Chapter 38: To Another Country


    "We''re here, Kiro," I informed him as we arrived in our Barangay.


    "You still have to walk from here to get to our home. Your car won''t fit in the driveway; it''s a closed


    area," I exined, trying to manage his expectations. Kiro nodded understandingly, and as he got


    out of the car to check on Mother in the backseat, I followed suit and joined him.


    As we stepped out, I couldn''t help but notice the curious nces from the people around us. It was


    a stark contrast to the sight of Kiro''s fancy car in our humble squatter area. I could feel their eyes on


    us, silently wondering who this young man was and what brought him to our neighborhood.


    The few familiar faces couldn''t resist whispering to each other, and I couldn''t me them for their


    curiosity. Our Barangay was a tight-knitmunity where everyone knew everyone else''s business.


    Seeing a stranger, especially with a car like Kiro''s, was an unusual sight that would undoubtedly


    spark gossip and spection.


    Trying to maintain myposure, I chatted with Dodong, attempting to divert my attention from the


    curious onlookers. Kiro, too, seemed focused on Mother''s well-being, not letting the attention affect


    him.


    As we prepared to walk the rest of the way home, I reminded myself that people''s opinions and


    gossip didn''t define us.


    "Oh, Lyka! It''s you! We thought some rich person was in that gorgeous car!" Aling Hwebes called


    out while holding a ck dog.


    As we walked down the small alleyway, Aling Hwebes'' remarks stung like arrows, hitting me with


    each hurtful word. The judgmental gossip from the neighborhood seemed to echo all around us,


    and I could feel the weight of their words pressing down on me like a heavy burden.


    "Oh! Lyka found herself a rich man!"


    "Lucky for Lucia, her daughter has a wealthy husband!"


    "It''s a shame that this handsome man is only married to Lyka. I think he''s foolish to marry someone


    poor like her!"


    Kiro and I continued to support Mother as we tried to quicken our pace, hoping to escape the


    judgmental stares and whispers. I didn''t want to dignify their hurtfulments with a response;


    instead, I focused on getting Mother home safely.


    The neighbors'' hurtful words seemed to intensify, and I could hear their snickers andughter


    behind us. Their unfounded assumptions about Kiro and me only fueled the fire of gossip. It was


    disheartening to realize that in our close-knitmunity, people were so quick to judge and spread


    rumors without knowing the truth.


    "I thought she was a maid? Did she bring someone home to stay with her? HAHAHA!!"


    I tried to ignore their hurtful remarks that felt like loud shouts. I looked at Kiro and used my eyes to


    signal him to quicken our pace. Mama understood, and we hurried our walk.


    Once inside, we gentlyid Mother down on the wooden bench, ensuring she was asfortable


    as possible. Dodong set down his belongings, causing a slight noise in the small space.


    "Who''s there?! I hate this life! Datdat, can you still walk? Maybe a thief came in! Damn!" I heard Dad


    shouting from inside the house.


    The familiar sound of Dad''s angry voice greeted us, and my heart sank. His outbursts filled with


    profanities were all too familiar, a constant reminder of the turbulent environment we had grown up


    in. It was disheartening to realize that despite everything that had happened, nothing had changed.


    I asked Dodong to get water for Mother and Kiro while I made my way into my siblings'' room.


    Datdat was still lying there, looking frail and pitiful. My heart ached for her, knowing that she had


    been through so much during my absence.


    "There are no treasure in this house, so let the thief go, tss," she whispered. The room was too


    dark, so I turned on the light, saying,"Datdat...," I said softly, my voice catching in my throat as I


    looked at my sister in shock.


    "Sis!" Despite her difficulty standing, Datdat tried her best to greet me, her eyes lighting up at the


    sight of me.


    "Sis?! Is that really you? When did youe home? And how''s Mother? I really wanted to go with


    Dodong when he rushed her to the hospital, but I was also having a hard time..." Datdat spoke


    rapidly, her words tumbling out as she tried to convey her thoughts. I simply hugged her tightly,


    feeling a rush of emotions at the reunion with my younger sister.


    "It''s okay, Datdat. I''m here now, and Mother, too. Dodong and Kiro took care of her, and she had theN?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    best treatment," I reassured her, wanting to alleviate her worries.


    Datdat nodded, her eyes reflecting gratitude and relief. She hugged me back, and in that moment, I


    felt a sense of homing, as if all the pieces of my fractured world wereing back together.


    "How are you, Datdat? Let''s take you to the doctor when I earn enough money, okay?" I promised


    to her, my heart full of determination to care for my siblings'' well-being.


    She nodded once again, her trust in me evident in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, the


    weight of her gratitude touching my soul.


    "Hey, Datdat! Who are you talking to, you little brat?! Have you gone crazy?!" Dad''s angry voice


    pierced the air once again, filled with disapproval.


    Acting quickly, I brought Datdat''s wheelchair and gently ced her in it, guiding her out of the room


    so she could see Mother and be away from Dad''s angry outbursts.


    "Sis Datdat!" Dodong shouted happily, rushing to her side and excitedly telling her about everything


    that had happened during our time away. He also handed her and Kiro the food they had ordered


    earlier, ensuring they didn''t miss out on the treat.


    "Who is he?" Datdat asked curiously, her eyes settling on Kiro, who sat on a wooden chair nearby.


    "He''s the son of Sis'' boss," Dodong exined proudly, looking at me for confirmation. I nodded with


    a reassuring smile, affirming that what he said was true.


    Datdat''s gaze shifted from Kiro to me, and I could see the curiosity in her eyes. I understood her


    need to know who this person was, as she had been out of the loop during our time away.


    "He''s Kiro Gustavo, Datdat," I said softly, introducing him formally to her. "He''s been a great help to


    us, especially with Mother''s hospitalization."


    Datdat studied Kiro for a moment, perhaps assessing him and the role he yed in our lives. She


    had always been protective of our family, and I could sense her cautious nature at y.


    I then walked to Mom''s room, where Dad was sitting in his usual spot. "Dad...," I said, and he turned


    to look at me, scanning me from head to toe for no apparent reason.


    "Huh! Still the same poor girl! You''ve been a maid for a few months, but nothing has changed!


    HAHA!"


    "I told you to just stay here at home! You won''t get rich by working! Just a maid!" He continued to


    belittle me, as usual. I just wanted to help, but he always spews nonsense at me.


    I stood there, trying to remainposed despite my father''s hurtful words. His belittling remarks


    were nothing new, but they still cut deep. I had hoped that he would see the sincerity in my efforts to


    help the family, but he seemed determined to dismiss my contributions and belittle my


    achievements.


    "Dad... Even though my sry is small, I can still send money, right—"


    "Oh! Are you bragging about the things you did?! Are you proud of that?! Maybe even paying for


    your hospitalization makes you proud!" My father''s harsh words cut through me like a knife, and I


    struggled to hold back my tears.


    "N-no! I didn''t mean it that way, Dad..." I stammered, trying to exin, but he didn''t let me finish or


    even listen to my side of the story. It felt like he had already made up his mind about me, and


    nothing I said would change his perspective.


    "Just shut up, Lyka! Now that your mother is discharged from the hospital, go back to where you


    work and find a rich old man! HA—"


    "Stop shouting at her," Kiro''s serious voice interrupted, stunning me. I couldn''t believe that he had


    stepped in to defend me. His presence beside me felt like a shield against my father''s hurtful words.


    My father turned to look at Kiro with a mix of surprise and annoyance. "Who are you to interfere in


    our family matters?" he snapped.


    I''m sure Kiro heard everything Dad said clearly. Dad''s eyes widened like he realized something.


    "Hmmm, you really found a rich, but not old man! That''s okay HAHAHA!" My father''s mocking


    remark stung.


    "You''re wrong, Dad. He''s my boss'' son—" I tried to exin, but my father''s greedy and money-


    focused side took over.


    "Ah, that''s how your future spouse should be! How much is your inheritance, son?" he asked


    recklessly, revealing his insensitive and materialistic nature. I felt a wave of disappointment and


    disapproval wash over me. It was disheartening to see my father reduce Kiro to nothing more than


    his financial standing.


    "Let''s talkter, Dad," I said firmly, not wanting Kiro to endure any more of my father''s hurtful<pments. I quickly pulled Kiro out of the room, hoping to shield him from the ugliness of my


    father''s behavior.


    As we stepped outside, I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down after witnessing such


    repulsive behavior from my own father. It pained me to see how he could be so callous and


    dismissive of someone who had shown kindness and support to us during a difficult time.


    In the living room, Mama looked at me with questioning eyes and sighed. "Don''t talk to your Dad,


    Lyka. I''ll talk to him first, okay? He''s fine, I''ll go inside to calm him down," Mama assured me, and I


    nodded.


    Kiro nced at me, asking, "Are you okay?" I nodded and smiled at him. Dad was always like that,


    saying insensitive things. Even though it weighed heavily on my heart, I tried to find something to


    cook in the kitchen as daylight approached.


    To my shock, there was no food left. We had run out for the week. Kiro noticed my concern as he


    followed me. "Let''s go to the market," he suggested.


    I nodded and grabbed my small purse from the bag. We bid goodbye to Dodong and Datdat, who


    were busy organizing Mama''s clothes from the hospital stay.


    As we walked out of the alley, I could still hear the neighbors whispering about me, but I paid no


    attention to their gossip.


    "Your neighborhood is full of immature and toxic people," Kiro whispered as we got into his car.


    "In this country, it''s normal for people to act that way. What do you expect?" I replied.


    "Then, I''ll take you abroad... I''ll take you to another country," Kiro whispered, and I pretended not to


    hear it.


    But secretly, his words brought a smile to my face.