Tú Eres Mi Sol

VI

Nicolas Mendoza was already in his 50s when he met Alessia Sevilla, 24, a beauty queen. He thought that love will never be in the cards for him again. He lost his wife to cancer two years ago. And spent all his time then raising their three kids, Nicollo, 17, Nicolette, 16 and Nicoleen, 14 

Until that night, when he was asked to judge a beauty pageant and Alessia Sevilla sat next to him. To the rest of the world, it was a whirlwind kind of relationship, Alessia and Nicolas got engaged after six months. The gossipmongers had a feast, saying that Alessia was too young for Nicolas, that Alessia was just after his money. After all, Nicolas Mendoza is a business magnate and his construction business was known in Asia, that Alessia was the man's flavour of the month and Alessia took advantage of the man's loneliness and he was just missing his departed wife. 

Gossip Columnists even so called journalists were keen to talk about the society's new pair. The theme was consistent all throughout, the woman catfished Nicolas, that Alessia has been a flavour of the month of many others, how else could she afford wearing rolex or diamond earrings, and was even driving a brand new SUV even before she won the beauty contest.

Not known to the public, Nicolas before inviting Alessia for the first date, asked his children if he could go, not that he had to but he wanted to, out of his respect for their mother. The kids, seeing their father smile in a long time, got excited and gave their blessings. 

Alessia found out that she was pregnant a few weeks after the proposal. It was a high-risk pregnancy and was advised her to be on restricted activity and bedrest. When the Mendoza kids found out, they urged their father to bring Alessia to the mansion, instead of her staying alone in the condo, where she lived. Alessia didn't want to intrude and didn't want to stay in the mansion, until the three kids themselves went to Alessia and begged her for the sake of their future sibling. 

The moment Alessia moved to the mansion, gossip spread like wildfire, maids, drivers, neighbours in the subdivision, it brought maids and their employers closer as it was the topic of their daily conversation, aside from the old gossip of Alessia being with the man for money, new ones came up everyday, it was sprouting like mushrooms, like the kids hated her and that she was mean to the help, and she was flirting with the male employees and household help.

The church wedding was planned for the next year, but circumstances changed, because of Alessia's state. These were put on hold as Alessia wanted to be hands-on with the wedding. 

Alessia has been staying in the mansion for a week when a very simple private civil wedding happened. Only Nicolas, Alessia and the kids, the solemnizing officer, and a set of lawyers were present during the wedding, Nicolas wanted to set a good example to the kids, the church wedding can wait. They also wanted to ensure the legitimacy of their child if anything happened. 

It was during these months that Alessia grew close to the kids. They found a friend and an adviser in her and someone who cared for them deeply. She was there when Nicoleen got her first period, when Nicolette experienced her first heart break and when Nicollo failed his first business experiment, "The idea is great, there is just a little problem with the execution, you should try again. Thomas Edison failed a few times before he produced the first commercially viable lightbulb", Alessia said to Nicollo. 

Although, at 24, she was too young to be a mother to these kids, and she didn't try to be, she wanted to be their friend. They were also excited for the new baby. 

Months passed quickly and it was time for Alessia to give birth. The kids were excited, they were in the hospital along with their father. 

After several hours of labor, the doctor went out of the delivery room. She went to Mr. Mendoza, your baby girl is in the nursery, she's very healthy. Then her demeanour changed, "I'm so sorry Mr. Mendoza, Alessia didn't make it, it took a toll on her, her heart gave up. I'm so sorry." 

Nicolas could not understand what happened. He wasn't sure what he's done, he lost two he loved dearly in a span of 3 years.

It was decided Alessia's wake was to be mainly kept private, it was only for a few days and then her body was cremated. 

Even with Alessia's death, rumours grew, now it pointed to the paternity of the baby, that it the baby wasn't Mendoza's, it was someone else's, that Alessia had many men in her life. Rumours wouldn't stop and Mister Mendoza now banned radio and newspapers in the house as it now affected the older children, they know the truth and wanted to sue so that Alessia's name will be cleared. Nicolas, although he wanted to, said No. He said, her name would be cleared in time.  

After Alessia was buried, there an announcement on the major newspapers and international newspapers including the New York Times.

"The Montenegro group of companies, announces with great sadness the loss of Ralph and Ann Montenegro's only child, Alessia Alexandra Sevilla Montenegro. She died last March 3rd in the Philippines. In July of last year, she married Nicolas Mendoza, she is survived by her husband, her step-children Nicollo, Nicolette and Nicoleen, and her newborn daughter Nicole Dei Alexandra Montenegro Mendoza. "

Then there was this note from the writer: Swiss Ralph Montenegro and Manila-born Ann Sevilla based in Switzerland, the are the sole owners of the Montenegro Group of companies with holdings in telecommunications, gas, transportation and shipping, with annual revenues that could equal the GDP of a small country. He was devastated that he couldn't fly to the Philippines for their daughter's wake as Ralph had just undergone a heart bypass surgery and long flights wasn't an option.

The rumourmongers, gossip columnists and journalists thought they knew everything but they got the shock of their lives. They were confounded as all their accusations were wrong. The media had a field day.