"Mahal,I'm pregnant." Leni's tears escaped her beautiful eyes as she told her boyfriend,Bongbong the sudden news.

His body stiffened and his feet froze. "And?"

"Sa'yo 'to Mahal. Magiging daddy kana." She uttered between her tears.

He panicked as he didn't expect everything,he wasn't prepared for this. He was sure that it wouldn't please his mom especially and it would earn bad impression from many people. He didn't want obligations too especially when they are just college students. "What are you talking about? You're pregnant,with me? Oh! Come on Leni isang beses lang naman natin ginawa diba,baka naman sa iba yan?"

She frowned. "Ano ba,Bong! Sa'yo 'to! Alam mo naman ikaw lang diba?! Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko,siguradong magagalit si Daddy kapag nalaman nya 'to. What are we going to do? Tulungan mo naman ako."

He snorted. "Tulungan? Why am I supposed to help you,problema mo yan! It's your fault kasi nagpabuntis ka. Hindi ko yan pananagutan kaya umalis kana bago kapa makita nila Mommy dito."

"What?!" She exclaimed. "Pananagutan mo 'to Bong kasi we're responsible for this. Kailangan mo akong panagutan and the baby. Your baby!"

"Leni puwede ba,hindi ko yan pananagutan! Wala akong pananagutan!" He retorted. "Alam mo naman na we belong to the elite society diba and it will earn a really bad impression kapag nalaman nila na may nabuntis ako. Umalis kana at don't you dare to a make scene out of this." He threatened.

She slapped him so hard that he took a step backward due to the intensity. "Ang kapal ng mukha mo! Pagkatapos ng lahat ng nangyari saatin iiwan mo lang ako sa ere! Sige,if that's what you want,from now on you'll never see me nor hear me... Even the child. One day you'll come to understand how much I cared about you and by the time you realized that,I'll be long gone." She retorted and leave his house.

30 years later...

"Good morning,Ma'am!"

"Judge Gerona!"

"Good morning po!"

Everyone at the hallway greeted her as she was walking towards her office early in the morning. She immediately prepared herself as the first hearing was scheduled in an hour. When lunch break came,she would call her daughter,Aika who's currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Harvard. Every day, Leni's routine was like this since she was appointed as the presiding judge at Naga City Regional Trial Court 👩‍⚖️ .

"Ma'am,your 5:30pm is already here po." Her secretary informed her.

She frowned. "Huh? I have a meeting? Eh pauwi na sana ako eh. With whom anyway?" She asked as she didn't remember any meeting that specific time.

"With-" Her secretary was interrupted when the person she's supposed to have a meeting with entered. Leni's eyes widened as she saw Bongbong Marcos standing right in front of her.

"Sige po Ma'am, Senator Marcos maiwan ko na po kayo." Her secretary politely excused herself.

"Uhm. Hi!" He greeted awkwardly. "Can I sit?" He asked,she was still standing there while looking at him like she was in a horror film.

She blinked many times bringing her back to her senses. "Uhm. Yes. Take a seat,please." She stammered and seated on her office chair. "So,uhm Senator Marcos what can I do for you? May kaso kaba dito?" She asked professionally.

"No. Wala. It's just that... I went here because I want to talk to you." He answered. "Leni can we talk? Please." He followed and hold her hands atop the table.

She immediately withdrew her hands and stood up. "You know what Mr. Senator legal concerns lang ang pinag-uusapan dito. Ngayon kung hindi naman yan legal concern,sorry pero mali yata ang napuntahan mo." She retorted and arranged her things inside her bag as she was going home. "Sorry,sir but I have to go." She uttered.

"Sige kung legal concerns lang ang pinag-uusapan dito. I'd like to talk about the custody of our daughter,Aika." He stated making her pause.

She looked at him with a huge surprise on her face. "Custody? What are you talking about? Atsaka our daughter ? Correction Mr. Senator, it's my daughter ."

"Anak ko rin siya." He answered.

"Kailan pa?!" She exclaimed.

"Leni may karapatan din ako sa anak natin." He remarked.

"Karapatan?!" She snorted. "Wala kang karapatan sa anak ko kasi kahit kailan hindi ka naging tatay sa kanya! Ikaw mismo ang nagtanggal ng karapatan na yun nung sinabi mo saakin noon na hindi mo kami kayang panagutan."

"Leni please. Nagsisisi na ako. I'm sorry. Hayaan mo naman akong makilala ang anak natin. I want Aika to use my surname, I want to meet her." He pleaded.

"Ang kapal naman talaga mukha mo!" She retorted. "Anong akala mo ganun-ganun nalang yun?! Hindi mo alam kung anong hirap ang pinagdaanan ko nung iniwan mo kami. You don't have the right to demand things from me or from my daughter kasi kahit kailan hindi ka naging parte ng buhay nya at kahit kailan hindi ka magiging parte ng buhay nya." She said angrily but tears started to form in her eyes.

"Naging parte rin ako ng buhay nya. I watch her grow..." He uttered vaguely. She frowned. "The first time I saw her was when she celebrated her 1st birthday. I was so happy to see her, I was so happy to see you. Every birthday nya present ako,I sent her gifts also tapos nung dalaga na siya I added it with flowers." He shared. "I was there also every graduation or recognition niya,even her swimming competitions and piano lessons. I was always tempted to hugged her and say that I am so proud of her. I sent her present every Christmas and New Year... Nung nasa kindergarten palang siya, I went here every Tuesdays and Fridays tapos I accompanied her while waiting for you kasi remember after 15 minutes kapa dadating. Naging mas madali para saakin to look after her nung nasa college na siya kasi nasa Manila na siya,I am the one who paid all her tuition and miscellaneous fees. And when she got into Harvard,tuwang-tuwa ako. I made sure also that she gets the best and comfortable apartment. I used to sent her ulam,mga lutong bahay nung bago palang siya para di naman siya mahomesick." He continued,it was now clear to her,he was behind all the gifts,flowers,paid tuition fees,extra allowance,and Aika's "mysterious friend" when she was a child.

"Why did you do all these?" Leni asked,her voice cracked as she was holding herself not to cry.

"Because it was the right thing to do. I'm sorry kung naging duwag ako. I'm sorry kung naging mahina ako. I'm sorry kung pinabayaan ko kayo pero Leni sa loob ng halos 30years I am looking after you and our daughter." He explained. "Leni please,hayaan mo naman akong makilala siya,gusto ko naman siyang mayakap at makasama ng matagal. Gusto ko namang matawag niya kong Papa. Ang hirap nung 15 minutes lang ako nagiging tatay sa kanya,hayaan mo naman akong maging tatay nya ng habambuhay. Leni,papasukin mo naman ako sa buhay nya,sa buhay mo." He pleaded and a lone tear escaped his left eye.

Leni felt the pain on her chest,she decided to let her tears roll down from her eyes. "Do you have any idea what we've been through for almost 30 years without you? Do you have any idea what I've been through when you said hindi mo ako pananagutan?" She asked releasing all her agony and anger. "Ang hirap,Bong! Sobrang hirap every time makikita mo yung anak mo na umiiyak kasi inaaway siya ng mga kaklase nya kasi siya lang ang walang tatay. Awang-awa ako sa anak ko kasi every father's day she'll make a letter para sa tatay nya pero hindi nya maibigay. Wala akong masagot every time she'll asked me where is her dad? Hindi ko masabi na ikaw kasi alam ko naman na ayaw mo sa kanya. And I don't want to let her know na inayawan mo siya." She ranted. "For almost 30 years,Nanay at Tatay ako sa kanya tapos eto ka ngayon asking me to let you enter her life,our lives?" She wiped her tears and shake her head. "Hindi ganun kadali yun,Bong. We can't undo what has already happened. Once something is ruined,it can never go back to the way it was. We've survived for almost 30 years without you. And we will survive forever without you. Hindi ka namin kailangan." She finished with a great impact especially on him. It felt like he was stabbed by her directly into his beating heart. He knew what dolt he had been when he left her 30 years ago and he understood why she behaved like that. He savvy all the tears that escaped from her beautiful eyes and all those hurtful words that came out from her mouth. What he wished is for her to appreciate all his efforts to look after their daughter secretly and hope that she'll give her a chance.

---

Be with someone who knows what they have when they have you not with someone who realizes when they've lost you.

💛❤️