The words collapsed in my chest like a building caving in on itself.
My mother? I have a mother?
Parang may napunit sa loob ko. Parang sumabog ang katahimikan na pilit kong tinahi mula pagkabata.
The world spun in silence as my knees gave out and I dropped to the floor. I didn’t cry. I couldn’t. I just stared, eyes wide open, lips trembling, but no sound came out.
The pain was too full, too heavy, too raw to scream.
Jerald was beside me. All I could feel were his arms wrapping around me, his hands slowly patting my back, like he was giving me permission to break. And I would. I knew I would. Any moment now.
"Hey..." His voice cracked like he had swallowed a rock. "Do you want to see her? This is your last chance."
My head moved so fast it almost hurt. I nodded, desperate, as if the
