CHAPTER 4 – UNEXPECTEDLY

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The next day, the volunteer doctors and nurses from Samaniego Medical Hospital, led by their head doctor, Dr. Lorenzo Miguel, boarded a private plane provided by Governor Clifford of Manila. They were assigned to conduct a medical mission in a province severely affected by a super typhoon. Although the typhoon had passed, it left significant damage in its wake.

Upon arrival, the doctors and nurses quickly set up their equipment to begin the medical mission and distribute relief goods to the typhoon victims.

Meanwhile, Monica was among those greatly affected by the typhoon. Their home was submerged, and her family was currently staying at an evacuation center.

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GABRIELLA MONICA JIMENEZ POV

Finally, the storm had passed, but it had wreaked havoc on our area for almost two days. This meant that Rylie and I had not been able to go home during that time. We chose to stay at the hospital since our town was severely flooded, including our house, where the entire first floor was submerged.

I couldn't help but worry about my family, who were currently staying at an evacuation center. Thankfully, they had a tent and were doing well. The signal had returned, and electricity was restored in some areas, although many places still had damaged and fallen power lines.

Today, all the doctors and nurses were busy because we were preparing for a large medical mission to assist our affected townspeople. Rylie and I woke up early to prepare our supplies. Dr. Blaire informed us that volunteer nurses and doctors from Manila would be joining us to provide free check-ups and distribute relief goods. Many more volunteers were expected, which excited us greatly. The unexpected outpouring of support filled us with gratitude and solidarity, reaffirming the enduring spirit of bayanihan in times of crisis.

I called Mama to check on them and inform them about the free medical check-up and food distribution.

"Yes, Ma. Please go to the covered court with the kids. Many people have donated, so it would be a waste if you don't go. I'll be there too, and I miss you so much. Please take care, I love you very much," I said, tearing up during the video call.

Mama also teared up. Luckily, they now had electricity at the evacuation center, so they were able to charge their phones. Yesterday, we couldn't video call because her phone was dead by morning, and I missed them terribly.

We boarded a truck, which was our transportation to the distribution site. The journey was short, and soon we arrived. We saw numerous tents and the hospital team that Dr. Blaire mentioned would join us on this mission.

We wasted no time in setting up our equipment, eager to commence our mission without delay.

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@Medical Mission

"Double-check everything, guys. Our list is crucial, so make sure everything is properly recorded, alright?" Dr. Blaire's reminder resonated with a sense of urgency. He emphasized that our Medical Mission would span two days, igniting a wave of excitement among us! With an abundance of volunteers and generous donations, our supplies were overflowing, ready to be distributed to those in need.

My best friend and I were stationed at booth 11, where I conducted blood pressure and temperature checks for the people in line, while she meticulously recorded these details along with their names and ages. Two other nurses accompanied us, responsible for dispensing the relief goods.

"What's your name, sir?" Riley inquired, addressing the first person in line.

"Dominic."

"Age?"

"22," came the man's reply, prompting Riley to glance at him with a hint of a smile.

"Do you have a wife or girlfriend?" she ventured further.

"None, I'm single," he responded.

"Alright, good. Are you attracted to the same sex?" Riley suddenly interjected, eliciting disapproving glances from the rest of us. I promptly nudged her shoulder.

"Hey, what's with that question? Seriously, this is a Medical Mission, not a matchmaking event. Behave yourself, or we might get into trouble. You're such a riot," I chuckled, to which she joined in, amused by her own mischief.

"Sorry, I grabbed the wrong log book. I couldn't resist; Dominic is so handsome, I almost wrote him down in my slambook. Hmp!" We all shared a laugh at her playful antics before she shifted to a more serious demeanor.

My best friend is truly a delight. No matter where you take her, her mischievous spirit never fades away.

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After nearly four hours, we were starting to feel hungry, but our replacements hadn't arrived yet, so we continued with our work. Meanwhile, something caught our attention – a thick crowd gathering at the neighboring booth run by another volunteer hospital.

"What's going on over there?" I asked Riley as we both glanced over at the bustling booth.

"Yeah, is it a medical mission too? What if they're giving away money over there? I swear, I'd leave this booth and join that line in a heartbeat," Riley joked. None of us knew what was causing the long line.

We noticed that everyone coming from that booth had wide smiles, as if they'd just won the lottery.

"Look at that, even that toothless grandma is grinning from ear to ear. Oh my god, girls, I have a feeling there's a billionaire over there handing out money! You know what, if I were you, I'd line up too," Riley said, making me laugh. But seriously, what if a billionaire was actually there? Oh my god, I should go with Riley to get some money from that wealthy guy. We're not rich, so we need everything we can get.

Moments later, at the perfect moment, our replacements arrived! We could finally take a break. But first, we wanted to check out the commotion at the other booth.

Just as we were about to head over, our fellow nurses, who had just come from that booth, stopped us.

"If I were you, I'd just eat. You won't see him anyway; that famous doctor already left," they said.

Riley and I exchanged glances, and I couldn't help but laugh at her disappointed expression. She looked like she'd just lost a business deal.

Apparently, it was a doctor named Dr. Lorenzo who was in that booth, causing all the excitement. Sigh, why did I even hope a billionaire was there? Riley and I both felt disappointed.

But suddenly, my flirty best friend suggested we go and check out the doctor. I declined because, honestly, there was nothing for me to gain from meeting him. So, I decided to just sit down and eat instead.

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LORENZO MIGUEL SAMANIEGO POV

Hours had passed, and our line was still long. We had interacted with so many people, all of whom were incredibly welcoming. Despite the problems they faced, every resident I saw was smiling—except for the few impatient kids.

I was handing out relief supplies alongside my fellow doctor and friend, Dr. Charles, a pediatrician who was handling the children.

"Well, it's impressive, Doc. So far, none of the kids here have a fever, and they all seem healthy. They're up-to-date on their vaccinations and their nutrition is good," Dr. Charles praised as he checked up on the children.

"Wow, that's great to hear, Doc. It looks like their healthcare here is top-notch. Good job," I replied with a smile.

Then, three kids caught my attention. Maybe I was just seeing things, but the little boy in line looked almost exactly like me—a chubbier version, but with the same facial features and hair. Especially his blue eyes, which mirrored mine. The other boy had grey eyes and also resembled me closely, and they seemed to be twins, wearing matching clothes. The little girl with them was super cute and looked like she could be their sister, given how they were all chatting and laughing together. She reminded me so much of Dhalia, with the same charm and beautiful eyes. It made me miss her even more.

I watched them intently until it was their turn to sit next to Dr. Charles for a check-up.

"Oh, what a good-looking girl. So pretty." Dr. Charles said with a smile to the little girl, who smiled back at him.

I couldn't take my eyes off her. Fate, why are you doing this to me? Every angle of this child reminded me of Dhalia.

"So, what's your name, baby girl?"

"Alisson Mariella Samaniego," she replied, and Dr. Charles and I exchanged a surprised look. He smiled.

"Woah, Samaniego? Is she your daughter?" Dr. Charles joked, but I had a strange feeling about her.

"Seems like the Samaniego genes are spreading far and wide, Doc. Miguel. And I must say, all Samaniegos are quite good-looking. But you know, Alisson, you look exactly like my youngest sister. Now I'm curious about your mother, but it's impossible for you to be her child since she has been gone for a long time," Dr. Charles said, smiling at the child while checking her. But I could also feel a hint of sadness in his voice.

I couldn't help but feel sad too. Actually, in all the years I've known Dr. Charles, I had no idea he had a sibling. I always thought he was an only child.

Anyway, after Dr. Charles finished checking Alisson, the gorgeous kid walked over to her nanny, and I stayed put, eager to hear the details of the next child, the boy who also resembled me.

"Wow, the kids here look like celebrities! Another good looking guy." Dr. Charles exclaimed as he began checking the boy's vitals. Then he asked for the boy's name.

"Your name, pretty boy?"

"My name is Alonzo Mackenzie."

"Okay, your surname?" I swallowed hard, feeling a bit nervous.

"Saman... Samaniego," he stuttered, and Dr. Charles and I exchanged another glance.

I couldn't hold back any longer and asked the boy myself.

"Hi, my name is Dr. Miguel. I'm a doctor. May I know your mother's name? Is she here with you?" I asked gently, and the boy just smiled at us.

Suddenly, a child screamed, "Mommyyyyy!"

Dr. Charles and I turned simultaneously.

And f*ck! My heart raced. I couldn't believe my eyes. The woman I had been searching for over the past five years was right there...

"Dhalia?" was all I could utter when I saw Alison calling her mommy.

She hugged her child, and the two boys followed suit. I felt like the world stopped spinning.

I tried to stay composed and silently observed. I couldn't help but tear up, feeling a strong connection to the three children she was hugging. Deep down, I was confident they were mine.

I quickly wiped my tears, hoping no one would notice. My assistant, Jeric, handed me a tissue.

"Tissue, sir? For your, um, tears," he gestured to his eyes, and I glared at him until he walked away.

Then, Dr. Charles suddenly shouted, "MONICA??" and stood up, his eyes wide in shock. He approached her and hugged her.

"Brother??" Dhalia responded, hugging Dr. Charles back.

I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. WTF, so Monica was her real name all along? No wonder I couldn't find her. And the woman I had been searching for all these years was the youngest sister Dr. Charles had mentioned?

WTF!! My head started pounding.

You're such an idiot, Miguel!! What have you been doing with your life? The answer was right beside you all along! One question, and your problem could've been solved years ago! F*ck!!

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Gabriella Monica Jimenez's POV

After we finished eating, my best friend and I decided to take a stroll since we wouldn't be returning to our booth for a while. Plus, Mama texted me that they were already here and in line, so Riley and I scanned each booth to find them.

We reached one of the booths towards the back when Riley suddenly nudged me because she saw Ate Lucy with my kids. "Girl, there they are!" I couldn't contain my joy when I saw them. I missed them so much that I couldn't help but run towards them.

"Mooommmyyy!" my daughter, Alisson shouted as she saw me, and suddenly Alonzo and Addison joined in the rush towards me. Tears filled my eyes from missing them so much. I quickly asked how they were, and they said they were doing well, behaving and always following Mama Emma.

I didn't stay long because I knew they were still in line, so I told them to go back to their place.

As I was about to leave, I suddenly heard someone called my name.

"Monica?"

My heart started pounding as the voice sounded so familiar. When I turned to see who was calling me, my eyes widened in disbelief. Am I dreaming? Could it really be my brother calling me?

"Monica!"

Tears began to stream down my face when I saw my brother, Charles. He ran towards me and enveloped me in a tight hug.

Both of us broke into tears, sobbing uncontrollably as we reunited after being apart for so long. Being the only siblings, he had always been my pillar of support. However, our separation began when Dad sent him to study in the UK, and since then, we haven't seen each other.

"Oh my God, Monica. Is that really you?" He looked at me intently, pinching my cheeks and squeezing my arms.

"Come on, bro, it's me, your only sister, Monica," I said tearfully.

"My God, I can't believe it's really you. I always had a feeling you were still alive."

"Alive?" I replied, shocked.

"Y-Yes, because everyone thought that you were dead."

I shook my head at what my brother said. Meanwhile, I decided to introduce him to my children.

My brother Charles was delighted to meet them and couldn't believe I already had children.

"My God, I knew it. You know what? I was just mentioned earlier, especially with your daughter who resembles my sibling so much, and it turns out you're their mother. Oh, by the way, does that mean the reason you vanished for so long was because you got married?" My brother inquired.

But I couldn't bring myself to answer him, especially with my children right beside me. I didn't want to give them something that would just disturb their minds. Besides, even if I did, I wouldn't need the help of their deceitful father.

So I just kept my mouth shut. But it seems like he really wants to know who the father of the kids is.

"Wait, who's their Dad, by the way? Did he take responsibility for them? I want to meet him," my brother asked, his tone carrying a hint of warning. Despite his calm demeanor, I knew him well. He would go to great lengths for me.

I recalled our elementary days when we were classmates, and he almost got expelled several times because of me. He always stood up for me against bullies. The worst incident was when he fought off a bully much bigger than him, almost pushing him down the stairs in his rage. I was shocked when I witnessed it. After that incident, the bullying towards me stopped.

So, I knew that if I told my brother that I raised my children alone, he would persist in finding out the details about their father. And if that happened, it could cause a huge uproar, especially given our family's involvement in politics. I didn't want our quiet life here to be disrupted, and worse, I might be sent back to Manila by Mommy. Oh, I didn't want to return to my chaotic life in Manila. I am living my best life here.

That's why I couldn't look my brother in the eye when Riley suddenly approached me and embraced me.

"Hey girl, what's up? Is he your brother? Can you introduce me to him?" Riley said with a smile, and my eyes lit up as I suddenly thought of something.

So as he wishes, I introduce him to my brother.

"Oh yeah, bro, I would like you to meet, Ryle Christian," I said with a smile, introducing Riley to my brother. They shook hands, and meanwhile, Riley whispered something to me, seemingly displeased with what I said.

"Hey, why did you introduce me with my real name? You know that I already abandoned that. As I am now Riley the sassy girl." Riley said raising her eyebrows.

"Wow, what a nice name. Nice to meet you, Christian. So, are you Monica's friend?" my brother asked with a smile.

Before Riley could answer, I interrupted. "Oh...," stopping Riley in his tracks.

"He's my husband," I said, taking Riley's hand. But I couldn't even grasp his hand at first because he kept pulling it away, so I nudged him, and I quickly held it.

"Oh, really?" my brother replied, but he seemed so worried as Riley recoiled from my gesture.

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah, he's okay. Hehehe. He just dropped some coin, so he picked it up. Hehehe. Right, babe?" I said, giving Riley a stern look.

"Yeah, I just picked up some coin. Here, look. Hehe, hmm! You know what babe? I can't really resist your cuteness, hmm!" Riley said, squeezing my cheek painfully. "Hmm! You're so cute, babe! Your beauty is irresistible!"

And I almost cried from what he did. You're lucky bastard, my brother is there, that's why I have to act like nothing is wrong and it was all normal.

"Wow, I have no words for the two of you. You're so sweet. It's obvious that you're still in the early stages of your relationship. I wouldn't be surprised if Christian got you pregnant again," my brother joked, and Riley and I looked at each other, seeming disgusted.

"Eww!" Riley blurted out, but he quickly retracted. "I mean, eww! Because I suddenly remembered what we were doing when we conceived our triplets. We were really going at it. We were so sweaty because there was a blackout, so we just kept going and going. We somehow did all the positions, so maybe that's why we had three because so much came out of me..."

I couldn't bear to hear anymore, so I cut off Riley's story.

"Hehe, too much information babe, so yeah, I think we should have to go now as we need to go back into our booth too,"

My brother was surprised to actually find out that we were nurses. But because we didn't have time left so we immediately leave, promising him that we would rather talk later.

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