PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

Last Will and Testament of Consuelo de Montalvo

I, Consuelo de Montalvo, of sound mind and legal capacity, residing a Hacienda de Montalvo, Asturias PH 90210, hereby declare this document to be my Will and Testament. I revoke any prior Wills or Codicils made by me.

1. Executor

I appoint Lorenzo Reyes, as the Executor of this Will. He shall oversee the distribution and execution of the provisions stated herein.

2. Transfer of Hacienda to Elinor Callie V. de Montalvo

I bequeath my beloved hacienda, located at Asturias PH 90210, to my only granddaughter, Elinor Callie V. de Montalvo, upon reaching the age of twenty-four (24) years old. It is my wish that she becomes its custodian and brings back the life it once held.

3. Conditions for the Transfer

a. The transfer of the hacienda to Elinor shall only occur once she has reached the aforementioned age of twenty-four (24) years old.

b. Elinor must demonstrate the dedication and commitment required to revive and maintain the hacienda's legacy and heritage.

c. Elinor shall undertake responsibilities with respect to the upkeep, conservation, and diligent management of the hacienda's land, structures, and any associated assets.

4. Monetary and Property Assets

a. In addition to the hacienda, I hereby bequeath all my money and properties, both movable and immovable, to Elinor.

b. It is my intention that these assets will provide Elinor with the necessary means to restore the hacienda to its former glory and secure a prosperous future.

5. Contingencies

a. In the unfortunate event that Elinor does not survive me, or in case she is unable or unwilling to fulfill the outlined conditions, the aforementioned hacienda, money, and properties shall be transferred to an alternate beneficiary.

6. Miscellaneous Provisions

a. I hereby authorize my Executor to incur all necessary expenses related to the administration and execution of this Will from my estate.

b. My Executor shall have full discretion and authority in interpreting and implementing the provisions of this Will, as well as in resolving any disputes that may arise.

7. Revocation Clause

I declare that this Last Will and Testament revokes any and all previous Wills or Codicils created by me.

In witness hereof, I have set my hand this 16th day of May, 2020.

Consuelo de Montalvo

My hands are trembling after reading the last will and testament that Grandma made. I am feeling a mix of emotions, and I don’t know what I should be feeling at the moment.

Guilt creeps in slowly but surely, like a stealthy intruder sneaking into the depths of my conscience. It’s that nagging feeling that tugs at my heartstrings, reminding me of the mistakes I’ve made and the consequences they carry.

“W-Why?” I asked, shuttering. “W-Why me?” I added.

Attorney Lorenzo Reyes fixed his eyeglasses and looked at me. “You’re her only granddaughter, Elinor. Your grandma loves you so much despite what happened,” he said.

I bit my lower lip. “But, Attorney, I don’t deserve this,” I muttered.

I was shocked when I found out that grandma had left all her properties in Asturias to me, including her cherished hacienda. It’s hard to believe she would do that after what I did to her. I made the choice to prioritize my stupid boyfriend over her, and now I’m kicking myself for it.

“Do you think Madame Consuelo would entrust all the properties of the de Montalvo family to you if you didn’t deserve it? Trust your grandma, Elinor. If you think you’re not worthy of what she left behind, then prove it now. Prove yourself that you are deserving, and Madame Consuelo made the right choice,” Attorney Reyes seriously stated.

I can’t even find the words to express how I feel right now. It’s like a mix of trust and doubt swirling around in my head. I trust my grandma, but when it comes to trusting myself, well, that’s a whole different story. I’m terrified, plain and simple. The fear of messing up and not living up to the responsibilities she’s given me is eating me alive.

“I’ll be expecting your return to Asturias, Elinor. I hope you won’t disappoint your grandmother,” Attorney Reyes said before finally leaving my apartment.

Several hours have passed since he left, yet my mind is still preoccupied with our conversation earlier.

I thought that my grandmother had completely forgotten about me. I thought I would never be able to return to the place I once called home.

It has been six months since my grandmother passed away due to cancer at the age of 68. We didn’t even talk or make amends before she died. I didn’t even get to ask her for forgiveness for abandoning her. If only I could turn back time, I would do it right now.

I took a deep breath and returned the white folder containing the last will and testament to the brown envelope before placing it in the drawer next to my small bed.

Ever since I left Asturias, this has been my life here in Manila. It has been difficult, and every day I worry about what I will eat and where I will get money. It is very different from the life I used to have.

Back then, I only cared about indulgence. I would only worry about what to wear every day because I didn’t want to repeat outfits. It never crossed my mind that I would experience a life like this.

But I realized that not everything we want will always happen. Just because we are on top doesn’t mean we will stay there. Sometimes, we need to experience what others are going through to understand where they are coming from.

I glanced at the door of my apartment when someone knocked on it. I furrowed my brow, not expecting any visitors at the moment. I quickly wiped my hands on my clothes, as I had just finished washing the dishes, before going to the door to open it.

“Where is the rent payment?” Aling Lordes, my landlady, bluntly asked me as I opened the door. She extended her hand as if she were expecting me to put the money in it.

“Uhm…I d-don’t have—”

Her fake eyebrow rose. “What? You don’t have money again?!” she cut me off.

I hung my head down because she was right. I’ve been unemployed for several days now after the factory I’ve been working at for almost two years laid off employees, and unfortunately, I was one of those who got let go.

“You know what, Elinor? If you can’t afford to pay, just leave my apartment so that people who can pay can have a chance to live there!” Aling Lordes snapped at me.

I quickly looked up at her and shook my head. “Please don’t make me leave. I will pay; just give me one week,” I begged desperately.

“Okay, I’ll give you a chance…” she said reluctantly. “I won’t give you one week, but I’ll give you three days. But if you still can’t pay by then, start packing your belongings!” she exclaimed angrily before storming off.

My knees weakened upon hearing her words. Where would I get $90 to pay her within just three days? I felt a wave of panic and desperation wash over me.

I was well aware that I could easily pay that amount if I just accepted what was stated in Grandma’s last will and testament. However, I couldn’t bring myself to do it because I still doubted my own abilities. I didn’t want to take risks; I was afraid of the potential outcome of the decision I was about to make.

I reached for my phone on the top of my bed to call Emersyn, my former coworker at the factory. She was one of the few who weren’t laid off, so she still had a job.

“Hello, Emersyn,” I greeted her. 

“Hi, Eli. How can I help you?” she asked from the other end of the line.

I bit my lower lip, hesitant about whether I should tell her my purpose or not. But I decided to choose the former. 

“Emersyn, I know you also have your own problems, but can I borrow $50 from you? I really need it right now. I’m being kicked out of my apartment,” I desperately uttered.

I didn’t even imagine that I would reach a point where I would beg for money. I would beg just to survive.

“I’m sorry, Eli. I can’t lend you money right now. We’re also struggling financially because my daughter is in the hospital. I hope you understand,” she apologized.

“Is that so?” I said softly. “Alright, thanks anyway, Emersyn. I hope your daughter will get well soon,” I said.

“Thank you, Eli. I’m really sorry again.”

“It’s okay. I should be the one apologizing to you. I bothered you with my request.”

“It’s okay. If you don’t have a place to stay, you can stay at our house. We still have one spare room available. Don’t hesitate to let me know, okay?”

“Thank you very much for your offer, Emersyn. But I can’t ask for that kind of help. It’s already a heavy burden to take care of your sick daughter , and I don’t want to add to your responsibilities.”

Emersyn took a deep breath from the other line. “Okay, if that’s what you want.”

After our conversation, I ended the call. I couldn’t help but pull at my hair out of frustration because I didn’t know what to do anymore. I couldn’t come up with $90 within just three days!

I think I have no other choice but to go back to Asturias. Perhaps Lola Consuelo was right after all; Manila is not for me. I am not meant to be here.