"He doesn't look happy," Vico told Red. Pumasok ito ng opisina niya, moments after Troy left. She wiped her tears away and composed herself. Huminga siya nang malalim. And then she turned to face her cousin.

"I told him that the deal's off."

"Red..."

"It's okay, Vico. It's not supposed to work anyway."

Lumapit si Vico at naupo sa lamesa niya, same spot where Troy sat earlier.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Do you want anything? Coffee? Chocolate? Shopping spree?"

"He just doesn't want to leave you because he doesn't want you to be alone. And instead of making him feel appreciated, you make him regret staying," she remembered Troy say. Vico smiled sympathetically as he waited for her answer. Does Vico know that she appreciates him so much? She couldn't say. She also doesn't know if he ever felt that way.

"Vico."

"Yes?"

Vico hates her. She made his life miserable. Mitch proposed to him last year and when Vico told her, she got angry. Pakiramdam niya ay inaagaw ito ni Mitch sa kanya. So she told him that he can't get married and it crushed him. Himala na lang sigurong hindi nito nilalagyan ng lason ang kapeng ipinaiinom nito sa kanya.

"Can you do something for me?"

"Oo naman. Ano ba 'yon?"

"Write your resignation letter."

He was dumbstruck.

"W-What?"

"I'm letting you go."

--

Lalong nai-stress si Vince sa nangyayari sa paligid niya. He's been trying to stay out of the picture because he was told to do so, but he kept on being dragged back into it.

Hindi nakaligtas sa radar niya ang ginawa ni Red kanina. Ilang empleyado ang nagsumbong sa kanya. He knew it was just a threat. Madedemanda ang mga ito for wrongful dismissal kung sakali, not that he'd let Red terminate anyone.

Hindi na siya nakialam because he knew that Red cooled down after that and Vico already assured the employees that no such thing would happen. He reminded himself that he will talk to Red after work.

But then, Troy came to his office, asking for his help again.

"The deal's off," he told him.

"It can't be off."

Kita sa mukha nito ang disappointment.

"I don't know what to do anymore," sabi nito bago ito umalis.

He told himself that he will deal with that later. The deal can't be off. Iyon lamang ang gustong mangyari ng ama ni Red. She needs to marry Troy and it was his task to see it through.

Maya-maya ay si Vico naman ang pumunta sa opisina niya. Umiiyak ito.

"R-Red wanted me to resign," he told him through his sobs.

Napasapo na lamang siya. He tried to understand Red and he tried to deal with her as nicely as he could, without revealing too much of the plan. But it seems like he has no choice but to tell her everything.

He told his secretary to cancel his meetings for the whole afternoon. He also told Vico to go home and rest. Pinuntahan niya si Red sa office nito. Naabutan niya itong nakatunganga sa computer screen.

"Pangangaralan mo rin ba ako?" tanong nito.

"Paaalisin mo rin ba ako?"

Red sighed. "I don't want to talk right now."

"You don't have to talk. You just have to listen."

He pulled her up from her chair. Doon sila sa sofa naupo. Red scooted away from him. It was a small gesture, but it hurt a lot. They used to be so close. He adored her. She respected him. They grew apart after her dad told her that they weren't really siblings. It got worse when she felt like her dad favored him more. And wall just kept on growing until she couldn't be reached anymore.

"Hindi ko alam kung saan ako magsisimula," pag-amin niya. "Do you remember the time when we were running around the house? You knocked over a vase and I took the blame for it. I got scolded. You cried, but I told you that it was okay. I took all the blame for your mistakes. Do you know why?"

"Because you're a kiss-ass?"

He smiled. He took her hand and squeezed it. "I was trying to be a good brother to you."

Her eyes moistened. She heaved a sigh and tried to pull at her hand. He didn't let go. Alam niyang hindi na maibabalik ang dati, pero kailangan pa ring subukan.

"You know, you're not the only one who got hurt when we learned that we're not siblings, not by blood anyway. Noong nalaman kong hindi talaga tayo magkapatid, umiyak ako sa harap ng parents mo. I felt so lost. I begged them not to tell you, dahil natatakot akong baka mag-iba ang pagtingin mo sa 'kin. But they insisted. They told me that you will soon find out anyway."

The memory brought him pain. Naaalala pa rin niya kung paano siya tiningnan ni Red noon. Hindi ito agad umiyak. She just looked at him like she was meeting him for the first time. And then she ran to her room, tripping multiple times along the way.

"I tried to make things stay the way they were. Kasi kahit hindi tayo tunay na magkapatid, I still see you as my little sister. But you became distant. Kung ano'ng pilit kong mapalapit ulit sa 'yo, lalo ka namang lumalayo."

"My father loves you more," she told him. "I am the legitimate child pero mas mahal ka nya. Alam mo ba kung gaano kasakit yun?"

"Your father did not love me more. He just expected more from me. He wanted me to take care of you."

"I didn't see it that way."

"That's because you've been clouded by anger all this time. You felt betrayed, I get it. But I felt betrayed too. Pero hindi ako nagalit sa 'yo o sa kanila dahil alam kong walang may kasalanan sa inyo.

"Your father told me about my real parents and how I ended up with your family. My father is his best friend. He introduced your mother to him. He was the best man at their wedding. They were like family. When my mother died giving birth to me, my father took a hit. He became negligent. He lost sight about what's important and he resented me. He blamed me for my mother's death.

"Your dad talked him out of giving me away. He even volunteered to father me, until the time comes that my father would want to take me back. My father came to his senses eight years later. But I was so angry with him that I refused to go back. Hindi ko rin natanggap agad na may iba na syang pamilya. To me, you're family was my only family and you are my only sibling."

"I was told differently. Mom told me that you were left at their doorstep and that they tried to look for your real parents, but failed," kunot-noo nitong sabi sa kanya.

"I was told the same thing. But the truth is, my mother was long gone and my father wasn't hiding from them."

"And now? Are you okay with them?"

He nodded. "It took a while, but we're okay now."

Her face softened. "Vince, I... I-I'm sorry."

"When your mother died, I wanted to reach out to you. I wanted to tell you that it was going to be okay, because I know for a fact that it will. My father introduced me to his new wife and his, then, only child with her. I hated him in an instant. Pakiramdam ko kasi, inagaw nya sa 'kin ang lahat. He became my nemesis. I tried my best to oust him and he returned the favor. Hindi kami magkasundo sa lahat ng bagay.

"And then, his mother tried to talk to me. She told me that she was sorry for whatever my father did to me. She said she was sorry for taking him away, even though she didn't intend to. She said that I'm always welcome in their home and that I am part of that family."

"Are you?"

Sumandal siya sa upuan. "Well, they weren't hostile. My half-brother was, but his sisters—my sisters—they were lovely. Palagi silang nakangiti sa akin. They didn't make me feel like an outsider. Kaya lahat ng pagkukulang ko sa 'yo bilang kapatid, sa kanila ko binawi."

--

Red felt relieved somehow. This closure was long overdue. Vince was right. They used to be so close. She used to worship him, used to see him as Superman who was always ready to save the day. She took her anger out on him dahil hindi niya alam ang pinagdaanan nito noon. Hindi niya alam na wala na rin itong ina kagaya niya. Hindi niya alam na may ibang pamilya na pala ang ama nito.

And it made her sad somehow, that he has other sisters. And that he treats them special instead of her. Kasalanan din naman niya. She did not allow him to.

"But you'll always have a special place in my heart, Regina."

Tuluyan na siyang naiyak. She felt his arm around her. Isinandal nito ang ulo niya sa balikat nito.

"Your father just wants what's best for you. That's why he asked me to marry you in the first place," natatawa nitong sabi.

"What?"

Tumunghay siya. His eyes were moist with tears but he was also smiling.

"I said no, of course. I told him that I love you, but as my sister. I wanted to protect you, to make you feel loved, but I don't want to marry you. So, four years ago, he tried to set you up with my brother instead."