Player 1 | MIKHAIAH AU

Part 43

"Find out who sent this letter," Maxwell Lim said firmly, his voice low but resolute as he placed the crisp envelope on his desk.

"What's in it, sir?" his secretary asked hesitantly, noticing the unusual tension in Maxwell's tone.

Maxwell exhaled sharply, his fingers drumming on the desk. He looked up, his eyes cold but with a flicker of something unspoken. "It's about my wife. She's alive... She's here."

The secretary froze, momentarily caught off guard by the revelation. "Sir... do the twins know?"

"No," Maxwell said, his voice hardening. He leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking under the weight of the moment. "And they won't. Not now, not ever. Do I make myself clear?"

The secretary swallowed, nodding quickly. "Crystal clear, sir."

"Good," Maxwell said, dismissing him with a wave. As the door clicked shut, he leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk as he stared at the letter.

For the first time in years, Maxwell's composure cracked ever so slightly. "Amanda... what are you playing at?"

The memory of that fateful day is etched into Mackie's mind like a scar—deep and unyielding.

The morning had started like any other. The Lim household, though lavish and sprawling, often felt cold. Maxwell Lim, a towering figure of success, spent his days and nights immersed in his empire, rarely present for his family. Their mother, Amanda, was their warmth, their light, the only source of comfort in a home that often felt like a gilded cage.

But that morning was different. Mackie and Sab, only eight years old, were jolted awake by the sharp sound of voices echoing through the halls.

"Hindi mo man lang inisip ang pamilya mo!" Maxwell's voice boomed, shaking the walls.

The twins looked at each other, fear mirrored in their identical faces. They crept out of their room, their small hands clutching each other tightly as they followed the sound.

Amanda was kneeling on the floor of the living room, tears streaming down her face. "Wala akong pamilya sayo! Panay ka na lang trabaho!"

Maxwell stood over her, his face a mixture of anger and frustration. "Para kanino ba ito? Hindi ba para sa inyo? Para sa buhay na gusto mo!"

Amanda rose to her feet, her voice trembling but resolute. "Hindi ko na kaya, Maxwell! Uuwi na ako sa amin! Mas mahal mo pa yang lintik na kompanya mo kesa sa amin, kesa sa akin!"

"Kung ganon, ode lumayas ka!" Maxwell roared, his hand motioning to the door. "Pag lumabas ka ng pinto na yan, wag na wag kang babalik dito!"

Sab, unable to hold back any longer, rushed forward. "Mom!" she cried, her small arms reaching out.

"Sabrina!" Amanda's voice cracked as she knelt to catch her daughter. She held her tightly, whispering words of love through her tears.

"Princess, get back to your room!" Maxwell barked, grabbing Sab and pulling her away.

"Dad, I want Mom!" Sab sobbed, thrashing against his hold.

"Maxwell, ang mga anak ko!" Amanda's voice broke as she reached for them.

"You won't take them! Kung gusto mo silang makasama, manatili ka dito," Maxwell said firmly, holding Sab and Mackie close to his chest.

Mackie, silent until then, finally spoke. "Mom..." Her voice cracked as tears streamed down her face.

Amanda froze at her daughter's voice. "Anak..." she whispered, her heart breaking into pieces. But when Maxwell's grip tightened around the twins, Amanda made her decision.