Chapter 66: Unfortunate Events


    "I am going to pay for everything I''ve done. I''ve caused trauma to all those women, Mom... I will


    surrender voluntarily," Kiro''s voice was firm, his words carrying a heavy weight of responsibility.


    "B-but son... that''s against thew! I will present your health records, okay? You won''t end up in


    jail," Madam''s voice was a mixture of panic and desperation.


    I closed my eyes, feeling a mixture of emotions swirling within me. This was a reality that I had


    never anticipated, a turn of events that left me reeling.


    "M-mom, I know... I know, okay? But my conscience is slowly killing me," Kiro''s words cut through


    the air, his gaze fixed on me.


    I wiped my tears, turning away from the scene unfolding before me. It was a mess of emotions, a


    tangle of feelings that left me overwhelmed.


    It was time to leave, to take a step away from the chaos and find my own path. I needed to find my


    own healing, my own sense of direction. This mansion, once a ce of sce, had turned into a


    battlefield of emotions. My gaze flickered back to Kiro onest time, a mixture of regret and


    understanding in my eyes. I had to leave, even if it meant breaking the promises I had made to him


    and to myself.


    With a heavy heart, I turned away from the room and walked towards the door. Each step was a


    painful reminder of what I was leaving behind, the shattered pieces of a story that had unraveled


    before my eyes.


    Joday and Miss Linda''s voices called out to me, their concern echoing in the air, but I couldn''t stop. I


    continued walking, my steps leading me towards the mansion''s gate.


    The world outside felt both foreign and familiar, a contrast to the emotions that were still raging


    within me. As I walked away, a mixture of sorrow, anger, and eptance churned within me. It was


    time to leave, to start anew, and to find my own path.


    As I prepared to leave, I let my gaze roam around the mansion''s surroundings. A mixture of


    emotions surged within me, and tears welled up in my eyes as memories, both good and bad,


    flooded my mind. Was this how Doday had felt when she left?


    I hung my head, the weight of my decision heavy on my heart. My family, my mother, Datdat,


    Dodong, and my father—they were the reasons I had endured and tried to stay strong. But now,


    leaving felt like a necessary step, a path to freedom from the suffocating atmosphere of this ce.


    I nced back at the mansion''s main door, my eyes catching a glimpse of Kiro being taken away by


    the police, his freedom stripped away on his own birthday. It was a painful sight, and my heart


    ached for him, even amidst my own turmoil. Even though I was angry at him, I couldn’t help but feel


    pain for him.


    His words echoed in my mind, the selflessness he had shown, "I am going to pay for all that I''ve


    done. I caused trauma to all those women, Mom... I will surrender voluntarily." Despite everything,


    he was still the kind-hearted Kiro I had fallen for.


    Shrugging off my thoughts, I continued walking until I reached a waiting shed at the bus station. My


    heart felt heavy, burdened with a mix of sadness and nervousness. I tried to calm my racing


    emotions, remembering the ‘inhale-exhale’ technique Joday had taught me.


    As I boarded the bus with my homeward route, I settled into my favorite spot and closed my eyes,


    gasping for air to steady my racing heart. I needed to remain calm for the sake of my baby, the life


    growing within me. I reminded myself that I needed to take care of them, no matter what.


    Regret seeped in as I realized I hadn''t introduced my baby to his own father. My nned confession


    later in the afternoon had been upended by the events that had transpired. Now, I was on my way


    home, the scenario vastly different from what I had imagined.


    Just as I was about to drift into a restless sleep, my cell phone rang, jolting me from my thoughts.


    The disy showed it was Mother calling. A smile effortlessly appeared on my face, a glimmer of


    warmth amidst the confusion and sadness that clouded my heart.


    "Y-yes, Mom?" I answered, my voice trembling slightly.


    There was a long pause on the other end of the line before I heard her sobbing. Panic gripped my


    heart. "Mom? Why are you crying?" My voice trembled even more as my heartbeat quickened.


    "L-Lyka..." Her voice was shaky, and I felt a knot forming in my stomach.


    "Mom! Mom, what happened? Tell me, please... tell me!" I pleaded, my concern deepening with


    each passing second. Another pause followed, stretching into a tense silence.


    "J-juste home, ce here," she managed to say between sobs.  N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I nodded even though she couldn''t see me. "O-okay, I will. I will," I reassured her, my voice filled


    with a mixture of worry and anxiety.


    As I hung up, my mind raced with thoughts of what could have possibly happened. What had


    brought my mother to tears like this? The feeling of unease gnawed at me, making my heart race


    faster.


    But then, another concern took over as my stomach growled loudly. It seemed my body was in no


    mood to allow my emotions to take center stage. I searched my bag for something to ease the


    hunger, hoping for a lucky biscuit, but I only found my water bottle, half-full.


    As I took a few sips of water, I tried to calm myself. My thoughts drifted to Kiro. Was he alright now?


    I was certain Madam would do whatever it took to prevent her son from ending up in jail, even if it


    meant bending or breaking the rules.


    Yet, Kiro''s words echoed in my mind. Why had he said what he did? His actions felt almost heroic,


    but the situation was far from a storybook ending. I knew Doday would likely be involved in this


    mess too, seeking justice for the women who had been wronged.


    My thoughts were in turmoil, my emotions a chaotic whirlwind. How could I be so selfish, thinking


    about my own troubles while Kiro faced such serious consequences? My mind scolded me,


    reminding me of the promises I had broken.


    I tried to silence my internal monologue, focusing on the present moment as the bus came to a


    stop. I stepped out and headed to a nearby store to buy some biscuits, hoping to appease both my


    hunger and my nerves.


    To my surprise, I found myself face to face with Aling Huwebes, the older woman I had encountered


    before. Her question caught me off guard, and I couldn''t help but feel irritated by her assumption.


    "Oh! Lyka! Where is that handsome young man who you''re withst time?" She asked. What kind of


    question is that?


    "Why are you looking for him, Aling?" I retorted, my annoyance apparent.


    She chuckled as if I had made a joke. "Do not worry, Lyka. I won''t steal him away from you. I know


    I''m beautiful, but I can''t find sparks with someone younger than me." Her smirk only added to my


    irritation.


    I brushed off her words and began to leave, but snippets of gossip caught my attention, causing me


    to eavesdrop.


    "What?"


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, the bedridden one. It''s just as well, given his condition from the start."


    "Yes, his family is at the hospital now."


    Confused and concerned, I strained to listen to their conversation. The pieces of information they


    exchanged left me feeling even more anxious. Something was clearly going on, and it seemed to be


    affecting my family.


    Without wasting any time, I quickly made my way through the squatter area and headed towards


    our house, a sense of dread and worry heavy in my chest. As I arrived at the front of the house, a


    sinking feeling settled over me—the door was locked.


    "M-mother! Mother!" I shouted, my voice trembling with a mix of desperation and hope.


    "M-mother! I''m home now! M-mother!" I repeated, my voice echoing in the empty space of our


    house.


    Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heavy feeling settled in my chest. No one was responding. I


    wiped my tears away with the back of my hand, frustrated and confused by the situation.


    "M-mother! You''re there inside, right?" I continued, my voice quivering. The silence was unnerving,


    and I couldn''t help but feel an overwhelming sense of sadness engulf me. This day was proving to


    be the worst of all.


    "Lyka..."


    A voice called out from behind me, causing me to turn around in surprise. My eyes widened as I


    saw Kurt standing there, thest person I expected to see. Memories of our past encounters rushed


    to my mind—the mall, the fiesta—and the unsettling fact that he was connected to both Lily and


    Kiro.


    "K-kurt?" The word escaped my lips, a mixture of surprise and confusion.


    "L-lyka... there''s no one inside your house..." Kurt''s voice carried a sense of heaviness that made


    my heart skip a beat. What was he talking about?


    "W-what? Wait, how do you know it''s my house? And why are you here?" My questions tumbled


    out, my thoughts muddled by a growing sense of foreboding.


    "I-I identally came across your family earlier this morning," he exined. "I saw your mother in a


    state of panic, searching for a vehicle to take your father to the hospital. I offered to help them."


    Panic surged through me at his words. My mother in a state of panic? My father needed to go to the


    hospital? My heart raced, and I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. "W-what happened to my father?"


    I blurted out, my voice shaking.


    For a moment, Kurt''s gaze wavered, and he let out a deep breath. "I believe your mother would be


    able to give you a proper exnation. I''m here to take you to the hospital. Should we go?"


    My mind was racing, my thoughts consumed by worry for my father. Why wasn''t Kurt answering my


    question directly? Why did he seem to avoid my gaze when I asked about my father''s condition?


    I nodded, feeling a mix of apprehension and urgency. We quickly made our way to his car, and I


    fastened my seatbelt as we prepared to leave. As we drove towards the hospital, I found it hard to


    focus on anything else.


    "K-kurt... what happened to my father?" I finally managed to ask again, my voice choked with


    emotion.


    Kurt let out a sigh, avoiding my gaze. "I think your mother is the one who can exin it best. Try to


    stay positive, Lyka," he replied, but his words only served to frustrate me further. He wasn''t giving


    me the answers I needed.


    I lowered my head, my eyes welling up with tears. Unable to contain my emotions, I reached into


    my bag and retrieved my cell phone. I needed to do something, to distract myself from the


    overwhelming sense of worry.


    "B-but wait, Lyka... why were you crying earlier?" Kurt''s voice broke through my thoughts, his


    curiosity evident.


    My voice was shaky as I answered, "Because I was worried about my family." The truth was, worry


    and uncertainty were suffocating me, and I didn''t know how to cope with it.