CHAPTER 2 –  ESCAPE FROM HELL

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Here's another protagonist, Lorenzo Miguel Samaniego, or Miggy as he's fondly called. At 28, he's already a successful neurosurgeon and businessman. He has established various businesses, earning him a spot as one of the youngest billionaires in the country. Despite his immense wealth at a young age, Miguel continues to work tirelessly. He remains hands-on in managing their hospital alongside his father. Their hospital, Samaniego Medical Hospital, is widely recognized for providing significant discounts and sometimes even free medical care and medications to their patients. As a result, the hospital has received numerous awards and recognition throughout the country.

Meanwhile, Lorenzo Miguel's group of friends decided to hang out at a bar once again. It's been a long time since they last saw each other, and their longing for one another is evident. And where else would they gather? Of course, at their favorite place, La Maison Bar and Grill, now owned by Vonn Austin Miller.

LORENZO MIGUEL SAMANIEGO POV

Here we are again, the old gang of womanizers, back in action. But this time, we're not just the rowdy bunch from before. We've grown into professionals with our careers. No more being relegated to the lower floors of the bar; now we lounge in the VIP room, surrounded by booze, food, and women. My buddies, the incorrigible perverts, are in their element once more. They're the true masters of the game, while I remain the loyal one among us. Ever since I laid eyes on Dhalia, that's been my unwavering stance.

But damn, her memory creeps back in, stealing my focus. Yet, that's life, right? Moments of longing amidst the chaos. I'm certain we'll cross paths again, especially now that I've found success. But why dwell on her now? Tonight's about letting loose, about reveling in the moment.

"Enjoy, let's have some fun, motherfuckers! Woo!" I shout, dancing with my glass of tequila held high.

"Ah, man. I've missed this, bro. It's been almost a year since our last meetup. So much has changed in our lives, but you know what's consistent? Our knack for womanizing! Hahaha! Cheers, motherfuckers!" Steven exclaimed, tossing back a shot of potent tequila.

Steven Lee is now a distinguished professor at a prestigious school here in the Philippines. Like me, he's also diversified his portfolio with various businesses, so it's no surprise my friend is climbing the ladder of wealth.

"Oh yeah! And this is what I've missed about our drinking sessions, our motherf***ing snacks," Dale Gomez chimed in playfully, describing his two girls beside him as his snacks, then planting a kiss on them.

Dale is now a pilot in their own airline, and I can't help but admire my friend. How can I not? He's nearly catching up to my wealth; we're just a rank apart in the list of youngest billionaires, with me ranking third and him fourth.

"Cheers, my brothers!" I shouted, raising my glass.

"Cheers!" everyone echoed.

Suddenly, the genius of the group, Vonn Austin, chimed in, clearly drunk, his face flushed from the excessive drinking.

"Screw that! You know what? I'm absolutely thrilled right now because it feels like forever since we've all been together. And can you please explain, what's up with you two? Steven and Miggy? You're always occupied. I get Capt. Dale's situation—he's a pilot, flying long distances every day. But you two? It's like you've got ten kids and three wives each. Seriously, life's a party, bro, and I'm always flying solo here. I bought this bar for us, and yet here I am, about to be left hanging again while you two are out chasing skirts? Come on, move your penises, you two! You might start growing cobwebs down there!" Vonn Austin Miller shook his head in disappointment as Steven and I were consistently busy whenever he called us.

I immediately explained to Vonn that being a neurosurgeon isn't easy. Especially considering the challenges I've faced—from the intense studies and training to the demanding actual work. We always have to be at the top of our game because saving lives is our job.

Understanding my perspective, Vonn promptly apologized for his earlier remarks. However, Steven couldn't resist chiming in once more.

"Shut it, bro. Do you think being a professor is a walk in the park? Well, it's not, especially when there are plenty of students who want to pass in a hurry. And we still don't have enough room to conduct their passing ceremonies. It's tough, and we might get caught, right? So just imagine the difficulty and stress I go through every single day," Steven shrugged, taking a swig of his drink.

We burst into laughter at Steven's ridiculousness. Did he really just make sleeping with him a requirement for passing? What a crazy pervert. But he also claimed he never asked for it. His students were just too desperate and the ones who were asking for it.

As the hours passed, we continued with our drinking and chatting. But amidst our banter, I didn't realize that I had once again drifted off into my thoughts. I found myself gazing at a woman on the stage of the bar. The stage was clearly visible from where we were, and the woman dancing bore a striking resemblance to Dahlia's attire when we first met.

Suddenly, Vonn caught me and tapped me on the shoulder.

"Goddamn, bro! Hey? What's wrong with you? Who are you staring at?" Vonn said teasingly.

He followed my gaze and exclaimed when he saw the woman I was looking at. He immediately looked at me and grinned.

"Oh, that girl, right? In the black dress? Do you want me to invite her over? Don't worry, bro, we have a room here in the VIP section so you two can, you know, have some privacy."

But I quickly declined his offer because I was merely looking at that woman and I didn't have any ill intentions towards her. And as I mentioned, I remain loyal to Dhalia.

My friends immediately burst into laughter. They all had girls in their laps, especially Steven, who had even surpassed Dale by having three girls with him now.

"Come on, Miggy, lighten up a bit," Steven teased. "You can't stay hung up on Dhalia forever. Enjoy the moment, man!"

I just shook my head and smiled. Deep down, I knew they wouldn't understand. But that was okay. I had my own path to follow, and I was determined to stay true to it, no matter how long it took.

As the night wore on, I couldn't shake the feeling that somewhere out there, Dhalia was thinking of me too. And that thought, more than anything, kept me going.

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As our drinking session progressed, I was getting a bit tipsy, and before I knew it, I had opened up to them about my ongoing search for Dhalia.

"Oh my f****** God. Really, bro? When was the last time you got serious about a girl? It's been five years, man, and you're still hung up on that girl? Come on, man. You gotta enjoy life and not settle on someone you might never see again," Steven exclaimed, clearly annoyed. He thought I had wasted years searching for Dhalia.

I just shook my head and took a sip of my drink, half-listening to their lectures and expressions of regret on my behalf. I couldn't fathom why my feelings for her remained so intense, and even now, I still harbored the hope that someday, we would meet again.

"Yeah, you can call me what you want, but I'm still looking for her and I won't stop until I find her. And when I do, you won't see me again," I replied, downing another shot. The warmth of the alcohol spread through my body.

My friends frowned, but I couldn't help but laugh at their reactions. Of course, it was just a joke that I wouldn't pay attention to them anymore. I was just annoyed that none of them really supported me in my search for Dhalia.

Vonn suddenly tapped me on the right arm. "You know, bro, if I were you, why not just settle for your FUBU? I mean, you guys have been hooking up since high school, right? Who knows, maybe you're meant for each other."

Dale agreed with Vonn's suggestion. "Yeah, that's right. Mia, the one who's crazy about you, right?"

I couldn't help but smile and shake my head. Mia... Mia... Mia... They just had to remind me.

Mia Cruz was my classmate in high school, and we were fuck buddies for a few years. She was head over heels for me to the point where she practically invaded my condo almost every day. And because I was a teenager back then, I was just as passionate and enjoyed it until I found out her true intentions.

I caught her rummaging through my bag, and my wallet's cards were scattered. She planned to steal from me and was looking for my bank details. She didn't even admit it when I found out she used to steal money from my wallet and give it all to her boyfriend, whom she preferred over me whenever we had sex.

Since then, I've avoided her, threatening to expose all her scams if she ever bothered me again.

"No way, I'll f*** that b**** again, bro. It's been so long since we last saw each other, and I have no news about her. And I don't even care about her. Forget that b****!" I said, taking another gulp of my drink. F***!

"You know, until now, I still can't believe you've changed. Because it feels like just yesterday you were even more of a fuckboy than us. Right, guys?" Dale said, shaking his head with a teasing look, and the others laughed along.

"So if you say you haven't been with another girl since Dhalia, does that mean you haven't f****d anybody?" he continued, barely able to contain his laughter.

I just nodded at his question, and they burst into laughter.

"Damn it! RIP my boy, burrito. Never been found since five freakin' years ago," Vonn said, laughing.

They all burst into laughter, holding their stomachs as they laughed uncontrollably. Oh well, laugh all you want. I'm making sure that the last laugh is still mine.

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Meanwhile... Several days had passed, and the super typhoon that had been spotted offshore had indeed made landfall. The storm was currently raging through La Union, where Monica was living. The winds howled ferociously, and the rain fell in relentless sheets, battering everything in its path.

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GABRIELLA MONICA JIMENEZ POV

I woke up to a gentle kiss on my face, prompting me to open my eyes immediately. And as I did, I was greeted by the sight of my incredibly beautiful and handsome children.

"Hi, Mommy, good thing you're awake. We've been trying to wake you up earlier because it's raining heavily outside," my eldest said.

"Yeah, mommy. The TV news said there's a typhoon and we're under Signal Number 1 here," another chimed in.

"Yes, Mommy. Grandma and Ate Lucy downstairs are already preparing in case of flooding," my three children informed me, hugging me tightly.

And yeah, they're my children. The result of one night with Miguel. Even I couldn't believe that something could happen so quickly in just one night. Although things didn't end well with that man and my own foolishness, I don't regret it because it resulted in these incredibly beautiful and handsome children, triplets to be exact. Two boys and one girl. Addison Maverick, the eldest of the triplets, followed by Alison Mariella, the only girl, and then Alonzo Mackenzie, the youngest among them.

They've become instant celebrities in our area because of their unique eye colors. Both Alison and Addison have striking blue eyes, obviously inherited from their deceitful father, while Alonzo inherited my gray eyes. They're four years old now and will turn five next year.

Suddenly...

Plok!

Oh my gosh! Water droplets fell on my face. Looks like the typhoon is really strong because it even opened my closed window. Rainwater was also seeping through the holes in our roof, so I quickly got out of bed to catch the leaks and properly close the window.

After finishing, I thought of helping Mama and Ate Lucy, the children's nanny, to pack things because it's likely that our surroundings were already flooding.

When I went downstairs, I saw Mama and Ate Lucy arranging things. I immediately offered to help because I knew Mama shouldn't tire herself out.

"Mama, let me handle that. You should rest now. Ate Lucy and I can manage," I said to Mama, who was packing things into boxes.

Mama kissed me when she saw me. "Oh, Monica, my child, good thing you're awake. Have you eaten? Food is ready on the table. Did the kids wake you up? I asked them to wake you up because it's already late. Don't worry, we've all eaten. We woke up early together," she said.

I finished packing before I ate. When I saw Faith, Mama Emma's only child, I noticed she had just woken up and her eyes were still sleepy.

Faith is Mama Emma's only child. She's 20 years old now. Mama Emma told me that Faith hasn't had any siblings because her husband passed away early, and Mama Emma didn't try to find a new partner because she wanted to focus on their only child.

I consider myself fortunate to be taken in by Mama Emma. I remember it's been five years since I left our home in Manila and boarded a bus. I didn't even know the route; I just got on because I wanted to leave and distance myself from my family, especially when I found out I was pregnant.

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FLASHBACK…

I felt different during those weeks after what happened between me and Miguel. I had headaches and dizziness every day, and it was getting worse. I didn't let my family notice back then because I suspected that I might be...

"OMG!" I gasped when I saw the two red lines while holding the pregnancy test.

I couldn't believe the result and just stared at myself in the mirror, trembling and crying uncontrollably.

I had no one else to call because I had no one to confide in, especially after my only friend betrayed me.

Ah, sh*t!! Why did you have to do this, Monica? What kind of stupidity possessed you? I can't let my family know about this because I know they'll only hurt me, especially Mommy. That's why she never wanted me to have a boyfriend before because she was afraid I might get pregnant.

And also, because my family is in politics, and the De Silva and Jimenez families are highly respected. One of the reasons I don't have friends is because of their restrictions on me. They practically kept me imprisoned at home, so I didn't hesitate to rebel against what they did to me.

One morning, while I was having breakfast alone since there was no one else in the house and even our helpers were still asleep, I was eating my cereal when I decided to try again to see if I was really pregnant. So I went to the bathroom, and OMG! The two lines appeared quickly. It seemed like I was really pregnant, so after I finished in the bathroom, I returned to the table and continued eating because I was really hungry. Then suddenly, I felt like I was going to vomit.

Blaargh! Blaargh As I rinsed my mouth by the kitchen sink, someone suddenly grabbed me from behind.

"Mom?!" I whispered in fear when I saw her out of the corner of my eye, and she was furious.

"Don't make any noises! Just tell me whose test kit is this?!" she said angrily while grabbing me and holding up the pregnancy test.

And I started crying and hugged her, asking for forgiveness, but she kept pushing me away and scolding me.

"My god! Monica! You have no idea what the consequences of your stupidity will be! You're such an irresponsible person!! What will our family and the people say if they find out that you, an unmarried woman, are pregnant?! My God, Monica!!" she was so angry at me but lowered her voice because she didn't want anyone to hear us, avoiding it from spreading throughout the house. She even gave me a consequence that I really didn't like. She locked me in my room after threatening me.

"Don't you dare come out of that room! Remember what I told you. And if you don't do that, remember this. Forget that you're my daughter!!"

And I cried so hard that day. I didn't know what to do. I had no one to talk to or approach except myself. I held my stomach and prayed for strength to face all these trials.

Until one day passed, I thought about how I could escape from this hell. Our house was heavily guarded, and there were guards stationed in every corner. When my maid entered the room with her child, an idea suddenly occurred to me.

I begged my maid, Yaya Flor, to help me escape from the house. She hesitated at first, but when I told her my real reason for wanting to do this, she didn't hesitate to help me.

And I successfully escaped from our house by pretending to be Yaya Flor's child. I thanked her as we left the subdivision.

I had nothing with me but myself and my credit cards. I walked around, and luckily, I was wearing a hoodie so that people wouldn't recognize me. Until I boarded a taxi and asked to be dropped off at a nearby bank to withdraw money from my savings. I withdrew all the money and returned to the taxi. Actually, I had no idea where to go. I couldn't go back to the condo because Mommy would surely find out, and I might be tracked down. I thought I wouldn't go back to our house anymore.

Until we reached a Bus Terminal, and I asked to be dropped off there. It was already late, and I was feeling a bit hungry and dizzy. I walked around until my nose led me to a small eatery.

OMG! I couldn't resist the aroma of the Sinigang being enjoyed by an auntie. I could see the sour expression on her face, which made me salivate even more.

"Wow, that looks delicious!" I said, unable to contain my excitement.

I immediately covered my mouth because I felt so embarrassed when the auntie looked at me while slurping the soup.

"Ohh, would you like some, dear? Come and eat with me," she said, smiling.

I suddenly felt my stomach growl, and of course, I couldn't let this opportunity pass, so I joined her for a meal.

OMG! This tastes so good! And it's still hot...

Burp!!!

"Ah, this is so delicious, Auntie. Thank you so much," I said with a smile, which she returned.

Because of her kindness, I paid for our meal, including her child's.

"It's embarrassing, dear. Here's my payment. I just got excited about your reaction, so I invited you to eat. But I can pay for it." the aunt insisted, trying to give me the money.

I kept refusing to accept her payment because her kindness was payment enough.

"Please, Auntie, just keep it," I insisted.

After a while, I started feeling a severe bout of dizziness, but I tried my best to hide it and not let it show.

"Oh, what's happening to you? Dear? Dear? Help!!"

And everything went black.