Jale's POV

"Where's mom?" I glared at the man sitting beside me inside the plane. He was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and pants like he just came from a fucking funeral.

"She's going to take the next flight, son. Don't worry. She'll be with us soon."

Son? I chuckled in my mind. I didn't believe any word this man utter. I just knew he was a damn liar. If he really wanted our family to work, he could've done this sooner.

"I'm not coming with you!" I muttered, standing up from my seat, but the old man suddenly gripped my hand tight.

"Sit down if you still want to see your mom," he suddenly threatened, sending a chill down to my last bone. He was definitely not the kind of father I would've wanted in my life.

I swallowed hard as he pulled me down to my seat.

The whole twenty-hour plane ride was a pain in the ass, literally and metaphorically. I just slept my way all throughout until I was suddenly transported to a huge mansion in the Philippines.

I was used to being in a studio-sized home back in the States, so walking inside the long hallways inside this mansion was exhausting. My feet fucking hurt from all this walking and pretending to be an actual son of this man infront of me.

"Raul, take him to the office of papa," my so-called father instructed a middle-aged man once we were inside. He then left and went upstairs after that. I didn't even know I was going to meet my grandfather here.

"Sir Enrico, welcome po... ako po pala si Raul, driver ako dito ng pamilya niyo..." The man in a white collared shirt and black slacks greeted me as he escorted me inside. He seemed to be the butler in this huge house.

"Sorry, I don't understand," I answered him when I realized he spoke in their Tagalog language.

"Uh, sorry po... my name is Raul, sir, your driver..." He bowed his head.

"Nice to meet you, Raul," I mumbled. He looked like a kind man.

The butler kept quiet after that as he continued to escort me the way inside. When we reached a certain huge wooden door, the butler stopped and told me to knock infront of the door.

After a few knocks, I heard a voice from inside, so I pushed the door open. A gray-haired man was standing on the far end of the room with his back facing me. He was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt tucked in his black chino pants, very casual for someone who used to be the President of this country.

"Hello, grandfa-" I attempted to greet, but he suddenly spoke, cutting me off.

"So, you're the son of Jorge's mistress?" The old man questioned candidly that I wanted to jump him and punch his face for insulting my mother.

"Don't talk about my mom like that," I gritted my teeth, my hands balling into fists as I felt my face fuming in anger.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean it that way. Please have a seat, Enrico." He finally turned around, revealing his wrinkled face and curved up lips. I could tell he was faking his smile right now.

"I'm not staying here," I muttered under my breath as I swung on my heel, about to turn my back at him.

"Do you know why I asked you to be here?" He slowly made his way towards me with the aid of his walking stick until he was only a meter away from me.

"No and I don't fucking care! I want to go back to mom!" I yelled out to his face.

"That's not how you talk to an elder. Is that how your mother raised you?" He pressed on.

I took a breath, calming myself. "You don't know anything about mom or me, so stop saying shit."

"Can you stop yelling and listen to me, you ungrateful brat?" He raised his walking stick, hitting my right knee.

"Ahh!" I recoiled in pain, touching my sore knee.

"You're lucky that I'm letting you stay here. But, I am not going to tolerate this kind of behavior from you. Understood?"

I knew then that he was indeed the father of my so-called father.

Clenching my fists, I dashed out of that damn room. My eyes were getting heavy and I could feel tears about to heat up my cheeks, but I tried to suppress the impending sadness. I wasn't going to cry because of that old man.

"Sir Enrico!" I even heard the butler calling out to me, who was apparently standing and waiting outside the office.

I kept on running until I reached outside the mansion. I just wanted to go home, but I was eighteen and I had no money to buy a plane ticket. The only thing in my pocket was my phone.

As I continued to march outside, I reached the back garden where I saw a man hugging a girl. She looked like she was his daughter. I could tell that she was younger than me, judging from the way she was whining.

I wanted to turn around because I didn't want them to see me, but my feet stayed on the ground as I saw the girl's eyes all red and puffy from crying. Her face was round and cute like a panda. I unknowingly smiled at that thought.

"Papa!" She suddenly exclaimed, looking my way, her hand pointing towards my direction.

Oh, shit. She saw me!

I immediately ducked down, running back inside the mansion. While I was trying to find my way inside, three guys around my height suddenly caught my attention. They were busy chatting infront of a room in the hallway that they didn't even notice my presence.

"Bro, nandun pa rin sa labas 'yung iyaking babae?"

"Ah, yung parang siopao ang mukha?"

"Kanina pa yun ah. Di ba anak yun ng doctor niyo, Kell?"

"Yes, anak ni Dr. Fernandez. Mas bata 'yun kaysa sa atin by two years."

"Two years lang? Pwede na palang pormahan."

"Gago ka talaga, dre! Grade six lang yun, sira!"

"Chill. I'm kidding."

I just stood there listening to their conversation even though I couldn't really understand what they were saying.

Just then, one of the guys looked my way, studying me from head to toe. He tapped the shoulder of another guy, catching his attention. "Kell, bro, may bago ba kayong kasama dito sa mansion?"

"What? Why?" The guy named Kell asked, looking over his shoulder.

I immediately turned around and ran back outside. My heart was pounding unevenly when I reached the back garden again.

Thankfully, those guys didn't chase me. I suddenly wondered if they were my half-brothers... and if they were, what would they think of me if they knew I was a hidden son of their father?

Shaking that thought away, I looked up the sky. The sun was still up as it was only around three in the afternoon.

It was hot and humid here that I just wanted to stay inside the house, but I didn't want to be seen by anyone there. I was better off staying here outside where I could be alone.

When I saw the gazebo a few meters away, I decided to make my way there. I sat there for a while as I took my phone out. I couldn't even use my phone to contact mom because I didn't have any service.

After sometime, I heard voices coming from a distance, making me look towards that direction. I saw the same three guys from earlier hanging out in the balcony, overlooking the back garden.

I was about to hide myself in the gazebo when I noticed that the guys were busy bickering with the girl I saw earlier as well. They seemed to be making fun of her while she was frowning at each one of them.

I wanted to look away, but I couldn't seem to do so. I wanted to talk to the girl and asked if she was okay, but if I showed myself now, I didn't even know how to explain myself and how I ended up in this mansion.

Sighing, I just rested on my seat and let the day pass by.

"Sir Enrico!" A voice of a man startled me, waking me up from a nap.

When I opened my eyes, the face of the butler welcomed my sight, making me sit straight up. I was still in the gazebo, but the surroundings had definitely turned from bright to sullen as darkness consumed the sky.

"Are you okay, sir? Why are you here, sir? We're looking everywhere for you," the butler explained.

"Sorry," I just mumbled.

"Come inside now, sir. Your lolo is waiting for you to eat dinner."

I squinted at him. "Lolo?"

The man scratched the back of his head. "Ah, este, grandfather, sir."

I shook my head. "Tell him I'm not hungry. I want to go home."

"Sir, he will be angry at me if you don't come. Let's go inside na, sir," the man continued to plead with his hands clasped together.

I closed my eyes momentarily, heaving a sigh. I could just imagine my father or grandfather scolding this poor man if I didn't follow their order. "Fine. I'm coming."

"Ah, sir, is that yours?" The man pointed at something next to me.

Standing up from my seat, a red piece of lollipop stared back at me, waiting to be picked up...

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A/N: Surprise special update! Alam kong maraming naghihintay sa POV ni Jale so here it is...

Also, just want to say thank you sa patuloy na pag-support niyo sa story na ito. Thank you if you're one of those who've been there from the start and still keep on supporting me in this journey of writing my first ever series. And to those who've only read this recently and those who will read it in the future... thank you still...  I wouldn't be able to reach 400k reads without all of you guys, so thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

I love each and every single one of you whether you're an active or silent reader! You keep inspiring me to write more and improve my work.

Thank you again and I hope you will stay with me until the end, FSquad! ❤️

~f