Jale's POV

"Enrico, you need to go to the Philippines with your father. Who else is going to take care of you when I'm gone?"

"Mom, just stop saying that! Please! You're not going to die!" I yelled out in frustration.

Seeing my fifty-year-old mom laying in a hospital bed, lips paler than the bedsheets was tormenting enough for me.

"Honey, this is for your own good." She reached for my hand, attempting to calm me down.

I shook my head, gritting my teeth in anger. "No! It's not! I don't even know that man! He's not my father! My father is long dead and gone!"

"He is still your father. Who else is going to take care of you?"

"I can take care of myself! I don't need him or anyone. Just please, mom... don't leave me. We will find a way to treat your illness."

"You know what I have, dear. There's no cure."

I squeezed her hand tighter, not wanting to accept her words. "Mom, please... don't give up..."

"I'm not giving up, child. I'm simply letting my life be..."

That was the last time I saw and spoke to her. My mom was the only family I had left. Or at least, the only one I considered to be one.

I just finished studying medicine and about to start my internship. I wanted to become a doctor in hopes of curing my mom.

We used all our money for her treatments. Even our house got taken away by the bank. Still, reality was harsh... and mom died. Nothing was left for me.

I ended up sleeping in the streets, starving myself to death.

Eventually, I found myself consuming substances that I wasn't supposed to be ingesting. Meth, coke, ecstasy, heroin... you name it. I tried them all... in hopes of numbing myself to sleep.

Still, I failed.

Because the moment I woke up, I was already inside a rehab facility... not in the States, but on the opposite side of the world... where I didn't want to be.

"Mr. Atkinson, you need to take your medications," a nurse instructed me one time.

I sat straight in bed, staring into nothingness. I didn't know how I ended up here. But, I already had an inkling.

Later that day, a very familiar man cam visiting me inside the room. He was wearing his politician suit - all-white suit and tie. As if the "white" would ever wash out his dark sins.

"Enrico, how are you doing?" He spoke first.

I wanted to curse and yell at him, but my mouth wouldn't let me speak. I was just there, sitting and staring. I didn't even know if I was alive or dead.

"I know that you're still in shock about your mom's passing, but I need you to recover for your own sake."

Liar! I knew he was only doing this because mom begged him to. I was honestly amazed that this man even had conscience to actually take me in.

"If you still want to continue studying medicine, I can pay for your tuition. But, you need to be in your best shape."

Of course. Because he was a politician and he couldn't afford to let everyone know that he has an illegitimate child who's being treated in rehab.

"Senator, your meeting's about to start," someone suddenly came in, interrupting the senator's speech.

"I'll leave you here for now, Enrico."

After that, he marched out of the room, leaving me again in peace just like how I wanted.

The days passed slow. Although I didn't have any idea how many days had actually gone by.

It was the same damn routine. A nurse comes in to check on me, giving me medications, instructing me what to do. Sometimes, they would strangle me when my body wasn't cooperating, or when my brain was fried with thoughts of taking my own life.

Until one day, a nurse brought me to the activity hall, where other patients like myself gathered and socialized.

I was grouped with a bunch of middle-aged ladies, who were doing their own things infront of a circular table. One was doing embroidery, another was making bead bracelets, and so on.

I didn't want to be here at all.

"Hello, anak, bago ka dito?" One of the ladies suddenly asked me.

I didn't understand what she said. But, she had those bright round eyes looking at me intently, waiting for my response.

"Ah, Ma'am Konstantia, this is Sir Enrico po. He's new here and he can't understand Tagalog po," the nurse, who was apparently standing close by translated.

"I see. Good thing I speak English pala," the lady, Konstantia answered. She turned to me again. "How are you, Enrico, dear? You look very young, ha. How old are you?"

I didn't answer her.

"I think you can be my son."

"I'm not your son," I simply answered.

Konstantia smiled. "Sorry, dear. Anyway, do you like lollipop? I have many here." She handed me a red lollipop.

I stared at it for a moment, suddenly remembering that one time I came here and someone gave a lollipop to me.

"Take it, dear. It's for free," the lady winked at me.

After that day, I started seeing that lady more often. She would come visit me inside my room, telling me stories about her daughter, who shared the same name as her.

"I think you and my daughter are same age," she told me, showing me a photo album filled with photos of a young girl from when she was a baby.

"Her name is Konstantia, too?" I asked.

She nodded, flipping the page of the album. "Look, she's pretty, right? Just like me."

I stared at the young girl on the photo. She had the same bright eyes like her mom. Her face was round and her cheeks were puffy. "She is cute," I commented.

"See? I hope one day I will see her again," she mumbled, her eyes glistening all of a sudden.

"Is she not visiting you here?"

The lady shook her head. "She doesn't know I'm here."

I creased my brows. "What? Why?"

She flashed me a wide smile, attempting to divert her sadness away. "It's okay. She doesn't need me now."

"But, you're still her mom. I know she needs you, just like how I needed my mom."

She tapped my head lightly. "You're a good boy, Enrico."

After a year in rehab, I grew close with Konstantia Fernandez, the lady who took care of me like how moms would. Through her, I also learned the Filipino language. Now, I could understand most of it, but I still found it hard to speak and write.

I eventually finished my treatment program and I was ready to go back to society... as the eldest son of Senator Jorge Atkinson, the beloved politician in the Philippines.

I got admitted at Fotheringham University Hospital to do my internship program, after passing the rigorous examinations. I didn't even have enough time to study. I only had to skim lectures online and listen to podcasts.

When I came out of the rehab center, I only had one goal in mind - to find Konstantia's daughter and tell her how much her mom loves her.

Little did I know that I would soon be meeting the girl, who would completely take over my mind, body and soul...

🍭

A/N: Happy 500k reads to K and J's story! Yaayyyy! Grabeeee! First half a million reads ko ito, so sobrang overwhelming lang para sa akin. Thank you everyone for the love and support. Ang gandang birthday at Christmas gift nito huhu 🥹

Sa ngayon, nagsusulat pa rin ako para sa 5th story sa series at hopefully ay mapost ko na rin ang prologue by the end of this year. Sana ay masuportahan niyo pa rin ako at mga future stories ko dito. Take care everyone. I love you, FSquad! 🫶🏻

~f