Ligaya remained silent lowering her gaze.
"Well, I guess she's shocked and so excited about what she heared," her mother said smiling.
Drops of tears started coming down from her eyes. " May I go upstairs for a moment?" she asked wiping her tears.
Her father nodded. "And get yourself ready, you and your mother are going to town after breakfast to buy all you need for the wedding," he said politely.
Señora Gabriela giggled as she and Señor talked. Meanwhile, Ligaya hurriedly went to her bed sobbing. She can't imagine herself living a life that's not meant for her with a guy she doesn't love, but she can't speak and voice out what she wants, she's used to what her mother's saying to her whenever they argue, her father might be mad at her, and her whole family's name will get ruined. She doesn't know what to do. Someone knocked on the door.
"Ligaya, Ligaya,"a woman's voice called.
As she entered Ligaya's room, she saw her crying. Her mother sighed and look dissappointed.
"I know what sort of reaction you're showing Ligaya," she said walking towards her bed.
Ligaya sat up straight and wiped her tears and looked furiously beside her.
"Here we go again Ligaya," her mother said putting her hand on Ligaya's shoulder. "Ligaya, we won't let you live a miserable life, we're just doing what's good for you and our family, if you marry that man, you'll have power like the other spaniard women have. Do you want to be like the poor and powerless women who were being raped by the frayles'?"
No sooner, they both set out riding a Kalesa to buy all she needs for her wedding. They passed by a group of boys carrying heavy stuffs behind their backs under the heat of the sun. This might be the boys under the slavery of the spaniards, they're too young for that job, they should be in school learning what they should learn to raise themselves well, Ligaya thought looking worried as the boys went out from her sight. She wanted to help but how? Her lips unintentionally opened and said, "Mother can we help those boys?" Ligaya was shocked, how did those words came out from her lips.
"That type of life is what they are meant to have, and you also have yours, focus and pursue the life and the path which you are meant to take , improve and help yourself first before others," her mother replied silently.
When the night came, Ligaya wore her new flipiniana dress for her wedding. As she went towards the mirror, tears of joy came down from her mother's eye.
"I can't believe, the small litte Ligaya that I raised is now ready to live her own life with a guy that everyone desires," she said tapping the handkerchief under her eyes. "You're really meant for each other, your wedding will be happening on the day after tomorrow,"
"Mother what if I refuse to marry him?" Ligaya was shocked again, she can't believe she muttered those words.
Her mother looked up "Are my ears decieving me? Can you repeat what you have said Ligaya?" She said furiously.
"Mother, as what you told me earlier, I'll pursue the life and the path that I am meant for, what if I tell you that this life is not meant for me?" She said looking at her beautiful reflection in the mirror wearing the new filipiniana dress. "What if I tell you that my life is meant to help others?" Ligaya explained confidently.
"Stop acting like a hero Ligaya! Leave it to the men, marriage is the life we women are meant for!" her mother said in a high tone voice. "And besides, seeing you having a family with that man makes me happy, don't be selfish Ligaya! that is the one last thing I'm asking you for, you're no longer live under our roof after this," her mother said furiously.
"SELFISH???" Ligaya exclaimed. "After all those days I became silent obeying you and Itay, doing whatever you commanded me to do, pursuing the path I didn't want to take, setting aside all the things I wanted, and now you're calling me a selfish?" tears nearly come down from her eyes, but she has to restrain from crying, she shouldn't show that she's weak. "Well, if I were to choose between being a powerless woman and living a luxury life like this, I would rather choose the latter," she said furiously as she pulled and split the necklace she's wearing.
"Are you crazy?! What are you talking about? You wanted to be like them?!," her mother exclaimed as she went hurriedly towards Ligaya's closet. "If that's what you want, then go! You're a disgrace to our family!" She pulled every clothe she sees in Ligaya's closet and threw it to her.
Instead of crying, Ligaya confidently went towards her closet pulling her mother's arms from it. "I can do it myself! I'll go!" she shouted.
"Remember this night Ligaya! You'll regret this forever!" Her mother shouted as she ran hurriedly towards the door.
Ligaya left everyrting in her bedroom except one baro't saya and two books that she brought. She hurriedly went downstairs and ran towards their hecienda. As the horse she's riding on ran quickly, she felt mixed emotions, she's crying because she's free to do what her heart desires and crying because her own mother kicked her out of the house.
Meanwhile, Señora Gabriela was in the balcony crying when her husband Señor Angelo arrived. He saw her crying.
"Señor!" a woman voice cried from behind him spilling the glass of water she's holding.
