When the Last Peso Falls

Chapter 1

The Matriarch's Legacy

Lola Remedios Manlapig sat quietly on the weathered wooden bench of her veranda, watching as the sun steadily rose over the rolling hills of San Lucas. The early morning light cast long shadows across the garden she had nurtured for decades—a vibrant mosaic of greens and the delicate whites of blooming sampaguitas and kalachuchi. The fragrant air, thick with the scent of freshly turned earth, carried memories of a land that had sustained her family for generations.

Her thoughts wandered back to the beginning, when this estate was nothing more than a barren field. The early years with her late husband, Gregorio, felt as vivid as if they had happened just yesterday.

"Gregorio," she murmured softly, her voice barely a whisper, "we did it, didn't we? From nothing, we built all of this."

She closed her eyes, letting the past flood back—their struggles, sacrifices, and the dreams that had fueled them. They were just starting out, a young couple with nothing but a small plot of land and each other. Gregorio, ever the optimist, had big ideas; she, the practical one, made sure those ideas took root.

"It wasn't easy, was it?" she asked the empty air, recalling the countless hours in the fields, the endless rows of sugarcane they planted by hand, and the small victories they celebrated as their crops began to thrive.

Their business grew slowly but steadily. Each year, they acquired more land, hired more workers, and eventually expanded into other ventures. By the time their children, Mila and Tonyo, were born, they had become one of the wealthiest families in San Lucas. Yet, Lola Remedios had never forgotten where they came from. She insisted on living simply, holding fast to the values that had brought them success.

Her gaze fell on the ancestral house behind her, a sprawling structure of narra and capiz that Gregorio had built himself. It was more than just a home; it was a symbol of their journey, a testament to the life they had built together—a legacy that now weighed heavily on her mind.

As much as she loved her children, Lola Remedios knew that their relationships had been fraught with complexities. Mila, her eldest, had always been the dutiful daughter, staying close to home, taking on the responsibilities of the estate almost instinctively.

"Nanay, do you need anything?" Mila asked as she stepped onto the veranda, her face etched with concern. "You've been sitting here for a while now. Maybe you should rest."

Lola Remedios smiled, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm fine, Mila. Just thinking. It's good to sit and think sometimes."

Mila nodded but couldn't hide the worry in her eyes. "I know, Nanay, but you need to take care of yourself too."

"Don't worry about me, hija. I'm stronger than I look," Lola Remedios replied with the firmness that had always defined her, leaving no room for argument.

Mila hesitated, then quietly retreated back into the house, leaving her mother to her thoughts.

Tonyo, her only son, was different—independent, rebellious, and always distant. He had left home as soon as he could, eager to carve out his own path. Though he visited often enough, there was always an unspoken tension, a gap that Lola Remedios had never been able to bridge.

"Nanay," Tonyo had once said during one of his rare visits, "I know you want me to stay, to take over the family business, but that's not the life I want. I need to find my own way."

"And what about the family, Tonyo? What about the legacy your father and I built?" she had asked, her heart heavy with the weight of his words.

"Legacy? What good is a legacy if it means giving up who I am?" Tonyo had replied, frustration lacing his voice.

Now, as she sat alone on the veranda, Lola Remedios wondered if she had been too rigid, too insistent that he follow the path she and Gregorio had laid out. But it was too late for regrets. She had done what she thought was best for her family, even if it meant making difficult choices.

The truth was, she had always been secretive about the full extent of their wealth. Not even Mila or Tonyo knew everything. Over the years, she had quietly accumulated properties, invested in businesses, and tucked away a substantial fortune. It was all for her children and their future, but she had kept it hidden, fearing that too much knowledge too soon would spoil them or sow discord.

And now, with her health failing, she knew the time was coming when she would have to reveal everything. But how would they react? Would the inheritance draw them closer, or would it tear them apart, as she had seen happen to so many other families in San Lucas?

"Lola Remedios," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves, "what will happen when the last peso falls?"

The sense of urgency grew within her. There was so much to prepare, so much to set in order before she was gone. She would not leave her family in disarray—not if she could help it.

With a deep breath, Lola Remedios rose from the bench, her movements slow but deliberate. She had lived a long life, full of challenges and triumphs, and she would face whatever came next with the same resolve. But the weight of what was to come pressed heavily on her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that her family's greatest trials still lay ahead.

As she stepped into the house, she glanced back at the garden, at the life she and Gregorio had built from the ground up. It was all for them, for Mila and Tonyo, for the generations to come.

But would they understand? Would they cherish the legacy she was leaving behind, or would they let it destroy them?

Only time would tell.