After their conversation, Sharlene didn't expect that man to be there. She could only sigh as she sat down and looked at her bracelet.
"You're indeed the child I spoke to back then," Martin said, approaching her and lightly tugging the bracelet.
She furrowed her brows. "Did I talk to you back then? Sorry… I haven't remembered that yet," she apologized sincerely.
She couldn't understand why Justine was looking at her like that.
Maybe she's asking about the divorce papers again… I still haven't brought them, Sharlene thought to herself.
"Are we not going home yet?" Vivianne asked. Her body felt incredibly tired today—most likely from the emotional journey of uncovering their past. But they had to stay strong and help one another.
"Sharlene, Justine just wants to talk to you," Lawrence called out.
"I'm leaving first," Martin said briefly and immediately walked away.
"I'm just here," Vivianne said simply as she sat nearby.
Lawrence nodded. "I'll tell the old lady to prepare some food," he added before walking off, patting Justine on the back in passing—encouraging him to approach.
"What are we going to talk about?" Sharlene asked.
Justine sighed before pulling out a familiar brown envelope. "Don't you wonder where this DNA test came from?" he asked.
That was the same envelope Martin had shown her—the proof that she was the missing child of the murdered couple. She had forgotten about it, but her curiosity returned. She glanced at him.
"Do you remember your dad? He had a sibling older than you. He looked for you for so long, until he died. He never forgot you. His child… carried that memory forward," Justine explained, looking directly at her.
Sharlene's eyes widened in realization. "D—Do I still have relatives from the Gonzalez family?"
"Yes. Guess who that person is," he replied with a calm gaze.
She gasped. "Y—You?" she asked, pointing at him.
"Yeah, that's me, Sharlene," Justine confirmed, sighing. "I'm two years older than you. I know it feels a little awkward… This is our first real conversation."
He continued, "But I promise you—I will give you the treasures Dad meant for you."
"I don't need anything right now. What I need is my child," Sharlene said firmly.
He nodded. "I'll help you if you want me to."
"And when you're ready to process the divorce papers… you can finally be free from that man," Justine added.
"C—Can I decide about Martin and me after all of this?" she replied softly. "We'll wait until our child wakes up and is safe. I don't know how Ashley will cope with her father's absence."
"Will Ashley's well-being really be okay if you don't separate?" He asked her directly.
"Ashley is really his child, isn't she?" he added, trying to confirm.
"She truly is his daughter," Sharlene said. "Ashley carries his blood. He's the only man I ever loved." Her fists clenched at the confession.
Justine sighed. "That man is so lucky to have you. But I won't let him keep hurting you."
Sharlene didn't reply.
"There's something going on between you and Sheila, isn't there?" Vivianne suddenly asked.
"In between relationships?" Sharlene echoed, turning to Justine.
He laughed bitterly. "If you can call it that. Carnal desire, maybe. That's all there is between us. I don't care about Sheila. I only did that to get close to you… Ellena."
"Are you fooling Sheila?" she asked bluntly.
He sighed. "We were just messing around, Ellena. Do you know who she really is? I heard she was once your best friend. And the Atienza family? Her sister Angely was involved, too."
Justine turned to Vivianne. "Vivianne Rosario, did you really see with your own eyes the people behind Leah's disappearance?"
"Yes. I saw it clearly," Vivianne admitted.
"But how can we imprison the guilty?" Sharlene asked, her voice filled with concern. "Raymundo Santiago is old now. Grandma Felicia used to visit him all the time when she was still strong. What can we even do?"
"Don't think too much about that. Let me handle it, Ellena," Justine said calmly. "Focus on your child. I'll handle the legal issues. Once everything's settled, I'll return you to your real home—with your loved ones."
"This is the least I can do for you," he added.
Sharlene remained quiet.
"Maybe you should start a new life with the one you truly love," he said, smiling at her.
She frowned at his suggestion.
"You need to look back to find the happiness you're searching for. It's not too late to start again," he said softly, even ruffling her hair like an older brother.
Justine chuckled as the housekeeper entered, informing them that dinner was ready.
"Did you have a good conversation?" Lawrence asked with a smile.
"Lawrence, thank you so much," Sharlene said with gratitude.
He smiled back, as if it were nothing.
"We need to leave early tomorrow," she reminded Vivianne.
"Justine, go with them," Lawrence joked.
"I'd love to," Justine replied, "but I need to see Sheila first." He sighed.
"Don't be too harsh on Sheila," Sharlene reminded him gently. "She might not know what's going on… Or maybe she does, but she could also be a victim."
Justine let out another sigh.
I want to speak with Leah again, Sharlene thought to herself.
Will I be able to face them, Grandma? she asked silently.
You need to lower your pride, Sharlene. You're going to take back the child, she reminded herself.
She was contemplating… Could she still forgive? Her heart was beginning to soften.
No. Don't let yourself be consumed by anger. You need to understand the other side of their story—not just your own.
Sharlene quietly reminded herself of this truth.