May's POV (Elena)

She remained silent and shock was painted all over her face. I took the opportunity to speak. "Now, do you understand Natividad? Seeing you cause me unwelcome agony, my condition is already a pain. Knowing your personality, I was being considerate because you had been nice to me after all—"

"Hindi! Nagkakamali ka May. Nakilala ni Dad si Mamita sa America," she tried to pull my hand but I back away. "Hindi totoo ang sinasabi mo at isa pa hindi magsisinungaling sa amin si Mamita, hindi magagawa ni Dad na manira ng pamilya ng iba."

I let out a deep sigh. You are too naive for this cruel world Yummie... you see kindness in every people, you don't doubt anything you see, you genuinely believe in every people, you believe that as long as you are honest everyone will be the same but you are wrong Yummie. Not everything you believe is real, not everything the people show you are real, not all truth is beautiful.

"You might not be conscious of it Yummie but that doesn't change the fact that while you are living comfortably and happily with a complete family...with my mother," this time my voice broke but I managed to control my tears from falling. When have I become this weak? "We lived our lives miserably. I spent my entire life yearning for the mother you stole from me."

I'm sorry Yummie. I know... I know 'di mo kasalanan, na wala ka ring alam sa lahat ng ito but seeing you, seeing that the mother I've been waiting and longing for a long time is with you. I can't help but think that the promise she made to me... she forgot everything about it because of you. We have long been forgotten since you are her new daughter.

"M-May," malumanay niyang tawag sa akin. "Sigurado along may raso—"

"Because of you, I lost my mother, Winter and Misty lost their mother!"

"May naman eh," she cried, her hands shaking.

"I am not May, Natividad. Do you know how hard it was knowing the whole truth?" I asked. "Knowing that I am Elena after all and all these feelings, these memories... it's all true. You lived the life I have always desired. You took my place, you are her new family. The pain you are feeling right now doesn't compare to the pain I am feeling right now."

"I'm sorry May, patawarin mo ako," I just stared at her as she sat on the ground sobbing.

"I had to borrow a dying woman's body just to meet my mother who turns out is already happy with her new family," I added.

"Hindi ko alam. Hayaan mo akong—" No words came out when she raised her head and our eyes locked.

I know inside my head that none of this is her fault, she is just a victim of circumstances too but my heart states otherwise. Seeing her is a mixture of sadness, jealousy, and happiness. She was able to make my mother happy and that's all I ever wanted. She was the kindest to me when I didn't know the truth. She is just someone you can't hate but I need to hurt her for her to step away from me.

I wonder what kind of emotion am I showing right now, I don't know. Right now, I can't feel anything. I just want this all to end. I wonder if seeing you hurt will also pain her. I want to despise Mom so much but I hate myself for not being able to do so. I just love her so much, I love you so much Mom that I can't even make myself completely hate you or the girl you raised as your own child in exchange for abandoning your real daughters and family.

I turned my back but Yummie held my wrist. "Ayokong kamuhian mo ako o si Mamita, sigurado akong may rason si Mamita. Bigyan mo siya ng pagkakataon, hayaan mo siyang mag-paliwanag. Ayokong dito matapos 'to."

I blankly looked at her. I can see she is desperately trying to read me. I don't hate you, I just said I did but the truth is, my heart is too numb to feel even hatred. My world has completely shattered when I learned about the truth. There is no meaning of anything anymore. The promise that I held so tight, the hope, everything is over. I pulled my wrist and walked away.

Now that I am May Gonzales, I'm now going to live like her. I'm going to forget everything, I'm throwing everything away, the bad and the good memories. Everything started because of my greed, my greed to see my mom, my greed to have a complete family again, this is the punishment for my greed.

"May."

I stared at the man standing in front of me.

"What are you thinking?" Chase asked with his brows furrowed.

"What if..." I looked straight into his eyes. "I tell you right now that the woman you thought you love is the woman you despised the most?"

I saw confusion in his eyes. When you learn the truth, like my mother. You are also going to leave me, right? Thinking about it, Elena Perez is meant to be alone. I might be seen as perfect by other people but the truth is, I am just an empty shell... a memory of our first encounter showed up in my mind...

"Elena, what should we do?"

Misty and Winter looked at me in fear. They accidentally knocked off granny's favorite vase. Winter's face flushed as she began to sob.

"I'm scared! I'm scared of Granny. I'm scared. She going to lock us up again," Winter cried

I shook my head and tightly held her hand. Seeing my 6-year-old sister pains me. "You're not going to be locked up again. I promise"

"So, Elena, what are we going to do? You're clever. I'm good at playing harmless pranks, but deception doesn't work on her," Misty worriedly asked. She raised her hand up when Winter coldly glared at her. "Don't look at me like that. I might be the eldest but Elena's the smartest."

I let out a sigh, there is only one option. I think it's time... this is the moment where I decided to send them away... away from Grandma.

"When Dad returns, I'll ask him to send you both to Uncle Cloud."

I know they will be fine with uncle Cloud, he's very kind and jolly. And Grandma can't touch them if they are with uncle Cloud.

"What?!" Misty dramatically protested. "I'm your elder sister. I should be the one sending you away from the clutches of that evil witch! You're going to be alon—"

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

That voice... My hands started to tremble but as soon as I saw the fear in my sister's eyes. I came back to reality. I am the only who can handle her while Mom is away I have to take care of them. I promised Mom that.

"Misty, bring Winter to your room," I whispered to her.

"But—"
I cut her off. "You know Grandma has her eyes on me, just make sure Winter will stop crying."

Misty looks exactly like Mom, that's why grandma hates her very much. And if grandma learns the truth I don't even know what she is capable to do to Misty. As soon as they left I faced Grandma with conviction. I have to protect Misty and Winter.

"I was the one who broke it, Grandma. I was playing around when—"

I can feel my cheeks numb with grandma's slap. "I asked you to study but you played around instead?!"

I just stared at the floor trying to hold back my tears. Grandma's going to get even angrier if I let out even one drop of tear.

"Look at me young lady," she ordered and I obliged "Good, at least you are doing as I told you. Just like this Elena, never show your weakness. No dinner for you and be good, the Rodriguez is coming tonight."

I stayed in my room like Grandma's order. I started reading the book grandma gave me but I can't focus because of hunger. The door suddenly opened along with the sound of my grumbling stomach.

"Your sisters asked me to bring you this," an unfamiliar voice stated. He threw a sandwich wrapped in plastic to me and an apple. He crossed his arms and stared at me. "I heard you were sick but I guess that's not the case."

I scanned him from head to toe, he must be the son of Mr. Rodriguez, they looked alike. He has the same clear blue orbs as Mr. Rodriguez and the way he smiles is almost identical to Mr. Rodriguezs too.

"So, you're the great genius they were talking about," he inquired as he continue to intently stare at me. "Who do you think is smarter than the two of us?"

I didn't answer but instead pretended to be reading my books while eating the sandwich he gave from my sisters. They would seriously be in trouble if Grandma founds out.

"Why do you pretend to be strong and mighty?" He asked once again.

"I'm not pretending. That is just the truth," I simply answered.

"I can completely read you, you know. I really hate you at first glance, second glance, third glance, and at the upcoming glance," he uttered with disgust. "You pretend to be perfect but no matter how hard you hide unfortunately I can see through you."

I stared at him. The feeling was mutual, we were the same but at the same time not. He tries so hard to rebel against the world but I do not, I just follow the rules set by Grandma. He is free and hates perfection but he is the epitome of perfection to everyone around us, just like me. I hate him since he can do what I can never do...

I closed my eyes tightly as my memory of our first encounter ended. It was better that way. Bilang nalang naman dina ng oras ko sa mundong ito. Even though I hate him, I can't leave him obsessing over me.

"Continue hating me, Chase. Let us continue hating each other."

"What do you mean by hate you? I like you May, a lot. I can never hate you, I really like you. So how can you ask me to continue hating you if, in the very first place, I never hated you?"

I know you understand what I mean by now. You already had a suspicion and now I'm going to reveal that truth.

"You're wrong. The truth is... I am the person you despised the most, Chase"