“GRANDFATHER JOAQUIN SR.”

"WHY is that, Robert? Why is your man so slow? Why does that girl still look happy now?" Selena asked Robert angrily the night they met to talk about the favor she was asking for.

"I also do not know. And one more thing, why are you so eager to take revenge? The woman is already married, isn't she? Maybe you're just being mistaken in your suspicions?" said Robert to her.

That's when Selena dropped the wine glass she was holding on the table in annoyance. "You are so annoying. Why don't you just do what I say? I have to get revenge on that girl. I have to get Ramil back!” she insisted.

"Stop it! You must learn how to wait and don't yell at me!” Robert yells back at her.

At that point, Selena sat down and bowed her head crying. She stopped herself from crying, but because of the effect of the alcohol she had already consumed, she failed to do so.

"Why is it that no man wants to love me?" she said sobbing.

At that point, Robert told sat next to her and then hugged her tightly. “I love you, that's the truth. But you don't want to take a risk with me. That's what I feel for you. Why are you still chasing that man who left you? I'm here, you can be with me," said Robert to her.

That's when Selena raised her head and met Robert's eyes.

"I love you too, Robert. I love you. But I don't know how to do what you want. I don't know if I love Ramil or if it’s just my pride that cannot agree and accept what happened. But I didn't love him as I feel for you," Selena admitted of her true feelings.

When Selena said that, Robert quickly hugged her tightly again. After that, he pressed a kiss on her lips. A kiss that was full of love.

"Don't go with what you're planning, Selena. Please? I don't want you to get hurt. Just come with me. Let's get out of here. Let's go to that place where no one will recognize us. In a place where we will be happy and no one can judge us with what we have," it was Robert trying to convince her.

Selena immediately thought deeply about what Robert said. "All right,” he said wiping her tears. “But on one condition," she even added.

"What?" asked Robert.

"Do what I'm asking you to do as soon as possible so we can leave the Philippines," she replied in a firm voice.

Selena saw the emotion in Robert's eyes was blank. And after what seemed to be just a moment of thinking, he nodded.

"All right," he said to her.

Selena smiled.

"Thank you," she said.

Robert did not answer and instead, he just kissed her firmly on the lips again to which she responded.

Now it is clear to her who she truly loves. And like she said earlier to Robert, she loves him very much. While Ramil?

It's true that only her pride was hurt. And she couldn't bear to see him happy with others while she was in pain.

Maybe that's how playgirls like her really feel. Unable to tell or having trouble telling who is truly in their hearts. But it's the same as her conversation with Robert. They will both run away. But before that happens, she has to hurt Ramil first.

That's right.

She will use that girl to get her revenge and Ramil will definitely get hurt. And only in that way will she be okay because both of them will be even.

*****

"What do you think?" Tessa asked Ramil with so much excitement in her voice.

They were on their way home from her aunt's house.

She has formally introduced Ramil to her aunt as her boyfriend.

"I think she likes me for you," Ramil said, holding her hand and squeezing it.

"Because you like me too?" Tessa asked with a smile.

At that point, Ramil decided to stop the car on the side of the road. He faced her and then held her other hand.

"Tessa, I know it's hard to believe what I'm about to tell you. But the truth is I just don't like you. I love you and that's the truth," Ramil told her without hesitation.

Tessa was immediately stunned by what she heard. She didn't move immediately and just kept staring at the face of the person in front of her. That's why to get her attention again, Ramil bent down and kissed her on the lips.

"Are you back in your senses now?" Ramil asked her after he released her lips.

Tessa just nodded like she was still not her usual self. "What did you say earlier?"

Then Ramil pinched her chin with a smile. "I said I love you," he said to her.

"You love me?" she asked again.

Ramil nodded. "Not only that," he said, taking his sling bag from the backseat of the car and taking out a small box from there. "I want to marry you," after saying that, he opened it and revealed in front of her a beautiful but simple diamond ring.

Tessa was once again paralyzed by what she heard. "A-Are you sure you want to marry me?" she asked as the corners of her eyes heated up.

"I have never been more sure in my entire life, Tessa. Until today," Ramil answered her.

As soon as she heard that, the young lady started to cry. At the same time, she hugged Ramil tightly. "Yes, oh yes, I will marry you," her heart is overflowing with happiness at that moment.

After Ramil put the ring on her finger, the young man kissed her firmly again. And that kiss deepened. Until little by little, they are swept away by their burning feelings for each other. And before they both forgot where they are, she resigned.

"Not here," she said between gasps.

"Sure," was Ramil's meaningful answer as he hurriedly started the car.

*****

Saturday was the day Joaquin and Lara agreed to visit Rodolfo and Leandro. They were about to leave when an unexpected visitor suddenly arrived.

"Papa?" Joaquin when he saw his father standing at the door of his house.

"May I come in?" asked Joaquin Sr.

If Lara noticed something strange that day, it was her father-in-law. That was the first time, he smiled at her. That's why she decided to smile back.

"Sure," Joaquin immediately answered his father then he pointed to the single sofa.

When his father sat down, Joaquin reached out to her and Callie and so they sat next to him.

"Looks like you have an errand?" was the happy comment of the old man when he maybe noticed that the three of them were dressed.

"Ah, yes, Papa. We're just going to visit my father-in-law," was Joaquin's kind answer.

Joaquin Sr. just nodded when her husband said that. Then for a moment silence fell over them. And when perhaps he got bored, Joaquin's father also broke it.

"It's sad to be alone at home, Joaquin. It’s quite big for an old man like me," that was Joaquin Sr.’s meaningful statement as he started.

Lara immediately stared at her husband's face. And that's when she saw how quickly his aura lit. Because she knew just like her, Joaquin also got what his father meant.

"Papa, the truth is we are going to see you tonight because we have something important to say to you," instead that is what she heard Joaquin answer to his father.

"Then I'm here," said the old man in his lively voice.

Joaquin first reached out for her hand and then carefully squeezed it. While she smiled at him as if she was saying "you can do it".

"That was four years ago, Papa. That was the night of my twenty-fifth birthday," Joaquin began.

Joaquin Sr. nodded. "That was when I gave you the management of the company, wasn't it?" the old man asked in a tone that demanded reassurance.

"Yes, Papa," Joaquin agreed. “That night my friends gave me a party. And Lara, she is the masked woman they gave me as a gift," her husband briefly explained then gave his father a meaningful look.

"Does this mean?"

"You were right when you said Callie could be mistaken for my daughter. Because she looks just like Mama. But, Papa, Callie is my daughter, she is your granddaughter," continued Joaquin.

Once again the surroundings were engulfed in intense silence after the revelation Joaquin said. It was only a few moments after that, and the old man spoke again.

"Then you really have a reason to go home, don't you, Lara?"

Surprised is not the word to properly describe what Lara really felt when the old man did that. But despite everything, the happiness in her heart was still undeniable at that moment because it seemed that the happiness of her whole family that she always dreamed is now very much possible.

"If you ask me, it's okay with me," she answered smiling.

"How about you, Callie? Do you want to go home to Grandpapa's house?” Joaquin asked their daughter.

"Yes," the girl politely answered.

Lara saw that Joaquin Sr.'s eyes seemed to be clouding because of what he heard as her daughter’s answer. After that, he signaled to Callie, so her daughter quickly approached him.

"You look so much like your grandma," said the old man to her daughter.

"Really? Is she beautiful like me?” Callie asked.

The loud laughter of Joaquin's father filled the whole house. "Yes, Callie. You are both beautiful," he said.

A beautiful smile broke through Callie's lips after hearing that. And it didn't just end there. She hugged the old man tightly and then gave him a firm kiss on the cheek.

Lara could see the true happiness radiating on her father-in-law's face at that moment. Something that caresses and brings warm feelings to her heart. That's why in the end she couldn't stop herself from crying.

"Hey," Joaquin whispered teasingly as he wrapped his arms around her.

Lara sniffed then smiled sweetly at her husband.

"I love you," Joaquin whispered to her.

"I love you too," she replied.

Joaquin's father also left after talking to them for almost two hours. Especially to his granddaughter.

They continued with their visit to Rodolfo while Joaquin ordered the helpers to pack and deliver their belongings to the mansion.

"Who is going to live in our house, Daddy?" Callie asked her father.

Callie was sitting in the backseat while Joaquin was driving.

"The maids won't leave there, baby. And that house is still ours. If we want to go home there and stay, we can," Joaquin replied to his daughter.

"Will Nanny Loring be left there as well?" Callie asked again in a tone slightly laced with sadness.

That was when the couple exchanged a meaningful look. "No, Nanny Loring will join us," Joaquin answered again.

After Callie asked that question, she didn't speak again. When Lara glanced at her, she just laughed when she saw that she was sleeping soundly in the backseat.

"I just thought, maybe it would be better if the three of us went on vacation sometimes. What do you think?” Joaquin asked her.

"It's okay with me. But how about you? Will it be okay with you?” Lara asked her husband.

"Yeah," answered Joaquin. "With the use of the internet, it's easy to work now even if you're far away," said Joaquin winking at her.

"Okay. But if that's the case, where will we go on vacation?" asked Lara.

"You know I own a beach resort in Batangas? We can go there," replied Joaquin.

"Really? Do you own a beach resort?” Lara asked in shock.

"Oh, why are you so shocked?" Joaquin asked laughing.

"Great, are you really that rich? Now I understand why there are so many women trying to get you. Because in case they succeeded they would really lay on a bed full of money," Lara said joking and then laughed.

Joaquin let out a soft laugh before opening his mouth to speak. "Sorry, I'm married to the most beautiful woman in the world," that's what Joaquin answered her before he grabbed her hand and kissed it tenderly.

"I hope you don't change, Joaquin. I hope we can always be like this," Lara pointed out full of anticipation.

Joaquin nodded then kissed her hand again. "Nothing will change for me because only with you and Callie will I be truly happy," her husband answered in a tone she felt she could handle and rely on.