Cherry sat motionless, staring blankly at the mirror in their bedroom. Her once long hair was gone. After a few more seconds, her gaze shifted toward the lower part of the small cabinet beside the bed. She pulled something out—a makeup kit. She opened it and applied a bit of foundation to her face, then added a touch of lipstick. It had been a long time since she'd used any of these, having lost the time and energy to care about her appearance.
She kept it simple and forced a small smile at her reflection. Her eyes drifted toward her children, still fast asleep.
Suddenly, a wave of sadness washed over her as she thought about her current situation. She once believed that leaving her parents and siblings behind would allow her to rise above hardship. But reality had been far crueler than she imagined.
After spending five hours tidying and cleaning the house, she decided to cook dinner with her children. As they gathered around, she found herself gazing at them quietly.
Just then, Alfred arrived home from work. He paused in the doorway, taken aback by how put-together she looked.
"Where have you been?" he asked, his tone sharp.
"Nowhere. I've just been here at home," Cherry replied.
Alfred didn't believe her. "Nowhere? Look at yourself!" he snapped.
"Alfred, the children are right here," she answered calmly, though her patience was wearing thin.
"Just answer me," he insisted. "Don't tell me you went out to apply for a job."
"I didn't apply for anything. But even if I did—what's your problem with that?"
"You can't even manage the house and our kids properly, and now you're looking for more problems?"
That was Alfred. His mind was always closed when it came to her. He never cared how she felt. Maybe he had truly changed—or maybe she never really knew him at all.
"And you even had time to pretty yourself up. For what, exactly?"
Cherry bit her lip, her irritation swelling inside her, ready to explode. She was already upset about Jared, and Alfred's words only added to the weight.
"Do I not have the right to look good anymore?" she snapped, finally unable to hold back. "Do I no longer have the right to work, so I won't have to keep asking you for money to run this household?"
"So now you're talking back?" he barked.
"You're the one who's out of line, Alfred. You expect me to obey you all the time—even when you're wrong." Cherry's voice trembled with anger, her finger pointing at him in defiance. Their children noticed, but she no longer cared. What mattered now was letting it all out. "Yes, I'm your wife, but you don't own me. Get that through your thick head!"
Alfred raised his hand, about to strike her, but stopped himself.
"Go ahead," Cherry said coldly. "Hit me, so our children can see what kind of father they have."
Alfred backed away and stormed out of the dining area, leaving the table without finishing his meal.
Later, Cherry washed up the children and put them to bed. Alfred was already fast asleep when she entered their room. She stared at him in silence until tears rolled down her cheeks once more. She couldn't understand why she had to go through all of this. Life was unbearably hard—but she couldn't afford to give up. Her children needed her.
The next day, Cherry left Carina and Cyprus with her youngest brother, Daryl. It was their school break, and she planned to work for the next two months. Aside from her part-time job at Aling Marietta's restaurant, she also sold school supplies and gift items by offering them to the neighbors.
"Please look after them for now, Daryl," she told her brother.
"Of course, Ate Cherry," he replied with a smile.
"Keep an eye on them at all times, okay? They're quite a handful," she added, watching the children who were engrossed in their games. "And don't worry about the mess here—I'll take care of it when I get home. Clear?"
Daryl was about to argue, but she immediately cut him off.
"Just focus on the kids," she said firmly. With that, Cherry said goodbye to her children and left the house.
Her husband had no idea what she had been doing—her work at Aling Marietta's, her selling of merchandise around the neighborhood, and Daryl watching over the kids at home. She knew Alfred had forbidden anyone, even relatives, from staying in their house. But earning money and ensuring the kids were safe mattered more to her than following his rigid rules.
On her way to the restaurant, Cherry suddenly felt weak and dizzy. When she arrived, her co-workers immediately noticed something was off.
"Are you okay, Cherry?" asked one of the cooks. "You look pale and exhausted."
"I'm fine. I just haven't had much time in the sun," she replied, trying to appear strong. She needed to save money before the school year started.
"No, something's really different about you," another co-worker said.
"You shouldn't be here today," the waitress beside her added.
"I can't be absent. Every hour counts," Cherry insisted.
They all fell silent as more customers began to arrive.
Cherry forced herself to stay alert and push through the shift. But just as she was about to carry a tray for a customer, she suddenly collapsed. Thankfully, she let go of the tray just in time.
"Cherry!" her co-workers cried out as they rushed to catch her.
"Ma'am Marietta, Cherry fainted!" one of the cooks reported.
"What?" the restaurant owner exclaimed as she hurried into the kitchen.
Without hesitation, Aling Marietta left the restaurant in her son Jake's care and took Cherry to the hospital using a neighbor's tricycle.
As soon as they arrived, a doctor examined her. A few moments later, he approached Aling Marietta.
"What happened to her, Doctor?" she asked.
"Are you a relative?"
"I'm her friend."
The doctor nodded. "Right now, she needs plenty of rest to stabilize her blood pressure," he explained.
"Is she hypertensive?"
"No. Her blood pressure dropped due to extreme stress and fatigue," he replied, jotting something down on a piece of paper. "Have her take this medicine so she can recover quickly and regain her strength."
Aling Marietta accepted the note and read the prescription. "Thank you so much, Doctor."
"You're welcome. I'll take my leave."
After he left, she looked at Cherry, who was now fast asleep. Her face was pale, and Aling Marietta felt a deep pang of pity.
A few moments later, she tried calling Alfred, but he didn't answer.
"Useless husband," she muttered under her breath.
Meanwhile, Jared parked his car in front of a green gate. He got out and rang the doorbell. After a few seconds, the gate opened, and there stood Cherry's younger brother, Daryl, carrying Cyprus in one arm while Carina clung to his other.
Daryl's eyes widened in surprise. His brows furrowed when he recognized the man.
"Kuya Jared?" he asked, stepping back cautiously. "What are you doing here? I'm sorry, but I don't want to see you right now—not after what you did to Ate Cherry."
Here's your translated text in fluent English with a novel tone, appropriate grammar, and faithful to the original content:
"Is she here? Can I talk to her?" Jared asked, his voice shifting from neutral to pleading.
"Why bother, Kuya Jared? Ate Cherry is already married to someone else. You've been separated for a long time."
"I know," Jared replied, not backing down. "I just want to speak with her—even for just a moment." He persisted, unable to fight the desire building inside him to see his former lover again. Deep down, he knew it was wrong, but his heart longed for that one brief conversation—perhaps to ask for forgiveness, to gain closure. He couldn't silence that part of him still hoping she'd listen.
"She's not here. She's in the hospital," Daryl replied coldly.
The news made Jared freeze. "Please, don't add to her burdens," Daryl added quietly, then quickly shut the gate and walked back inside the house.
Jared's restlessness only grew when he learned that Cherry was hospitalized. Regret crashed over him like a wave, the weight of the past pressing heavily on his chest. He had left her—walked away from their love—for his family and his dream of working abroad. He hadn't fought for her. He had chosen comfort, ambition, and cowardice over the woman he once promised forever to.
If only he had been brave enough to stand by Cherry back then, maybe things would be different. Maybe they'd have a family now. Maybe she would be smiling, cared for and loved by him—not enduring pain alone, as she was now.
Driven by impulse, Jared searched for a way to reach her. He found out which room she was in. As he approached the hallway, he spotted a female nurse and hurried toward her.
"Miss, can I ask a favor?" he said, pulling out five thousand pesos from his wallet and discreetly handing it to her. "I'll pay you—just please, do what I'm about to ask."
The nurse tensed immediately but clearly alarmed. "Sir, I think it's better if you ask someone else." She looked anxious, as if expecting something shady from him.
"You're getting the wrong idea," Jared said with a firm tone. "I'm not a criminal, okay? I'm not here to cause trouble. Look at me—I'm good. Trust me."
He looked her straight in the eyes. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
The nurse blinked, startled by the question.
"Don't misunderstood this," Jared clarified. "I'm just asking—do you have a boyfriend?"
"Yes, I do," she answered hesitantly, still unsure what to answer of the situation.
"Do you love him?" he asked again. "If you love someone, you'd do anything for them, right?"
She nodded slowly. "Of course. If you really love someone, you'd do whatever it takes. But... why are you asking me this, Sir?"
"If you believe in love I really want your help for now."
The nurse still looked confused, but Jared pressed on.
"You have to go to Room 905 and pretend to be Cherry Mae Llaguno's nurse. Just check on her condition and come back here."
"Oh, is that all, Sir?" she asked, a bit more at ease. "Alright, I'll go. I'll help you. Are you her boyfriend?"
"No," Jared said softly. "I'm the ex-boyfriend."
She looked like she had more to ask, but he held up a hand.
"Please... just check on her."
Feeling sympathy for him, the nurse gave a small nod and walked toward the designated room. Jared sat down, waiting, his heart thudding in his chest. Fifteen minutes passed.
"She seems okay," the nurse reported when she returned. "She just needs lots of rest. The woman watching over her said she recently took her medicine for low blood."
"Thank you so much, Miss. Here, for your trouble," Jared said, handing her the cash.
The nurse smiled as she accepted the money and thanked him before hurrying off, saying she still had many patients to check on.
Jared wasted no time. He headed straight to the billing section and quietly settled Cherry's hospital expenses.
"Please don't tell her about this, Ma'am," he told the cashier, who nodded in agreement.
"I just wanted to help with her hospital bills, that's all."
"No problem, Sir," the cashier assured him. "Your voluntary payment for Mrs. Llaguno is safe with me."
"Thank you so much."
After leaving the hospital, Jared drove back home. As he walked in, he crossed paths with his eldest brother, Julian.
"Where have you been?"
Jared hesitated, unsure how to answer.
"You visited your ex-girlfriend, didn't you?"
He turned to Julian, startled. "How did you know I went to see Cherry?"
"I warned you, Jared," Julian snapped. "I told you to stay away from that woman. But you still seeing her. You never listen." Annoyance was written all over his face.
"I just wanted to know if she's okay," Jared said, defending himself.
"You shouldn't care anymore. She has her own life now. For heaven's sake, Jared, it's been years—why are you still clinging to the past? Cherry isn't meant for you."
"I keep trying to pretend I don't care," Jared said, his voice shaking. "But I can't help it- when I see her suffering. I regret leaving her, Kuya. I was selfish... and a coward."
"What is this argument now?" their mother cut in sharply. "Did I hear correctly—you met with Cherry again?"
Jared could only nod, holding back the tears welling in his eyes.
"Forget that girl, Jared. She's not right for you," his mother said. "Kelly is the woman you're supposed to be with—she's the one you should marry."
"I know, Ma. You'll never accept Cherry. You never liked her—because she's just like us."
"What are you saying, Jared?" Julian asked and looks puzzled.
"Isn't it true?" Jared snapped. "You didn't like her because she came from a poor family. You wanted someone rich—someone who could give what you want."
He took two steps back, breathing heavily. "That's why tomorrow, I'm going back to the U.S., just like you all wanted. Don't worry—there's no hope left between me and Cherry. She has her own family now." He forced a smile. "I'll start over in the States, just like you dreamed for me."
And with that, Jared turned away, got into his car, and drove off—leaving behind a house full of silence and hearts full of words left unspoken.