Ashes Behind Her Smile

Chapter 23: A Memory Held Close

The rest of the evening passed in a warm, easy flurry of stories and laughter, but long after the brothers had retired to their rooms and the house had quieted down, Doña Elena remained awake. She stepped out onto the wide, moonlit balcony that overlooked the Valdez estate’s sprawling gardens, wrapped in a soft shawl against the gentle night breeze.

From the pocket of her house dress, she pulled out a small, time-worn photograph she had found tucked away in an old keepsake box earlier that day. It showed a bright, chubby-cheeked little girl with pigtails, beaming up at the camera while clutching a small bouquet of frangipani blossoms—the very same flowers Brylen’s mother had loved so dearly.

Elena’s thumb brushed gently over the image, a soft, bittersweet smile touching her lips.

“Brylen… our sweet goddaughter,” she whispered to herself, her voice carrying softly into the still night air. “How many years has it been? How many moments of your life have unfolded without me there to guide you, to cheer for you, to help carry your burdens when the world felt too heavy?”

She leaned against the stone balustrade, her gaze drifting toward the distant city lights, her heart heavy with regret for the time they had lost. Life had swept her and her husband into a whirlwind of business obligations, travels, and social commitments. When Brylen’s parents had passed away suddenly, Elena had meant to reach out, to step in and be the support the young girl so desperately needed. But weeks had turned into months, and months into years—always something urgent getting in the way, always telling herself there would be more time later.

And then one day, she had realized with a start that the little girl she had once doted on had grown into a stranger to her—a woman building her own life, fighting her own battles, carrying the weight of her family’s legacy entirely alone.

A quiet sigh escaped her. “Do I still matter to her, I wonder? After all this silence… after all these years of absence? Does she look at me and see a godmother who let her down, or does she still hold somewhere in her heart the memory of the woman who once rocked her to sleep and told her stories of the future?”

She traced the edge of the photograph, her eyes glistening faintly in the moonlight. “I know I cannot undo the past. I cannot give her back the years I failed to be there. But perhaps… perhaps I can still make a difference in the years ahead. If she will only let me.”

She thought of Zhaiven—steady, patient, and so deeply in love with the woman he was waiting for. Elena’s heart swelled with pride at her son’s character, but also with a quiet hope. If Brylen was to one day become part of this family properly, then Elena knew she had a responsibility not just as a mother-in-law, but as the godmother she had always been meant to be.

“I will earn back her trust,” she vowed silently, folding the photograph carefully and tucking it back close to her heart. “Slowly, gently, however long it takes. And when she finally comes home… I will be there to welcome her with open arms, just as I should have done all those years ago.”

Somewhere far away, in a small house by the sea, Brylen stirred in her sleep. For a fleeting moment, she dreamed of a woman’s gentle voice calling her name—a voice that felt warm and familiar, though she could not quite place it. She turned over, a faint, wistful sigh on her lips, and drifted back into dreams, unaware that somewhere in the world, someone was still thinking of her, still caring, and still hoping that one day they might find their way back to each other.

She had barely finished tucking the photograph back into her pocket when the balcony door slid open softly behind her. She turned to see Zhaiven stepping out, a light robe draped over his shoulders, his expression gentle as he approached.

“Ma? I saw the light on out here,” he said quietly, coming to stand beside her at the rail. “You’re still awake. Is everything alright?”

Doña Elena offered him a small, reflective smile, then pulled the photograph back out and showed it to him once more. “I was just sitting here thinking… holding this and remembering how tiny she was when I first held her. I’ve been wondering, Zhaiven—after all these years of us being so busy, so distant… do you think she feels like she still has a place in our lives? Do you think I still matter to her at all?”

Zhaiven looked down at the picture, then turned to place a warm hand over his mother’s. “I think Brylen has carried a lot of loneliness for a long time. When people you care about aren’t there, it’s natural to wonder if you’ve been forgotten. But I also know what she’s like—she has a good heart, and she remembers kindness. If you reach out to her with sincerity, I truly believe she’ll feel it. She might be cautious at first, but she won’t turn you away.”

His mother’s eyes glistened a little as she nodded slowly. “I hope you’re right. I truly hope so. I’ve missed so much of her life… but maybe it’s not too late to be part of her future.”

Zhaiven gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s never too late, Ma. Love and care can bridge even the longest separations—so long as you’re willing to put in the effort.”

Doña Elena leaned back against the stone railing, her expression turning serious and eager. She looked up at Zhaiven, her eyes searching his face.

“Zhaiven… I want to hear everything,” she said softly but firmly. “All these years, I only heard bits and pieces here and there—about her parents passing, about her struggling to keep the company afloat… but I never sat down and truly listened to the full story. I want to know what really happened to her. Everything.”

Zhaiven nodded slowly, his gaze drifting out over the moonlit gardens as he gathered his thoughts.

“It’s a long story, Ma… and not an easy one to hear,” he began, his voice steady but heavy with emotion. “When her parents died in that sudden accident, Brylen was still so young. She had to step up and take over the company before she was really ready. She worked herself to the bone, trying to honor their memory and keep everything they’d built from falling apart. But she was alone. There was no one to guide her, no one she could truly lean on.”

He paused for a moment, his jaw tightening slightly as he recalled the things he’d learned.

“And then there were people who took advantage of that—Violet and Kevin, among others. They saw her vulnerability and they exploited it. They spread rumors, sabotaged her business deals, tried to ruin her reputation just to gain control. They made her life a living hell for a long time. She fought back as hard as she could, but it left deep scars—emotional wounds that haven’t fully healed even now.”

Doña Elena brought a hand to her mouth, a look of profound sorrow crossing her face. “Oh, Brylen… my poor, sweet Brylen. All of that… all alone?”

Zhaiven gave a solemn nod. “She’s incredibly strong, Ma. But even the strongest people have their breaking points. When Lisa caused that scene at the office—the one where Brylen walked in and misunderstood what she saw… it was the final straw. She’d already been hurt so many times, and she just couldn’t bear the thought of being betrayed again. That’s why she left. She needed space to heal, to find herself again away from all the noise and pain.”

Doña Elena was quiet for a long time, the weight of his words settling over her. She stared down at the photograph in her hand, her heart aching for the girl she had once held as a baby and had failed so completely to protect when she needed it most.

“I can’t believe I wasn’t there for her,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I should have known. I should have reached out. I could have helped her through all of that, if only I hadn’t been so wrapped up in my own life.”

Zhaiven gently placed an arm around her shoulders. “We can’t change the past, Ma. But we can make sure she knows she’s not alone anymore. That’s what matters now.”

She looked up at him, her eyes bright with determination as well as tears.

“You’re right. From now on, I’m going to be there for her—whatever it takes. I’ll make up for all those lost years, one day at a time. And when she comes back… she’ll realize she has a family here in the Valdez home that loves her and will protect her with everything we have.”