I turned to Oxygen as soon as he pulled out in front of my grandmother's mansion at Bel-Air village where mom is staying. He gave me a look that held patience, I instantly felt guilty. This morning we both found out that we're going to be parents, I could say that I'm not completely happy because I'm scared although I'm thrilled. He suggested that we head out for a checkup and stuff like that, I didn't wanna argue with him because I like that he's concerned to our child but we received a call from Zander saying that mom arrived the other night and this morning, dad told her everything. Mom didn't take it well, as expected. She went hysterical. I had to be there, for her.

"I'm sorry, Oxygen." I bit my bottom lip and lowered my eyes on my lap.

"I understand, Gabby." He reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Gusto mo ba samahan kita sa loob?"

Mabilis akong umiling, this is my family's mess and I don't want Oxygen to be any way involved. "I can do it, for mom. She needs me."

Nakakaunawa siyang tumango bago muling humugot ng marahan na pag-hinga. "Mag-aantay ako dito. Don't stress yourself too much."

I smiled and looked at him, I touched the side of his face and inched up to give his lips a peck. "Thank you."

Nang makababa ako ng sasakyan ay ang siyang pag-bukas ng malaking gate ng kabahayan. Tumingala ako, agad kong natanaw si Zander at si daddy sa balkonahe. Both of them weren't smiling, well, who's brave to break a smile with mom breaking things inside her room.

I went upstairs to meet them. Dad looks like he aged out of stress, he might really be feeling troubled.

"Gabby-"

I held my hand up to stop Zander from talking. "Where's mom?" I need to see her.

"She's in her old room. She's not dealing with it lightly-"

"And you can't expect her to do so." Irap ko bago pareho silang talikuran para puntahan si mommy.

I maybe a bad daughter for not recognizing my father's presence but nah, I just need to see my mommy. Three knocks and she's already screaming and shoving me off.

"Mom, this is Gabby." Hearing her cries made me wanna cry with her, I don't know if pregnancy has something to do with this or it's just the pain I'm carrying in my heart. "Mom, will you let me in? I'm here for you."

A few seconds passed before the knob twisted open. I inhaled softly and stepped in, mentally reminding myself that I have to be strong for my mother now. Zander wasn't exaggerating things, the whole room was a mess.

Even the huge vanity mirror she kept for decades was broken and was shattered into tiny pieces. I was careful on taking my steps, I might trip. I turned to mom, she's sitting in the middle of her bed, the glamorous Camille Synna Velez-Vladislav can't be pictured. I've never seen mom this way before.

She wasn't wailing nor screaming anymore but the silent tears from her eyes were unstoppable as it rolls down her face. Her high cheekbones were sunken. Her eyes were staring out with bewilderment and sadness, it's terrifyingly dim.

"Mom, I'm here..." I climbed up the bed and hugged her.

"I-I'm not strong for this..." she admitted as she held unto my arms like a scared child. "No, I can't accept this. Gabby, this is too much."

I've never been so sad in my life but right now, I could say that my heart is breaking into million pieces for my mom.

"Your dad. He has a son that is not my son."

I didn't say anything simply because I don't know what to say that will make her feel better.

"Who called you?"

"Zander, he said you m-might need me. I can't believe you're shoving him off..." Like normal families, my parents also plays favoritism. For mom, it's Zander. And I'm okay with that.

"He betrayed me, I can't believe he'll do this to me. My little Zander, my baby boy. Then, Chanel. I can't believe they've known it for so long." She cried again.

"They were just trying to protect you. They meant no harm mom, they love you as much as I do-"

"What are you saying?" She moved away from my embrace and shot me a glare. "You? You already know this? Oh! What on earth is happening?" She washed her face with her palm and looked at me again, pain is definite in her eyes. "So, it's all of you against me, huh?"

"Mom, no one is going against you." Tears started rolling down my cheeks, I tried to reach for her arm but she shoved me away.

"Get out, Gabbana! Go with your father!"

"Mom, no! I won't let you do this alone. I'm with you as always. Mommy, don't push me away." I tried to move closer to her but she pushed me, there's so much force in it that I almost fell off the bed. "I didn't know everything until a couple of weeks ago, Zander told me. Like you, I can't accept it. Like you, it hurts me. Like you, I don't want this. I won't force to anything you don't wanna do. I won't ask you to accept and forgive because I know your pain, mom. I can feel it, too."

That's when she stopped pushing me off, her arms weakly loosened. I pulled her back in an embrace.

"I love your father, Gabby. I love him more than anything, more than anyone. And it's just too painful for me to fathom that the person I love the most is the same person that's breaking me." She cried, shaking her head. "Zander keeps trying to knock some senses in me, it wasn't easy, my darling. It's not because I was told doesn't mean I can do it."

"You don't have to do anything, mom. I know they will understand that you need a little more time-"

"I need no time. I can't, Gabby. I can't accept it."

Naguguluhan akong humiwalay sakanya, I seek for her face to see how serious she looks like. "Mom, what do you mean?"

"I can't accept Derek into my family and your dad wants to keep him. As the saying goes, you can't have the best of both worlds. I can't deal with so much heartaches, Gabby. I'm still mourning over your grandfather." Mom wiped away the tears in her face and shrugged. "If ZA really wants this, then maybe marriage is not for everyone."

Mom shoved me out of her room telling me that she needed some time alone and I give her that. Although I wasn't leaving her. If I understand correctly what she said, it's Derek whom she doesn't want in her life not daddy. So, it's Derek who needs to be eliminated.

"Dad, we need to talk." I said, avoiding his eyes.

People might not know it, but Zayn Andrei is one of my weaknesses. From the rim of his brandy, his eyes moved up to me.

"How's mom?" Zander stood up from his seat with a worried frown on his face.

"She's not okay and don't expect her to be fine. She felt betrayed by you, Zander. And of course," I turned to dad. "By you, too."

"Dad didn't know it until Derek came showing up-"

"Na sana hindi niya na ginawa." Galit kong putol sa sinasabi niya.

Zander let out a frustrated groan. "Come on, Gabby. Don't be unreasonable-"

"Bakit ka ba ganyan Zander? Kayo ni Chanel? Bakit ba parang ang dali-dali lang sainyong tanggapin ang lahat? Bakit parang pakiramdam ko, kami pa ni mommy ang kontribida dito? Because even me, I can't get myself to like that Derek." I yelped.

"Gabby, that's not true." Dad took a heavy sigh. "This is my fault."

"Of course!" I snapped at him. Furiously meeting his gaze. "Who else, father? You and your bastard are the reason why my mother can't pull herself together. You know what she told me? She can't. She can't accept it."

"She's only saying that because the wound is still fresh."

I ignored Zander. "If you love my mom, you won't let her get through this. You won't force her to do something she can't. Get rid with you bastard, dad. That's the only way you'll keep mom because I'm afraid she's considering annulment-"

"I won't let her do that-"

"Then stop hurting her!" I cried. "Ayaw niya, dad. Ayaw niya sa anak mo. Well it's not surprising, anak mo lang iyon-"

"Gabbana, that's too much!" Zander is at my elbow, I snapped off and took my arms back.

Bahagya akong lumayo para titigan silang pareho, nailing ko silang pinagmasdan. "Paano? Paanong para sainyo madali lang tanggapin? Sakin kasi hindi-"

"Gabbana, it's not as if dad cheated on mom-"

"But still, Zander!" I shouted. "Still. He wasn't mom's."

Zander let out an exasperated gasp. "And no one can do anything about that, Gabby. Not dad, not mom, not Derek, not us. No one. We can't change that, Gabbana-"

"Derek's claiming a father. Dad's willing. Mom isn't. Something is not right. It's your choice, dad. Mom said you can't have her while having Derek-"

"But Gabby, you know dad isn't that kind of man to runaway from his responsibility. Derek is his son. Derek is one of us-"

"He is not. He will never be, as long as mom is against it he will never be." Mariin kong sabi. "Kung gusting-gusto mo 'yang Derek na 'yan, Zander. Bakit hindi nalang ikaw maging tatay niya? Naiirita na ko sayo, ha!" Binalikan ko ng tingin si daddy na nakatanaw sa kawalan. "I won't leave mom."

I walked out, Zander followed me, calling out my name as I stepped down the stairs.

"Gabby, let's talk. Don't be a brat. Mom and dad is going through deep trouble-"

"Ayaw kitang kausap, Zander." Naiirita kong putol sa sinasabi niya.

He ignored me. "We have to stick together, you, me and Chanel-"

"Ewan. Ayoko! Magkampihan kayong dalawa, bahala kayo. I'm all for mom!"

"Don't be so childish." On the final step, he held my arm and made me look at him. "Gabbana, I'm begging you, please do understand-"

"I will never." I snarled. "I'm not begging you but I hope you understand just how you amazingly swallowed Derek's existence. Hindi kita gusting kausapin. Ayoko sayo, Zander. Ayoko sainyo. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi mo ako maintindihan. I've watched mom wailed over her broken heart, pero bakit para sayo ang dali lang? Hindi tayo parehong nagkakaintindihan, Zander. Kaya pwede? Wag mo kong kausapin kasi naiinis talaga ako sayo."

Marahas kong binawi mula rito ang aking braso bago padabog na umalis. When I saw Oxygen's car still waiting outside, I felt relief. I need him. I need my Oxygen.

He went out of the car to get me. "Baby, you don't look okay."

"I'm not." I whispered before I started crying, he took me in his arms and caressed my back. "Oxygen, they're suffocating."

"Breathe, baby. I'm here. I got you." He hushed me down and guided me into the car.