THE HILARIOUS HUSBAND (LEE BROTHERS #2)

Chapter 57

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

❥ ELISSE GARCIA ❥

"Nagpunta ako rito dahil nakita ko 'to." Inilapag ni Doktora Mendoza ang cell phone niya sa center table na nakapagitan sa 'min. Nakaharap sa 'min ang screen at naroon ang article tungkol sa divorce rumor namin ni Hope.

"Yeah?" Hope asked, his tone guarded. I stayed silent, observing her carefully.

"I came to... help you both, as a couple," she began, choosing her words thoughtfully. "First and foremost, because I know the third-party allegation isn't true." Magkasunod niya kaming sinulyapan ni Hope.

My brows furrowed, the confusion growing. "And how do you know that?" I asked, unable to hide my skepticism.

Doctor Mendoza continued without hesitation. "I'm here to help you better understand Ella's situation as well."

"Ella?" Tumaas nang bahagya ang isang kilay ko. "My sister? How do you know her?"

"Isa siya sa mga pasyente ko. And I also know that she's the source of this rumor," she said, gesturing toward her phone, where the article about our supposed divorce was still displayed.

"Wait, what?" Sa hindi malamang dahilan ay parang nabuhayan ako ng pag-asa na matunton si Ella. "Alam mo kung nasaan ang kapatid ko?" I asked, my focus narrowing to a single point. At that moment, I didn't care why Dra. Mendoza was here or what she planned to discuss. All I wanted was to know if Ella was safe, and if she knew where to find her.

"Yes." She nodded. "Actually, nasa bahay ko siya. She needs proper counselling kaya hinayaan ko muna s'yang mag-stay sa 'kin. Isa pa, ang sabi niya, wala raw s'yang tutuluyan."

I let out a sigh of relief, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. Ella was safe.

"Wait, Doc," Hope interjected. "Pa'no mo naging pasyente si Ella?"

Dr. Mendoza hesitated, taking a measured breath before continuing. "I know I'm breaching confidentiality by sharing my patient's information without her consent. But... there's so much you don't know about Ella, things she never wanted you or her family to find out. Yet, I can't in good conscience keep it hidden—especially knowing she's the source of the rumors spreading online."

Her words hung heavily in the air, and an uneasy feeling settled in my chest. What had Ella been hiding from us all this time?

"Matagal ko na s'yang pasyente at dahil 'yon sa pagkawala ng Mommy niya—si Nina," Dr. Mendoza explained gently. "Nahirapan s'yang tanggapin ang pagkawala ng Mommy niya kaya kinailangan niya ng counselling. Then, on top of that grief, came the pressure from your father—his high expectations, the demands he placed on her for her studies."

Nanatili akong nakatahimik, matamang nakikinig sa mga sinasabi niya. I'd had no idea the depth of what Ella had been carrying, or how much she'd been dealing with on her own. Ganunpaman, hindi ko pa rin maintindihan ang point kung bakit niya kami dinamay ni Hope.

"But it's more complicated than that, Elisse," Dr. Mendoza said, turning her attention to me. "Ella has been suffering from borderline personality disorder."

Namilog ang mga mata ko sa gulat. "W-What..." Halos ayaw lumabas ng boses ko, tila bumara 'yon sa lalamunan ko.

"She developed borderline personality disorder after her mother's passing. Most of the time naman ay nama-manage niya 'yon nang maayos. But during periods of intense stress or fatigue, especially from academic pressure, she experiences paranoia and dissociation," Dr. Mendoza explained gently.

Napatulala ako. Oo, alam kong naging mahirap sa kaniya ang pagkawala ng Mommy niya, dahil gano'n din naman ako noong nawala si Mom. But I never imagined the extent or complexity of what she was truly facing.

"She struggled to manage her emotions and lacked the ability to self-soothe," patuloy niya sa kalmadong boses. "This often led to impulsive decisions, bouts of anxiety, and hidden depression—bagay na tinatago niya sa pamilya n'yo, especially sa daddy n'yo, because she was terrified of disappointing him."

May inilabas siyang folder sa bag niyang nasa tabi niya at binuklat 'yon, her expression a mix of professionalism and empathy. "When Ella's anxiety would spike, it often led to feelings of paranoia or intense self-doubt. Dito na pumapasok ang mga episodes ng depression niya, kung saan nagiging tahimik siya at pinipiling umiwas sa mga tao. She developed a habit of masking her emotions, especially from those she feared judgment from, like your father."

Dr. Mendoza continued, "May mga pagkakataon na nakararanas siya ng dissociation. Ito ay parang defense mechanism—isang paraan para lumayo sa mga sitwasyong sobrang mabigat sa emosyon niya. During those times, she would act impulsively—doing things that might not align with her true intentions, even things that could hurt others unintentionally."

Parang nanikip ang dibdib ko sa mga salita niya. I hadn't known that Ella was silently battling so much, that her mind was a maze of pain and self-doubt hidden behind a composed exterior.

"Her Borderline Personality Disorder was actually manageable," Dr. Mendoza continued, "allowing her to continue her studies and socialize with her classmates and a few friends. However, matapos ang pambubugbog sa kan'ya ng ama n'yo, nalaman niya na balak din s'yang ipagkasundo nito sa anak ng kaibigan niya sa business industry. 'Yon ang dahilan kaya siya pine-pressure ng ama n'yo na pagbutihin ang pag-aaral niya at kailangan n'yang maka-graduate nang may karangalan. Dahil sa idea na ipagkakasundo siya sa hindi niya kilala at hindi niya mahal, it worsened her unstable emotional state. It was at this stage that she developed erotomania and delusions of reference."

My heart started pounding, panic creeping in and threatening to consume me. "D-Delusions? W-What... what exactly do you mean?"

Dr. Mendoza took a steadying breath. "Alam kong simula nang mangyari ang pambubugbog ng daddy n'yo kay Ella ay kinupkop mo na siya at kasama n'yo ritong nakatira. But it was during this time that her delusions intensified." She opened the folder again, sliding a transcript toward me. "Ella believes she's in a romantic relationship with your husband, Hope Ryker Lee."

To be continue...

Stop bashing Ella na, okay? ;(