"E-ELENA?"As Aunt Ising recognized the woman who was busy hanging bedsheets in the back part of the shelter, Mia couldn't help but feel a quick throb in her chest. Then she looked up at her brother Nathaniel, questioning him with her eyes. And as he seemingly understood the meaning behind her gaze, he simply shrugged his shoulders."I-Ising?"The woman whom Aunt Ising called Elena responded."W-Who is she, Sister Cecilia?" Mia couldn't resist asking the accompanying nun."She is the woman who left you and your brother here in this shelter many years ago," Sister Cecilia answered her with a kind smile.Surprised or astonished?Mia couldn't determine which of the two dominant emotions prevailed in her heart.She also couldn't speak immediately because she remained transfixed, gazing at the woman.Just like what happened to her earlier with Nathaniel, she couldn't remember anything about this woman. But despite everything, a part of her heart couldn't deny that it suddenly felt an eager
"You can't travel to the province right now, son. It's too far, it's an eight-hour journey, to be honest," said Aurora while they were on their way home.Now he knew where Mia was, and he didn't want to waste any more time. He was eagerly anticipating seeing her. He wanted to bring his future wife home so he could take care of her, especially in her current condition."But Ma, I can't wait until tomorrow. I want to see Mia," she replied, keeping her gaze fixed on the road."But Erik, why don't you rest for a while?" Fidel interjected. "And besides, your mother and I would like to accompany you, the two of us together," he added.Erik couldn't contain the joy that quickly filled his heart upon hearing his father's words. He couldn't hide his feelings as he responded."Really, Pa?" he asked, briefly turning to look at his father.He heard his father let out a soft laugh before answering, "Of course. We also want to be there to help you sort everything out.""And besides, it's not safe f
"Why don't you call Mia so she'll have an idea about our arrival," Fidel, Erik's father, suggested.They were already on their way to the province. The journey would take eight to ten hours, and it was only four o'clock in the morning when they hit the road."I don't have her number, Pa. Honestly, I'm not sure if she changed her number or if her phone is always turned off. I've tried calling her several times, but still no response," Erik replied."Well, maybe it's better this way, without her knowing that you're coming. She'll be more surprised," his mother chimed in from the backseat of the car.*****"We have a problem, Mia," Nathaniel said, peering through the door of her room."A problem?" Mia asked her brother, her attention focused on packing her belongings. She was about to return to Manila, and Nathaniel, along with Aunt Ising and even Elena, would be accompanying her."I wasn't allowed to skip today. I'm sorry, but maybe we can leave after my last class, which should be afte
"ERIK? It’s you, right?"Nathaniel, finally sensing the moment, approached his boyfriend."I'm Nathaniel, Mia's brother," he said without hesitation, extending his hand toward Erik.At that moment, Mia looked up at her boyfriend's face. She could clearly see the quick change in Erik's aura as he accepted Nathaniel's handshake."Oh, would you believe it, I have a brother?" Mia said, stifling a laugh. "And here you are, getting jealous without even asking me?" she added, embracing Erik tightly.That was when Erik held Mia tightly in his arms, then let go and pressed his lips against hers without uttering a word. Disregarding the people who could see them, he made her feel the intense longing he had for her."Shall we go inside?" he said with a smile, his eyes sparkling.Mia happily nodded in agreement and waved at Erik's parents before entering.*****"We're actually traveling today to bring Mia back to Manila," Nathaniel said when they faced each other in the living room."Nate has his
"I'm okay here, Dad, don't worry about me," Erik replied, laughing as he talked on the other line to his father, Fidel, who was with his mother, Aurora, left behind in Canada. "Come on, give me the phone, and I'll talk to that son of yours," he heard his mother's voice, which caused Erik to laugh softly. "Mom, don't argue with Dad. It's just the two of you left together there," he joked and then chuckled softly as he continued to separate the white and colored clothes he was going to wash. "What are you doing there, and what is taking you so long to come back here? It's been a year since you left. When will you come back here? Your grandfather never stops asking us questions about when his favorite grandson will come back. Neither I nor your dad know how and what to answer," his mother's lengthy speech caused him to laugh weakly again. "Mom—" but his mother quickly cut off anything else he wanted to say. "Why are you laughing at me? Hey Enrique, have you forgotten your obligations
"Give me that," their elderly maid said, reaching out to take the towel from Mia's hand as she gently dabbed warm water onto the bruises marring her arm. Bernie, the man with whom Mia lived, had once again proven to be a source of pain and turmoil. "I don't understand, Mia. Why can't you just leave that man? Look at yourself in the mirror. Don't you feel any pity for the person staring back at you? I, for one, feel nothing but sorrow for you," the old woman's voice quivered with a mixture of frustration and empathy. Mia glanced at her reflection in the mirror with a distant gaze, her tears flowing like a river. Yes, she did feel sorry for herself. For quite some time now, she had been wallowing in self-pity, trapped in a cycle of abuse and despair. Yet, as the old saying goes, "With whom she stumbled, so she has endured everything." "I-I don't have any money, Nanny Ising. Even if I wanted to leave, I don't have a single cent in my wallet," Mia's voice trembled as she admitted the ha
Erik smiled as he looked at the picture of the woman who owned the F******k profile he was browsing. None other than Nadine.He quietly assessed himself.Is he still hurting?He smiled again and then turned off his laptop.He was content now, and he was genuinely happy for Nadine, just as he was for Keira. And from what he could see, Nadine was doing well. It seemed that eventually, she also learned to love the man her father had preferred for his ex-girlfriend.He had been single for a year now. As he mentioned before, he wanted to focus on his career first, and that's exactly what he did. It was Saturday, so he didn't have to work.He woke up late, and that was just how he was. Rest was something he needed too. Erik went to the kitchen to prepare something to eat.But he wasn't in the mood to cook, so he decided to leave the house to buy something to eat. His feet led him to an eatery. His favorite dish there was Sinigang na Bangus, so that's what he ordered.After he finished eating
It was almost dark when Mia arrived in Manila. If she hadn't been stuck in traffic, maybe she wouldn't have taken this long on the road. Outside the old house, Mia remained standing while quietly observing it.A long time has passed but she still feels a small pinch in her heart as she looks up at what is actually a big house standing in front of her.That's when Mia took action and pushed open the rusty gate of the house. She knows that tomorrow many of her neighbors will ask why her sudden return. And what happened to her?That was when a bitter smile broke on her lips.The way she looks right now, maybe no one will ask. Maybe they will just gossip about her. Those judgmental ones who knew her since she was a little girl.That's right.Because ever since Nana Rosita got sick and she was forced to cling to a knife to get and provide money for her treatment. And as far as she remembers, none of the people around her understood why she has to do such things except the late old foster m