Chapter 2

The next day, Carlo and I stood before the registrar at the city hall no grand ceremony, no white gown, just a simple white dress. Elegant, yet understated. My hands trembled as I signed the marriage contract. What if I fail him? What if I'm not enough?

Carlo's fingers laced through mine, steady and warm. He squeezed gently, and in his eyes, I found the courage I desperately needed. He gave me strength without a hint of hesitation.

"I promise, Eylul," he whispered, a bright smile spreading across his lips.

"You won't regret marrying me."

I looked at his eyes sabay ngumiti after all he is a greater choice I ever made.

I gathered every ounce of my courage and walked home. The moment I stepped through the door, I knew something was wrong. My parents sat on the sofa legs crossed, faces hard as stone, radiating pure smugness.

Before they could speak, I cut them off.

"I'm married."

My knees buckled beneath me. I swallowed hard, bracing for the storm. They had expected me to marry Mr. Kaya the old, wealthy businessman they'd handpicked. Instead, I'd pledged myself to someone else entirely.

My father exploded. His palm slammed against the marble table, the sound reverberating through the room. His eyes darkened with fury as he jabbed a finger at me.

"Who did you marry? Who is he?" His teeth gnashed together.

My mother leaned forward, her face contorted with rage.

"You ungrateful little bitch," she hissed, pressing her hand against her chest as if my betrayal had physically wounded her.

This was it. The end of everything.

I had defied them. I had married someone they would never approve of or so they thought. What they didn't know what no one knew was that I had just become the wife of the richest man in the entire city.

If I told them now, would they believe me? Or would they call me delusional?

I cleared my throat, straightened my spine, and stared my mother directly in the eye.

"Whoever I married," I said, my voice steady despite the fear clawing at my heart,

"is none of your business."

For over twenty years, I had been their lapdog—obeying their every command. But that ended today.

Without the slightest flicker of mercy, my mother snapped her fingers and ordered her men to seize me. Rough, calloused hands clamped down on my arms like iron shackles, yanking me forward and shoving me down until my knees crashed hard against the cold, unforgiving floor.

Before I could even catch my breath, two thunderous slaps cracked across my face in rapid succession so hard my head snapped to the side, stars bursting behind my eyes, and a sharp, blinding pain shot through every nerve in my skin. I gasped, tasting copper and blood instantly seeping from my split lip.

And there she was my so-called perfect sister stepping forward from behind the crowd, her face arranged into the softest, most innocent mask, while her eyes glinted with wicked, unbridled delight.

A terrifying, twisted smile tugged at her lips as she feigned concern, her voice sounding sickeningly sweet.

“Mom… she’s still my sister. Don’t be too harsh on her, okay?”

I lifted my throbbing head high, my jaw tight with contempt, and let out a bitter, hollow laugh that tasted like ash.

Since when had this monster ever cared about me? Every word out of her mouth was nothing but a filthy, disgusting lie.

Her gaze shifted, and her tone turned gentle so gentle it made my skin crawl as if she were thinking only of my “well-being.”

“But since she’s already married to someone outside the family… why not send her far away overseas? Sell her off to some stranger. That ought to teach her a proper lesson, won’t it?” She even let her eyes glisten as if she felt sorry for me, when in truth, she was already celebrating my ruin.

And just like that without a single second of hesitation, without stopping to ask if I had done anything wrong, without a shred of love or guilt—my parents nodded their heads in complete agreement. They looked at Janelle with such warm, proud adoration, as if what she had just suggested was the kindest, most compassionate idea they had ever heard.

Yes! That was exactly how it was! To them, cruelty was kindness, and every vicious punishment my sister dreamed up for me was taken as an act of mercy.

They believed every word that fell from her lying lips two blind, brainless fools, completely fooled by that devil in angel’s clothing.

“Fine,” my father grunted, his voice cold and final, as if he were disposing of a broken piece of furniture.

“Sell her abroad. Do whatever you want with her. I don’t want to see her face in this house ever again.”

My heart beats so fast not because I'm inlove but because I hate them, I curse them, i wanted to kill them, that's what I felt, I'm fucking tired being daughter.

I tried to twitch my arms trying to let go from his men hold, but they were strong enough my sister walk throughly with me she lean closer as she murmured.

"Sister, from today on, I'm the most beloved heiress" she smiled at me pinching my jaw then her face expression switch to innocent angelic one.

"Dad, send her away, I have her stuff pack by the maids it's already outside"

The guards throw me outside, it was a rainy nights, strong thunder flashing through the sky, my sister gives me a small dark evil smile

"I'm your daughter too, but yet you all treated me this way, what have I done to deserve this?" I shout my knees on the ground, my voice going hoarse

Dad looked down at me, and his eyes held absolutely nothing no warmth, no regret, not even a flicker of mercy, just cold, unfeeling contempt.

He thrust a crumpled sheet of paper hard against my chest, as if handing over a piece of trash he couldn’t wait to be rid of.

It was a severance letter, its cruel words stamped in black ink like a death sentence.

( I, Eylul Bernasor, am hereby completely and irrevocably cut off from this family. All ties, bonds, and rights are permanently terminated. There will be no relationship, no connection, and no recognition of me as their daughter now or for all time.)

My fingers curled into fists so tight my nails dug deep into my palms, tearing the skin until I felt the warm, sticky blood seep out.

I bit down on my lower lip with every ounce of strength, clamping my teeth until flesh split open, and the sharp, metallic taste of iron flooded my mouth bitter, just like every moment I’d ever spent loving them.

I squeezed my eyes shut, and suddenly every memory came crashing down all at once, sharp and fresh as if it had just happened every slap across my face, every insult hurled my way, every time they’d looked right through me like I was invisible, every night I’d cried myself to sleep begging for just a crumb of their affection.

For years, I had held back. I’d swallowed every humiliation, endured every cruelty, silenced my own pain all for that stupid, fragile, foolish hope in my chest.

I’d told myself Be patient.

Try harder. Maybe one day they’ll love you too.

But not anymore.

I wrenched my eyes open, and all that softness, all that longing, all that stupid hope burned right out of them, leaving only ice and white‑hot rage. This time, I would not hold back not for this cold, heartless family, not for a love they never had the decency to give. I would never again beg for something I was never meant to have.

I etched my name into the severance letter.

My family smile at me and my mom bago siya umalis she gives me One strike kick, I gasps in do much pain as I look at them, nanghihina na ang katawan ko, at hindi man lang ako makatayo

My body fell into the muddy grounds, cold and lifeless, I prayed to God na sana this time Carlo will come again to save me before the traffickers dumating para kunin ako at ibenta.

I saw my parents through the glass wall taking care my sister

smiled at her.

giving her foods, and even feeding her and wrapping her in an expensive coat

Outside my dying weak body, had feel a shred of envy buong buhay ko I longed that kind of treatment instead I received nothing but abuse and pain