Book 5 was already completed and posted exclusively on Patreon and Facebook VIP group! To join kindly send a message to my Facebook account Rej Martinez. Thank you!

Hi, readers! This is the 6th and probably the last book in my Villa Martinez Series. Ilang taon ko rin isinulat ang series na ito. The whole series consists of six books now. The first two VMS books 1 and 2 were already published by KPub PH Book Publishing. If you're interested to buy a copy of these books kindly go and check on KPub PH official Facebook page. You can also order it on Lazada KPub PH. Thank you so much!

It won't be easy for me to say goodbye to this series, but it was a happy ride and my journey writing this series was worthwhile.

Thank you very much for your love and support for Rej Martinez's stories!

Prologue

Trust

You will realize that good people came from good families as well. They were not wrong when they said that everything starts at home. Saan nga ba naman natin unang matututuhan ang mga bagay? S'yempre sa lugar kung saan tayo lalaki at unang magkakaisip. Our parents were responsible to teach us first.

Kaya naman mahalaga rin na maging handa ka na muna bago ka pa man pumasok sa isang relasyon at lalo na kung gugustuhin mo ang magkaroon ng sarili mong pamilya. Hindi madali ang pag-aasawa at pagkakaroon ng mga anak...

You will be responsible for it.

It's not a joke. And it's a serious matter.

I learned this from my own parents. Who both weren't ready when they had me...

Lumaki ako sa grandparents ko. Galing pareho sina Mommy at Daddy sa may kayang pamilya. They were both an only child and spoiled by their parents.

So when I say that good people came from a good family or parents, it doesn't necessarily mean na galing ka na sa isang mayaman din na pamilya o may kaya sa buhay. Yes, money is necessary to raise a kid well. Pero hindi iyon lang ay sapat na. Kailangan ka rin mapalaki nang tama. You should be raised in a well and healthy environment. Kung saan may totoong pagmamahalan at pagpapahalaga sa isa't isa. At magkaroon ka ng mga magulang na talagang magtuturo sa'yo nang mabuti...

I understand that a parent's job is crucial. And really isn't easy. Pero kung pinili na nila ang maging magulang they should take full responsibility. At least that's what I think.

At kung minsan naman hindi naman talaga nila pinili pa muna sana ang pagiging magulang. Pero dumating na sa kanila. But it was still their choice. And they should be aware of the consequences of their own doing...

Kagaya na lang sa parents ko.

My mom and dad were both spoiled and had everything in their lives easy at first. At inisip siguro nila na ganoong magiging madali na lang palagi. I'd like to think that they were ignorant at first about the real life because they were well protected and provided growing up. Given of everything they needed. Para bang hindi na nila kailangan pang paghirapan dahil halos isusubo na lang din sa kanila ang mga bagay na gusto nila o kahit pa iyong hindi naman talaga nila gaanong kailangan...

Ang nalaman ko na lang din sa mga tito at tita ko na mga pinsan ng parents ko ay nagkakilala raw noon sa isang party sa club ang parents ko where they used to frequent with their cousins—my titos and titas back in the time na mga dalaga at binata pa lang sila.

And then my parents got attracted to each other and decided on having a no-strings-attached relationship. They were both obviously unserious about their relationship. That's why they settled on that.

Hindi nila napag-usapan nang mabuti ang tungkol sa kanilang dalawa. They were reckless and their actions resulted to them having me. Mommy was young and Daddy as well. Nasa college pa lang sila noon. Nalaman ko pa nga na gusto pa raw sana akong ipalaglag na lang noon ni Mommy...

Pero hindi pumayag si Daddy sa gustong gawin ni Mommy. So in the end he promised Mom na siya na ang bahala basta ituloy lang ang pagbubuntis sa akin. Kaya tinuloy nga ni Mommy. And after giving birth to me binigay na lang ako ni Mommy at iniwan sa kay Daddy. Because she later realized that she wanted something else in her life. At hindi pa ang pagkakaroon ng anak...

And later on Daddy also realized that he too wasn't ready to have me as well. When both him and mom graduated from college that's when they started to look and go after their own dreams, and that doesn't include me...

So I ended up in the care of my grandparents. Ang parents ni Daddy.

I grew up with them. While Daddy later on found someone and married her and had kids with her. Si Mommy naman ay mas nag-focus pa muna sa career niya. She became a famous supermodel abroad. The first Filipina to reach such heights. At palagi na rin siyang nalilink sa iba't ibang models din and actors even in Hollywood.

Pero kalaunan ay nakapag-asawa na rin si Mommy at nagkaroon din ng ibang anak...

Growing up I always felt incomplete. And that I didn't have my own family... Kahit pa nand'yan naman ang grandparents ko na silang nagpalaki sa akin.

Of course I felt grateful to my lolo and lola.

But can you really blame me? I grew up without a mom who should've teach me of things especially a girl like me should've learned from her mother. And without a dad who should have been able to guide her in her first time in learning how to ride a bicycle...

Hindi ko na naranasan pa ang mga bagay na iyon because I grew up without parents by my side.

Kahit pa simple lang naman ang pagkakatuto na makasakay ng isang bisikleta nang bata ka, but that's not just the whole point.

And sometimes the simplest things that we think of can be the hardest to achieve...

Kagaya na lang ng gusto mo lang naman sanang lumaki ng normal at magkaroon ng isang normal na pamilya kahit simple na lang sana ang buhay, but dreaming of a simple life is even harder...

And sometimes the most normal thing that we think, we cannot just have it that easily...

"Myrrh, what's your dream?" I once asked my best friend this.

Bumaling naman sa akin si Myrrh. We were still in high school by this time. "Dream? What dream?"

"Like ano ang gusto mo maging after college, probably?"

Ngumiti sa akin nang malapad si Myrrh. "Ako? To be honest, I just want to be a housewife..." ngiti niya sa akin. "I want to care for my husband and our kids, and the house." She added.

"Seriously?" I can't help it but to ask her if she was serious kung ganoon lang ba talaga ang gusto niya sa buhay.

Tumango naman siya sa akin. "Oo. Balak ko nga na sana pagka-graduate ko ng college may boyfriend na ako at pagkatapos magpapakasal na lang kami. I want to have my first child in my early 20s, you know." She said.

And I can still remember that conversation with Myrrh until we already reached our mid twenties.

Kung iisipin ay parang simple lang naman iyong pangarap noon ni Myrrh, she didn't dream of becoming the president of a country... Ang gusto niya lang talaga ay magpakasal at magkapamilya ng sarili niya, at magkaanak.

But she has a boyfriend now kung saan on and off din ang naging relasyon nila. Kahit pa matagal na rin naging sila simula noong huling taon pa namin sa college. Madalas silang mag-break at nagkakabalikan din naman ni Paul.

And sometimes I just didn't understand...

Bumaling ako at tiningnan ko si Russel na nagpapahinga na lang sa katabi kong sunlounger. Nakahiga na siya roon at mukhang natutulog na.

Nandito kami ngayong magkakaibigan sa sariling island resort ng tita niya. It's called the Villa Martinez island resort. Kinuha rin sa apelido ng pamilya nila.

May pinsan si Russel na si Ryder. At nakilala ko naman sila pati na rin ang isa pa naming lalaking kaibigan din na si Jake sa college naman. Nakilala lang namin sila ni Myrrh and we got close to these men.

Ang totoo, noong una kasi ay parang nagkalandian pa sina Myrrh at Jake noon. And since I'm Myrrh's best friend kaya naman nakasama na rin ako sa kanila. And Jake's friends sa dalawang magpinsan sina Russel at Ryder.

They were all playboys. But when Russel got to know me, too, he just chose to be friends with me. At sa huli ay naging malapit na magkaibigan na lang din sina Myrrh at Jake. Until Myrrh met Paul. Naging close na lang talaga kami sa tatlong lalaki.

But I couldn't help it, because in the end I started to develop some romantic feelings for Russel...

Hindi ko pa alam kung paano at bakit... When we were just friends when we started. Malinaw iyon sa amin and we're comfortable that way.

Pero siguro dahil si Russel na ang naging pinakamalapit na lalaki sa akin. Kahit pa alam ko rin naman kung paano siya sa mga naging dati na niyang babae...

Russel Martinez was a playboy.

Wala siyang seryosong naging relasyon. And he was just very playful with relationships and even in life. Hindi niya siniseryoso masyado ang buhay niya noon.

Pero hindi ko pa rin napigilan ang sarili ko. Gwapo rin si Russel. And he's really close to me. And I thought that if I would want to be with someone then it should be with Russel. Kasi kilala ko na siya matagal na and I trust him...

You see, I have trust issues, too. I developed this while growing up and being broken...

Hindi pa ako nasaktan noon sa pag-ibig. Wala pa naman kasi akong naging karelasyon. Kasi nga hindi ko pa alam noon kung paano ako magtitiwala...

Because I also grew up not knowing who to really trust...

I couldn't trust my parents because I couldn't rely on them. Kasi may sarili naman na silang magkaibang mga buhay nila. At iniwan nga lang nila ako sa lolo at lola ko. I also couldn't trust my grandparents completely, because even though they were there and they raised me I still had doubts in them na kaya lang naman nila ako tinanggap dahil wala na rin silang choice but to accept me and raise me because their son was responsible, too...

You also see now that I have become an overthinker. I developed anxiety because of how I was brought to this world...

It's hard to trust. But it's even harder not really knowing who to trust...

Parang kasi wala kang mapagkakatiwalaan at maasahan...

And Russel became the closest to a person who I could trust...

Nagising si Russel sa tabi ko. At pagkatapos ay gusto na agad niya na bumalik sa dagat kahit pa mainit na at mataas na ang araw. While I choose to just stay here and covered in the shade of a big umbrella here in my sunlounger.

To be honest I didn't really want to be sunburnt...

Napasama lang naman ako rito because my friends likes the island and the beach... But I never once complained about it. I also like to be with my friends. Kaya kung gusto nila ang dagat ay parang magugustuhan ko na rin.

Ang tao ay may mga gusto at ayaw. Sa kaso ko naman minsan naisip ko na parang hindi na rin ako sigurado minsan sa mga gusto ko at ayaw...

And even when that's the case, sometimes one can still get too desperate for the things she thought she really wanted...

"Kaz? Where are you going?"

Bumaling ako kay Alecx. She's here with Ryder. Mga bakasyonista rin sila ng kaibigan niya na si Andrea rito sa isla at dito na rin namin nakilala ng mga kaibigan ko. Okay naman sila ng best friend niya at mukhang kakilala rin ng may-ari ng resort si Andrea kaya naman nagkasamasama na rin kami rito. And became friends as well.

"Uh, I'll just go back and rest now. Sobrang init na kasi rito." Ngumiti ako kanila Alecx.

Ngumiti rin siya sa akin. "Okay. Sasabihan ko na lang ang iba na nauna ka na."

I nodded and said my thanks to her.

Balak ko na lang sana talaga na magpahinga na muna dahil parang hindi na rin ako nakakasabay sa mga kaibigan ko na enjoy pa rin sa dagat. I didn't really like the sun at hindi ko lang talagang pinapahalata iyon sa mga kaibigan ko dahil ayaw ko rin naman na maging kill joy. If my friends are happy then I can try to be happy with them, too. Hindi ko na ugali ang mag-inarte pa.

At wala na rin doon si Myrrh dahil abala na kay Paul na sumunod din dito sa isla para makipagbati. At alam ko na magkakabati rin ang dalawang 'yon. Ganoon naman sila palagi. They're just kind of complicated pero mukhang gusto naman talaga nila ang isa't isa. Maybe we just have friends in our circle who are like that.

Pero hindi na ako nakabalik para magpahinga sana dahil nakita ko na sina Russel at Jewel...

I think Russel has really became so interested with a girl who works as a staff here in the island...

Natigilan ako at pinanood ko na lang silang dalawa mula sa malayo...

Gusto kong pagsisihan na hinamon pa namin noon si Russel. It was a stupid bet. Pero saan na napunta ngayon? Russel ended up liking the girl for real... At alam ko na iyon. Pero hindi ko pa rin mapigilan ang sarili ko na masaktan.

Hindi ko pa rin agad na matanggap na lang basta ito.

Nang masyadong masakit na ang sunod na nakita ko sa kanilang dalawa ay tumalikod na ako dahil hindi ko na kayang manood pa. I wasn't a masochist.

Naglakad na rin ako palayo. Pero dahil parang nawawala na rin ako sa sarili dahil sa sakit sa loob na nararamdaman ay bumangga pa ako sa isang tao habang lumalayo na ako roon...

"Ano ba 'yan! Bakit ka ba hindi tumitingin sa dinadaanan mo?" I looked up and saw a familiar face...

"I'm sorry..." Parang nabigla rin siya sa galit ko, that wasn't really necessary.

Hindi naman sobra iyong pagkakabangga namin sa isa't isa ngayon. It didn't cause me so much harm. Ayos lang naman ako. Pero ang kalooban ko ay hindi ayos. Kaya naman parang sa kaniya ko pa yata nabunton ang sama ng loob ko ngayon. Agad din naman akong nag-sorry sa kaniya. After realizing that I'm acting too much.

"I'm sorry..." I said quietly.

"Kaz... right? Are you okay? I'm sorry I wasn't looking..." He said this sounding unsure.

I sighed. I was the one who wasn't looking where I was really going. Wala siyang kasalanan. It was my fault. Ako pa nga ang nakabangga sa kaniya dahil wala ako sa sarili ko. "I'm fine. Sorry again..." I said.

Umiling naman siya sa akin. "It's fine. Uh, where are you going?" He asked me.

Tumingin ako sa kaniya. "I'm going back first. Sobrang naiinitian na kasi ako rito." I said which was also true dahil tirik na rin talaga ang araw dito.

Tumango naman siya sa sinabi ko. "All right..." Pero nanatili pa ang tingin niya sa akin pagkatapos.

Tinapos ko na lang din ang small encounter namin na 'yon at nagpaalam na ako sa kaniyang mauuna na. At tinanguan naman niya ako. Pagkatapos ay umalis na ako sa harapan niya at tuloy-tuloy lang na naglakad paalis.

It was K, or Kayle Cartagena his real name. Myrrh's boyfriend, Paul's close friend. I just heard his friends calling him K most of the time. Even back then.

Kayle Cartagena was also my classmate then even in Kindergarten. Palagi pa nga kami noon na madalas na magkagrupo sa class kahit hanggang high school dahil magkalapit lang ang mga pangalan namin at magkasunod pa na Kayle Cartagena and Kazandra Carvajal.

We were classmates but we never became close than just being in the same classroom. Kahit pa ilang beses din kami noon na naging magkaklase. He was always with the boys. While I didn't really get close with the others especially with boys and I was always just with Myrrh.

And now I just know him as Paul's friend.