ECHOES OF OUR VOWS

CHAPTER 6

TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains themes of miscarriage, child loss, kidnapping, mental health struggles, and grief, which may be distressing to some readers.

KEUS WAS a good businessman. With everything he inherited from both of his parents, masasabing nasa kanya na ang lahat. He could get whatever he wanted and take whatever he needed.

Pero para kay Keus, hindi gano'n kasimple ang lahat.

Bilang nag-iisang tagapagmana ng pamilya, hindi lang pressure at criticism ang kinakaharap niya, kundi pati ang banggaan ng sariling pangarap laban sa mga plano ng kanyang pamilya.

And being the heir of such a prominent family doesn't guarantee na maaabot mo ang tunay mong goals.

"My son will walk next to his father. He will soon hold the company. So he must learn the ins and outs of the business," his mother proudly declared.

He knew he wasn't the perfect son his parents wanted him to be.

Hindi rin niya maitatanggi na ilang beses na siyang sumuway sa kanila. Pero pagdating sa pangarap niya pagkatapos ng kolehiyo, ibang usapan na iyon.

His mother had already drawn his future without even asking him if he had other plans after high school.

But who was he to demand?

Wala silang ibang aasahan para magpatuloy sa legacy ng pamilya kundi siya.

That was his life, until he met a freshly graduated woman. A woman he accidentally bumped into at a bar.

It had been years since he last thought about his past with Eunice. Kung paanong ilang taon itong naging tahimik na stalker niya sa eskuwela.

But he never imagined it would end up like this.

Nasa labas siya ngayon ng kwarto ng asawa. Ni hindi niya magawang sumilip man lang nang marinig niya ang boses ni Eunice mula sa nakaawang na pinto.

"I will forgive you today. But you must promise not to leave tita Eunice ever again, okay?" she whispered softly, kausap ang kawalan.

Parang biglang nanghina si Keus. His body froze, lalo na nang maalala ang sinabi ng doctor.

"What did you do to her?!" he roared, sabay sugod kay Dr. Gregant Sanchez na kakalabas lang ng kwarto.

"Aren't I supposed to ask you that question?" the doctor answered calmly, kinalas ang pagkakahawak ni Keus sa kuwelyo niya.

Keus was fighting the urge to punch him. He didn't want to cause trouble, so he snapped back sarcastically, "Don't play dumb with me, Sanchez! We both know she was with you all this time!"

"Hindi pa ba sapat ang pagkabaliw niya dahil sa kapabayaan mo?" malamig na tugon ng doktor bago siya tinalikuran.

Gregant didn't care anymore. Eunice had already suffered too much. Ibinigay na niya lahat, pero ang kapalit ay puro sakit mula kay Keus.

Keus' anger slowly shifted into confusion. His clenched fists loosened.

"What do you mean?"

The doctor looked at him straight in the eyes.
"Eunice's condition worsened after she had a miscarriage... when she and your first child were kidnapped three years ago."

Miscarriage? Kidnapped?

Keus' mind went blank. His chest tightened. Ayaw niyang maniwala. Pero nang marinig niya ang asawa niyang kausap ang wala, pinapakalma ang isang batang matagal nang wala... wala na siyang magawa kundi tanggapin ang katotohanan.

And in that moment, Keus Andrade, the high and mighty successor of the Andrade family—fell.

"It was confirmed, Eunice was with Bryle that time. She suffered different injurie—"

Hindi na niya narinig ang kasunod. Napaluhod siya sa sahig, nanginginig.

"Oh God... what have I done?"

THREE YEARS had passed since Keus and Eunice last shared laughter. Three years since Bryle's smile lit their lives. Ngayon, parehong wasak ang mag-asawa. Their angels were gone, lying in cold graves.

Paano nga ba humantong sa ganito?

Bawat hakbang niya papasok sa sementeryo ay parang sibat na tumatama sa puso niya. His guilt and grief grew heavier with every step.

He shouldn't have let it happen.

Kung puwede lang balikan ang lahat... Kung hindi lang niya pinagbuntunan ng sisi ang asawa matapos mamatay ang panganay nilang anak.

He failed to protect Eunice. He failed as a husband. At kahit ilang pagsisisi ang gawin niya ngayon, hindi na mababago ang katotohanan, he betrayed her trust.

"I-I'm so s-sorry..." bulong niya habang papasok sa libingan ng pamilya Caseria, luha ang pumapatak sa kanyang pisngi.

'Angels of Caseria-Andrade'

Napaluhod siya. His chest tightened until it hurt to breathe.

Kasalanan niya ang lahat. Nawala ang mga anak nila dahil sa kanya.

If only he had been better, if only he had tried harder... maybe things wouldn't have ended this way.

Pero hindi niya ginawa. Hinayaan niyang lamunin siya ng problema hanggang sa nakalimutan na niya ang mga pangako niya sa harap ng Diyos.

Those promises, iyon ang pinanghawakan ni Eunice. But he crushed her hope. He destroyed everything.

Siya ang walang puso. Siya ang may kasalanan.

Pero anong magagawa ng pagsisisi ngayon? Maibabalik ba nito ang buhay ng anak nila?

No. Because what's done is done. At dadalhin niya ang pagsisising ito hanggang sa huling hininga niya.

"I-I'm really sorry! I'm useless! I'm the one to blame! Oh, God... please forgive me!" Keus cried, gripping the cold stone of his child's grave.

His tears fell endlessly, his body trembling. Eunice had suffered more than him, and he hated himself even more for it.

Hours passed before his phone vibrated. A message from Lixxion.

Lixxion: Trake found something important about the incident three years ago. Go to your office. We'll come.

Wala siyang sinayang na oras. He drove straight to the company.

Pagdating niya, naroon na ang mga kaibigan niya. What surprised him most was Diana. Protective ito kay Eunice pero bakit nandito siya ngayon? Sa pagkakaalam niya, ito mismo ang nagtulak sa kanya palabas ng kwarto kanina.

"Make it fast, Trake Lucero. I don't have time for ridiculous games," Diana said coldly.

"Calm down, Dianacake," sagot ni Trake, na agad niyang sinamaan ng tingin.

"What is it?" Keus asked firmly.

"As you know, your wife and son were kidnapped. But there's more to it," sabi ni Knite. "We checked the CCTV footage from the supermarket where they were last seen. We tracked down the men who knocked your driver out. My men caught them earlier."

Rage boiled in Keus' blood.

Even if it was too late, he needed to bring justice. At least in this way, he could still do something right for his wife and children.

"Here, look at this." Knite tossed him some photos.

Keus' hands shook as his anger doubled.

"Artemio Ruiz. Father of Ayn Ruiz. He was behind the kidnapping. If you're asking why... check the information my intel gathered."

He didn't wait for them to explain further. He stormed out of the office while dialing his grandfather.

"I know you hate me now," he muttered under his breath, "but I promise... I'll make it up to you."