Anne rushed to the hospital in Manila, her heart pounding with fear and desperation. Upon arrival, she was intercepted by the police, their solemn faces betraying the gravity of the news they bore.
"I'm sorry, Miss Francois," one of the officers says, his voice heavy with regret. "One of the rescue team members who claimed to have information about your daughter... has passed away just moments ago."
Anne's eyes widened in shock. "What? Where is he? Take me to him," she demanded, her voice trembling with emotion.
But the officers shook their heads solemnly. "I'm afraid we can't do that, Miss. He's already been taken to the morgue."
Anne's world seemed to crumble around her as tears welled up in her eyes. "No, I have to see him," she cried out, her voice raw with anguish. "Isabella!"
Manila
Meanwhile, in the serene surroundings of Albert's garden, Daniel arrived with news that would send shockwaves through their carefully constructed world.
"The police have arrested Richard David," Daniel announced, his voice tense with a slight happiness. "But he's claiming he'll prove to everyone that the company isn't his anymore."
Albert, seemingly unperturbed, took a sip of his wine before responding. "I've already taken care of it," he said coolly. "I've arranged for someone to take the blame. Richard won't go to jail, and I'll compensate the family of the person I used. But it must be kept secret."
Daniel's confusion was alarming as he struggled to comprehend Albert's motives. "You're covering for Richard?" he asked incredulously.
Albert nodded, his expression unreadable. "I want Richard to take the fall publicly. But I can't send him to jail. His father was my benefactor when I had nothing."
Daniel looked at Albert with a mixture of disbelief and resignation. "As long as the company's image remains untarnished, I don't care." he murmured.
Then, Daniel's attention shifted as he remembered another pressing matter. "Did you send the child to the station to find her parents?" he inquired.
Albert shook his head decisively. "No need for that anymore," he replied. "I've decided to keep her. I want to adopt her."
Daniel recoiled in shock, nearly spilling his wine. "What? Are you out of your mind?" he exclaimed. "You can't do that, Albert! It'll ruin everything for us!"
But Albert remained steadfast in his decision. "It won't," he insisted. "Keeping her is the best way to cover up our mess. People won't suspect anything if she's with us. And besides, Marie supports the idea."
Daniel's resolve hardened as he listened to Albert's reasoning. "I'm sorry, Albert, but I can't support this," he declared firmly. "If this all comes crashing down later, I won't be a part of it."
Albert was rendered speechless by Daniel's defiance. His carefully laid plans suddenly seemed fragile, teetering on the edge of collapse. But he refused to show any sign of weakness.
The next day dawned with Anne's relentless pursuit of answers. She returned to the clinic, her determination unyielding despite the grim news she had received. But the staff remained tight-lipped, urging her to leave as the man she sought was already deceased.
Anne seized the opportunity to glean any information she could from the nurses, but her inquiries fell on deaf ears. Frustration gnawed at her as she searched for a glimmer of hope in everything that is happening.
Meanwhile, Albert and Marie, accompanied by Isabella, arrived at the same clinic. Isabella, cradled in the arms of her nanny, slept peacefully.
"Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Torillo," the doctor greeted them warmly, guiding them towards Isabella's designated ward.
As the nanny entered the ward with Isabella, Anne, engrossed in rummaging through her bag, inadvertently collided with Marie and Albert, causing Marie's bag to spill onto the floor.
"Watch where you're going!" Marie exclaimed sharply, her irritation was obvious.
Anne, without so much as a glance at their faces, hastened to assist Marie in retrieving her belongings. But when she finally looked up, her eyes met Albert's, and a gasp escaped her lips.
"You?" Anne's voice trembled with a mixture of disbelief and rage. "You monster! You killed my mother and your child!"
Marie, perplexed by Anne's outburst, turned to Albert for clarification. "What is she saying?" she inquired, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Albert, struggling to place Anne's face, shook his head in bewilderment. "I don't know," he replied, his tone tinged with confusion. "Have we met before?"
Anne's anger flared, her voice rising with indignation. "Oh, seriously? You don't know me now? After what you did? You're a monster, and you will pay for your actions!"
The commotion drew the attention of the clinic staff, who hurried to intervene. Anne, on the brink of revealing more, was swiftly ushered away by the nurses, their voices imploring her to refrain from causing further disruption.
One of the nurses, her head bowed in apology, addressed Albert with contrition. "I'm sorry for the embarrassment, Mr. Albert," she murmured. "She's one of the victims of the Cebu tragedy. She must have mistaken you for someone else."
Marie's anger simmered, her frustration boiling as she spat out her disbelief. "How dare her!"
Albert struggled to contain his own rising emotions upon hearing Anne's accusations. Yet, amidst the chaos, Isabella's cries pierced the air, pulling their attention towards her.
"Moma!" Isabella's distressed voice echoed through the corridor, prompting Albert and Marie to rush to her side.
Outside the clinic, Anne was pushed away, warned not to return. Mr. Williams, observing from his car, remained passive.
Inside the theater room, Albert's mind wrestled with the nagging familiarity of Anne's face. Unable to shake the feeling, he excused himself and dashed outside in a desperate search for her, but she was nowhere to be found.
Stepping out of the car, Williams approached Albert cautiously. "Sir Albert, is everything alright? What are you looking for?"
Albert quickly composed himself, dismissing Williams with a curt reply before returning inside. Determined to find answers to the mystery that happened, he sought answers from the nurse who had witnessed the confrontation earlier.
Before the nurse could respond, Marie intervened, urging Albert to join her inside. Reluctantly, he handed his business card to the nurse, instructing her to contact him if Anne returned, before making his exit.
Back home after Isabella surgery, Marie's anxiety peaked as they faced the daunting task of explaining Isabella's new reality. "What are we going to tell her? What if she rejects us?"
Albert, reassured Marie with a calm demeanor. "We'll find a way to make her accept us as her parents," he replied confidently.
Entering Isabella's room, they found her sitting on the bed, her eyes filled with confusion and fear. "Are you my Moma?" she questioned, her voice trembling.
Marie exchanged a glance with Albert before kneeling beside Isabella, her heart heavy with sorrow. "No, darling," she said gently. "But we're here to take care of you now. Your Moma... she's not here anymore."
Isabella's brows furrowed in confusion as she asked again. "Who are you people? Where is my Moma, Sebastian, Uncle Peter, and Grandma Francois?"
Marie took a deep breath, steeling herself for the difficult conversation ahead. "Isabella, sweetheart, I know this is hard to understand, but... they're gone. We're your new family now. Your Moma would want us to take care of you."