"You are a disgusting pig! You really thought that my own daughter was my mistress!" George scowled. "Where in hell did you get that idea?"

"The night we met... I overheard someone talking about Tanya, they were saying that she was your mistress." I quietly said. George was Tanya's father all along. My mind couldn't quite process what I had found out. "I didn't know."

"And you believed them, you bastard? You really think that she is that kind of woman?" He was glaring at me like a dirt at the bottom of his shoe. 

"I didn't know..."I silently said as it gradually sunk into me. 

"That's your best excuse? You've put my daughter and my grandchild's life in danger because you didn't know!" He slammed his hand against my chest, making me topple a few steps back. 

"I'm sorry." I raked my fingers through my throbbing head. Guilt flooded over me. I believed what I heard about Tanya. I was ashamed because I believed and I mistakenly though the worst of her when I should be the one defending her from all those people. But instead, I judged her like they all did. She was my Tanya. My angel. Ako ang mas higit na nakakakilala sa kanya. I should've trusted her love for me. Our love for each other.

"You'll truly be sorry if, God forbid, something bad happens to them." There was an unmistakable edge of warning in his voice. Then he turned and walked away, leaving me alone with my own thoughts. 

Tears began to well up my eyes again. I wiped it off before it could have the chance to fall I thought the worst of the woman I love. How could I be stupid? How could I not know? The pain spread throughout my chest. I would never forgive myself if something bad happens to them. These all happened because of my stupidity. Because I failed to trust my own Angel. God, I was willing to lose everything. Everything. But not her and our baby. 

I waited for over half an hour. George came back and he sat quietly on the hospital bench. We never said a word to each other.

"Kaano-ano kayo ng pasyente?" A middle-aged woman wearing a white coat came out of the room. She was the doctor, I assumed.

"I'm her father." George answered.

"I'm the father of the baby." I said. 

"No, you're not!" He hissed. "You have no right over my grandchild. You're not the father, you said it yourself, didn't you?"

"George, I made a mistake..."

"You can't just change your mind and decide you want to be the father of my daughter's child after you've rejected them. You do not deserve Tanya or my grandchild."

I swallowed. "Please, give me another chance. I love Tanya and our baby. I want to see them, I want to know if they're okay."

George shook his head, he wore a grimace as he looked at me. "You know what you deserve? You deserve to be treated like the scum you are!"

The doctor let out a fake cough to break the tension. "The patient's abdominal pain was caused by stress. Masama po sa buntis ang naiistress lalo na at first trimester ng pagbubuntis niya. Pwedeng maka-apekto yun sa batang dinadala niya. I don't want to meddle with your personal problems but as the patient's doctor, I would advise you to not argue in front of my patient."

"Did you hear that?" George glared at me. "Kung may awa ka sa anak mo at kay Tanya, stay away from them." 

"They're both okay, right?" I asked the doctor.

"Yes, they are." The doctor nodded her head. "The patient just needs to stay here in the hospital for a day or two so we can observe her."

"Can I see her now?" George asked.

The doctor nodded her head. 

George went in to see Tanya. I wanted to see her too and make sure she was okay. I wanted to hold her hands. To kiss and hug her, to apologize for thinking badly of her. But instead, I stayed outside. George didn't want me to see them and I didn't want to argue with him. It would stress Tanya out and as the doctor said, stress won't do her and my child any good. It was enough for me to hear that they were both fine. I silently thanked God for keeping them safe. 

Tanya was transfered to a hospital suite. George didn't allow me in so I just stayed outside. This was the nearest I could possibly be to her. I was contented with the knowledge that Tanya and my child were inside the room, both okay and safe from any harm. 

The door clicked open and George stepped out, giving me the coldest of stares. "She wants to see you."

A smile appeared on my lips at what he said. Warmth spread from my chest throughout my whole body. I eagerly stood up and was about to come in when he blocked my way. 

"If you hurt my girl again I will kill you." He said in a low growl. 

I went in and saw her lying in the hospital bed. Our gaze met as I slowly walked towards her. I never took my eyes off her as I sat on the chair next to her bed. I looked at her like she'd vanish if I stopped staring. God, she was beautiful. I could just stare at her for a single second and find a thousand things that I love about her.  I took her hand in mine, it was warm and welcoming. 

"I'm sorry, Angel." I tried hard not to let my voice crack but it did anyway. I kissed her hand. 

"Did you really think I was George's mistress?" She tried so hard to mask the pain in her voice but I knew her too well.

I slowly nodded my head. "I'm sorry, Tanya. I'm so sorry. I thought the worst of you."

"I thought you knew that George is my father."

"Not until today." I whispered ever so softly, my voice shaky. "God, I should've trusted you. Sa'yo dapat ako naniwala hindi sa sabi-sabi ng ibang tao."

"I guess people assumed I was his mistress because I was never introduced as his daughter. George never kept me a secret to other people but the Sullivans' wanted to keep me hidden. Ayaw kong magulo ang pamilya ni George kaya pinili ko na lang din manahimik. I decided to instead to pursue my studies. Iyon naman talaga ang gustong mangyari, iyon ang ipinangako ko kay Nanay noon. Na magtatapos ako sa pag-aaral." She said with a sad, nostalgic smile.

"But I thought your father has already passed away before we even met."

"That was my step-father." She answered. "Nalaman ko lang ang tungkol sa totoong ama ko ng mabasa ko iyon sa diary ng Nanay."

"Then who's Therese's father?" I felt an unexpected surge of jealousy. I tried not to let it show but I couldn't help it. "Who's the lucky bastard that had you?"

She gently cupped my face and looked at me with her soft doe-like eyes. "There had never been any man other than you Wayne. Ikaw lang noon at ikaw lang din hanggang ngayon. Wayne, Therese is not my real daughter."

She was nobody's woman but mine. I should've known from her kisses, I should've felt it from her touch. No one had ever laid a hand on what was mine. She had kept her promise.

"Wayne, Ikaw lang ang lalaking minahal ko at tanging lalaking mamahalin ko." She placed a gentle kiss on my forehead and I had to close my eyes to stop the tears from escaping. There was something particularly beautiful about the way she loved me even when I was not worth loving. She didn't back away when I was at my lowest and most unworthy but instead, she understood. I couldn't believe that after every mistake I made, I still had some luck when it came to finding my way back to her. Having her soft, warm palm against my skin, her breathing on me, I count this something of a miracle. 

"Oh, angel..." I opened my eyes and held her gaze as my heart ached with pure love. "I love you too. I love with every inch of my body, every ounce of my soul and every beat of my heart. I know I've messed up but I promise that from now on, I will love you the way you deserve to be loved. I will love you perfectly. I will love you like it's the only thing I know how to do."

"Wayne..." Her eyes watered again.

"Don't cry. It's not good for our baby..." I gently said, wiping away the tears from her eyes.

"These are just happy tears." She smiled and sniffed. I pulled her to me and she rested her head over my chest.

"Iyon ba ang dahilan kung bakit ka umalis noon? Dahil nalaman mo ang tungkol sa totoong ama mo? Is that why you took the money? Dapat sinabi mo sa akin. I could've helped you find your father. We wouldn't have had to waste all these years apart."

"I never took anything."

"But Dad said..."

"Your Dad offered it to me but I didn't take it."

"Then why did you leave?" I asked.

"Because I got scared, Wayne. Naniwala din ako sa mga sinasabi nila, na iiwan mo din ako kapag nagsawa ka sa akin. You were the only one I had at that time. Kapag nawala ka sa akin, mawawala na rin ang lahat sa akin. Natakot akong dumating ang araw na iyon kaya ako na ang unang nang-iwan. I'm so sorry, Wayne. Nagkamali din ako. But please, believe me. Hindi ko kayang ipagbili ang pagmamahal ko sa'yo. Kahit kailan hindi ko magagawa iyon." 

"Shh... I believe you. Ikaw lang ang paniniwalaan ko. Wala nang iba." I whispered.

There's something more you need to know about Therese..." She said. It went silent for a few second as I waited for her to say something. "She's our sister."

"Our?" I asked, quite surprised.

"Yes... anak si Therese ng Mommy mo, si Almira, at ni George."

I involuntarily took a sharp breath in. "H-how?"

"She was George's employee. They had an affair and she ended up getting pregnant. Si Therese ang naging bunga nun. Iniwan niya si Therese kay George at katulad ko ay hindi rin siya tinanggap ng pamilya ni George. I decided to take her and raise her as  my daughter."

 That explained the fondness I had always felt for Therese. She was my sister, my mother's daughter with George. It made me mad knowing that Almira had again abandoned another child of her. She was still the same self-centered woman I knew. The one who had thought me that love was a burden. The woman who never failed to remind me that I was her burden, I was her bag of stones. 

And then there was Tanya. I still remember the first time I saw her. She was the kind of beauty that gently makes its way inside your heart like snowflakes softly falling to the ground. Silent, subtle, fragile to touch but nonetheless breathtakingly beautiful. I still remember how soothingly I found it, how much her mere presence calmed me. She was the one, the first and only person, who showed me real, genuine, love that it hurt and changed me to the core. She made me feel alive. I didn't know it was possible to feel that strongly for someone. The love we had for each other was unconditional, undeniable, and above all beautiful. She showed me the best kind of love there is and I loved her more for that.

"Hinanap ka ni George dahil gusto niyang magkakilala kayo ni Therese. He didn't know about our past and yet fate had its way of intervening. Just when I stopped hoping that you and I will end up with each other that's when you came into my life again."

"The universe fought for our souls to be together. We knew where to find each other again. You are the last and only love of my life, Tanya. You are the other half of me I've struggled many lifetimes to find again." I kissed her hand. "Don't ever leave me again, Tanya..."

"I won't." She said, promise in her voice. "Not in this lifetime and any other."

We were two imperfect people who found the most perfect love. Maybe this was how it was meant to be. Maybe those years we were apart was there so we could shape our pieces so they could fit better with each other. We didn't know back then that it would take time. We had to go through a lot for us to deserve and appreciate this. Experience had hone us to be the person that the two of us deserved to have. This was the beauty of every great love that had graced time.

"Marry me, Tanya."

"Wayne!" She held her hand over her mouth in shock.

"Magpakasal na tayo. I don't want to waste another day without you. Marry me, Tanya. I want to fall into you, into your love every single day."

"I... I'll marry you." She sobbed and I wiped her tears away. 

I kissed her passionately, like it was the last time that I'd ever feel my lips against hers. Her kiss was the warming embrace my lips had longed for. 

"Ehem!" Tanya quickly pulled away from me when we heard a cough.

"George..." She quietly said.