Cherry was staring at the photo of hers and to Alfred, her husband displayed on top of the small cabinet. She remembered how happy they used to be—something she no longer felt. Alfred was the one who stay by her side when her ex-boyfriend Jared left her. At first, she felt nothing as Alfred was courting her. But as time had passed, she learned to love him. In their one and a half years of marriage, he changed suddenly. He had become someone she barely recognized.

A tear fell down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away with her palm. She sniffled and gazed quietly at her son, who was sound asleep.

Caught in her thoughts, she didn’t realize it was already ten o’clock—the time she needed to fetch Carina from school. She woke Cyprus from his nap. She dressed the child, then changed into something simple herself. She dusted a bit of powder on her face and didn’t bother to apply lipstick.

After picking up her eldest daughter, Cherry and her children hurried to go through the terminal to find a jeep or tricycle for sending them home. Lost in thought, she didn’t notice that Cyprus had run ahead—almost getting hit by a passing car.

She froze in shock, horrified by what just happened.

“Hey, lady! Are you trying to get your kid to be killed?!” shouted of the man inside the maroon car.

Cherry rushed to embrace her child, nearly in tears. She looked up at the man and lowered her head in apology.

“I’m really sorry, sir…”

“Sorry? Your carelessness is a public nuisance!” The man snapped. “What if I had hit your child? I’d be the one paying the hospital bills!”

“I’m truly sorry. My son’s just clumsy,” she pleaded, refusing to let go of her child.

“Are you okay, Cyprus?” She asked the boy, who was crying from fear. Cherry anxiously checked him from head to toe.

“Next time, watch your kid!” As the man yelled again before speeding off his car.

She didn’t realize people around them were watching them. Cherry sighed as she held tight onto her youngest child.

Once they were home, she quickly prepared milk for her children and pulled them along to the kitchen.

“Mama…” Carina called, pointing at something.

“Hold on, Carina. Let me finish making your milk, okay?”

Carina had wanted help with her homework. While Cherry helped her, she rocked Cyprus in her arms, trying to get him to nap. After helping the eldest with her assignment, she placed her youngest child on the couch and tidied up the mess.

By five in the afternoon, she brought the children to the kitchen again to prepare dinner.

Just as she finished cooking, Alfred arrived—clearly exhausted from work.

“Perfect timing, I just finished cooking,” she said gently.

He passed her without a word, poured himself a glass of water, and sat at the table. Cherry gave him a faint smile.

“I’m starving,” was all he said.

Cherry quickly got rice from the pot and brought a plate and utensils, then followed it with the dish.

“I heard from the neighbors our child almost got hit by a car today?”

Cherry took a deep breath, unsure of how to explain.

“You’ve only given me one child, and you can’t even take care of him properly?” Alfred complained.

“Cyprus is very active; he slipped away from me quickly,” she tried to explain.

Alfred smirked. “Just admit it—you don’t know how to take care of those kids. You can’t even do the only job right.”

After that, he left her to finish feeding the kids alone. She fed them first before finally sitting down to eat herself. It was nearly midnight when she got to sleep after doing the dishes and ironing clothes.

The next day, the household chores piled up again after she brought Carina to school. Cherry felt like she was about to go mad seeing the situation of their home.

While cleaning up, she suddenly remembered Carina’s upcoming birthday. That thought brought a smile to her face. She grabbed a notebook while carrying Cyprus and began jotting down the ingredients she needed for spaghetti next week.

“You can’t even keep up with everything at home, and now you want to bother cooking for your daughter’s birthday?” Alfred muttered, referring to Carina.

“Sshhh. The kids are sleeping. Please lower your voice,” Cherry warned. “She’s your daughter too, isn’t she? Please don’t make her feel like she’s not really your child.”

“You’re the one who wanted to adopt her, not me. As far as I’m concerned, my only child is Cyprus.” He turned his back on her, unwilling to speak any further.

Tears silently fell from Cherry’s eyes at his heartless words. He seemed to have forgotten that they both agreed to adopt and raise Carina together.

“You were the only one who wanted to adopt that child.”

Cherry closed her eyes, unwilling to argue anymore. The pain from Alfred’s sudden change in behavior weighed heavily on her. She no longer understood what had happened between them.

Later, Cherry rode a tricycle to the market—she couldn’t carry all the groceries while holding the kids. When they got home, she immediately sorted through what she had bought.

While rushing to cook, she slipped on the wet floor. She hadn’t noticed the water was overflowing in the bathroom.

“Ouch!” she cried out as pain shot through her body. She looked at her children, worried they might fall off their seats.

She didn’t think twice—she screamed, “Help!” three times until a woman named Aling Marietta and her son came to assist her.

“Let’s take her to the hospital,” the woman said when she saw Cherry couldn’t stand. “Jake, help the kids.”

“Yes, mother.”

Cherry slowly opened her eyes and noticed the white ceiling above her. She scanned the surroundings and realized she was in the hospital. Aling Marietta was sitting beside her.

“Good, you’re awake,” the woman said kindly.

“Where are Cyprus and Carina?”

“They’re at our house. My son is taking care of them. Don’t worry,” she assured her. “I have called your husband too. He’s on his way.”

Cherry nodded faintly.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m alright, but my legs still hurt,” Cherry replied with a wince.

“Then you need to take a rest."

Moments later, the door opened and Alfred came in. Aling Marietta stood and excused herself to give the couple a privacy.

Alfred stared at his wife, eyes filled with disdain.

“What this kind of mess have you gotten yourself into now?”

Instead of concern, Cherry was met with anger.

“The money that was supposed to go to your daughter’s birthday gift will be paid for the hospital bill. Tsk. You can’t seem do anything right.”

“It was an accident. No one wanted this to happen,” Cherry replied calmly.

“Accident? More like carelessness on your part.”

The argument grew louder until Aling Marietta reentered the room with a serious look.

“I heard you're vouce from the outside and shouting,” she began. “And I heard how you disrespected your wife.” She turned to Alfred. “Did you come here just to scold her?”

“Do you have the right to meddle in a married couple’s fight?” he snapped. “This doesn’t concern you, so you better leave.”

“Alfred…” Cherry pleaded in a soft tone.

Aling Marietta raised an eyebrow. “I’m not leaving. I’m staying here with your wife.”

Alfred scoffed. “You people really like me to meddle.”

“I'm here because I care about your wife—unlike a husband like you who couldn’t care less about what happened to his wife.” She answered back. “What kind of husband are you?”

Alfred was about to argue when Cherry grabbed his arm to stop him. He brushed her hand away and walked out of the room, clearly annoyed.

“It's been a long time for I know how your husband treats you,” Aling Marietta said, talking to Cherry. “Why do you keep enduring this?”

“I love my family, Aling Marietta,” Cherry replied, her voice breaking. “I made a vow to God—to stay with Alfred for better or for worse…”

Cherry is silently watching her husband chatting with his workmates. She waited with hope to catch a glimpse of a woman that he was hiding. She had already been there for an hour but found nothing suspicious, so she decided to return home.

That wouldn't be the last time she investigated. She wouldn’t stop until she knew the truth. In the following days, her suspicions grew stronger when it happened to see the calendar.

Her eyes widened in surprise upon realizing the date.

"It’s already August 17? Tsk. I didn’t even notice Alfred had his salary.”

She forgot to ask him to give her money for their household expenses. She’d been so busy taking care of the kids and handling household chores that was completely slipped her mind.

When Alfred came home from work, she immediately served him a dinner to help him relax.

"How’s my baby?" He said affectionately to Cyprus, brushing past Carina. He only acknowledged their biological child.

Cherry felt a pang of sadness for Carina, who was being ignored of the man that she considered to be her father.

"Come and eat, I have just finished cooking," She invited warmly.

"Can you get me a glass of water?" Alfred ordered. Cherry quickly got him one—he didn’t even thank her.

They began eating together. Cherry tried to bring up the topic about the salary.

"By the way, I forgot to ask you the other day for a money for the household budget. I ran out of cash paying the water and electricity bills."**

"So what if you forgot?" He snapped. "And you’ve got some nerve asking me the budget after you bitterly talked to me in the hospital with your neighbor meddling with us that seems better than mine?"

"I speak like that to you, Alfred," Cherry clarified gently.

Alfred smirked. "Don’t even try to deny it now." He slammed his spoon down. "No matter how nice you ask, you will not get anything from me anymore."

"The kids are here,"** Cherry said, trying to stay composed. Despite her husband’s attitude, she tried to remain positive.

After that, Alfred left her to feed the children. Cherry couldn't help but cry from the way he treated her. Once the kids had eaten, she washed them up and went with them to bed. When they were asleep, she quietly stepped out of the room and went to the toilet. There, she took out her phone and tried to call one of her siblings—but no one answering but it only ringing.

The next day, she left Cyprus and Carina with their neighbor, Aling Marietta. She didn’t explain where she was going or show any sign of the emotional turmoil she was in. She didn’t want to be a burden.

She returned to the place where she used to live. The area was still crowded, full of people hanging around drinking. Kids played in the streets. Nothing much had changed since she left. She headed straight to the house.

As she arrived, her siblings and parents came out to see who it was.

"It’s Cherry!" exclaimed her older sister, Jessa. They hadn’t seen each other in a long time.

"What’s she doing here?"** her brother Henry muttered.

"What are you saying? You should be happy she’s here,"** Jessa replied.

"Yeah, Kuya,"** Daryl agreed.

"Tsk, tsk. She probably needs something. That’s why she showed up,"** Jonald chimed in.

Jessa didn’t say anything further and rushed to greet her only sister. Her five children followed, as did Henry’s seven.

All of them lived in the same house.

Cherry smiled and greeted her siblings.

"Good morning, Kuya Henry, Ate Jessy, Jonald, and Daryl," she said, then looked to the last two who came out. "Mama, Papa!" She smiled again. "How have you all been?"**

"You really have the courage to ask that after leaving us because of that man?" her mother said coldly. Henry and Jonald smirked, Daryl stay in silence.

"Why are you here?"** her father asked, it clearly displeased.

"Mama, Papa..." Jessa interjected. She looked at to their siblings. "Can we just forget the past? That was a long time ago already. What matters now she is here.."

"Us, will forget?"** Romualdo, their father, said again. "If you’ve forgotten how she left us, we haven’t."

Cherry’s smile faded. She felt deeply hurt by their words. She thought they’d be kinder—but they were still full of resentment.

"It was her right. We should respect her choices," Jessa said, trying to defend her.

"Stay out of this, Jessa. You don’t know how much damage she caused after she left. She forgot about us, and now she’s here just to ask for help," their father snapped.

Cherry lost the courage to explain why she had come. She bit her lip, clenched her hands, and began to sweat.

She gathered her strength and tried to speak again.

"That’s not true, Papa."

"What’s not true? You left us for that man. Why don’t you ask him for help?" Henry added.

"Maybe he left her too. Just look at her—she’s nothing like she has used to be," Jonald said with a laugh.

"Stop it, Nald!" Jessa scolded.

"That’s not true," Cherry answered. "I came here to ask for a loan to help with some household expenses."

She finally stated what made her brought back. Henry and Jonald laughed mockingly while their parents frowned. Daryl and Jessa, however, looked at her with concern.

"You’ve got a lot of nerve, Cherry! After leaving us, now you showed up because you’re in trouble?" Elena, their mother, scolding her.

"I didn’t abandon you, Ma and Pa." She looked at her siblings. "I just fell in love. Is that forbidden?"

"You’re the one asking for help, and you dare talk back?" Henry snapped with rudeness.

"You’d better leave now, Cherry, before we drag you out of this house," their father said without a hint of care.

"Please... I’m begging you. I just really need money to cover some bills. We’re short this month," Cherry pleaded, trying to reason with them—but it seems useless.

"We have nothing to give you, Cherry. You’d better go. You’ve already ruined our day,"** Henry said, pushing her out of the compound.

"Wait, Kuya. This isn’t right,"Jessa said, holding Henry back. Daryl joined her. "It’s wrong to cast her aside just because she left. It’s wrong to push her away now just because she has nothing to offer."**

"What are you talking about, Jessa?" their mother asked.

"Wasn’t she the one helping us back when she was still single?"**

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

"Ate Jessa..."** Cherry motioned her to stop.

"No, Cherry. They need to hear where they went wrong."

"It’s fine, Ate. If they won’t help me, I understand."

Cherry slowly walked away, her sadness and disappointment appeared on her face. It hurt so much that after all the years she spent helping her family—giving nearly her whole salary to them—this was how they repaid her. She only stopped helping when she married Alfred.

She then went to her friends, who would be her last option. She forced a smile as she entered the restaurant.

She spoke to a waitress there. “Kristel, Olivia, and Rhea?”

“Just a moment, I’ll call them,” the waitress replied with a smile. The staff already knew her.

“Alright, thank you.”

Few minutes later, the waitress returned alone and spoke to her again.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am. They will not see you from now. They said they had a meeting.”

“Okay, thanks.” Cherry gave a tight-lipped smile.

It was clear she had lost hope of finding someone to ask for help. She thought she could count on her friends, but they had left her behind too. After everything she did to help them back in school—with projects, assignments, their research, and more—this was how they repaid her.

Bad luck came to Cherry one after another. Their house lost electricity, which was why Alfred didn’t come home. What would she do now?

They had just finished eating when someone knocked on the door. She placed her children in a safe seat and peeked through the peephole. She quickly opened the door.

“Aling Marietta, you came,” she greeted.

The older woman noticed how dark Cherry’s house was. She immediately commented.

“I’m sorry. We lost power, so we’re managing with candles.”

“When did this happen?” the woman asked again.

“Just yesterday. Please, come inside.” Cherry tried to hide what she was really feeling. Getting upset wouldn’t solve their problems.

“Where’s your husband, by the way?” Cherry froze for a moment at the next question. She couldn’t lie anymore.

“He’s not here. He hasn’t come home,” she answered awkwardly.

Aling Marietta frowned. “What kind of husband he is? Leaving you in this situation?

He’s the one who deserves to be left behind."

Cherry busied herself with taking care of her children. She wiped their faces and arms with a towel.

“It’s not that simple, Aling Marietta,” she said in defense. “We made a vow to altar infront.”

“Your relationship means nothing if there's no concern for each other,” The old woman said again, stepping closer to Cherry. “Here, take this.”

“What is this for?” she asked timidly.

“It’s to pay your electric bill. I can’t bear to see you suffering like this.”

Cherry was moved to tears by the woman’s kindness. Of all people, it was those she least expected who showed her compassion and generosity. Unlike the ones she expected help from, it just abandoned her and then speaking such hurtful words.

She didn’t hesitate anymore to accept the money. She really needed it to cover household expenses. She had no other option.

“Just don’t tell your husband that I gave this to you,” Aling Marietta reminded her.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Cherry nodded in reply.

After settling the bills, another problem arose. She rushed Cyprus to the hospital due to a high fever.

She tried to call her husband, but the line just kept ringing.

At that moment, Alfred was out drinking with his coworkers.

“Hey, Fred, someone’s calling you,” Kenneth said, checking the phone that kept ringing. “It’s your wife.”

“Let her be. She’ll just ask where I am,” Alfred replied, continuing to drink.

He glanced at his phone briefly as Cherry kept calling. He took it and silenced it so it wouldn’t distract him and his friends again.

“Maybe it’s important. Your wife still calling,” Lauro said.

“I know Cherry. She just talks nonsense,” Alfred said as he poured himself another drink. “Let’s just drink. Cheers.” He continued with the drinking session while his wife was deeply troubled and looking for him.

Cherry later found out her son Cyrus had dengue. He needed a blood transfusion. Fortunately, they quickly found a donor with blood type O, which eased her burden a little.

“Here’s money to pay the hospital,” Aling Marietta said.

Cherry now felt embarrassed and almost tried to decline the favor.

“Oh no, Ma’am. Thank you, but that’s okay.”

“Take it, dear. Don’t be shy. I know you need to pay the hospital.” The woman gently took Cherry’s arm and handed her the money.

“Don’t refuse. Just take them,” Aling Marietta said softly.

“I’ll pay you back when things get better for us.” Cherry felt a little lighter.

“Maybe once your family is finally okay.”

“Alright. Thank you so much.”

When Cyrus recovered, they returned home. Cherry sighed deeply at everything they had been through and wondered how she would ever repay their neighbor. She was deeply ashamed.

She found her husband in their room—sleeping. “Where have you been?”

“At work,” The man answered upon hearing her.

“Work?”

“What do you think where would I go?” he asked. “If I went out to hang around, where would we get money for expenses?”

“I called you several times. You didn’t answer. The kids needed you at that time,” she said, referring to the time when Cyrus was sick and asking for his father.

“I was working, Cherry. Should I prioritize pity over food?”

“Sorry.” That was all Cherry could say instead of arguing further. Nothing good would come of it, and she didn’t want to stir up more trouble at home.

A week passed, but Cherry’s doubts about her husband didn’t go away. She often noticed his suspicious behavior. First, he was always annoyed with her and didn’t even care. Second, he is no longer givinh money for household or child expenses. Third, he rarely came home, and there sometimes he only arrived in the morning. All of these it suspected her husband.

Now, she was riding a taxi to follow Alfred. But as time went on, the place became familiar.

“This is Brgy. Bagong Pag-asa,” she thought as she glanced out the window. She saw the streets the car Alfred was in was heading to. “Don’t tell me he’s going to his family’s house.”

She instructed the taxi driver to keep following the car. After a while, she didn’t suppose to follow it too closely instead they changed direction. She just stopped at a corner and paid the driver.

“Thank you, Kuya.”

She rushed to Alfred’s family home and, indeed, found him there. She remained in a distance to observe him. She saw that he was greeted by his mother and father and his brother, Anthony.

Alfred handed his brother some money that Cherry froze.

“Here’s five grand for your tuition.”

“Thanks a lot, Kuya,” his brother said with a wide smile. Cherry knew this brother well—Anthony was a gambler. He often went to the billiards to play. When he was still working at a company, he would sneak off to the billiards during breaks. She wanted to tell Alfred, but she felt ashamed.

Alfred even patted Anthony’s head. Then he gave ₱3,000 to his parents, who were in their late sixties.

Cherry couldn’t help but to cry. All of Alfred’s salary was going to his parents and siblings.

They were no different from her own family, who did nothing but ask her for money. When she had nothing left to give, they forgot about her, and worse, they spoke ill against her.

She immediately noticed Anthony leaving and decided to follow him. She confronted Alfred’s brother at the billiards, and even his parent after Alfred left the house.

The next day, she received a harsh scolding from her husband.

"You’ve got some nerve. You actually went to our house just to pick a fight with my parents, and then you even had the guts to follow Anthony!" Alfred shouted, making Cyprus cry. Cherry quickly comforted the child and picked him up from the crib.

"How dare you even say something like that?"

"Alfred, the kids are here. Can we please talk about this calmly?" she asked in a soft voice.

"Talk about what?" he said in frustration. "There’s nothing to talk about."

After a few seconds, he pulled some money out of his wallet. "Here—five thousand pesos!" He threw the bills, letting them scatter on the floor. "Happy now?"

With a scowl on his face, Alfred stormed out of the house. "Go ahead and eat that five thousand," he spat before leaving for good. Cherry let out a deep sigh as she began picking up the money one by one from the floor. Suddenly, tears started falling from her eyes—tears of pain from everything she had to endure.

A month passed. Now, Cherry and the kids were at a drugstore buying diapers, milk, medicine, and other health essentials for the children.

While walking through the store, she froze when someone called her name.

"Cherry, is that you?" A familiar male voice said from behind.

Cherry didn’t hesitate to turn toward the voice that called out. Slowly, she faced him—and froze.

It was Jared.

The ex-boyfriend who had left her long ago. Her first love. Her first heartbreak.

He looked... different now. More mature. More refined. He dressed with confidence, no longer the boy she remembered, but a man who had clearly changed—maybe even improved—without her.

“Hey, how are you?” Jared asked casually.

Cherry struggled to find her voice. “I’m fine... you?” she replied, her tone uncertain.

Standing in front of him stirred up something deep and restless within her. He had clearly moved forward with his life, while hers felt like it had stalled somewhere along the way.

“I’m doing good,” he said with a relaxed smile, as if the weight of the past no longer rested on his shoulders. It made Cherry feel smaller somehow, insecure in a way she hadn't expected.

“Long time no see,” he added, his eyes drifting toward the two children at her side.

Jared bent down to approach the little boy, who only glanced at him before turning away. Then Jared looked to the girl.

“How old are you?” he asked gently.

The child answered right away, beaming. “I’m three years old!”

Jared smiled at her and chuckled softly. He started to say more, but Cherry cut in.

“Sorry, we need to go. I still have some things to do at home,” she said quickly—lying.

She reached for her daughter’s hand. “Let’s go, Carina.”

With a brief, polite nod to Jared, she turned and walked away.

He watched her go, regret sinking into his chest. He had hoped to talk to her—even just for a moment longer.

---

That night, Jared sat on the balcony of their home, the cold breeze brushing against his skin as he stared into the quiet dark.

His older brother, Julian, joined him with a cup of coffee in hand. “You’ve been out here for a while. Something on your mind?”

Julian was more than a brother—he was the one Jared could talk to about serious matters, the one who always gave grounded advice.

Jared didn’t answer immediately.

Julian raised an eyebrow. “Wait... this about your relationship?”

Jared had been with Kelly for two years now. She was sweet, supportive. He liked her—maybe even loved her. But what he’d felt for Cherry... that had been different. And seeing her again stirred something he didn’t expect.

He finally sighed. “I saw Cherry earlier. At the grocery store.”

Julian listened closely.

“I didn’t expect to run into her. It’s been five years.”

“Really? What a small world,” Julian said.

“She has two kids now,” Jared added. “And she looks... different. Older. Like she’s been through a lot.”

Julian chuckled. “Well, yeah. Life happens. Marriage, kids—it changes people, especially women.”

“It’s not just that.” Jared paused. “It’s like... she doesn’t take care of herself anymore.”

Julian gave him a look. “Why are you so worried about her?”

Jared didn’t answer.

“Still have feelings for her?” Julian asked, his voice quieter now.

Jared hesitated. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

Julian leaned back in his chair. “Look, I get it. But you’ve got your own life now. Let her live hers. Don’t go reopening old wounds, especially if you're not willing to stay.”

Jared nodded slowly, but part of him still couldn’t let go of what he saw—how tired Cherry looked, how quiet her eyes were.

“Focus on your future. You’ve got a girlfriend, plans ahead. Don’t let the past hold you back,” Julian added, giving his brother a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Then, hearing his name being called, he stood. “Ate Nenita’s looking for me. Talk to you later.”

“Okay, Kuya,” Jared replied, still gazing out into the night.

---

Cherry stared at herself in the mirror. The reflection that looked back at her didn’t lie—wrinkles, dark spots, and a sadness that lingered in her eyes.

Seeing Jared again had triggered everything she tried to suppress. He had moved on. He looked happy. Meanwhile, she was stuck.

“What did I do wrong to deserve this?” she whispered to herself. “I gave so much to others… I forgot myself. And this is what I get?”

She hugged herself tightly, trying to hold back the wave of hurt.

Eventually, she left the bathroom and quietly slipped into her room, lying down with the weight of exhaustion pressing her into the mattress.

---

A few days later, Cherry received a message.

It was from Jared.

She blinked in surprise. How did he get my number? I already changed it.

He wanted to talk. But Cherry didn’t respond. She put her phone away and continued wiping down tables at Aling Marietta’s small eatery where she worked.

It wasn’t that her husband cheated on her—he didn’t. But he gave most of his money to his family, leaving little to nothing for her and the kids. So she worked. She endured.

“Are you okay, Cherry?” her boss asked.

“I’m fine,” she replied with a small, tight smile.

“If you need to rest, you can. I know things are hard.”

Cherry nodded. She was grateful someone cared.

Later that night, while preparing dinner, her phone buzzed again. Another message from Jared. She read it briefly—then deleted it. She even considered changing her number again.

---

While she was out shopping in the market, she heard someone call her name.

“Cherry...”

It was Jared. She ignored him, quickening her pace. But he caught up.

“I just want to talk,” he said gently. “Is that okay?”

“I don’t have time,” she replied firmly. “I have things to do.”

“I can help,” he offered, concern in his tone.

“I don’t need your help,” she said sharply, still avoiding his eyes.

“Cherry, I’m sorry.”

That was all she heard before she quickly climbed into a jeepney and left him behind.

She didn’t care for his apology. It was too late. He had left her. He didn’t fight for her. And now, no amount of regret could change what she’d been through.

---

That evening, Jared picked up Kelly from work.

“Where do you want to eat?” he asked.

“Anywhere,” she smiled, hopping into the car.

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Hurry—I’m hungry!”

He laughed, her energy infectious. But as they drove, his eyes caught a familiar figure on the sidewalk.

Cherry.

She didn’t see him, but he saw her. And just like that, his smile faded.

Kelly noticed. “Are you okay? You suddenly look serious.”

“Just... hungry,” Jared said, forcing a grin.

After dinner, he dropped Kelly off and sat alone in his car. He considered calling Cherry again—but the line didn’t connect.

He exhaled deeply. I was the one who walked away, he reminded himself. I’m the one who gave up.

Julian’s words echoed in his mind:

"Let her go."

At home, Cherry served dinner. As soon as her husband opened his mouth, the smell of alcohol hit her.

“Get me some water,” he muttered.

She obeyed quietly, handing him a glass.

“Where have you been?” she asked gently.

He slammed his hand on the table, causing their kids to flinch and cry.

“Fred, please—the kids...”

“That’s your fault,” he snapped, getting up from the table. “You deal with them.”

He left her alone, once again, in the dining room.

After putting the kids to sleep, Cherry returned to the mirror. She stared at her reflection again. She looked... tired. Lifeless.

Her eyes landed on the pair of scissors nearby. On impulse, she picked them up and began cutting her hair—not drastically, just enough. Maybe enough for him to notice.

And when he did look at her, she saw it in his eyes. He stared—really stared—and for a brief moment, she felt seen.

Then he leaned in to kiss her.

She didn’t pull away.

Because despite everything, she had missed feeling wanted—even if it was only for a moment.

Cherry thought she and Alfred had finally made up—but she was wrong.

He suddenly pulled away from her the moment he realized they had spent the entire night sleeping in each other's arms.

Thirty minutes later, she invited him to eat with their children. She had cooked his favorite breakfast—pansit gisado—just the way he liked it.

“Let’s eat,” she called out softly.

“I’ll pass. I have to leave early today.”

Alfred walked straight out the door without so much as a goodbye or a kiss on the cheek. The smile on Cherry’s lips faded, and with it, her appetite.

For the third time, Cherry and Jared’s paths crossed once again.

Jared tried to avoid her, but he couldn’t bear to see his ex-girlfriend struggling with the kids. He saw her carrying both of them while also juggling several grocery bags. No matter how hard he tried to walk away, his feet wouldn’t listen.

“Jared!” she snapped. “I don’t need your help.”

“I saw you struggling with those bags—I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing.”

“I didn’t ask for your help, so just leave me alone. Please?”

“Where’s your husband, anyway? Why is he letting you do all of this by yourself?”

Cherry gave him a bitter smile. “He’s at work.”

“So that’s it? He just lets you go through all this on your own?”

“Jared, stop meddling in my life. Just leave us alone.”

“I can’t, Cherry. I can’t stand seeing you like this—hurting.”

That was it.

Jared had already swallowed his words from yesterday when he promised he’d keep his distance. And yet here he was again, insisting on helping her.

Now more than ever, regret weighed heavily on him. He realized how deeply he had failed Cherry—leaving her behind for his dreams and his family.

If only he had been stronger. If only he had fought for her.

Maybe then she wouldn’t have to go through this.

Cherry froze.

“I can handle this. So please, let me go. Okay?” Her irritation toward her ex was written all over her face.

“Come on, Carina.”

She walked away, leaving Jared staring after her with nothing but regret.

She didn’t even look back—not even for a second.

Cherry truly no longer cared about her ex-boyfriend.

All she felt for him now was resentment—and maybe, just maybe, a little envy.