Chapter 67: The Confession
Adelina's Point of View
The next day, Romeo left early—he was out the door by six. I, on the other hand, spent the day waiting at the precinct for updates on my sisters' case. The authorities had finally started allowing family visits, even if only for thirty minutes.
The crowd outside was still thick, but the atmosphere was calmer. When I entered the visitation room—a cramped space smelling of sweat and stale air—I saw my sisters on the other side of the bars. Ate Aira looked pale, her eyes swollen; Ate Maya was hunched over, clutching a rosary; and Ate Mara was still trying to muster a weak smile for me.
"Ate! Are you guys okay in here?" I asked, my voice trembling as I gripped the cold bars.
"We're fine, Adelina. Don't worry," Ate Aira replied, though I could hear the underlying fear in her voice. "What's happening outside?"
I told them everything—the raid, the soldiers, the tension. We wept in secret, the thirty-minute window passing as if it were only five. I wasn't sure how this would end—they could be locked away for a long time, or even die there—but I was just happy to see them safe for now.
"Trust me. You'll get out of here," I whispered, even though I was far from certain myself.
Days passed as we pleaded with officials. On the third day, my sisters were unexpectedly released on bail. The officers didn't tell us who posted it; one just smirked and said, "Someone paid a huge sum for their bail. You're lucky."
Somehow, I had a strong feeling Romeo was behind it. "Thank you, Romeo," I whispered into the wind as I led my sisters home.
I brought them back to Romeo's condo. It was embarrassing; we were all living there now, the place cluttered with our belongings and kids' toys on the floor. But I had no choice. It wasn't safe to return to the apartment while soldiers were still patrolling.
Romeo didn't come home for a few days—likely busy with work or fixing the mess we had brought upon him. When he finally returned on Sunday for his day off, he arrived at six in the morning carrying grocery bags full of fruit and meat.
We had a small feast. I prepared a special chicken adobo with plenty of vinegar and garlic, fresh tanigue kinilaw from the market, and lumpiang shanghai I knew he'd love. He finally met my older sisters: Ate Aira, 22, tall and sturdy with a resilient smile; Ate Maya, 20, thin but strong with hands scarred from labor; and Ate Mara, 19, the most energetic with long, flowing hair.
"Finally, we meet! We've wanted to thank you for helping our Lola, but we weren't allowed to leave the compound," Ate Aira said as she set the table.
Mara was curious. "You know, you look so young. Is it true you're already working?" she asked, sizing Romeo up.
Romeo looked down, seemingly lost in thought. I could tell he was uncomfortable, but he answered anyway. He admitted he was sixteen and working for the government—and that was how he managed to secure their release.
My sisters were incredulous. "You didn't just lock up an ordinary man! Only the Governor-General could order an arrest like that. How did you talk to the Governor-General of Cavite?" Aira asked.
"I can't say everything, but let's just say in the world of the wealthy, if you want a favor, you have to give one in return," he answered with a smile.
"Whoa! It must not be easy talking to those people," Mara added, clearly impressed.
Maya asked about his wealth, intrigued by the fact that he owned a condo and a car worth millions. I suddenly slammed my hand on the table, scolding them. "I told you not to ask him those things! He doesn't like talking about himself, and we need to respect that!"
But Mara pushed back. "As your older sisters, it's our duty to know if our family is in good hands. Your situation is complicated, especially since you're harboring people like us despite being an honorary Spaniard. We admire you, but you can't blame us for asking who you really are so we can be at peace."
"That's right. We love our sisters, especially Adelina. We just don't want her in danger," Maya added.
Romeo sighed, noting that many Filipinos hate people like him, which is why he avoids being known. Maya immediately countered: "No matter who you are, Romeo, we couldn't be angry after all you've done. We just don't like the idea of you keeping secrets from Adelina."
"We understand your point," Maya continued, "but my sister is your girlfriend, and one day you might marry. You can't keep secrets forever."
I was mortified. My face burned as my sisters lectured him about our "relationship." They truly believed we were a couple, so they felt entitled to demand the truth from him. They asked if he was serious about me or just passing time. "You're rich, young, and educated—we wonder why you'd choose someone like our sister," Maya said.
I was insulted by her words, but she insisted Romeo answer what his plans were for our relationship. I didn't know where the conversation was heading, but I was so embarrassed I felt like I was on fire. I started this lie, and I felt terrible that Romeo was being harassed for it.
Then, his answer stunned me. "I don't know the plan yet. I don't even know if this is right. I'll be honest with you: It's not easy being with your sister, especially since she's violent sometimes... but... I still want to be with her."
Those words felt like a lightning strike to my chest. My heart pounded so loudly I could barely hear. I couldn't understand what he meant by saying he wanted to be with me, but a part of me desperately wanted to know. Why did I want those words to be true even though our relationship was a lie?
He sighed and admitted he came from a political family in Batangas and was only in Cavite for work. His time here was limited; once his job was done, he might rarely return. He spoke about the marriage traditions of the wealthy. "My family is bound by tradition—many women are chosen for me to marry, and traditionally, I am expected to obey."
"Huh? So, will you just leave Adelina one day to follow tradition?" Ate Aira asked.
I stared at Romeo like a child waiting for an answer. I was terrified of what he might say, yet I had to know. Romeo sighed again, saying he didn't hold the future—if he defied tradition, his family would surely disown him. Despite his own wealth and job, his heart wasn't cold enough to simply leave his parents in anger. He admitted his family would never accept him marrying a poor woman, as they guarded their reputation fiercely.
"So what about our sister?" Ate Mara asked. He sighed, saying he didn't even believe we would last as a couple. "The only way would be for her to study and rise in status so my family would accept her, but I won't force her to do anything she doesn't want to."
"It's complicated, but all I can say for now is that I want Adelina to stay by my side because I'm happy when I'm with her," he said seriously, looking directly at me.
His gaze was so intense I couldn't meet his eyes. I told myself he was just playing along with the lie I started, but a part of me wanted to hope. Hearing that he wanted me to stay was like music to my ears.
My siblings started teasing me, telling me to accept his offer to study so I could be with him. Aries joked that if I didn't take the offer, he'd take it and marry Romeo himself. I suddenly felt a flash of irritation and smacked Aries on the head. "Stop it, don't say things like that!"
I couldn't stand the topic anymore and urged them to just eat. To change the subject, Romeo invited my siblings to go to Enchanted Kingdom for his day off. My siblings were thrilled by his generosity. "I'll just call my staff. Get ready so we have plenty of time!"
We set off around ten in the morning in two air-conditioned vans Romeo had rented, packed with snacks. I felt a mix of guilt over his spending and genuine excitement. This was a first for us. The drive was filled with singing and stories. Romeo, sitting up front, kept looking in the rearview mirror to smile at us. I felt a flutter in my stomach—we looked like a real family enjoying life.
The park was like a fairy tale kingdom. Romeo bought us VIP passes so we wouldn't have to wait in line. First, we hit the Space Shuttle, a massive roller coaster.
"Ate, come on!" Aries shouted, pulling us along. Romeo had no choice but to join. As we sat in the car and the safety bar locked, I gripped Dina's hand—she was shaking with fear. When it plummeted, the wind whipped my face; I felt like I was flying!
"Aaaah!" we all screamed in a mix of terror and joy. After, we were sweaty but laughing. Next was the Rio Grande Rapids. We changed into rash guards and hopped on the raft. The water was freezing, and Ate Mara kept splashing me. Romeo looked after Dina, shielding her from the big splashes.
Later, we took a group photo in the booth. Romeo stood in the middle with his hand on my shoulder. We looked like a real couple. My heart raced at the feeling of his body pressed against mine. After snacks at a cafe, we rode more attractions: the Ferris wheel, the carousel, and the Wheel of Fate.
By late afternoon, we reached the Wheel of Fate (the giant Ferris wheel). We were at the front of the line, but Aries suddenly shoved Romeo and me into a gondola alone, locking the door from the outside.
"Enjoy, Ate! Your date!" he yelled, waving from the platform. It was clearly a setup.
As the wheel started moving, I became incredibly nervous. I was with this man all the time, but being trapped in this tiny space made me too shy to look at him. I could hear his every breath. I stared out the window at the sparkling park below.
"I'm sorry about my siblings. They're so mischievous," I said tensely.
"Don't worry. It's not a big deal. Actually, I'm more comfortable being alone with you here," he replied softly.
My heart hammered. To break the tension, I joked, "Don't pay them too much mind. I know I've caused you trouble with this fake boyfriend lie." I told him I'd find a way to tell them the truth soon.
But then he asked, "I just want to know from you—do you hate the idea of me being your boyfriend?" He was serious.
I panicked. "What are you talking about? Why would you ask that?"
"I think you're uncomfortable whenever it's mentioned. You seem annoyed with your siblings when they call me your boyfriend."
I tried to explain that I was just embarrassed by their assumptions. He looked at me seriously and suddenly took my hand. "What do you think of me, Adelina?"
My cheeks burned. I tried to pull my hand away. "What do you want to know? Do you want me to praise you for helping us?"
"You think I want praise? I want to know what you think of me," he said, his thumb brushing the back of my hand.
I looked down, overwhelmed. I told him he shouldn't ask me things like that; it was embarrassing. I even accused him of "harassment" in my panic. He told me to calm down, but I snapped back, "How can I be calm? You're asking weird things! What about you? Can you say how you feel about me?"
He didn't answer right away. He just looked out the window at the stars. After a few beats of silence, he began to speak. "You know, since I was a kid, I've only thought about how to help others. I studied and trained to fight so I could bring peace to this country."
He admitted he was a soldier on a mission—a special soldier. He said his situation was dangerous and he had long ago accepted that he might die in battle. He was tired and just wanted it to be over. I felt a wave of sadness for him. He was a hero who put others' lives above his own.
"But recently, my view of the world changed. I'm starting to have second thoughts about dying young," he said.
"Dying? What nonsense are you talking about?" I asked, feeling a pang of fear.
He smiled and said it was my fault. "Me? Why is it my fault?"
He reminded me of how he was getting used to me looking after him. "I try to get home while you're still awake to meet me at the door with food. I wake up expecting someone to be there for me." He talked about being lonely after his siblings moved away, and how my presence had affected him. "It's funny, but I don't think I want to lose you. I want to take this chance to ask you."
He lifted my hand and looked me in the eyes. "Will you be my real girlfriend?"
I spiraled. I asked if he was serious or if this was just a cruel joke. He insisted he wasn't joking. I told him he was crazy—why would a rich, handsome guy want a poor "tomboy" like me?
"That doesn't matter to me. You're hard to understand and violent sometimes, but I'm comfortable with you," he replied. He took my other hand, staring at me with genuine feeling.
"You're crazy! You just want a maid!" I tried to wrestle my hands free. "Let go of me! Are you drunk?"
"You're avoiding the answer. It's not a hard question." He said he'd only let go if I answered.
Deep down, I wanted to say yes, but my mind was screaming that it was madness. I looked down and whispered, "I'm sorry, but I can't answer that. Not because I don't like you, but because we live in different worlds." It hurt to say. I was pushing him away even though my heart wanted him.
He finally let go and apologized for pressuring me. But then he held my face, making me look at him. "You're right. Maybe I'm just rushing things because I'm craving attention." He paused. "Regardless, when I said I want you, I meant it."
Then, he suddenly kissed me on the lips.
It was soft and warm. I froze like ice. It felt like an electric current surged through me. The lights, the music—the whole world just stopped. In my shock, I pushed him away and slapped him.
"W-what are you doing? Why did you kiss me?"
His cheek was red, and he looked down. I don't know if he was hurt or just embarrassed. As soon as the Ferris wheel stopped, I bolted. I ran to the restroom to splash water on my face and calm down. I was shaking. I knew what he did was technically wrong, but I wasn't actually angry. In fact, I felt a secret joy I never expected.
I looked at myself in the mirror, touching my lips. We were from different worlds, and I was prepared for him to walk away, yet I was happy. I was so confused.
When the trip ended, I didn't ride in the same van as Romeo. I was too awkward. My siblings were still laughing, but I sat quietly in the corner. Back at the condo, I went straight to my room, claiming I was tired. I knew then that I was falling for him. My doubt had been replaced by a deep, terrifyingly sweet love.
In the morning, I woke up early to prep his breakfast as usual. We were both silent. After I set the food down, he spoke. "I'm sorry about last night. I shouldn't have done that. Even though I like you, I had no right. I apologize, Adelina."
I was too shy to answer and just walked back to my room. I leaned against the door, my heart racing. I wasn't hiding because I was mad; I was hiding because I was so happy he said he liked me.
I slumped down against the door, clutching my burning cheeks like a schoolgirl. "He admitted he likes me . What do I do?"
End of Chapter