Flashback

TRIGGER WARNING: This class may contain material and discussion about suicide, rape, child abuse and neglect and other topics that you may find uncomfortable; triggering of your own experiences or may create uncomfortable thoughts or emotions.

Everyone was happily chatting and reminiscing the moments they had with Cesar, Gabriella's father. It was Cesar's second death anniversary they were celebrating and every close friend Cesar had when he was still alive was with his family at that moment celebrating his death anniversary.

There were different circles of people chatting with the same topic but in a different way. While Isabelle, Gabriella's mother, was busy accommodating the guests, seven years old Gabriella was playing her cousin Sofia at the backyard when Sofia suddenly run inside the house carrying a white teddy bear on her right arm.

"Where are you going Sofia?" Gabriella asked when Sofia suddenly left her with the other stuff toys in the back yard. Gabriella got up off the ground where she had been seated and foolishly followed Sofia in the direction she was running.

When Gabriella saw Sofia trying to reach something from the table she stooped to see what her cousin was attempting to grasp, but all she saw above was a photo of her father with two candles and flowers next to it. She was about to speak when Sofia's hand clashed with Gabriella's father's picture frame, causing it to break on the floor. As a result of the shock, Gabriella screamed while her two hands covered both of her ears, and Sofia fell to the floor because she lost her balance.

The loud living room becomes silent, as if an angel had attempted to enter. Everyone slowly turned their heads in the direction where the shattering sound was coming from, and when they saw the shattered picture of Cesar on the floor, their mouths dropped open, and some even tried to cover them. Sofia began weeping as she realized that everyone's attention was drawn to the picture frame.

Gabriella gradually takes off the hands that were covering her ears. Her jaw dropped when she saw the shattered photo of her father. She tried to turn her head to look at their visitors, but all she saw was them staring at the broken picture and some mumbling. Her mother caught her attention while she was looking around the living room, and in an instant, her lips grew pale and her legs began to quiver. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't. Every step her mother took as she walked toward them made her pulse beat faster as she watched.

"S-she d-did i-i-it…" Sofia said while her left hand was pointing towards Gabriella's direction. Sofia's hand was pointing at Gabriella, but Gabriella was fixated on her mother and didn't see it. Isabelle's gaze shifted from Sofia to her hand and the direction it was pointing, and her expression changed when she noticed Gabriella. When she eventually got close to them, Isabelle moved more quickly and picked up Gabriella in her arms.

"Didn't I told you to behave yourselves? Look what you've done?" Isabelle whispered on Gabriella's ears, making sure her colleagues won't hear her. Gabriella tried to explain herself but her mother showed no sign of interest in listening as if all that occupied her mind was the punishment she was preparing for Gabriella.

Isabelle turned her gaze to their guest and politely smiled at them while her hands that was grabbing Gabriella's arm were starting to tighten. Gabriella winced in pain but didn't try to complain because her mother's grip was getting tighter.

"You guys go on; don't worry about this small smear; the helpers will clear it up afterwards. Please pardon me." Isabelle said. The guests continue chatting as if nothing had happened and the liveliness of the living room turned back.

Isabelle started pulling Gabriella upstairs while gritting her teeth as if she had been trying to supress her angers. When they entered Isabelle's room, she throws Gabriella's body on the bed.

"I-it was not me, I s-swear." Gabriella tried to explain with her trembling voice but her mother didn't even try to listen. Isabelle took one of her belt and wraps its end on her hand while looking to Gabriella's teary eyes.

"Try to deny it and you'll feel more pain." Isabelle said. She then turned Gabriella's body in an aggressive manner so that Gabriella's back was to her, and she started slapping the belt she was clutching on Gabriella's legs with all of her might, leaving a mark on Gabriella's thigh with each slap. When Gabriella felt her mother's belt around her little legs, she screamed. Even though Gabriella yelled so loudly, the other guests were unable to hear her voice; only she and her mother could. She attempted to beg her mother to stop, but it seemed as though her ears were already closed and all of her attention was on punishing her daughter.

Gabriella realized that her mother would always spank her harder the more she wept and begged, so she decided to cover her mouth with both of her hands and sought to be as silent as she could. It took seven slaps for the room door to open and Isabelle to come to a halt. Alex, who was 15 years old, was waiting behind the door with a helper. He was glaring at her mother and struggling for breath as he looked at her.

"That's what you get when you don't obey those who are older than you." Isabelle said and then she turned her belt to where it was placed. "It's good that you're here." Isabelle added while she was putting sanitizer on her hand.

"Mom! What did you do?!" Alex asked his mother in shock when he saw his youngest sister lying on the bed, sobbing and struggling to stand up because of her red and sore leg. When he was standing in front of his sister, he paused to consider whether to provide his sister comfort first or help her stand up. Once more, their mother gave them a chilly glance before shifting her attention to the helper.

"Carry that little brat back to her room and clean her wounds." Isabelle commanded the helper and straightens her hair as well as her dress before exiting the room and going back to their guests.

The helper carefully picked up Gabriella from the bed and slowly walks to Gabriella's room, making sure she wouldn't hurt her anymore while Alex was following at her back with so much worry on his face. When they arrived at Gabriella's room, the helper put Gabriella down with so much care again before walking out to pick up things she need to heal Gabriella's wound. Gabriella and Alex were left alone in the room. Alex picked his sister's hand and kissed it while her eyes were focused on her sister's face.

"I-I w-w-wasn't t-the one w-w-who dropped p-pa-pa's p-p-picture frame but m-mom w-w-won't listen, I-I'm sorry!" Gabriella murmured those words over and over again as she tried to bear the pain. While seeing her sister suffer, Alex feels like he would weep at any moment. If only he could transfer her pain to him, he would.

It was the very first time their mother had laid her hands on her child; typically, whenever they did something wrong, she would talk to them calmly. She constantly tried to explain to them why what they did was wrong while also taking into account their perspective. However, this time their mother was completely different; she didn't take their side and even beat the youngster excessively.

Soon after, the helper returned with her first aid box and began tending to Gabriella's injuries. Alex was relieved that her sister could finally relax after all the suffering she had through at their mother's hands when Gabriella fell asleep during the course of the treatment as a result of the exhaustion she felt from all the sobbing as well as the anguish she felt throughout her body.

Gabriella didn't wake up until the next morning which made Alex worry so much so he stayed with her sister on her room. He was staring at his sister's face when he noticed her eyebrows were furrowed and sweats were forming on her forehead. He raised his hand to touch her sister's forehead and he was enveloped in intense anxiety and panic when she felt how burning hot her sister is.

"Nana!" Alex shouted one of their helper's name while he was walking down the stairs. When Alex's powerful voice resounded throughout the entire household, everyone in the house panicked. The helpers immediately stopped what they were doing and waited for Alex to speak because Isabelle wasn't at the house and she had to leave for a business meeting.

With the huge spoon in her right hand, Nana emerged from the kitchen. Because she was there for Gabriella and Alex while they grew, Nana is the helper who is closest to them. Nana walked closer to the stairs and met Alex.

"Gabriella is burning hot! I think she has a fever, help her please!" Alex begged Nana. As soon as she can, Nana heads towards Gabriella's room. When she stroked the child's forehead, she was overcome with worry like a mother. She ran out to grab some medication and requested the other helper to call and notify Isabelle. While they waited for Isabelle to respond and contact the family doctor, she did her best to relieve Gabriella's fever.

"Nana, Madam's not answering the phone." The helper said after trying to contact Isabelle a few times. As Gabriella lies on the bed in silence, Nana bites her lip and considers another method to call the family doctor as she watches her. They are unable to get in touch with the family doctor because Isabelle recently changed it, and they have no clue how to do so. While Nana was walking back and forth Alex approached with teary eyes.

"Let's contact lola." Alex said and without further ado, Nana called the child's grandma, Josephine Maureen's phone right away to inform her of the situation, and the grandmother responded right away. While on a lengthy trip to see her grandchild, the grandmother phones a doctor immediately to treat her grandson.

When the Josephine arrived at the house, Gabriella was already treated and relaxing on her room which made her sign in relief. She enters Gabriella's room and stares at her grandchild sleeping soundly on the bed. She stayed beside her for a few hours with Alex beside her before deciding to stay on the living room and wait for Isabelle while Alex was left on the bedroom with her sister.

Josephine Maureen was reading a magazine when Isabelle entered the house carrying a handbag on her right arm while hugging a black folder on her left arm.

"What took a mother so long to arrive at the house when her child is suffering from pain on her room?" Josephine Maureen said when Isabelle entered the house.

"I was on the business meeting, mama." Isabelle replied. Josephine Maureen closed the magazine she was reading and walks near Isabelle and when she was already standing in front of her, Josephine immediately welcomed Isabelle with a slap. Josephine Maureen made sure that she put all her might on that slap to give justice for the pain her grandchild experience.

"Who gave you the right to punish my grandchild this hard?" Josephine asked Isabelle with a bit of irritation on her voice. The helper near them flinched when they heard the sound of Josephine's slap and her authoritative voice but they never dared to look in their direction or even meddle.

Isabelle raised her head and tried to regain her posture before speaking again. "I don't recall ever punishing MY child, but if you're referring to Cesar's child, I believe she deserves to be disciplined for misbehaving on her father's death anniversary. Please pardon me; I still have a lot of papers to work on." Isabelle said before walking away.

When Isabelle arrived upstairs, she turned her head to see whether her mother-in-law was following her or watching her before proceeding to Gabriella's room. She was taken aback when she noticed Alex sleeping next to Gabriella. She comes up to them and stares at them for a few moments before deciding to lower her body to kiss them on the forehead one after the other, waking Alex up. When Alex saw their mother, he sought to protect his sister, but her mother did nothing except smile at him before walking away.

The next morning, Josephine leaves the house early since she still has a lot to do, while Gabriella slept on her bed with Alex by her. Isabelle fired every worker they had on their house one by one because she realized someone among them was working for Josephine to track her movements.

"Nana." Alex called their helper while he was walking down the stairs and rubbing her eyes as he just woke up but no one answer him until she arrived at the kitchen and she saw his mother cooking and not their Nana. "Where's Nana?" He asked.

"They all left already, eat your breakfast. I'll deliver Gabriella's breakfast to her room." Isabelle said and carried the tray of foods on the table to Gabriella's room.

When Gabriella saw her, her heart immediately beats so fast and she wanted to walk away but she can't as her legs were still sore. "Where's Nana?! I want Nana!" Gabriella said and started to cry. Isabelle put the tray down on the table before walking towards Gabriella to calm her down.

"Nana had to buy something so she's not here at the moment." Isabelle calmly said but Gabriella didn't stop crying.

"I don't want you! I want Nana! NANA!" Gabriella said and shouted Nana's name as loud as she could which irritated Isabelle so she grabbed Gabriella chin and was about to slap the child's face when Alex entered the room.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Alex asked and run towards Gabriella. When Isabelle comes back to her senses, she run towards her room and let out all the emotions she had been suppressing while blaming the innocent child of her miseries.