SHE PACKED her clothes when she got inside her room. Aera needed to breathe. The only way to did that was to leave their home… for a while. She went to her friends’ apartment. It was her haven, a hiding place whenever she wanted to escape from reality.

After several times ringing the doorbell, Miles finally opened the door for her. Her friend was yawning, but she suddenly stilled upon seeing her luggage.

“What is the meaning of this, Aera? What the hell happened to you?” Miles asked, shifting her gaze from her luggage to her face.

“May I come in first?” Aera cocked her head and kicked the luggage beside her.

“Oh, yes! Of course!” Miles opened the door wider. “Camille! Ella! Come here, faster!” she announced as they sauntered to the living room.

Aera immediately plopped down on the sofa.

“What’s the commotion about?” Ellas asked sleepily while rubbing an eye. “Oh, Aera!” Finally, she noticed her.

Soon, Camille joined them in the living room.

A deafening silence ensued afterwards. Aera decided to break the silence because she knew that her friends would not say anything until she speaks up.

“Dad wants me to marry someone to pay his debts,” she told her friends.

“Holy crap!” Camille snapped.

“My God!” Ella followed, with eyes widening.

“That’s bullshit!” Miles breathed exasperatedly. “Honestly, I always envy you, Aera. You were born with a silver spoon on your mouth. But seeing you like this, it changed my mind. I pity you.”

“Miles!” Ella reprimanded their friend.

“What?” Miles raised a brow. “It’s a marriage of convenience. You don’t get to marry the person you love. And a marriage without love is like living in hell.”

“She’s right, anyway,” Aera said agreeably. Their gaze all shifted on her. “We have the same thoughts. That is why I left home. I don’t want to marry someone I don’t love. I don’t even know him.”

Ella shook her head and sighed.

“You can stay here as long as you want.” Miles beamed at her and stood up. “I’ll buy a drink. Who wants to come with me?”

Camille raised her hand. “Me!”

IT WAS past one am, and yet Aera could not sleep. The beer they drank did not get her sleepy at all. It only made her tummy full. All she did was to toss and turn on the bed and stared at the pitch darkness that surrounds her. She could not explain the heavy feeling on her chest. Or maybe, she was feeling a bit guilty. During the old days, no matter how much she gets mad, Aera never left their home. She will just lock herself inside her room and let her emotions cease.

Time passed, it was breaking dawn when Aera found herself dozing off to sleep only to wake up in a jolt when the door burst open, and Miles went in.

“Aera, your sister is here,” she informed her.

She left the bed and went downstairs. Somehow, she felt happy that Arie found her. She knew where to find her. But the happiness was gone in an instant when the realization hit her. It was early in the morning. What was she doing there?

“Why are you here, Arie?” she asked nervously. Her heart was hammering on her chest.

Aera crossed their distance only to be shocked when she saw tears escaped her sister’s eyes. She seldom saw her cry. Arie was tougher than her.

“D-dad had a heart attack. He’s in the hospital right now, fighting for his life…”

Her whole body trembled.

“It’s my fault…” Her voice trailed off.

Arie held her by the hand. “You should come with me to the hospital.”

Aera nodded without hesitation. “Let’s go.”

Her sister dragged her out of the apartment.

HER MOTHER was in front of the intensive care unit, talking to a middle-aged man and a younger one. Aera already had an idea who they were. She did not bother to pay attention to them.

“Mom,” she called. Her voice was hoarse.

And then, the doctor came out of the ICU.

“Mrs. Villaraza,” the doctor said.

“Yes, Doc?”

She held her mother’s hand.

“Your husband needs an open-heart surgery as soon as possible,” the doctor informed them.

Her mother plopped down on the bench. She and her sister sat beside their mom, side by side. Her mom hugged them while crying. Aera wanted to cry, too. But she would not do that in front of the Arcenas. They must never saw her in a weak state.

“Aloha.” The older Arcenas sauntered towards them. I know how broke you are now. Don’t worry. I will help you pay your husband’s hospital expenses.”

“You don’t have to do that, Rod. I know your price,” her mom responded bravely.

She could feel the coldness of her mom’s voice.

“Don’t be silly. You will put his life in grave danger.” He turned his gaze on her.

“Aera will not marry your son, Rod,” her mom retorted.

Aera’s hands clenched. She loves her father despite everything he has done. She knew that her mom loves him so much that she sacrificed everything just to be with him. So, for the sake of her family, it was her duty to sacrifice herself.

“I will marry your son, Mr. Arcenas,” she said coldly. She caught a glimpse of Drace looking at her. “But before it happens, my father must be saved first.”

“Aera, no.” Her mother stood between them. “You don’t have to do this. We can find ways.”

“What ways can we find, Mom? To whom will we ask for money?” she asked desperately.

“No… no… no…” her mom cried.

Aera stood up and held her mother by the arm.

“Don’t worry about me, Mom. I’ll be fine.” She swallowed the imaginary lump on her throat.

“So, Aera, do we have a deal?” Mr. Arcenas extended his hand.

She declined the handshake.

“Y-yes…” Her reply was almost a whisper.

She turned her gaze to Drace’s direction, and she found him looking at her. There was something in his stare that made her heart beats faster.

“Alright, then Martin can proceed with the operation.” Rod tapped her shoulder.

Aera sat down when they finally left. She felt drained.

“Aera…” her mom hugged her. “You can still change your mind.”

“We don’t have any other choice, Mom.”

“I’ll try to ask help from my family…”

“They don’t even treat you as one…” she said sadly.

Aera’s mom was an illegitimate daughter, and no one ever accepted her. Her mother’s half-siblings even contest to court when her late grandfather left her mom an inheritance—leaving her mom with no choice but to surrender what was rightfully hers.