Chapter 4

“Jade…” Jade struggled to speak immediately upon hearing the familiar voice calling her name.

The voice was one she was too familiar with, one that had consistently shown kindness, patience, and a willingness to overlook her every whim and flaw. She was intimately familiar with that voice.

“Mom,” she said softly, her heart pounding as she uttered the word.

There was a brief sigh on the other end of the line, and then her mother’s voice spoke again, though it was filled with a tinge of concern.

“How are you doing, little one?” her mother asked, and Jade’s throat tightened. She bit her bottom lip, her heart aching as she fought to hold back the tears.

She didn’t want to cry. Not yet. She didn’t want her mother to hear how much she had been struggling all these years, how much she had suffered in silence.

“I’m okay, Mom,” Jade replied, trying to sound as convincing as possible. But her voice wavered, betraying her true emotions.

“How did you manage to get my phone number?” She had to ask.

There was no escaping the question now. She stammered as she spoke, the words tumbling out in a nervous rush.

On the other end, her mother let out another sigh, one that seemed to carry so much more weight than the words that followed.

“Did you forget that your necklace has a tracker?” she asked gently.

“We let you go, Jade. We knew you were strong enough to stand on your own two feet.” Jade froze, her breath catching in her throat.

How could she have forgotten something so important? Her fingers instinctively brushed against the delicate chain around her neck, the same necklace her parents had given her when she was just five years old. It had been a gift, but it was more than that. It was a precaution.

A measure to keep her safe in case something ever happened. A tracker, embedded in the necklace, allowed them to find her in case of an emergency, in case she was ever in danger. She had forgotten. She had completely forgotten about it.

Her mother’s voice came through again, cutting through her thoughts. “We let you go, Jade,” she repeated, her words now sharp and hurt.

“You didn’t even say goodbye. You didn’t tell us where you were going. We just let you leave.” Jade felt the sharp sting of guilt pierce her heart as her mother’s words sank in. She didn’t know what to say. She had left.

She had disappeared without so much as a word to anyone. Without a thought for the people who loved her.

She had left her parents without looking back. But now, hearing the sorrow in her mother’s voice, Jade regretted everything.

Her mother continued, her voice filled with a quiet pleading. “Go home, Jade. We need you here. We won’t ask about Crown’s father. We don’t care about that, Jade. We just want you home.” Jade felt the tears begin to gather in her eyes.

Her mother’s words pierced her heart. After all these years, all the silence, all the distance, her mother still loved her. Still wanted her back.

“We have people looking out for you, baby,” her mother added, her tone now desperate. “Don’t think twice. Come home. We need you. Please, Jade. Come back.”

The words hit Jade like a blow to the chest. She could barely breathe.

Four years. Four years of living away from her parents, of trying to make a life on her own, and yet here they were, asking her to come back.

She wanted to return to the place where everything began. A part of her wanted to refuse. A part of her was terrified.

What would it mean to go back? To face the past? To face the people who had always loved her, even when she didn’t deserve it? Her mother’s voice softened, filled with more emotion now.

“Jade, your father is in the hospital. He had a heart attack. He needs you. Please, come home. We all need you.” Jade’s heart lurched at the words. Her father. She hadn’t even known. She hadn’t known he was sick. Hadn’t known that he had been suffering.

The weight of her mother’s words threatened to crush her. Her knees felt weak, and she had to steady herself against the car, her mind racing.

“Mom, I can’t,” Jade whispered, her voice breaking. She didn’t know if she could face it. The idea of returning to the Philippines, to the life she had left behind—it terrified her. But her mother’s words echoed in her mind. Her father needed her. He needed her to come home.

“I know you’re scared, baby. I know this is hard,” her mother continued, her voice softening again.

“But your father is waiting for you. He wants to see you. He wants to meet Crown. I promise, Jade, he won’t interfere in your life. He just wants to see his daughter again.” Jade’s tears fell freely now.

She didn’t know what to feel. She wanted to go. She wanted to run home and hold her father so she could apologize for everything she had done. But she was afraid. Afraid of facing her father, who had given her everything.

The father who had loved her unconditionally, even when she had run away. Her mother’s voice was filled with a quiet plea.

“Please, Jade. Come home. For your father. For me. We miss you so much.” Jade wiped her eyes, trying to gather her thoughts. She took a deep breath.

“Can I use the private jet? I’ll go home immediately,” she said, her voice steady but filled with emotion. She could hear the relief in her mother’s voice.

“Oh, God! Thank you, Jade! Thank you so much!” Jade felt a pang of guilt as she listened to her mother’s voice break.

She had caused her so much pain. She had been the source of so much heartache. And yet, her mother was still thanking her.

“You don’t have to thank me, Mom,” Jade said, her voice quiet but sincere. “I should be the one apologizing to you and Dad. I’m sorry for everything.”

Her mother’s voice softened again. “Your father wants to meet Crown. He may be angry, but I promise he won’t turn his back on you. All we want is to be with our daughter again.” Jade could feel the weight of her mother’s words lifting her heart.

There was still hope. There was still a chance for reconciliation. She could go back. She could make things right.

“I’ll go home, Mom,” Jade said, her voice filled with quiet resolve.

“We’ll see each other tomorrow. I’ll pack my things, and I’ll take Crown with me. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Her mother’s voice was filled with warmth now.

“Thank you, baby. We’ll be waiting. And Crown… he’s going to love his grandma and grandpa. We’re so excited to meet him.” Jade smiled softly, the tension in her chest easing for the first time in years.

“I’ll tell him, Mom. Thank you. I love you both. And I’m sorry.” The call ended, and Jade sat there for a moment, her phone pressed to her chest.

She could feel the weight of everything lifting, as if a burden she had carried for so long was finally being set down. She had made the decision. She was going home. Beth’s voice broke through her thoughts.

“Are you alright, Jade? Is everything okay?” Jade turned to Beth, a wide smile on her face, her eyes brimming with tears.

“My mom called, Beth. She forgave me. She’s not angry anymore.” Beth’s eyes softened with understanding, and Jade reached out to hold her son’s face.

“Grandpa and Grandma want us to come home. They want to meet you, Crown.” Crown’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“Really?! When, Mama?!”

“Tomorrow, baby. They want us there tomorrow.” Jade had often told Crown stories of her parents— the things she missed about home. Now, it was time to take those stories to a new chapter.

“I’m happy with you, Jade,” Beth said, her voice tinged with sadness. “But I’ll miss you both so much.” Crown hugged Beth tightly.

“Don’t worry, Grandma Beth! We’ll visit you often! Or you can come to visit us in the Philippines!” Beth laughed, wiping a tear from her eye.

“I will, I will. Thank you, both.”

Jade stepped into the car and hugged Beth, her heart full of gratitude. “Thank you, Beth. You’ve done so much for us. I’ll never forget it. I’ll be forever grateful.” Beth patted her back, sniffing as she held back her tears.

“No problem, Jade. I’m just glad you two are happy. I’ll miss you, but I know you won’t forget me.” Jade rested her head on Beth’s shoulder.

“We love you, Beth.” And as the car pulled away, Jade knew one thing for certain: no matter what happened next, no matter the challenges ahead, she would face them head-on.

She would go home, and no matter how difficult it might be to face Crown’s father, she would do whatever it took to protect her son. That was her promise. And she would keep it.