The Neglected

Plot

Melinda Marie Randa grew as a neglected child. She and her only sister Maricris have a huge age gap. Maricris is already 34 while Melinda is only 19. She did not experience being a favorite child since her niece Monica, was born and as the first “apo” she got all of the attention. Until that age her role in the family revolved around taking care of the household preparing meals and running errands when they need something, it was exhausting for Melinda especially since she’s iron deficient but her role seems to be under-appreciated because she is at the bottom of the hierarchy her family builds, the higher the money you put in this household the higher level you’ll be. It was never okay for her but she has a goal, and that is to climb at the top of the hierarchy and she thinks that her only way of doing so is to finish her studies and work at top companies. She’s determined of polishing her student records she is at the top of her class and the student council’s president she’s famous because of her academic excellence and is one step closer to entering prestigious universities that will guarantee her spot in top companies nationwide. But a sudden turn of events destroys her meticulous plans for her future she was framed up for a drug crime. If she only knew that going to a club for the first time will turn her fate into a mess she would have never dared. The pieces of evidence found in the crime scene point to her though she knows that she’s innocent no one can prove it for her, because she was insisting on her innocence the trial goes on with a public attorney whom she doesn’t trust. She was hopeless and afraid not until she met the private investigator hired by her family and she was surprised by this because she was not expecting this act from them. But there’s this person that believes Melinda after all; Daniel the SC vice president, this scandal dragged Melinda's reputation to the lowest in their school but knowing her ever since a child he knows that she will never do that crime and he thinks that it is senseless for such a smart woman like her. Without Melinda knowing, Daniel investigates her case on his own. As the investigation goes on the possibility of the crime being a setup is slowly making sense.

The odds are favoring Melinda but the crime results unleash secrets from her family that brings bone-deep shivers. Turns out that the setup was made by a guy who distribute party drugs in clubs and used Melinda’s bag as a way of handling cocaine to Monica. But the good news did not go straight to Melinda it was her family who receives this information and now they’re having a dilemma. The damages to Melinda being punished by the crime she did not commit outweigh damages to Monica if she will be convicted of the crime she’s responsible for. Monica is still underage and based on the juvenile law she will just serve 2 years in rehab Melinda is on the right age to serve in prison for 10-15 years but there’s something about the family that made them decides to discontinue the investigation and keep this information from Melinda but they are unable to keep it from Daniel who was hiding behind the walls as they were having conversations in the club that the crime was done and has been inoperative since then. Daniel immediately talks to Melinda about this and that leads to her hating her own family. Because of her family’s betrayal, Melinda reach out to her public attorney to solve the case by tracking the traces of investigation that Daniel overheard. Melinda was found innocent by the court with the help of her lawyer whom at first she doubted. Because the truth was unveiled the DSWD will take Monica to their rehab center as ordered by the court. Police went to their house but they were late Monica is nowhere to be found she knew ahead that she will be convicted so she runoff from it. Melinda joined the police in the search being furious with her family she did not dare to say a word but what she found in the bathroom enthralled her, she froze and wasn’t able to speak; she found a pregnancy test and it was positive. She came out from the bathroom as nothing happened she did not even blink and kept the pregnancy test and left. That night she couldn’t think straight she was just walking and she didn’t know where to go while Daniel quietly followed her, he was worried and intrigued about Melinda he knows that her mind is full of turmoils, he is always like this to Melinda observing and admiring her silently. Finally, as the night progresses Daniel offered Melinda to stay in his family’s unoccupied room for rent and Melinda agreed. As soon as they arrived at the house Melinda showed the pregnancy test and just like her he was extremely shocked but the first thing comes to their minds, was Monica’s. While in her room Melinda is having double thoughts she thinks that maybe her family betrayed her because they want to protect Monica and her baby but she is furious at the idea of letting her suffer in prison. Melinda couldn’t take it anymore it will destroy her sanity so she decided to confront her mother. Overloaded by emotions her mother’s confession pierced through Melinda’s heart, the grudge she’s been holding for years became inexplicable. Her mother confessed that the pregnancy test was not Monica's it was from her sister Maricris. And the following details word by word never fails to petrify her. Monica is not the only child of her sister there was a baby girl before her but Maricris suffers from postpartum syndrome her husband was there supporting their needs until the disaster happened. The baby died at the hands of Maricris, one day while raining Maricris went outside carrying the baby they spent half an hour soaking wet until someone noticed them the following week the baby was diagnosed with meningitis causing her death. Maricris couldn’t handle the stress…the grief that she couldn’t accept the loss of her daughter every day she was acting like her daughter was still there she wasn’t in her right mind until she got pregnant with Monica she took very good care of Monica she spoilt her and made the whole family treat her like royalty because she thought that her first baby was back. Melinda couldn’t move she didn’t know what to feel her anger turned into tears as she told her mother her upset to her own family for her whole life she felt neglected and they only see her when she does wrong how every night she was crying that she just keeps on burying her feelings to keep going but she’s getting tired and just wants to move away but she felt trapped by her own family but her heart softened when she saw her mother crying saying sorry to her she said that they were just afraid for Maricris to snap so they keep on living in the illusion she made because the reality will destroy Maricris but they were not aware that the illusion will destroy Melinda they see Melinda as the strong one the smartest one but forgot that she was the youngest daughter and for her whole life she didn’t feel one she has to learn to live lacking the attention from her family her mother’s tears just running down through her cheeks. While crying Monica asked why her family discontinue the investigation despite proving innocence and it was Monica’s fault her mother answered that they did not decide immediately they didn’t know what to do because they think that the truth will destroy the family but it wasn’t their intention to let her in prison they just want time and she phrased how smart Melinda was to save herself, something that her family couldn’t do. After Melinda heard her mother’s confession she said that it’s time to tell Monica the truth and let her live the reality or else they will not see her ever again. The following week the family got a report that the police found Monica shoplifting at a department store with a group of teenagers but she was the only one that was caught and she was brought to the city’s rehab center the family visited Monica, her grandparents are convincing her to stay in rehab for her good that they will keep on visiting her and they will never miss special occasions but Maricris did not agree on this she said that she has connections and she will get Monica out of there and then she told her that she is having a baby hearing this news Monica stuttered, she was shocked and became hysterical, she told her family to leave though Maricris couldn’t believe Monica’s reaction the followed her. Melinda witnessed everything from a distance as soon as Monica sat down she went to her and talk to her, as usual, Monica was rude to her out of all the mess she’s been through because of her what she wanted to know is the reason behind Monica’s absurd reaction to her mother’s pregnancy. Monica stated that she knew there was a baby before her because she saw the old family picture and all her life they see her as the first baby that was lost by her mother, she didn’t have her identity and she has to live in the baby’s shadow she said that she never asked them to spoil her, all she wanted is for them to see her as she is and not as the replacement of the lost baby. After hearing this Melinda realized that Monica is also a victim of the illusion and she desperately searching for her own identity by being rebellious she held Monica’s hands and said that it was time for the family to wake up and accept the reality, Monica was sobbing. To break Maricris’ illusion the family decided to reach out to her ex-husband Anton and despite the pain and grief that Anton wants to forget but couldn’t he chose to help the family and confront his ex-wife. The confrontation drove Maricris insane she didn’t believe Anton and became aggressive she wandered across places and went to Monica there she acted weird and aggressive and then she fainted. When Maricris woke up in hospital she saw Anton sitting on the chair beside her and this was when she was hit by reality. It reminded her of giving birth to the first baby and the memories were just playing on her head as a reminder that she was living the illusion because she denied accepting the truth of her baby’s death. This time Melinda’s family was not the same before, their situation was pitiful Monica remained in rehab, Maricris has to stay in psych ward to take care of her and her baby, they were struggling financially Melinda whose named was cleared received offer from her school summer courses and financial assistance to continue her application to prestige school but she still had to do part-time jobs while Daniel reaching his own dreams for his future having Melinda in his mind and in the process hoping that Melinda would be there as she surely would truly moving on was a very difficult that’s why the family refuse to accept the pain and build the illusion but the past will always hunts them, they will live afraid and in denials it will questioned your sanity that is why you have to remember everything the joy and the pain and live through with it hoping that time will eventually make the burden lighter as it past months, years or a lifetime and that is what the family needs to go through, live with the pain.