Chapter 2

Alexander arrived at the Casablanca mansion that evening with a bleeding nose, one eye closed, and a bruised jaw. His mother, Trinity, almost stood up, while Amaury, his younger brother, widened his lips.

"Sorry I am late for dinner..." he said, then moved closer to his brother.

Don Leopoldo's face showed anger, but Trinity touched his hand.

"Where did you get into a fight this time?" he asked in a cold tone.

"I-I just broke up a fight at the bar—"

"You're a bouncer now?" he sarcastically asked, chewing on the sirloin steak served tonight.

"Dad..."

"Let's eat first, okay? We can talk about it later. We're in front of the food," Mrs. Casablanca scolded them, and everyone fell silent.

With only two children, it had come to this. Ever since a traumatic incident in Alexander's life, he hadn't spoken to him in private. He had been avoiding him. He knew the reason, and he would admit that it hurt him to see his son doing this to him. When he wanted to make amends, Alexander was the one who remained distant. It was as if he didn't want to revisit the past, even though he couldn't forget it.

"Hon..." Trinity embraced him from behind.

"What's that?" Trinity asked.

"How old is Alexander again?"

"He's thirty-five. Amaury is thirty. Why?"

"Have you tried to convince him to get married?"

He raised an eyebrow. "N-no. Why?"

"Because, you know, he doesn't want to. We've noticed for months that when he doesn't come home because of work, and when he does come home, it's always like this—like he's always getting into trouble. I think it's time for him to settle down..."

"I'm not the one who can make that decision, Trinity. And don't try to talk to him about it. You might end up on bad terms. Why is that?"

"Why? I'm good at picking a woman he could marry. I feel like this is the only way to get him to stop whatever he's doing. Look, I know I'm not like Denise, Leo. We've only been married for three years. And I know that they are still longing for their biological mother. If I could just—"

"Don't think that way. They accept you. It's just that they have different personalities. They're going through things we can't interfere with. As much as I want to, if Alexander doesn't open up to me, I can't do anything about it. I can only reprimand him."

"They're grown up now. They can handle their own decisions. We can't influence them, so whatever you're thinking, don't pursue it," the man lectured his wife.

Trinity kissed him on the forehead and went to sleep first.

"LENNON..." Trinity called from the right side of their business as the man approached.

"Good morning," he greeted.

"It looks like you're leaving early. Where are you headed?"

"To Eddie Pascual's."

She furrowed her brow. "Again? Didn't you go there yesterday?"

"You know, that couple is something else. I can't believe they sent us to the convenience store to collect money from their niece for a debt."

She raised an eyebrow too. "What happened? Did you go?"

He nodded and grinned. "You won't believe what happened yesterday."

"Share it with me. I'll make you a cup of coffee."

The two of them walked to the kitchen. "Where's Leo?" he asked.

"He just went out for a moment. I don't know where he's going. So, what happened on your visit?"

"Do you know, I've never seen a woman like that before," he laughed while recounting what happened yesterday.

After Lennon visited Lorna and Eddie's house, he went to the convenience store where their niece Damira worked. Three cars pulled up in front of the convenience store.

Even at that moment, he was forming a different impression of the woman working inside, especially when she briefly peered outside. Their eyes met briefly. He had to swallow when he entered.

"Good morning," he greeted another woman who was at the counter.

"Damira Pascual..." he approached the counter and stopped in front of the woman he knew was Damira.

"I-I'm Damira," the woman said, raising her hand.

"Do you know Lorna and Eddie Pascual?"

"Were you with the Indian who came earlier?" she asked him, as if he had done something wrong.

"W-what are you talking about?"

"Can you believe it? If they say I should pay their debts, I won't! The nerve of them, making me pay their debt! They didn't even contribute any money for the expenses. Tell them I won't pay whatever debt they have with you. I'm not even earning the minimum wage in this job, and I've never received my full salary."

She left his presence, and he could only gape at what he had heard. It was the first time he had encountered someone like this during debt collection.

"Ah, I'm sorry for her, okay? It's not a good day today because of the Indian who was looking for her earlier. I'm sorry again," she apologized to the man.

He simply nodded and left.

A broad smile crossed Trinity's face as Lennon recounted the story. She couldn't help but imagine Alexander and this woman living under the same roof.

"That's definitely going to be a riot," she whispered.

"What did you say?"

"N-nothing. Do you want me to go with you to Lorna's place now?"

"Why? You won't like it there."

"We're just going to teach them a lesson," she replied.

Trinity also came from hardship. She was also enslaved by the family she thought would love and take care of her. While she didn't know the true situation of Damira in that house, she knew they had a lot in common.

She knocked on their door. Even from a few steps away from the door, she could hear the shouting inside.

"I'm leaving this house!"

"Leave! We don't care about you! Is that how we raised you?!"

When she opened the door, she was surprised to see a woman with a bloody lower lip.

"Who are you?" the woman asked her.

"Are you Damira?"

She nodded.

"It's her! She's the one we mentioned, our niece who will pay your debt," Eddie chimed in, coming out of the house to approach them.

"I'll take Damira," Trinity declared.

Everyone turned to look at her.

"W-what?" Lorna asked.

"I'll take Damira from you, so you can work hard. I'll take her as a household helper in the mansion. I won't mistreat her like you do. You have no shame."

"W-what are you saying?" Damira asked, looking confused about what was happening.

"I'm Trinity. You'll live with me. You'll work for me."