The air in the coffee shop hung heavy with unspoken words. Christian James "CJ", his 18th birthday cake untouched before him, felt a tremor run through his body. He'd always known "Mama Imee" as his mother. Adopted as a baby, he grew up believing the Maniego surname was his own. The truth, as Carmina, his biological mother, revealed it, felt like a betrayal, a shattering of the foundation on which his life was built.
Carmina, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, spoke of a young love, a forbidden romance, and the desperate need to escape her parents' wrath. She'd left the country, carrying the weight of her secret, and entrusted CJ to her best friend, Imee, a woman who had become his mother in every sense of the word.
"I know this is a lot to take in," Carmina said, her voice trembling, "pero gusto kong malaman mo ang totoo. You deserve to know your family."
CJ stared at her, his mind reeling. He looked at Imee, her face etched with a mixture of sadness and understanding, and a wave of guilt washed over him. He couldn't leave her, not after all she'd done for him. The thought of leaving his three brothers, the ones he considered his own flesh and blood, was unbearable. But there was something else, a burgeoning feeling that he couldn't quite define, a warmth that spread through him whenever he looked at Imee, a longing that went beyond the familial.
"I understand" he finally said, his voice hoarse. "But I can't leave Mama Imee. She's my mother at kailangan ako ng mga kapatid ko."
Gabriel, Carmina's husband, reached out and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Naiintindihan namin, Christian," he said, his voice soft. "But we hope you'll consider na makilala mo kami at ng bunso mong kapatid."
The rest of the meeting was a blur. CJ felt numb, his mind struggling to process the whirlwind of emotions. He'd always felt a deep sense of belonging with Imee and his brothers, a bond forged in shared laughter, tears, and countless memories. The thought of uprooting himself, of embracing a family he barely knew, filled him with a profound sense of unease. But as he looked at Imee, her face a mixture of sadness and concern, his heart ached with a new kind of longing. The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning: his feelings for Imee had grown, evolving from the comfort of a mother's love into something deeper, something more intense.
Weeks had passed but he hasn't choose yet and the bond of him and Imee becomes his stress reliever. As CJ lay in his bed, the weight of that day's events pressed down on him. He thought of Imee, her gentle touch, her warm smile, and a strange feeling coiled in his gut. It wasn't just love, not the kind he felt for his brothers. It was something deeper, something more intense, something that made him both terrified and strangely exhilarated. He found himself lingering longer than necessary when kissing her on the forehead, his heart pounding against his ribs. He caught himself daydreaming about her, a forbidden desire blooming in the shadows of his heart. The thought of Imee as more than a mother, as a partner, a lover, sent shivers down his spine.
The next morning, Imee sat him down at the kitchen table, her eyes filled with concern. "CJ, honey," she said, her voice soft, "I know this is a lot to take in. Pero kailangan mona mamili, anak. Ayaw koman na palitan ang apilyido mo to theres, wala akong magagawa." You can see in her eyes the sadness.
CJ looked at her, his heart heavy. He knew what she was asking. He knew she was asking him to choose between the family he'd always known and the family he'd just discovered. But he also knew that he couldn't choose between them, not really. His feelings for Imee, those burgeoning, forbidden feelings, were as real and as potent as the love he felt for his brothers.
"I... I don't know what to do," he admitted, his voice cracking.
Imee reached out and took his hand. "It's okay, CJ," she said, her voice filled with a quiet strength. "Whatever you choose, I'll be here for you."
CJ felt a tear roll down his cheek. He looked at Imee, her face a beacon of love and acceptance, and a wave of gratitude washed over him. He knew, with a certainty that defied logic, that he couldn't leave her. He couldn't leave the family that had given him love, stability, and a sense of belonging. But he couldn't deny the feelings that were growing within him, feelings that threatened to shatter the world he knew.
"I'm staying" he said, his voice firm, his heart filled with a bittersweet ache. "Pero kikilalanin ko ang biological family. I owe them that much."
Imee smiled, a flicker of relief in her eyes. "Thank you, anak" she said, pulling him into a warm embrace.
CJ hugged her back, his heart overflowing with a love that transcended blood ties. He knew his life would never be the same. He knew he was walking a tightrope, balancing two families, two worlds, two conflicting desires. But he was determined to navigate this new path, guided by the love and loyalty he felt for both his biological family and the one he'd always called his own. And he knew, deep in his heart, that his feelings for Imee would only continue to grow, becoming a constant undercurrent in a life that had just become infinitely more complex.
Maxie_Writez
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Loving My Not Biological Mother
Romansa> [CJxIMEE] CJ Maniego discovered he was adopted on his 18th birthday when he met his biological parents and decided to take on their surname, becoming CJ Miller. Over the years, as he grew closer to his adoptive mother, Imee Mariano, he began to de...
