Chapter 26: Chapter 26

"Here are the designs that I have finished, choose what you like most. I brought Chad here with me. He's our best interior designer.” Calixto made three designs for his cousin. All were Victorian style and simple, but the second design was what he liked the most. It was the house he visioned to have.

"I like this." He showed him the design he chose.

"This is the floor. You will chose variety of colors for the interior and exterior walls.”

"About the color, I want a beige colored wall.”

Calixto swiped something on his tablet and looked up. "Alright. I'll send you the final sketch through email.”

"Ah. Send it on my private email instead, so I can see it---" his phone rang, it was a call from his sister. "Excuse me, Cal. It's Mia. I need to take this."

He stood up to answer the phone call. “Hey, Miana.”

The background was too noisy, but he can hear his sister sobbing. What happened?

“Mia, where are you? What's wrong? Calm down and tell me what's going on." He was ready to leave. For a moment he got scared something bad might have happened to his sister.

“Jake." He heard the stern voice of his brother in law. "We need you here."

There was a slice of chill inside his spine that he couldn't understand where it was coming from. . His heart was pounding. He know his sister wouldn't cry like that if everything is fine.

"Jasper, what happened?"

His knees almost buckled when he heard what his brother in law said next.

"We're here in the morgue. It's mom."

JACOB doesn't know how long he's been staring blankly at the wall infront of him. He feels like he's floating. He couldn't cry. He was too numb and his heart felt like it was gonna explode.

His mother is dead.

He remembered how many times he cursed her, wishing she wasn't his mother. Or that she disappeared.

He loathed his mother more than anybody, he couldn't stand her. Whenever he sees her, he just remembers all those times she hurt him. How she betrayed their father. How she took him away from his happiness.

She was so selfish.

But right now he couldn't get his mother out his mind, he can hear her voice, her laughter or how her face would light up every time she sees him.

His hands were so cold, he feels so light headed. He can feel himself grasping for air because it was so hard to breathe.

Jacob was hoping that everything was a colossal joke, that later one of them will say that she's alive and all these is just one of her wicked schemes.

But it was real.

His mother is dead.

She was very fine the last time he had seen her. She was so fine that he chose to fight and shout at her.

He never knew that was the last time he's gonna see her. He could have done better, he could have been a good son even just for that day.

He could have forgiven her.

If only he knew that would be the last time.

He can almost taste blood with the way he was biting his lip. Until his tears came.

He never even cared for his mother, he's never returned her smile in years. Never really showed happiness when he sees her, and now that she's gone, he was full of regret.

“Jake.” his sister approached her.

The misty eyes told him she hasn't stopped crying.

"Why,” he said.

"Overdosed." Her voice was shaking. "All of her medicines, Jake.”

"She killed herself." He couldn't believe it. Her mother, the strong Queen of Strike decided to end her life. "Mia, why... would she do that.”

"The... the last time I saw her, I shouted at her.” He swallowed, "If I had known that would be the last time I get to dine with her, I swear I wouldn't have wasted it."

"I was a bad son.” he choked. “I could have tried..."

Warm arms wrapped around him. "Jake, stop it. That's not true."

"No. It's the truth. You know it.”

"Shh. we will get through this okay." Mia doesn't know if she's encouraging her brother or herself. She was so close with their mom.

Jacob couldn't stop his tearsn This pain he felt was the exact thing he felt when he left Tatiana, when his father died.

He opened his eyes and he was in the house where he grew up. In their mansion. He woke up in the mansion's largest bed. It was their family room. He remembers all the pillow fights he's had here with his sister. The faint laughter of their parents as they watched them play.

His mother is dead. Once again, he was reminded of regrets.

He looked beside him and found his nephew sleeping

Then his sister, who was being embraced in sleep by his brother in law.

He couldn't exactly remember how they all ended up here.

He just remembered being so tired, it was to groggy to even remember what had happened.

When he went downstairs he saw their helps, setting up the place. There was extreme sadness in their eyes especially those who have served them for years.

"Sir Jacob." It was Matilda. She had the same look when his father died. He remembers how this maid tried to comfort him before. She would bring him food because he locked himself up in his room to grieve.

He was so broken hearted at that time.

“My condolences, sir. We loved your mom. She's been so kind to all of us.” Jacob slightly hugged her. This housemaid knows how stained his relationship is with his mother.

“She asked us to clean the whole house. And then she called us and gave us our salary even if it isn't the end of the month yet. We thought she's going somewhere or expecting a visitor. We were worried when she didn't come down for dinner. When we opened her room, we found her...” the maid couldn't even finish it.

He closed his eyes, not being able to imagine that scene. His mother, a brave woman, the antagonist in his life and the queen whose tierra never falls, killed herself.

His mother's remains arrived at noon. She's in a casket now, dressed in white with her eyes closed. Miana was crying, even James like he understand he'd never see her grandmother again.

He felt numb, but he can't spare a glance at his mother, he couldn't.

The press and some publicists came and called to confirm if Ingrid was really dead, they confirmed it but didn't give furthermore details.

They said it was cardiac arrest that took away her life. They couldn't say she killed herself... it's just too much.

People came at night. Their close acquaintances and family friends.

"Condolences, bro." Andrew puller him into a hug. "I'm very sorry."

He nodded.

"How are you? Miana's taking it so bad. She won't leave beside tita's remains."

"I'm coping up. She and my mom are close, that's why this is so hard for her."

"Attorney." Andrew called behind him. He looked up to see Tatiana in a black dress.

"Andrew."

Andrew sighed. “I'll leave you guys alone. Jake, I'm sorry.”

Before he could even say anything, Tatiana hugged her so tight. He felt like some burden in his shoulders got lifted when she did that. Like he's home, finally.

Holding Tatiana's hand he pulled her to the garden where there's only few crowd.

"I'm sorry, Jake. she's so... young. And she was okay the last time we met."

"You saw her after Palawan?”

"We met inside a coffee shop, we even talked. She looks healthy. This is so sudden." She reached out to put her palm in his face. "How are you coping up?"

"I don't know. All I think now is that I regret not making amends with her, when she was still alive."

He held her hands, his eyes were giving away nothing and his hair disheveled. He was a mess.

She brought Jacob's hand to her lips.

"Please stay with me, Tati. I'm losing my mind here."

Right now he needs her the most, that's why she won't fail him. She'll stay, she'll be his rock.

She asked her driver to bring her overnight bag. His sister had the questioning eyes the whole time they were together. Wondering why they were that close.

People started to leave late at night.

Most of them were Ingrid Shaw's friends. She was tired but she's staying here for him.

Poor Julian, he'd never meet his grandmother.

The couch dipped and an arm draped around her. "Go to sleep, baby."

She smiled at Jacob. "What time are you going to bed?”

He shrugged. "I'm not sleepy at all. I'll keep Jasper company"

"Then sasamahan I'll stay here. I'm not that sleepy."

"I saw you yawn."

"Jake, it's okay. I want to be here with you. Let's just go to bed together later. Do you want me to make you a coffee?”

Jacob slightly smiled at her, tucking the loose strands of her hair. "That will do. Thank you, baby."

Jasper sat beside him when she left. "You're back together?"

"I hope so, Jas. I haven't even introduce her to my mom as my wife. Where is Mia?"

"She's upstairs. She's tired, you know she couldn't stop crying. I'm worried about Mia, she barely ate today. If I didn't force her to sleep she wouldn't have.”

They found out that Ingrid was battling cancer. She had it written on her diary and Miana read it earlier. What she did wasn't fair. She should have fought. She would have made it through. They'll take care of her.

He'll take care of his mother.

“We came here last monday. She was smiling. She played with James and made our lunch. Even I, Jake. I couldn't understand why she'd like to go like that.”

It was 2 in the morning when everyone left. His heart warmed when he saw Tatiana sleeping on the couch. Her head tilted and her mouth slightly parted. He knew she was just fighting her sleep,for him. To be with him.

He carefully carried her upstairs next to the room where Jasper and her sister stays.

He removed her shoes, her jeans and blouse and changed her into his clothes. She stirred in her sleep, half asleep now as he dressed her.

Jacob kissed her forehad. "I love you, Tatiana."