FIXING THE BROKEN VOWS

Chapter 13

As we were about to enter the hotel, I crossed paths with my brother. His enraged stare pierced through me as he observed me tightly clutching Miguel's shoulder. I simply rolled my eyes when he called my name, "Caprice."

"Let's talk," he lazily said, his hands buried in his jeans' pockets.

I glanced back at Miguel, who offered me encouraging nods and a reassuring smile. "Go. I'll be waiting in our room."

I released my grip on Miguel's shoulder, and he planted a kiss on my cheek before playfully tousling my hair, earning an annoyed grunt from me. I shot him an exasperated look while my brother scowled from a few feet away. He could wait. He shouldn't be so impatient.

"Don't you dare leave our room, Miguel. If you're not there when I get back, you'll have to deal with me," I warned him with a piercing gaze.

He ruffled my hair once more before nodding with a smile and averting his gaze from me to focus on my brother, giving him a small nod before walking past us.

I walked back outside the hotel with my annoying brother trailing behind me. I found a mango tree with a swing under its branches, facing the sea. It seemed like the perfect spot to have our conversation, as I was certain he'd try to persuade me to return home.

I gingerly settled into the swing, making sure it could hold my weight, not wanting to break it. I felt him sit on a small rock a few paces away from me, both of us gazing at the dark ocean, illuminated only by the hotel's distant lights.

"How's Dad?" I inquired gently. The waves, a few meters away from us, crashed noisily, but the silence between us was oddly calming.

He tossed a stone nearby, and I relaxed, thinking it had landed in the water, creating a soft splash. I feared he might have hit someone with it.

"He's the same, as always. He wants you to come back," he replied, and I nodded softly.

It had been a decade since I left. My life in the Philippines has been far from easy. I'd faced numerous challenges, gained self-sufficiency, worked my way through education, and experienced a disastrous marriage at the tender age of eighteen—a catastrophe that had molded me into the person I am today: broken and enigmatic.

I scoffed and fiddled with my hands, which trembled from the cold. "For what?" I chuckled weakly.

I hugged myself tightly, feeling the chill in the air intensify. Living near the coast has always been my dream. Sitting in front of the ocean tonight rejuvenated my spirit, ready to face whatever tumultuous challenges life had in store for me tomorrow.

"This is not the life he wants for you, Caprice. You're his only daughter; he needs you to embrace your responsibility."

He stood up, and I followed his gaze as he walked past me. I raised an eyebrow when he gave me his jacket, which left me even more puzzled.

"Thanks," I murmured as I wrapped his jacket around me. The cold night was bearable. He was used to the cold, so he was fine without it. I wasn't accustomed to such freezing weather for an extended period, so I needed his jacket. He returned to his rock seat, and I couldn't see his reaction clearly, but I knew he was probably worried again.

"Why is it always me?" I grumbled in frustration.

I had no intention of going back there. What was the point? I was content being broke here. I could get used to it; maybe I already was.

"You're the only daughter in his care, Caprice. Do you think he'll give everything to those other women? He wants you to rule his empire. He wants you to be the manager, not me, not them."