Chapter Three : Last Glance

Dumangas, Iloilo Philippines

Minah entered the famous boutique shop, completely deadpan. The man who had been standing by the watches' display was looking at her from afar.

Juan Miguel Fuego.

She was able to get the man's contact number right off the bat. After the confrontation Diana had with him the previous day, Diana resigned from her job in the rest house. She had been suspecting who the owner was.

And her mother was right all along, the property was owned by Juan Miguel’s friend whose name is Bernardo Reyes and her mother had no idea about it. She was even over the moon when she got the job, completely clueless about what was going to happen ahead of her.

Bernardo himself got Minah's call and he was the one who handed Juan Miguel's phone number to her after introducing herself briefly.

Almost immediately, Minah called Juan Miguel and told him she wanted to meet him. Of course, without hesitation, the man agreed. He even sounded excited and happy.

Juan Miguel canceled his flight to Manila just to meet up with her. The meeting place was even chosen by her.

Minah had no classes since it was Saturday. However, she needed to sneak away from Diana since it will take hours to get downtown from Dumangas.

She was wearing a blank expression on her face while her arms were crossed on her chest as soon as she pulled alongside the middle-aged man she intended to meet.

“Have you eaten? There's a good restaurant downstairs,” Juan Miguel asked, searching her face. She could feel how the man was trying to hold back from hugging her.

“Eighteen years. Perhaps you will not run out of money and end up broke if I tell you to make up for all your shortcomings with money, don't you think?” she said straightforwardly, staring directly into his eyes.

Juan Miguel's eyes turned somber hearing all the words she said.

“Pick everything you want, Minah,” he gently said.

Longing—it was the best word that would describe the way Juan Miguel was looking at her. Too bad, her mind was already clouded by the fact that she suffered way too early because of him.

Minah was truly aware that her father's longing eyes had been following her while she was busy shopping for clothes, bags, and shoes for herself, Diana, and Leigh.

When she was satisfied with all her purchases, she walked towards Juan Miguel for the last time. The man had been standing beside the watches' display panel.

Her eyes flew toward the feminine Rolex watch that he's been holding.

“Is it nice?” she asked.

Not waiting for his answer, she took it from his hand almost rudely, examining it. She was oblivious about its value since she couldn't care less about luxury items, but according to the shop assistant, it was an eighteen-carat white gold watch with baguette-cut diamonds at three, six, nine, and twelve o’clock.

It must cost a fortune.

Minah raised her eyes to Juan Miguel’s face. “For whom is this?”

Juan Miguel cleared his throat.

“For your sister. Her name’s Ava. She just had her birthday a month ago.”

Sister. Minah scoffed. “This is more suitable for my real sister,” she placed the wristwatch on the pile of clothes she got. She then gestured to the shop assistant to punch in all the items in the cart.

Minah tried to calm herself every time the items got punched into the cash register machine. The prices of each one overwhelmed her to the core. She never expected that it would cost that much.

The most expensive clothes Diana gave her cost three hundred pesos. It got even passed down to her sister when the clothes no longer fit her.

If she is going to sell all of them, well except for Leigh’s Rolex watch, Diana could stop doing her laundry side hustle. They could open a small grocery store in their apartment complex if ever.

The problem is, who will she sell it to? She doubted that people around them could afford them when they could hardly afford one decent meal a day.

“Before you leave, can we at least eat together, Minah?” Juan Miguel asked her as soon as he followed her lead towards the door. Her hands filled with shopping bags that the man paid for with his debit card.

When he did not get a response, he continued. “When can I see you again?”

A nasty smirk formed on her lips before facing him. “Do you remember the time when you stormed into our apartment unannounced? I heard your conversation with my mother. And let me tell you this, you would never want me to be part of your family. I'm not kind. And most importantly, I hate it when I have a rival when it comes to attention. Your family will only be destroyed if you persist in taking me with you.”

I might even steal your fortune, she wanted to add.

“You were kept away from me for eighteen years, Minah. I have waited for this moment to come. I will give you everything you want. If you want to study abroad and—”

Minah cut him mid-sentence. “Stop trying so hard to act like a good father. I am not a child anymore so, I already know what is best for me. Do you know what I want? Money. So, please, if you insist on providing for me, money would suffice.”

AS SOON as Minah stepped into the apartment unit, she was greeted with Diana’s death glare.

“Where have you been?”

Minah took her way into the living room. She had already prepped herself to be scolded.

“Well, I think you already know the answer to that question, mother,” she answered.

Diana stirred up with anger hearing her talk like that. She snatched the shopping bags from her hands and slammed them down on the table.

“Who told you to accept anything from him? You have to return them tomorrow. All of them, do you understand?”

Minah's brows furrowed, then grabbed them back from Diana.

“Why would I? I've traveled way too far and spent all day long just to get all these and you want me to give them back to him?”

“I don't care! Don't you understand? You have no connection... we have no connection to this man!”

“We don't? Then why were you reacting like that? You seemed so guilty, mom!”

Minah had confronted her mother many times about the conversation she overheard between her and Juan Miguel. But, even from this moment, she kept denying it.

“Will you quit doubting me, Minah? How many times do I have to tell you? Your real father is dead!”

“I know what I heard, mom and you're still denying it. Even if you have to choose between life and death, you will probably never admit the truth!”

“Because I have nothing to admit about! Why are we even having this conversation? I'm telling you, this is the last time you will ever see him again, do you hear me?!”

“Why? Are you worried about what people might say about us? Are you afraid that they will find out the truth? That they were right after all this time? That you were a side bitch? That I am the fruit of your stupid choices in the past? You just don't want to give me the life I deserve because you don't want to get exposed! Why do I always have to adjust? Why does your mistake have to be my mistake? Isn't it shameful that you'd rather let your child live a wretched life? Why put your supposed 'responsibility' as a parent on me now? What's the use of having a relationship with a wealthy married man if we don't benefit from it?”

Diana felt a flush of anger. She lifted a hand to slap her. “You are going too much, Minah! Is that how you treat your mother? I didn't raise you like that! I didn't raise you to be rude. If you keep disrespecting me, you better leave this house right now!”

Minah raised her face. A feeling of deep bitterness swept her. She clenched her hand, her eyes darkened even more.

Diana's slap hurt. But to be kicked out of their house and to be disowned by her mother hurt her more than the slap. All because she wanted a better life for herself? Something that her mom could not afford to give her but her father can?

“You don't want my father to take me with him but you could not even provide a good life for me. Have you ever asked me if I want to continue to live this shitty life. All these years, I've been looking after Leigh, assisting her in almost everything. Admit it, Mom. You don't want me to see my real father because you are scared that I will choose to be with him. You don't want that to happen because no one will take care of your horrible husband's daughter, right?”

Horrified, Diana glared at her. “Did you hear yourself, Minah?”

“Did I stutter? You're supposed to be the one taking care of Leigh, but instead, you put all your obligations on me! Many times, I've been mistaken as your maid, not your daughter. And to tell you the truth, I will never hesitate to leave all of you if my father's family really wants to adopt me.”

“If that's what you want, suit yourself. But once you turn your back on me and your sister, just forget about us and never come back!”

“‘Mom… Minah…” It was Leigh. She was standing at the door, a bottle of coke in hand. Tears were brimming down her face.

Minah turned to the side and picked up all the bags that Diana threw on the table. Afterward, she hastily walked towards the door. Minah's shoulders bumped Leigh's as she walked past her but she no longer gave a damn. She picked up her pace and stormed out of the room, completely ignoring her sister's call.