Feeling author's note:

Thank you so much for reading this far.

_________________

For a daughter, life could have been easy if there's a father to lean on in times of trouble. But what if like you, their father couldn't be that man? Because in your case, your father sold you in exchange for a capital for a business that he'd been longing to have. An automotive shop. And to whom did he sell you? None other than the Alejandro clan.

Since you'd been working for the Alejandros for over a year by now, as per your great of a specimen of a father-you were said to be the perfect prospect in the eyes of Mayor Manolo who wanted his only grandson to secure a family of his own and an heir for the Alejandro Constructions. A fine young lady, a dreamer, someone whom Melo already knows, and a palpable, gorgeous maiden to bear an equally gorgeous child. And so, Mayor Manolo dug his own way to that by marrying the two of you, thinking maybe he did a perfect move but didn't know it was rather devastating for Melo, especially for you.

Because if there was something more painful than being sold by your own father, it was the idea that you were worth the same cost of his business capital, and it was his business over you. Crazy how he could do that to his own blood, crazier how easy it was for him to sign a consent to have you marry a random man, and craziest how he knew that you couldn't fight for your right and that you would never do anything against him, so he did what could be beneficial on his part barring the suffering on yours.

"Pasensya ka na talaga anak, kailangan ko lang din kasi talaga ng pera para sa mga kapatid mo. Alam mo namang maliliit pa 'tong mga 'to. Apat silang pinag-aaral ko."

"Ako ba hindi? Pinapag-aral ko rin si Seph, pa. Binubuhay ko siya pati sarili ko. Kami na mga anak mo, pero mas pinili mong buhayin at pag-aralin 'yong hindi mo naman mga anak. Pero may narinig ka ba sa 'kin? Nagreklamo ba 'ko? Hindi. Kasi iniisip kita. Kaya sana inisip mo rin naman ako bago mo 'ko binenta sa kung sino mang may pera para lang sa lintek na negosyo mo at pamilyang hindi naman iyo pero binubuhay mo!"

Tangina, Sirach. Tama na. Wala namang magagawa 'yang pa-throwback mo. Nabenta ka na, wala ka namang pera para ilaban sarili mo, you painfully thought to yourself while waiting for your brother to arrive from school, so you guys could move in with Melo.

As per your boss' grandfather's order, though you and Melo didn't agree with it, you should move in together asap. As Melo's the man, it's his obligation to roof you and to sustain your living. But of course as a dignified woman, hence your poverty, you insisted on making a living for your own and for your sibling. One thing that Melo unhesitatingly approved, for every cent on his wallet cost a thousand pleas to be spent.

Minutes came by, and your brother arrived. You knitted your brows upon seeing what he was wearing. Powder blue floral polo with its first two buttons undone, which was tucked in loose dark grey slacks and matched with thick strapped black sandals. An outfit that you rarely see him wear. No, crap that. It was an outfit that he doesn't really wear, because he normally dresses with casual pants, a plain shirt, and black sneakers that'd been covering his soles for years.

"Seph," you called him and he turned his head to look at you. "Bakit gan'yan suot mo? Sa'n ka galing?"

He looked surprised with your question, for his mouth gaped open, unable to say what he was supposed to say. Though deep inside your heart and your mind, you already knew why he was wearing such fabrics. You knew he'd been keeping those clothings in his cabinet for more than a year. You knew he'd been trying hard to maintain his manliness around you. You knew. You were just waiting for him to say it firsthand, so you could accept him with open arms and tell him it wasn't necessarily something to shy away from.

"Ano....ano ate.....kasi ano....ano....may...may play sa....sa school....bakla....bakla....ako....I mean....'yong...'yong role ko...hindi na...ako nakapag...palit...." he stammered while sliding his hands on and off the straps of his backpack.

"Hindi mo naman kailangang mag-palit," simple pero makabuluhan mong sagot, na naging dahilan para may mamuong tubig sa mga mata nito. "Tara na, para hindi na tayo masyadong gabihin," dagdag mo pa bago tumayo at nagtungo sa pintuan.

Pero bigla ka nitong hinatak para yakapin nang humahagulgol sa iyak. "Ate....bakla....ako eh....walang....walang....role play...." pagpapaliwanag nito sa 'yo.

You gently caressed his back before freeing yourself from his grasp, then you cupped his face with both hands and said, "Alam ko, matagal na. At wala akong pakialam kung ano ka pa. Kung hindi mo talaga bet si Gal Gadot at si Chris Pine talaga ang gusto mo, push lang. Kung ayaw mo ng sports na basketball at gusto mo lang ng basketball players, keri lang. Kung fan ka ng BTS at hindi ng Black Pink dahil ang gagwapo nga naman talaga nila, go. Kahit ano pa 'yang bet mo, bet ko na rin."

He buried his face on his palms and sobbed harder. For minutes, you stood caressing his back and watched him calm himself, which didn't take long when he lifted his head to look at you with his eyes where joy was perceptible. "Thank you.....Ate....."

You simply smiled and ruffled his head, as drama was never part of your vocabulary.

After minutes of dramas and revelations with your brother, you both headed off to Melo's house. A house that has the touch of the most expensive and high paid Engineers and Architects in the country.

A beige shaded gigantic and single floored mansion that occupies nearly half the land of SM Malls, no exaggeration. Behind the grills of its gate, was a few kilometer walk before you'd arrive in his den. As you walk through it, bermuda grass covers the entire ground except the road for the cars to ramp. Fresh air could give you a leisurely feeling, the fountain at the center a few yards near the veranda, could grant your eyes a wondrous feeling like you're a character in a Korean drama.

When the two door entourage opened, you were greeted by six women wearing a pink housekeeper's livery who were standing on both sides by three.

"Good evening po," they all greeted in chorus. Two of them took the baggage you and your brother were carrying.

You guys simply mumbled, 'thank you', for other than those two words, you couldn't utter more because you were too mesmerized with the luxurious view that welcomed your presence.

Later on, one of them took a step forward. "Dalhin ko na po kayo sa mga kwarto niyo, Mrs. Alejandro and Sir Torres," she said before leading the way.

The two of you followed. Your jaws almost dropped at the sumptuousness of the surroundings. A grand piano at the center of the living room which was placed on a pink carpet. A television that has the same size as that in movie theaters. Set of pink couch. Cabinets full of plaques, must be Melo's awards for his outstanding performance as a one of the most credible Engineers and the most famed man with a great stature. Paintings all over the walls, which were a bit familiar to you, for they were the paintings you once purchased for him at the auction.

Seph was the first one to arrive at his own room, so from there you separated ways with him and headed your path to your own, which was just a room away from his.

The moment you opened the door, you were welcomed with pink movables anywhere your eyes landed. A pink lamp by the window overlooking the terrace. Pink set of four couches on the right side of the king size bed, clothed with a pink bedsheet and pink comforter with numbers of pillows on top of it. Pink furry carpet all over its floor, and lastly the door from the restroom that swung open the moment the door shut behind your back. It revealed Melo on his pink robe, who obviously just came out fresh from the bath.

"You'll sleep on the floor, Torres. You're just my wife on paper, but not by heart," Melo told you before settling himself to sit on his bed. "Kailangan mo lang talagang matulog dito sa kwarto ko, so my stupid maids won't tell my Lolo that I'm depriving you of your rights as my wife. Though we both know that you've got no single right, 'cause you're just your unfaithful father's cheap possession that was sold for a cheap price to put up his cheap business."

That was a big blow to you. You felt your chest narrowed and twitched, that you could hardly breathe. Your throat went dry, that you could hardly speak. Your hands gripped hardly on your luggage's metallic handle, that you shouldn't let go of, else you'd wobble your bearing and fall. Your eyes went filled with tears, that you could hardly control them not to escape. Your mind wanted to take the idea of disowning your father. Of disowning yourself. Of disowning your life after being slapped with the reality that you'd always be unwanted. But you knew you couldn't. You wouldn't. You shouldn't. Because your brother needs you. So even if you felt like a dirt poor, you said,

"Papayag po ako sa kahit na ano mang gustuhin niyo, Madam. Sabihin niyo lang po kung ano."

"Are you sure?"

You weren't.

Still and all you replied, "Yes," with bated breath 'cause that was the only means you could think of to survive.

Then he smiled triumphantly, like he won the lottery.

"Perfecto."