Alexa Rose Sabellano sat silently in the backseat of their Blue Mercedes Benz, her five-year-old brother peacefully sleeping beside her. As she gazed out of the window, she found solace in the vibrant colors of the sunset over the Zambales mountain ranges. To drown out the escalating arguments between her parents, she turned up the volume on her headphones, seeking refuge from the painful reality unfolding before her.
Little did Alexa know, her father, Roland Michael Sabellano, had a well-kept secret for over sixteen years. He was legally married to a woman named Margarette Moore from New England, Connecticut in the USA. Margarette, or Marge as Roland called her, was a successful businesswoman residing in New York City and had three children of her own - two boys and a girl. Meanwhile, back in the Philippines, Roland's wife, Edna Tanhueco, and Alexa's mother, had lived their lives under the false pretense of a genuine marriage. Edna had no inkling that she was merely a mistress all those years.
The veil of deceit was lifted when Edna accidentally answered a long-distance call from Margarette. In that brief conversation, she discovered the shocking truth - she was not her husband's legal wife. Roland couldn't deny the facts any longer. He had married Edna while being legally wed to Margarette. Their marriage had been a sham, orchestrated by Jon, Roland's best friend. The weight of betrayal crushed Edna's heart. The man she had loved wholeheartedly, the one she cherished, had become the source of her utmost resentment.
Roland tearfully confessed that he had been coerced into this situation, claiming he had no choice. Despite his predicament, he professed his love for Edna and vowed to make things right. Roland revealed that he had already filed for an annulment from Margarette and was awaiting the court's decision. If the verdict favored him, he would marry Edna once again, this time legitimately, binding their love in the eyes of the law.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a gentle dusk over their journey, Alexa contemplated the complexities of her family's situation. Though the future held uncertainty, she clung to the hope that love would prevail, and her parents would find a way to mend their shattered trust.
Rose's mom was just eighteen years old when she crossed paths with her father at her grandfather's furniture show during a trade fair at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila. Her father, one of her grandfather's American clients, was there, and her mom attended the event to represent their family furniture business. Her grandfather had been grooming her mother to take over the furniture industry as the next heir, but their dreams were shattered when he passed away unexpectedly, leading to the closure of their beloved furniture shop.
Despite the hardships they faced, when her father asked for her mother's hand in marriage, she didn't hesitate to say 'yes'. Within two short months, they were wedded and became husband and wife.
However, on this particular day, something had changed within Edna. The love she once felt for her husband had transformed into anger and hatred.
"Listen to me when I'm talking!" she snapped, her voice reaching a high soprano tone. "If you want to leave us, then go! We don't need you!"
"For God's sake, Edna! I'm sick and tired of this conversation. Can't you see I'm driving?" he retorted, pounding his right hand on the steering wheel, startling their five-year-old son, Julius, who woke up and began crying.
"Damn it!" Roland exclaimed, suddenly hitting the brakes and parking the car on the side of the highway.
Confused and concerned, Edna grabbed Roland's shoulder. "What are you doing? Why did you stop the car? I'm not finished talking to you!" she pleaded.
Without a word, Roland stepped out of the car and briskly walked ahead, venting his frustration by kicking stones on the road while uttering curses under his breath. Standing there, scratching the back of his balding head, he contemplated the dire state of their relationship.
"Where do you think you're going, huh?!" Edna cast a quick glance at her children through the rear-view mirror, wiping away her tears with a tissue in her trembling hand before stepping out of the car.
Rose held her little brother close, trying to comfort him and stem his tears. Just a week ago, she had turned sixteen, and she had been elated to have her father there to celebrate with her. She had been so proud of him, believing in the promises he made to her. But that afternoon took a sharp turn when, by chance, she overheard her father confess to her mother that their family was not his real one. Unlike her mother, Rose did not react with tears. Instead, anger consumed her, and she couldn't help but blame her father for the web of lies that had been spun around them, deceiving them into believing they had a picture-perfect family. Everything she held dear came crashing down in an instant - her dreams, her life, and her respect for her father. A fierce fighter by nature, Rose had always refused to surrender easily, but this pain cut deep, leaving her bewildered and uncertain. She wanted to scream and cry, yet her mind urged her to be strong, for her dreams, her mother, and her younger brother, Julius.
Rose gently kissed Julius' forehead and held him tightly, glancing out the window at their arguing parents. She lowered the volume on her iPod, tilting her head to the left to watch her brother still crying.
"Shh! Ate Rose is here. I won't leave you, okay? Go back to sleep. Mom and Dad will be back soon," she whispered soothingly, stroking her brother's head.
"Is Mom still mad at Dad?" Julius asked between sniffles.
"No," Rose replied, her voice filled with both love and determination.
"And why are they still shouting at each other outside? Are they still angry because of my tantrum this morning? Did I do something bad?" Julius asked, his voice tinged with guilt over his earlier outburst when he had tried to bring Rufus, their Siamese pet cat, along on their vacation. Julius was deeply attached to the feline.
"No, not at all. Don't say that, okay? You're a good boy, and you've never been bad," Rose reassured her brother, gently comforting him.
Rose unplugged her earphones, tucking them into her bag. She retrieved her cellphone from her backpack, checking for any new messages from her friends and her boyfriend, Karl Sarmiento. Her parents were unaware of their relationship, particularly her mother, who strongly disapproved. Her mother believed Rose should focus on her studies and wait until college graduation to find the right person. She often insisted that there were better boys out there for Rose, unlike Karl, who had dropped out of school and whose father had been given a life sentence for illegal recruitment. But Rose loved Karl deeply, and she knew he felt the same way. He was her first boyfriend, and she was determined to fight for their love.
Feeling a tinge of disappointment, Rose placed her phone back in her bag when she realized there were no new messages from her friends or Karl. She had hoped to receive a message from Karl, filled with details of their whereabouts. She had asked him to join her and her friends on this vacation, without her parents' knowledge. She longed for the company of her friends but needed Karl even more. She wanted him to listen to her, to comfort her in this challenging situation she found herself in.
Three days ago, her adviser had delivered the exciting news that she had been chosen by the school officials to represent their institution in the prestigious Mr. and Ms. University pageant. This highly anticipated competition would involve participants from various universities across the country, showcasing not only their beauty but also their intellect and talent. Representing her school and being a candidate in the pageant had always been her dream. The overwhelming joy she felt made her believe that she was truly blessed, as if her prayers had been answered.
Everyone referred to her as the most beautiful student in the school, a title she didn't necessarily enjoy. She constantly felt the weight of people's eyes on her, observing her every move. Her popularity stemmed not only from her stunning looks but also from her outstanding academic achievements. Her flawless, rosy white complexion reflected her mixed heritage - her father was half-Spanish and half-Filipino, while her mom was Filipino-Chinese from Angeles City. She inherited her mom's long, black curly hair and her dad's enchanting green, round eyes, which further enhanced her physical beauty. Standing tall at five feet and eight inches, she often towered over her male classmates, especially in their senior year. Her younger brother, Julius, always described her as an angel, recognizing her as the person who would love, protect, and support him unconditionally.
"Would you like some ice cream, little guy?" Rose suddenly asked, trying to distract Julius from his tears. The mention of ice cream caused a quick halt to his crying.
"Ice cream?" he asked, a smile slowly spreading across his face as he settled down. "I want chocolate ice cream with almonds and marshmallows," he exclaimed with an awe-filled expression.
"No problem. I'll get you as much as you want, but you have to promise me something," Rose said with a playful tone.
"Hmm... promise you what?" Julius looked at her, a puzzled expression on his face.
"Promise me that you won't cry anymore, okay?" Rose smiled as she looked into her brother's eyes. "Promise?" She extended her right hand to her chest while raising her other hand in front of her shoulder, palm facing her brother.
"Okay, I promise." Julius mimicked his sister's gestures, making the promise to stop crying.
"...and hope to die?" Rose playfully added.
"And hope to die!" He repeated, bursting into laughter.
"When we arrive at the hotel, I'll make sure to buy your chocolate ice cream as promised. But before that, let me tickle you with my fingers that are excited to scratch your tummy." Rose wiggled her fingers on both hands, teasingly approaching Julius's stomach. Julius tried to stop her hands, letting out giggles.
Suddenly, the door of the driver's seat opened, and their Dad climbed inside, starting the engine. Startled, the two siblings looked at each other. Their Mom took the other front door and seated herself beside their Dad.
"It looks like you two are having fun, isn't it?" Their Dad spoke, glancing at them through the rear-view mirror, wearing a smile and a playful wink. Rose didn't respond, instead, she helped Julius into his seat and fastened his seat belt. Their Mom remained quiet, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She gazed at the darkening sky, not uttering a word as their father drove the car onto the highway.