Chapter 3
As Trinity walked alongside Damira, she could tell that the young woman was still confused about what was happening.
"W-wait!"
Lorna quickly approached them and placed her hands on Damira's shoulders. Damira avoided eye contact due to anger.
"What about Damira's mother? What if she finds out she's not living with us anymore? My sister entrusted her to me."
Trinity raised an eyebrow. "That's not your problem anymore. All you need to think about is how you can pay off your debt to me. I won't charge interest. Pay the ten thousand pesos you borrowed."
"Wait..." Eddie, her husband, followed, "How can we pay if you take Damira away from us?"
Trinity's eyebrows shot up even higher, as if she were the villain in this situation.
"I can't believe there are still people like you. Get to work! It's embarrassing that older people like you can still make a living!"
"Wait! Let's give Damira a choice," Lorna suggested, moving a bit away from her niece.
"Yeah, right. Damira, who will you choose? Won't you choose us? We're sorry if we pressured you. Let's not do it again. We promise not to put pressure on you anymore. Just don't leave us...please?" Eddie pleaded with the young woman.
Trinity felt a surge of nervousness but silently prayed that Damira wouldn't choose to return to her relatives.
"So, Damira? Will you come with me as your new employer or stay with them?" she asked the young woman.
Damira remained silent, but Trinity heard her sigh.
"I'll go with you, Miss Trinity."
The couple couldn't believe Damira's decision.
"D-Damira, you don't even know that woman. Why would you go with her? You know us, right?" Lorna tried to persuade her niece, even going as far as grabbing her arm. Damira shook off her grip.
"That's exactly it. I know you. You're my relatives, but what have you done for me? You've treated me like a servant. If that's all, I might as well work for someone else. You're even worse..."
Trinity led Damira to her car while the couple screamed in the background.
"You'll regret your decision, Damira! You have no gratitude for how we raised you! If only we knew you were like this, we wouldn't have wasted our time taking you and your mother in!"
Damira heard those hurtful words even as the car doors were closed. She fought back tears, thinking she had grown immune to the pain, but she was wrong... it still hurt.
"Are you okay?" Trinity asked her.
"I'm not. Honestly, I'm not. But now... now that I've left that house, I think I'll be okay," Damira replied.
"I'm sorry we couldn't get your things, but don't worry, I'll take you shopping for new clothes."
"Thank you. But why do you need me? You could just take Aunt Lorna."
"I'm sorry, but I can't trust them anymore. They were already shady about the debt. What more if I hired her as a helper? I'm not really strict about their debt. They said their sister was sick, so I gave them ten thousand pesos right away."
Damira couldn't believe they involved her mother in their mess.
"Is it true that your mother is sick?"
"She's in the hospital. It's been six months. She didn't want to be a burden at home, so she had herself confined even though she could still manage. She didn't want to be a bother to Aunt. But three months ago, her condition worsened. We started chemotherapy. Our hospital bill has skyrocketed, but I can't believe they dragged my mother into their foolishness," Damira explained.
"I am so sorry. I didn't know they were talking about your mother."
"They never helped us. I did everything to finish college, to find a job... but..."
"Don't worry. You're no longer under their control. From now on, you're going to live with us."
"What am I going to do as a house helper?" Damira asked.
"Hmmmm..." The woman thought for a moment. "I think you are too beautiful to be a house helper. But I am going to propose something to you. This is a good one and it can definitely help you and your mother."
She felt nervous about whatever offer was coming. She didn't know this woman, but she immediately trusted her because she desperately wanted to escape her current life. She was thankful to this woman because if she hadn't arrived, her injured lip might have been the least of her problems. They were currently arguing because the Indian man had come to collect money from the couple.
She sighed and closed her eyes, recalling Eddie's threat and punch in her face.
"Is it more painful for you?" the woman next to her asked.
"Only my face. But other than that, it's okay," she lied.
"Let's treat that when we get home. By the way, I have a question for you..."
"What is it?"
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
In her entire life, she had never been kissed or touched. She had no experience with anything, except for what she saw in K-dramas on social media, which is where she experienced her feelings.
"N-No..." She accompanied that with a shake of her head.
"Why though?” Trinity asked with a chuckle.
"I don't know either. Maybe this just isn't my time," Damira replied.
"How old are you again?"
"I'm thirty-three."
"You're still young. You'll find someone."
"If I'm not lucky, I can always join a convent, right?" she joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Don't worry, it won't come to that."
They both smiled at each other until Damira felt the car come to a stop in front of a massive house.
"We're here now, Ma'am," the driver said as he stepped out to open the door for Trinity.
"Come on. You're going to have a delicious breakfast this morning. Join us for breakfast, and I'll introduce you to my children."
As she stepped out of the car, she couldn't help but gape in awe. It felt like she was in a dream, looking at one of her dream houses.
"Is this your house?" she asked.
"No, it's my husband's. Come on."
She followed the woman to the dining area, feeling nervous as the house staff and others in the house looked at her. They were all staring at her.
She couldn't help but feel embarrassed because she was only wearing a T-shirt and jeans that reached her knees.
"Good morning, everyone!" Trinity cheerfully greeted the three men at the dining table.
"Honey, where have you been? I thought you were in the study room?" Leopoldo inquired.
"I am so sorry. I had some errands to do, and I'm with someone," Trinity explained.
The three men looked at her, curious about her companion.
"Who's she?" Leopoldo asked.
"She's Damira Pascual, and she's going to be with us from now on," Trinity introduced.