Chapter 49| Sacrifice

While I was inside the car, tears continued to fall from my eyes. Every sob was painful. Mrs. Clarkson who was now sitting next to me inside the car glanced in my direction. I heard her sigh because of my behavior.

"Do not worry. You can forget him soon..."

"You made the right decision, Angela. Don't cry too much. The sacrifice you made for Clark is for his sake and good condition. You just made the right decision. Maybe Clark will be angry with you first but you know my son. In the long run, he will understand why you chose to free him instead of keeping him with you," she comforted me which made me cry even more.

Thinking that Clark would be separated from me, my heart was crushed by the extreme pain.

Hopefully, what Clark's mother said will come true. I hope it crossed Clark's mind that my decision is for his best.

I glanced outside the window. Buildings and spacious roads turned into narrow streets and close-knit wooden houses after a half-hour of a long ride. I could say we are now close to our home.

"S-stop right there," I stuttered while wiping my tears.

Clark's mother signaled the driver to stop. The driver parked the car in front of our house. The driver got off first to push away the children approaching the vehicle.

Almost everyone on the road was staring at the fancy car.

When the driver was already done gently pushing the children away, he opened the car door for Mrs. Clarkson and helped her to get out. Next, he opened the door for me. I immediately thanked the driver.

I entered the house and Mrs. Clarkson and the driver followed me. When I was already inside the house, I saw Bel holding a towel and wiping it on Clark's forehead. Clark was still asleep.

"Angela! Up until now, Clark is still sleeping—" Bel cut her words when she noticed that I wasn't alone. She glanced at the person behind me. I stepped aside just to give Mrs. Clark a space to approach her son lying on a small sofa.

"My unico hijo..." she whispered in a worried voice and anxiously caressed her son's hair.

"Carlos, take Clark to the car," Mrs. Clarkson ordered the driver.

Bel seemed alarmed at what she heard.

"Angela?" Bel called and stared at me. I could see her eyes were confused when she saw I was doing nothing to stop Clark's mother.

The driver picked up Clark. They were about to leave but stopped when Bel suddenly blocked the doorway.

"Just kill me first before you can take Clark out of this house," Bel threatened in a serious voice.

Bel glanced in my direction.

"Angela! Are you going to waste Clark's sacrifices for you?! Will you let everything he did go to waste?! Is there nothing you can do to stop them?!" she asked in disbelief and brushed her hair through her fingers because of the extreme frustration she has felt.

Mrs. Clarkson glanced in my direction.

"Bel..." I whispered and approached her.

"Let them go..." I uttered softly. She looked at me in disbelief then laughed bitterly.

"Do you understand what is happening right now, Angela? They will take Clark away from you! And there's a possibility you can no longer see him again!" she pointed out which made me break into tears.

I weakly grabbed her two hands and gently removed her from the doorway.

With sadness in my eyes, I looked at Bel.

"Bel... You don't understand me—"

"Yes! You are right! I really don't understand you!" she shouted and cried in front of me.

"Clark sacrificed everything for you, Angela! Remember his sacrifices!"

I remained silent at what she said. I just cried in front of her because she was right. When she heard nothing from me, she angrily withdrew her hand from mine and left the house with resentment.

"Bel!!!" I called but she didn't look back. She walked away from our house.

I looked at Clark's mother in tears. She just smiled sympathetically at me before they finally got out of the house. I followed them quickly.

The driver entered Clark inside the car. He was still asleep. I got more worried about him.

When Clark finally got inside the car, Clark's mother turned around to look at me. She was looking for something and she took it out of her purse. She approached my direction and seemed like she was trying to give it to me. Then I realized she was holding a check. It was written a half a million dollars which made me cry even more.

My love for Clark is priceless.

"Accept it. For your new beginnings and moving on with my son," she said and tried to hand me the check.

"Accept that... I know you need this," she added.

I immediately shook my head. I could see her quite shocked at my refusal.

"No... I don't need that. What matters to me is Clark's condition..." I refused and wiped away the tears in my eyes.

"Can I approach him at least for one last time?" I asked Mrs. Clarkson. She was hesitant at first but nodded at the end.

Slowly, I approached the car and headed to where he was sitting while sleeping. When I saw his gentle face which was now almost skin and bones due to hard work, I burst into tears. I gently touched his cheek.

"I hope you don't feel bad about what I am going to do, Clark. This is for you. For your own good," I whispered. As if he could hear me talking to him even when he was asleep.

"I love you so much, Clark..." I whispered lovingly and for the last time, I kissed him on his lips. It took a few seconds before I withdrew my lip from him. With a broken heart and sadness in my eyes, I got out of the car.

"Don't worry. He's in good hands with me," Clark's mother said before approaching the car. The driver opened the door for her. She sat next to her son. The driver soon got inside the car and started the engine and drove away.

I was left standing here alone outside the house. My heart was left crushed.

"Big sister?"

I looked in the direction where the voice came from. I saw Maymay and Kokoy standing while looking at me. I could see the sadness in their eyes. I know they saw what happened and Clark was no longer inside the house.

I hurriedly approached them and hugged them tightly. I hugged them just to get courage and strength while crying in their arms.