With a burning heart, I don't want to see her.
But still, I must move past that pride. I need to put Mateo's needs over mine. He needs her, but I know the hospital is a traumatic place for him. It was his death sentence when he first arrived there. He first arrived there as a lively journalist looking for action in his life. Now, he barely remembers who he was.
He looks around the hospital as if the memories are trying to break into his brain. As he walks around, he shakes his head all around. Even as we get inside the elevator, he's still shaking his head. Something's not right. I take his hand to console him, but it does not help.
"What's the matter?" I ask him.
"Nothing, miss," he says, unhinged. "It's just that I keep getting flashes of memories, but it all doesn't make sense. Sometimes, I see myself holding a notepad. Sometimes, I see myself holding a paper. Sometimes, I see you arguing against me. It's all a mess. It does not make sense."
I fall silent. Those memories make sense to me. It was the day when we first investigated Rex dela Rama's death. It was just one day of memories. I cannot say anything for him. All I could do is just lead him on to her room – the room of his former lover.
Outside her room, there is a figure in white frilly clothes. The figure is familiar in my eyes. As I look closer, I remember. It's Mary, the maid. She breaks away from scrolling through her phone to embrace me.
"How are you, Mistress Aguinaldo?" she asks while embracing me.
"Barely alive, I guess," I say frankly.
As we break away from the hug, I see her flare up at the sight before her. Of course, she thinks about it. She remembers him as the man that "broke" her mistress' heart.
"You!" Mary hisses. "What are you doing here?"
I see Mateo take a step back at this sight. It was as if he is about to run away, but I hold his hand firmly. "Mary, he comes in peace," I say in his defense.
"A cheater will always be a cheater!" Mary exclaims.
I look at the aghast Mateo, and all he does is look away. "I – I don't remember any of that," he stammers. "I would never cheat on – "
"Save your flowery words, Mateo Macedo! Once a liar will always be a liar."
Right, she is loyal to her. I can't make her change her mind regarding Mateo, but I can pacify her. I break my grip from Mateo to try and calm an angry Mary. I take her away from Mateo so that Mary and I could talk in private.
"Mary, many things had happened over the weeks that we had not seen each other," I explain to her. "This man I have with me barely remembers his life."
She seems unconvinced. She looks away from me in anger with all of this. "Is that why you brought him here?" she asks bitterly. "I trust your judgment, Mistress Aguinaldo, but please. Don't do this for my mistress. I don't want her to die seeing a man that broke her heart."
If only I could tell her that what she believes in is false. I just shake my head. "She will be fine. Just trust me. Emma is dying and I believe these two need some sort of closure."
Closure. That's the keyword that relaxes her. Her meeting eyebrows fade away as she realizes that it must be. "Fine," she says hesitantly.
That woman truly twisted the truth around to make her look like the victim. I can't believe that Mateo is the one getting the short end of the stick here. As I was about to come inside, Mateo trails behind me. "Wait," I say to him. "Stay here. I would like to say a few words to Emma first."
He does not even say anything. He just nods. I'm sure Mary will keep him company. Though, I worry about the situation. Let's just hope Mary does not say anything that will trigger any painful memory within him.
As I come inside, I see her already speaking with a woman. Her voice rises to the point that it seems she's not sick at all. Despite the tubes, machinery, and wires around her, she never fails to show the fire she has.
"I'm telling you, Emma, you can sign away your fortune to me!" the woman exclaims. "Father will not name me his heir because he is too prideful to let an adopted child inherit."
Right, her sister – Chloe. It was as if this is the first time I had met her, and yet, why do I feel like I met her a million lifetimes over? I've only seen her like once or twice, and that was weeks ago. There's something about that jewel-filled hand and branded clothes that get to me. But, who am I to judge? I've only met her the first time. I see her hold a binder full of papers. Probably the legal mumbo jumbo regarding this whole inheritance mess. Even with a pen in her hand, Emma does not even touch the papers to sign.
"Ask father," she says with gasping breaths. "I cannot sign anything. It's all in his hands, for now."
I cannot even interrupt the conversation of these two. They are obviously not biological sisters, and yet, why do I see some sort of resemblance between these two. Both of them have the wavy, shiny black hair and pointed nose. It's probably because they stick together so much that I see some resemblance (or maybe it's because I've had too much to drink last night. I don't know). In any case, all I could see is a Chloe Concepcion shaking her head in dismay.
"Emma, you need to sign it away and lock the fortune with me," she says calmly. "There is a woman claiming to be father's bastard."
Oh, my god. She knows. As she says this, Emma is now all-ears for her. "Who?" she replies. "So, I assume, father knocked-up some woman without even telling mother? God, our family is infested with cheaters. But you tell me, Chloe. How did this happen? Who was the person?"
Chloe just shrugs at this. "I don't know," she replies. "All I know is that things have not been great regarding the inheritance situation. I mean, there's no one to inherit. How else will the RSC stay afloat without someone to continue its legacy."
"Just tell me the name of the woman, Chloe," she says tartly. "You are not even explaining the real deal."
Chloe sighs at her words. "A few days ago, I met her. She surrounded me with an army that threatened me to get to father. She told that I must get the message to father. I must tell father that her daughter is alive. She also said that I should let go of the inheritance as I am only adopted. God, Emma! I am a Concepcion by paper. I have a claim. Father should not give it to some random person claiming to be his daughter. For all we know, she might have just been faking it."
I'm surprised Ysabel did not even kill Chloe. I mean, she has a claim. So, why not kill her? Is it that she does not even see this woman as a threat? All these thoughts run through my mind, but Emma does not even listen. She just looks straight ahead of the room without even looking at Chloe. "The name, Chloe?" Emma insists.
With a sigh out of Chloe, she gives Emma what she's asking for. "Ysabel Javier."
There it is. Same name, same person. Emma just shakes her head in realization. "Mother's family," she says bitterly. "It's one of our cousins. So, father knocked up another of mother's family. God. You should tell father."
'Another of mother's family.' She must be referring to her knowledge of her half-brother, Attorney Guevarra. Fortunately, for this situation, Attorney Guevarra does not even take part in the inheritance mess. I believe he's already happy with his life as a lawyer. Or, is he? I don't know. But, his silence pays in this situation between the argument of the Concepcion daughters.
"I think he already knows," Chloe replies. "His limbs spread far and wide that he knows of things before we do. That is why I ask you. Sign it to me. If I claim it, there's no way in hell she will have a claim in it."
I see her reconsider. Maybe all it takes is just a bit of convincing. She looks at the paper again, thinking twice of signing. As she was about to draw the pen near the paper, she does the unexpected. "I cannot sign it away, Chloe." Before Chloe's eyes, she tears the papers in half. "Even if I can, I won't. This is my right that I can't give up. It must belong to an heir greater than me."
And that breaks a sister. From her smiling serene face, Chloe breaks off the façade and throws a fit at her sister. "So, this is how it's supposed to be?" Chloe responds angrily, flaring with reddish face and heightened voice. "We are sisters and yet you will not trust me with the Concepcion fortune. Or, is it not because of trust? You can't just tell me because you have your own heirs, don't you, Emma Concepcion? You have an heir that you are hiding."
Emma cannot even look her in the eye. All she does is look away as she says her words. "Leave," she says quietly. "Leave now."
"Oh, you are just hiding it, Emma! So, what is it? A girl or a boy? How come I never heard of it? Most of all, how come I have never heard of the father?"
Despite her sister's spiteful words, she only looks away. "Leave, please," she begs. She begs as if she has no say about this. Is she really letting her accuse her of bearing a child? I may think of her as a whore, but I don't think she is that kind of whore to impregnate herself without thinking.
Understandably, in this situation, Chloe's emotions get the best of her. She tosses the nearest glass over Emma's shoulder. Fortunately, the glass shatters much further away than Emma. That wretched girl does not even flinch with the event. Had it been a wee bit closer, it's over for her pretty face. Even with this knowledge, she merely closes her eyes as she listens to her sister curse. "Burn in hell, Emma Concepcion!" Chloe spits. "Or, do you even deserve that title! You are not even a Concepcion! I may only be a Concepcion by paper, but you are not even a Concepcion by blood! You are just mother's bastard that father took as his!"
Emma had enough. She rises from her laying position and points Chloe to the nearest door. "Leave now!"
What kind of sister says those words to her own sister? Chloe does not even seem to regret what she did. She heads her way out as she slams the door. So, this is an inheritance war indeed. What a family of cheaters and liars.
As Chloe leaves, Emma lets out another sigh. Something tells me that she's thinking something. As she shakes her head, her eyes fall upon me. So, she now only realizes that I'm here.
"You're here," she says, surprised. "I never thought I'd see you again after our talk."
"I – "
"No, it's alright," she interrupts. "It's ok. I was never angry with you. But for my sister, I am. You saw the argument. It's all about the inheritance these days. I can't even blame her. With the media shining light on these issues, there are bound to be anxiety within the board. Without an heir, the legacy will not continue. As do you, I can't blame you. It's your job. You have to report nothing but the truth. There must be no bias or omission."
"Emma, that's not – "
"No, that was your fire," she interrupts again. "That article is far beyond our friendship. It is a necessity in our lives. Be at peace, Rosanna. I don't care anymore. Let the world know that I am going to die. There's no point hiding it."
So, it all comes back to this. The article. This is what she thinks that's bothering me. She preaches peace at me now. That's not the reason why I'm here. She really thinks I'm here to apologize. She really thinks highly of herself. It's not she who deserves apologies. It's the people she had lied to. "I am at peace," I reply sharply. "But something tells me you are not."
"What do you mean?" she asks. "I am at peace."
There it is. Another lie. "I can see through you, Emma," I say as I get near her. "I know you. A third lover. You had one!"
"This, Rose? A third lover, where would you – "
"Mary told me," I interrupt. "She asked me to help you find him, but she gave no name. All she gave is a poem. Don't deny it, Emma. I know you. You would part the oceans and seas for love."
"I – "
"Emma, I love you. You have been there. I missed you, but all of these just sprang up from the fact that I was searching for a third person in your life. Had I not been searching; I would not have met Rex dela Rama. All the disasters going on takes root from my love for you. Tell me who it is, Emma. Knowing that I brought you your love would bring me to peace. At least that's one sunlight."
She is now silent. That's when I knew I'm right. I could see the waters forming in her eyes. That's the first time I broke her. I may be angry with her right now, but that does not mean I don't have a heart. I take to her side to try and console her. She does not even respond to my touch. I look around for anything that would calm her, but all I see is that bible. She left that bible opened at 1 Samuel 17. The story of David and Goliath – a story in which a young boy slays a foe greater than him. Quite the classic, I must say. Quite the classic for her too as she thinks of herself as the David that fights an enormous foe called cancer.
I cannot believe I thought that much in her silence. And, when she did speak, it caught be off-guard. "I'm sorry, Rose," she says. "You're right. I did love a third person, but he needs to stay away. It's better off if he's away during the war. I can't let him be tied with this war because" – she breaks away as if in hesitation. "I can't say. I'm sorry."
Love is a funny thing. Even I am not heartless to see that love got the best of her. "You love him," I say in realization. Smart, cunning, deceitful Emma Concepcion turns out to have a greater foe than her – love. Love is the only thing that bring her down. Even she acknowledges my words with just a brief nod.
For me, I could only say a few words. "That's enough for me."
"I know I can't stop you from – "
"But that's not enough for Mateo," I interrupt. It all comes back to this for me. My love for her may show, but I care for Mateo more. I thought I'm falling into peace, but really, I still can't let go of what she did against him.
"Rose, I – "
"It was the other way around, wasn't it?" I ask spitefully. "It was you that cheated, not Mateo. Mateo just did the same out of spite because Mateo is a man of fire."
"I – "
"But it was Mateo that suffered. Do you know the cost of your lie? Mateo lost his inheritance out of disgrace. And I was led to believe that you are a pure angel, when really, you are a hypocrite."
"He was not my choice of man. I long loved a man. Mateo and I were just pushed by our parents to marry each other. I never loved Mateo."
It was her plea. As much as she tries to defend herself, I could only respond with truer words that had never been said. "But he did try to love you."
And that is true. He is the most loving man that could ever be. That day at the bar. He did say he loves me. That day that I accused him of being a cheater. He admitted to it, but never implicated Emma. He only blamed himself. And that's much more than what she can offer. Her silence speaks the most in this situation. She's defeated. When she loses, she always chooses her words well.
"How is he now?" she asks, out of the blue.
"Not even close to fine," I answer shortly.
"Why?"
"See for yourself."