She pulled me into the bedroom and closed the door. For a long moment, she couldn’t speak. When she finally did, her words shattered me.
“Mom… I’m so sorry. I’ve been lying to you for years.”
She sat on the edge of the bed, hands trembling in her lap.
“Kang Jun left me four years ago. He took almost everything — the company, the investments, most of the money. He ran off with his secretary. But before he left, he made sure I couldn’t come home. He said if I ever went back to the Philippines, he’d ruin me.”
I sat down beside her, stunned.
“Then why did you keep sending me money every year?”
Maria Louise smiled through her tears — a sad, broken smile.
“Because I didn’t want you to worry. I wanted you to think I was living a good life. I sold everything I could, worked two or three jobs… just to send you that 8 million pesos every year. I was too ashamed to tell you the truth. I didn’t want you to know your daughter failed.”
I pulled her into my arms as she completely broke down, sobbing like a child.
“Baby girl,” I whispered, stroking her hair, “you could never fail me. The only thing that matters is that you’re alive.”
