"Tashia, where are they?" Lawrence asked suddenly, his voice edged with concern. Tashia, who looked just as flustered, held Ashley close—Sharlene's child startled at the sight of him and instinctively hugged Tashia.
Lawrence took a breath and softened his stance, smiling as he remembered Sharlene's childhood. He gently ruffled Ashley's hair.
"I'm sorry I startled you," he said softly to the child.
He noticed the bracelet on her wrist—he recognized it immediately. Sharlene had passed it on to her daughter.
"You scared the child, Lawrence," Justine scolded lightly.
"Let's not disturb them for now. Their minds are... wandering."
Lawrence raised a brow. "Wandering? What do you mean?"
"I know it sounds unbelievable," Justine replied, "but they're traveling—to a place we can't follow."
Lawrence fell silent, now piecing together how Sharlene came to know his cousin Leah. Justine met his eyes but didn't speak further.
"Fine," Lawrence muttered. "No one disturbs them. But I'll give them an hour. If they don't wake up, you'll take us to Leah, Tashia."
Just then, a voice interrupted them.
"Why are you here?" Justine turned, surprised to see Martin.
Lawrence barely registered Justine's question—he was trying to process what Martin had said earlier.
"How do you know this? What did you mean about Leah? When did you last see her?" he demanded.
"Dad!" Ashley ran to Martin. He lifted her up and exchanged a look with Lawrence.
"Tashia, why don't you show them what you used to see?" Martin asked gently, turning to her.
Tashia froze, clearly taken aback.
"I—I can't," she whispered.
"What do you know, Tashia?" Justine asked, growing more puzzled.
"I know you have the ability—like your sister Vivianne. Would you be willing to try?"
Tashia only shook her head and quietly hid her hand. Lawrence didn't press further. He sensed her hesitation and respected it. But questions swirled in his mind: What did this have to do with Leah?
"Aunt Tashia is scared," Ashley said softly. "She doesn't want to see it. Grandma said Mom can travel too. I can, but not as clearly as Aunt Vivianne."
"Ashley, when did you find that out?" Tashia asked.
"When I was still in the hospital. But it's still blurry... and I know Mom would get angry." Ashley replied. Martin set the child down—but Ashley suddenly held his hand tightly.
In a flash, Lawrence's vision shifted. Darkness surrounded them.
He gasped. Ashley was still gripping his hand.
"Don't let go," the child whispered.
He nodded.
"Aunt Leah is here," she said.
He scanned the shadows, hoping, needing to see her. Ashley pointed ahead.
A woman in white floated in the distance. As she moved closer, Lawrence's heart pounded.
"Tita?" he breathed.
Ashley held his hand tightly.
"Don't let go."
The woman stared at them, unmoving.
"Tita Leah," Lawrence said again.
"I can't hold her back anymore," she whispered. Her eyes were filled with sadness as she stared into the void.
"It was my fault… I gave in to the hatred."
"Where is Mom?" Ashley asked. "Where are they now?"
"If you go there, you might not come back," Leah warned, turning away.
"Lawrence, I know it's you," she said, her voice soft but heavy.
"Please, Tita Leah—what happened?"
Leah reached out, gently touched his face—and suddenly, memories flooded him.
She had fallen in love and married and stood firm even when her husband begged for another chance. But everything fell apart when she became pregnant. Manuel forced her to abort the child. When she resisted, he hurt her. Lawrence watched in horror as Leah was buried alive.
He felt the weight of it now—of not knowing, of not being there.
"I thought someone would help me," Leah said through tears. "But they betrayed me. Even Felicia."
Lawrence saw the rage in her eyes—fury, betrayal, and devastation.
"I wanted revenge. I wanted them all to suffer—my friends, my parents, everyone."
"Do you really want revenge?" Another voice echoed in the darkness.
Leah turned. "Who are you?" she asked.
"I am you. You are me," the voice answered. A second Leah emerged from the shadows—rage glowing in her eyes.
"What can a soul like me do?" Leah cried.
"Don't worry. Do you remember the vow you made?"
She did. The moment she found out her parents had been murdered, she vowed:
"Even if I can't take revenge on Earth, I will fetch your souls from hell! I will be the karma in your lives!"
Leah laughed then—cold, hollow, unhinged.
Lawrence watched in horror as Leah accepted her darker half. Wind howled around them, nearly knocking him and Ashley over.
The second persona—the spirit of vengeance—stood in Leah's place.
"Her resolve grew even stronger after learning about my parents' deaths," Leah said.
"Tell me where she is," Lawrence pleaded. "Let me talk to her."
Leah shook her head. "Think of Ashley. She's not strong enough yet."
He looked down at Ashley, suddenly noticing her weakness.
"How can I help you?" he asked.
"You can't. We'll both vanish into the dark. I created her... now I must pay the price."
"Tita, I won't let that happen," Lawrence said desperately.
But Leah only smiled at him with a quiet sadness.
"I'm already happy I saw you again. Ashley can't hold on anymore."
Suddenly, they were thrust back into the present. Lawrence gasped. Ashley collapsed, and he caught her just in time.
"Ashley! Ashley!" Tashia ran to her.
"Breathe, Ashley. Slowly now, deep breaths," Tashia guided the child calmly.
"W—What's happening to her?" Lawrence asked, panicked.
"What did you see, Lawrence? Why do you look like that?" Martin asked.
Lawrence couldn't answer. He was still lost in the gravity of what he had seen.
"Aren't you worried about Ashley?" he asked Martin.
"I know she'll recover. It's the price we pay—for seeing, for knowing," Martin replied.
"But now it's your turn. What did you see?"
Lawrence exhaled shakily. Justine watched him in silence, trying to understand.