can't refuse her either.

I saw that she seemed to come alive when she saw my reaction, so she immediately came close to me and hugged me happily.

"Thank you so much, Zari! I'll make it up to you soon when I get home!" she said so happily. That's why I rolled my eyes again.

We are three siblings. Bettina is the eldest, I am the second, and Margot is the youngest. Since our parents died three years ago, it was just the three of us together until they already built their own family. They are both married, and I am still single.

After my big heartbreak, I never thought of being in love again. I just dated so many guys, but I never invested any feelings in them because I felt that they would all just leave me in the end.

I didn't realize that the days went by so quickly and that the emotions I was feeling were mixed. I was left alone in our house because our housemaids took their day off. That's why I really have no choice but to go out for a while.

I held my breath as I lifted the suitcase I was going to take to the province. I was only there for a week, but I brought a lot of things with me. Margot even insisted on giving me a driver, but I refused it. I can drive, even though it's a bit far from here.

My two sisters have been messaging me recently to remind me to be careful. They want me to update them from time to time, so I just get bored. Since my parents died, my life has become normal, compared to before, when there were always bodyguards and a driver. I used to feel like I was in prison, but now I'm free to do the things I want to do.

I don't know how many hours I drove until I got to the province. We have our own house here. I can't explain my feelings as my car approaches the single big house, but before you can see it completely, you will see the white gate first.

"del Real." I read our surname engraved on the gate.

I slowly got out of my car. It's been almost five years since I last came here, and as I look at the house, it's like my heart is pinched because of the bad memories of this house.

"Miss Zari!"

My thoughts were interrupted when someone called me, so I looked at a woman walking towards me. She was wearing a vestida with a shawl over her shoulders. When she finally got close to me, I just recognized who it was.

"Manang Gina?!" I asked in shock.

She laughed and immediately nodded in response to me.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry. I didn't recognize you right away," I said, laughing.

"Oh! It's okay, Miss Zari. I even didn't recognize your appearance when I saw you. By the way, come inside and I've prepared your room. I'll just call Julio to put in your things," she told me one after the other, then led me to walk.

I smiled and nodded before following her. Manang Gina is the caretaker of this house. I am very grateful to them because they really take care of our house here, so as a sign of my gratitude for them and her family, I let them live there.

They took care of me there and even bothered to cook me food. I arrived at one o'clock, and I didn't eat on the way. After we ate, I rested in the room because I didn't have anything else to do.

Almost nothing has changed in the arrangement of my room. What it looked like when I left is still the same to this day. My other college stuff is still there, and even though I don't have good memories of this place, I couldn't help but smile when I saw the pictures of my old college friends. I wonder where they are now, but I'm pretty sure they have their families.

The smile on my lips gradually disappeared when I saw a picture. I also felt my heart pounding and mixed emotions. I just stared at that picture until I realized that I was crumpling it with my hand.

My phone rang, so I turned my attention to it. I'm sure one of my sisters is calling me.

I didn't think wrong when I saw Margot's name on my phone screen; that's why I didn't think twice about answering that.

"Yes, I just arrived here," I told her.

"Good to hear that. I called you to inform you that you have to go to school. I already told them that you will be my representative, but you have to go there so that you can know the other plans for the event. Please," she said one after the other.

I was exhausted and just nodded. I'm here, and that's all I'm going to take care of in this place.

"Fine. I'll just change clothes, and I'll text you when I get there. Don't worry about me," I answered her.

That's exactly what I did after Margot and I talked. I know where the school is because it is alone.

I said goodbye to Manang Gina and her husband, saying that I was leaving. They are already busy with what they are doing, so I don't want to bother them anymore.

I went straight to the school where Margot was the principal. The school is not big, and for me, that is not enough for the children studying there.

I parked near a big tree, where another car was also parked.

I immediately looked at the small playground, and there were some children playing there. It's already afternoon, and it looks like the students are going home. As far as I know, the children who study here are from kindergarten and elementary school.

I smiled as I watched the children happily play there. It's like my heart is pinching again because I remember my baby.

If she had lived, I'm sure he would have been one of those playing on this playground.

Before I was completely swallowed by bitter memories, I just continued walking. I almost stopped when suddenly a small ball hit my foot, so I bent down to pick it up. My eyes widened slightly when a little girl suddenly appeared in front of me.

Suddenly, my chest heaved as if I felt something strange while looking at the innocent child looking at me. She looked back and forth at me and the ball I was holding.

"Is this yours?" I asked her.

She just nodded at me and smiled. I almost smiled too when I saw her deep dimples on the other cheek. She has pigtail hair and bangs that block her narrow eyes.

"Sky!"

The little girl and I were both looking at each other when we heard a voice from behind her.

"Sky! What are you doing here? I'm almost dizzy looking for you," said the woman, panting.

"Sorry, Miss," she added.

Besides, I just looked up at the woman when I stood up. Both of our eyes almost widened when we saw each other.

"Z?"

"George?"

We both said our names to each other.

My chest heaved, and I looked again at the child in the middle of us. I was about to speak again when he suddenly picked up the child.

"Let's go, Sky," she said, and she immediately walked away from me.

George's face was pale, as if she saw a ghost when she saw me, which is why I just frowned. I want to ask her a lot. Is that little girl her child?

"G-George!" I tried to call her again.

He didn't even look back at me because he just walked straight away from me. I hesitated for a moment before I finally followed him, but I almost backed away when I saw his companion where he had stopped.

She's with Brandon. My ex-boyfriend. The father of my baby, who died five years ago,.

"Let's go home! I'll cook a delicious dinner. Are you excited, Sky?" George happily asked the little girl as if our meeting was nothing.

I could feel the lump forming in my throat as I watched the three of them. They ended up together, and they both have a child.

The sadness I felt suddenly turned to anger when I looked at Brandon. He looks like a good father to his daughter. When he found out that I was pregnant, he denied that he was the father. He abandoned his own child even before it was born, and I hate him so much for that, because me and my child don't deserve that!

Before my tears could completely fall due to anger, I quickly turned around and walked away from there.

He's happy now with his family, but I will make sure to remind him of all the hurt he caused to my feelings back then once our paths cross.