Onyx's POV
"I just hope that my birthday dinner won't be as bad as I imagine it will be," Ma said with a small sigh.
"If you want," I replied, "I don't have to come. You don't need to worry about it."
She shook her head immediately.
"No, I want you to come," she said firmly.
Then her tone softened.
"I want you to experience this. The life of luxury."
She looked at me with a strange mixture of pride and regret.
"I want you to see how my stepson lives. How he's surrounded by money. How easily he can have whatever he wants. How effortlessly he can deal with life."
Her voice lowered.
"I want you to have that too. At least... that's something I can give you now."
"I don't need all of that, Ma," I said with a faint smile. "I just want to live a normal, peaceful life. Somewhere I can survive without having too much... or too little. Just enough."
I paused.
"But thank you for the offer."
She nodded slowly.
Then she opened her wallet.
Inside was a thick bundle of cash.
"Here," she said, pulling it out. "Take this. Your allowance. If you need more, just let me know."
I gently placed my hand over hers before she could give it to me.
"Ma," I said calmly, "you don't have to. I have my own money. I don't need it."
"Onyx," she said, almost pleading—but still holding herself back, "for once... can you just accept this?"
I shook my head slightly.
"If you're giving this to me because you feel guilty," I said gently, "then you don't have to. You offering a job opportunity at your fiancé's company is already more than enough."
She sighed softly.
"You really are stubborn," she said with a smirk. "But in a very calm and polite way."
Then she tilted her head.
"So," she asked, "how is your father doing?"
"He's doing fine," I replied. "He's seeing someone as well."
"Good for him," she said.
"I haven't met the woman yet," I continued. "But Pa seems really happy. So I'm okay with it."
She nodded thoughtfully.
"If your father ends up living with his new wife," she said after a moment, "you can come live with me at the mansion, Onyx. There are plenty of rooms there. You don't have to stay in that small house anymore."
I considered it briefly.
"And even if I did choose to stay with you," I said calmly, "what about your stepson? I'm sure he wouldn't like me living there."
I shook my head slightly.
"So it's probably better not to. If I take up too much space in Pa's new family home, I'll just find an apartment of my own."
"Don't worry about my stepson," she said. "He's hardly at the mansion anyway. You wouldn't even run into him most days."
Then suddenly she looked out the window.
"Oh," she said, her tone shifting. "We're already here."
My attention snapped back.
I turned toward the window.
And there it was.
Our house.
Small.
Quiet.
Exactly where it had always been.
"Next week, Onyx. Wednesday. I'll have my driver pick you up here at your house at seven p.m., alright?" She asked.
"Okay," I said, nodding once.
Ma smiled, the kind of smile that tried to look casual but carried a quiet relief beneath it.
"I'm happy we were able to meet and talk again," she said.
Then she leaned forward and pulled me into another hug.
"Don't let all your troubles and pressure eat you away, okay?" she continued softly. "Remember, I'm always here for you."
"Thanks, Ma," I murmured.
She released me from the tight embrace.
"Thanks for giving me a ride home."
"Don't worry about it," she replied easily. Then she added with sudden enthusiasm, "If you want a car, just tell me. I'll buy one for you."
"Probably not," I said automatically.
Then something occurred to me.
"By the way," I added, "just in case... I have a friend who might want to sell his car. I might ask for your help with that."
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise.
"Wow. You have a friend already!" she said with a giggle. "That's good. I thought you were the loner type."
"That's... debatable," I said calmly.
She giggled quietly, pressing her closed fist against her lips as if trying to contain the laughter.
"Well," I continued, choosing my words carefully, "we're not on good terms right now. I'm not sure when that will change. But if he decides to sell the car, I'll let you know."
She tilted her head curiously.
"I just want to make sure it ends up in good hands," I added. "The car has sentimental value for him."
"Alright," she said with a nod. "Just message me about it."
"I have to go now," I said, glancing toward the house. "Pa must be waiting."
"I love you, Onyx," she said suddenly.
The words hung in the air for a moment.
"Thanks, Ma," I replied quietly, offering a faint smile.
I grabbed my bag and stepped out of the car.
A moment later, the luxury sedan pulled away from the curb, its engine humming smoothly as it disappeared down the quiet street.
I stood there for a second, staring at the empty road.
Then I turned and walked toward our front door.
Before I could knock, I heard Pa's voice from inside.
He was talking to someone.
My heart skipped.
"Jace?" I whispered under my breath, excitement rushing through me before I could stop it.
I didn't even think about removing my shoes.
I pushed the door open immediately.
"Onyx! Good to see you! We were waiting for you!" Pa greeted cheerfully.
I blinked.
Then I looked around.
"Hello, Onyx. It's nice to finally meet you."
The voice came from a woman standing near the dining table.
It wasn't Jace.
It was Elena.
Pa's new partner.
I had thought—no, I had assumed—he was talking to Jace.
I thought he had come back.
I thought he had decided to fix things between us.
Instead—
"Hi," I said politely. "Nice to meet you too."
"Hello, Kuya Onyx!" a child's voice chirped.
* * *
Author's Note:
"Kuya" is a Filipino term used to address an older brother or an older male. It's commonly used as a sign of respect and familiarity, even if the person isn't related by blood.
* * *
I turned.
A young boy was sitting beside Pa at the table, looking at me with wide, curious eyes.
"Hi," I replied, nodding once.
"Come on in, Onyx," Pa said enthusiastically. "Let's have dinner. Elena cooked for us tonight. It smells good, doesn't it?"
I removed my shoes first, placing them neatly on the rack just outside the door before stepping inside properly.
Then I walked toward them with a small smile.
"Let me wash my hands and change my clothes first," I said.
"Okay," Pa replied. Then he added suddenly, "Oh! By the way, Elena brought you some green mangoes. She went to her province, and I told her you love sour mangoes—the ones that make your entire face scrunch after one bite."
"Thank you very much, Ma'am Elena," I said politely.
She smiled warmly.
"Just call me Mommy—Mom, if you prefer," she said with a soft laugh. "Ma'am sounds too formal, alright?"
I nodded, swallowing quietly.
"Yay! I've got a kuya now!" the child announced excitedly.
"Oh, right," Pa said. "This is Lucas."
He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Lucas, this is your Kuya Onyx. If you need help with homework or tutoring, he'll guide you. Okay?"
"Yes!" Lucas grinned, revealing a missing front tooth.
His expression was so innocent that it made the world seem simpler than it actually was.
"I'll do my thing now." I said. "You can start dinner."
"Nah, we'll wait for you," Pa said, waving the idea away. "Don't worry about it."
* * *
A few minutes later, I returned to the living room and took my usual spot.
Dinner had already begun.
I tried to eat.
The food was actually good when I tasted it.
But I couldn't eat much.
I simply wasn't hungry.
"You have to eat your vegetables while you're still young, Lucas," Pa said with a laugh, spoon-feeding him. "You need to stay healthy so your teeth will grow back."
Lucas laughed.
Elena laughed with him.
And I sat across from them, watching quietly with a faint smile.
For a moment, I saw something familiar.
A memory.
A scene from years ago.
The three of us—Pa, Ma, and me—sitting around a table, eating dinner together.
Back when we were still a complete family.
Back when laughter like this was normal.
I exhaled slowly.
Then I placed my cutlery gently on the plate.
Pa noticed immediately.
"Is something wrong, Onyx?" he asked.
"I just had a long day," I said, swallowing. "I think I'd like to rest first. I'm not really that hungry."
"Are you sure?" Pa asked.
I smiled.
"Yes."
He sighed softly but nodded.
"Please excuse me, Tita Elena" I said to her politely. "The food is really good. I'm just not very hungry tonight."
* * *
Author's Note:
"Tita" is a Filipino term used to address an aunt or any older woman close to the family. It's often used even for non-relatives as a sign of respect and affection.
* * *
"It's alright," she said kindly. "We'll save it for later, in case you get hungry."
"Where is Kuya Onyx going?" Lucas asked. "I want to come too!"
"Kuya Onyx just came from the university," she explained patiently. "A very big school. He's probably tired and wants to sleep."
Lucas nodded thoughtfully.
"Okay... I was planning to play with you after dinner."
"Kuya Onyx will play with you next time," Pa said instead, glancing at me. "Go ahead, son. Get some rest."
"Thanks, Pa."
I stood up, gave a small respectful bow, and walked toward my room.
Once inside, I lay down on my bed.
I didn't turn on the light.
Only the moonlight slipped quietly through the window, spreading a pale glow across the room.
Even with the door closed, the sounds from outside still reached me—their laughter blending with easy conversation, the soft clatter of plates and cutlery, the quiet rhythm of a home that felt alive.
I exhaled slowly, staring ahead as something stung faintly behind my eyes.
But no tears came.
The feeling didn't rise or fall. It simply stayed—settling somewhere deeper, heavier, harder to ignore.
And the worst part was...
They weren't doing anything wrong.
I had already grown used to being alone. In fact, I had convinced myself that I preferred it.
But this—
This wasn't solitude.
It was something else entirely.
And somehow, I was only beginning to understand what loneliness really meant.
I wondered, briefly—
If it would it have been any different... if Jace had been here?
End of Chapter 37