Chapter 112: Chapter 112

I tried to smile in front of Gio. "Baby . . ." I could hardly speak. "Mommy needs to tell you something."

"What is it, Mom?" he replied weakly.

I cleared the lump in my throat and moved a little. I let there be space for my son to see Agustine's presence. Gradually, my son's eyes grew bigger.

"S-Sir," he mumbled.

It was like my heart was pinched at that moment. I did not try to look at Agustine. I am afraid, sorry, and hurt.

I felt him walking towards us. My son's eyes were focused only on him. His father's presence is awe-inspiring and clouding his vision.

"Gio . . ." I barely managed to say. "S-son, Daddy . . . he's here for you."

His eyes slowly shifted to me. His tears gathered more and more at the corners of his eyes. He could not believe what he heard. Once again, I tried to smile at him.

"You don't have to hide anymore, baby . . ." I murmured.

Gio's tears eventually began to fall across his face. His lips twitched as he looked back at Agustine.

"Hey, buddy," Agustine said hoarsely to Gio.

My son started to cry out loud. "Daddy . . ." he stated.

Agustine came quickly and caressed our son's face. He hushed him softly as he apologized profusely. He once kissed Gio on the forehead to calm him down. For a moment, I was filled with fear for my son, he was just about to undergo surgery and it was not good to suddenly shock his body, that's why in the end I also helped to let him go.

When Gio calmed down, he did not take his eyes off his father. It appeared as though he was savoring and remembering his face.

"How are you? Is your head hurting?" Agustine initiated a conversation.

"I am okay," Gio's small voice then looked around the room.

That stopped at the direction of Agustine's mother and fiancee. Pain and sadness slowly passed through my son's eyes. It was as if he woke up from a dream.

He smiled bitterly before looking at his father. "You are here to thank me?" he asked, pretending not to be hurt.

"I am here for you," Agustine corrected kindly.

Gio instantly turned his head away, his eyes once more filled with sadness. "Don't lie . . ." he whispered.

I bit my bottom lip and held my son's hand. I want to cry because they are stuck in the situation again. They are the ones who suffer.

"So—" I was about to interject when Agustine stopped me.

He instructed me to allow him to explain to our son visually. I just sighed and walked away a little. Agustine slowly walked to the side and sat in the small space of the hospital bed. He held Gio's hand and massaged it sweetly.

"I'm not lying," he said softly.

Despite Gio averting his gaze, I could tell he's watching his father and listening.

"I'm sorry . . ." Agustine continued. "I am sorry if I arrived too late, if I hurt you, or if I wasn't there for you when you needed me."

"I-It's okay . . . I understand that we are not your priority," Gio answered and slowly looked at his father, then he let out a small smile. "As long as you're h-happy, Dad, that's fine with me."

I saw how my son's tears silently streamed down his cheeks. Agustine quickly wiped it and then bent down to kiss the bridge of Gio's nose. The tears that escaped from his eyes did not escape my sight.

"I don't know where to begin with the explanation, but you got it wrong, baby," he murmured.

Gio shut his mouth to suppress his sobs.

"Yeah, we just met, but believe me when I say, I love you and your twin. You're my priority," Agustine consoled.

My son shook his head lightly. He don't believe what the father says. I just cried while watching them. It's so heavy on my chest that we had to get to this point, that my children had to go through this much at such a young age.

"I didn't know . . ." Agustine's voice trembled. "I didn't know you were there. And I am really sorry for that, baby."

Gio didn't talk. He just cried as he kept his stares away. I felt like I was going to fall to the floor from weakness. I have never witnessed him experience such pain in his entire life. He's a strong boy. That's why my heart almost broke when I saw him crying.

Agustine tried to hush him again. "I love you . . . I love you so much," I heard him whisper every time he wiped his thumb on my daughter's cheek.

I quickly approached when Gio held his head and moaned softly. At least Agustine was fixed in his seat because he was alarmed. I even heard his mom panicky calling for a nurse. We were equally confused.

"Son, are you okay?"

"Baby, are you alright?"

We are curious about Gio at the same time.

"My head hurts," he replied.

"Is it bearable?" Agustine asked.

Gio just nodded. Agustine and I looked at each other and decided to let our son rest. As much as we want to tell them everything, this is not the right time. Some nurses came in and started checking on Gio. After that, the pain reliever injected his serum and even later he completely fell asleep. Maybe it was because of the tiredness of crying and the heavy emotions he released earlier.

"So what are your plans?" Agustine's mother asked.

We are now sitting on the sofa. Mom and I were next to each other while Gia was still sleeping on her lap, Agustine was on the other side. His mother was sitting on the isolated one seater couch while Lhea had already gone out to take care of the child left behind by the nurse.

"We are still going to talk about that," Agustine answered.

"Will you bring your kids home?" she asked again.

Agustine glanced at me first, then heaved a sigh when I didn't react. "We'll talk about it, Mom."

I was stunned when her mother looked at me. She stood in front of me before taking a few steps in front of me.

"Let me ask you a question, Khrystal. Do you love my son?"

I literally stopped breathing at her question. I was stiff from sitting and didn't know how to move properly. It's like my heart is going to spit at the speed of that beat.

Oh, God. Why did she ask that?

I tried to glance at Agustine—expecting for his assistance—but it seemed like he's also waiting for my answer. I swallowed hard and tried to calm myself down. I stared at him, not caring whether his mother saw me.

"I . . . " I stopped speaking for a moment and looked away from Agustine. "Don't," I finished.

Silence filled the room after that. I wanted to return my gaze to Agustine but I stopped myself. I don't understand but I don't want to see his reaction after I say that. Not that it will hurt him, I just don't want to witness it. This is not the time for us to understand ourselves. We have children that need to be prioritized. They are the victims of our wrong decisions.

"Okay. I'll go ahead since I already got your answer. I do not want to catch up later with your bitchy stepmother." Agustine's mother shrugged her shoulders in contempt, then walked away.

I don't know whether to laugh or grimace.

Agustine immediately stood up to escort the mother out of the room. He stared at me deeply for a moment before finally following. I thought he would come back right away but it looks like he is still talking to someone outside the room.

Out of curiosity, I stood up and went to the door. I slowly turned the lock and left the door a little open. I saw Agustine talking to someone on his phone. The expression of his eyes was dark. It was obvious that he was livid because of his exposed veins.

"Review all the fvcking CCTV footage from five years ago. Track down the girl she spoke to and fire her," he instructed and ended the call.

CCTV?

He let loose one after the other and frustratedly palmed his face. I was about to go out when I was stopped and turned back when I saw Lhea's presence.

"Agustine . . ." her voice cracked. "I'm sorry."

Agustine remained standing and stared at her without emotion. "You destroyed my family, Lhea."

She started crying. "I am really sorry. I did not know that everything would end up like this. I just want to give my daughter a family," she explained in the middle of her sobs.

Agustine laughed coldly. "In order to create the family you wanted, you ruined mine." His jaw clenched. "Just go away, Lhea. I don't want to see you."

"How about my daughter, Agustine? He also treated you as a father," said Lhea in a curt manner.

"I did not fail to draw a line, Lhea. Your daughter is aware that I am not a suitable father for her. Don't use her to get me, because seriously . . ." He walked near her. "I don't give a fvcking damn," he said darkly.

Lhea didn't say a word and only let out constant sobs.

I breathed in as I watched her closely. Her hair was blown out and her eyes were puffy from crying. I made myself feel if I could feel sorry for her but no matter where I looked, there really wasn't any. Call me heartless, but my kids suffered because of her selfishness. If this is what you call karma, then it suits her.

"Get lost, Lhea. Be thankful for your daughter, if it wasn't for her, I would have sent you to jail," Agustine's last words, then left her alone.