After the investigation and the punishment of those involved in the incident that led to Angela's unplanned pregnancy, she now faced a new chapter—meeting the future parents of the baby she was carrying.
As she held the document given to her by the lawyer, Angela's chest tightened again. Everything was written there—the settlement agreement, the confidentiality clause, and the legal process for the transfer of parental rights.
This wasn't a simple closed adoption. Nor was it a voluntary surrogacy she had willingly entered into. It was an agreement born out of a mistake—a surrogacy arrangement gone wrong. Instead of the intended surrogate, she had been the one implanted with the embryo due to hospital negligence.
And now, she had to sign the legal waiver of her parental rights. Not because she didn't want the baby, but because she wasn't the chosen mother. She wasn't meant for this role—and even though it wasn't her fault, she was the one who had to let go.
According to the information she received, the intended mother was a well-known runway model, while the father was a private citizen. Their identities were to be strictly kept confidential. The model's image couldn't be tarnished, especially at the peak of her career. Yet despite her fame, she was compelled to have a child—an act driven by her terminally ill father's wish to see a grandchild before passing.
Two weeks had passed since Angela found out she was pregnant. And in three days, she would meet the people who would take the child she was carrying. Despite her strong exterior, she couldn't stop the tears from falling. She felt like fate was toying with her. Once, she loved a man who was never really hers. He left her before she even realized she was carrying life inside her. And now, she was pregnant again without even knowing it—and this time, she wouldn't be able to raise the child.
"Mommy, Daddy... where did I go wrong?" she whispered weakly as she leaned against the taxi window, wiping away tears that had fallen uncontrollably.
"Why me? Why does this always happen to me? No matter what I do to be a good person… I always end up losing."
She tightly gripped the hem of her shirt, trying to suppress the sobs rising in her chest.
"Is this my fault?"
She looked at her belly again—a slight bulge, but enough to make her feel the presence of a life within.
"Do I deserve to be a mother if I can't even fight for myself? Do I have the right to carry life, if I can't even care for it?"
She didn't know if her tears were for herself, for the baby, or for all the times she felt she wasn't enough.
"And if another family raises the child…, what purpose do I serve? What am I to their life? Just a body they passed through?"
She let out a deep sigh. She didn't need to hear the answers from anyone—because she knew these questions were only meant for her.
***
As soon as Clark entered the apartment, he immediately felt the familiar tension in his chest. He greeted Angela with a smile, but something kept bothering him—a feeling that had slowly grown ever since he started taking care of Angela after finding out she was pregnant.
"Hey!" he said, trying to shake the thoughts from his mind, but they kept returning.
"Hi," Angela replied with a faint smile. Clark noticed the tiredness in her eyes, like no matter what she did, she couldn't hide the weight she was carrying.
He went to the kitchen, as he usually did, and started preparing food. But even those simple actions weren't enough to quiet his mind.
"Am I doing the right thing? Am I really helping her, or am I just making things harder?"
He couldn't shake the doubt. He believed he was doing the right thing, but sometimes he wondered if what he was doing was truly helping Angela feel better.
He glanced at Angela, who sat at the counter. Clark couldn't help but wonder, "Maybe she's not happy. Maybe she's only accepting me out of obligation, not because she truly wants to be with me."
As time passed, Clark's worries only grew stronger.
"What if she never goes back to her old self? What if one day, she no longer needs me?"
He tried to silence those questions, but they lingered.
"Maybe I'm really just a friend to her. Maybe she never saw me the way I wanted her to."
Angela noticed his silence and joked, "You really are something, doing all sorts of things."
But Clark didn't react, continuing to wash vegetables and meat, though his mind remained preoccupied. When he noticed Angela dazed, he asked, "Are you hungry?"
"Not really, I had a snack earlier," Angela replied, then shook her head. "Geez! You really know how to change the subject."
Clark smiled and continued cooking.
"Angela Marie, will you stop complaining? I'm not asking for anything in return. I'm doing this because I want to serve the one I love. And besides, isn't it nicer to have someone to eat with? Or maybe… you just don't like my cooking?"
"Clark dela Fuente, you've done too much for me. I should be the one doing these things for you, not the other way around," Angela replied, still unconvinced.
Clark smiled and glanced at her.
"We'll talk about that when we're married. For now, just let me take care of you."
"Huh? What did you say?"
"Nothing, nothing. I'm just saying that with your condition, it's not good for you to get tired. That's why it's only right that I take care of you."
Angela shook her head. "You're too much! Am I supposed to swoon?"
"Seriously?" Then both of them chuckled softly.
Clark continued cooking, humming as he fried the steak. He kept it simple—just salt, pepper, and butter—knowing Angela disliked the smell of rosemary, thyme, and other herbs. He knew all the little details about her, even the ones she never said aloud.
When he noticed Angela lost in thought, he lightly teased her.
"Don't worry too much, you know how much I love you, right?"
Angela rolled her eyes and laughed, then turned serious again.
"I was just thinking… what will happen at the meeting with the parents?"
Clark stopped what he was doing and looked at her.
"Don't think about that for now. And don't worry, I'll be with you. Mom will scold me if she finds out I neglected you."
Angela smiled at what he said.
"You know Tita Susan—she might as well say I'm her daughter and not you."
They laughed together. Angela knew Clark's mom had long hoped to bring them together, but Clark never seemed ready to admit how he truly felt despite all the time they had lost.
A moment later, Clark asked seriously,
"So, have you decided if you're going back to work or resigning?"
Angela sighed.
"I think I'll file my resignation. I want to rest. Too much has happened these past weeks, and I don't want to risk the baby's health."
Clark nodded.
"I'm glad to hear that. At least you won't have to worry about work anymore. And also, you don't have to worry about anything. I'll be here to annoy you every day so you don't get bored."
Angela smiled.
"You don't annoy me. In fact, I've annoyed you more." They both laughed.
"But honestly, I feel embarrassed. You, Tita Susan, and Tito Henry have done so much for me and my family—even before."
Clark smiled and gently held her hand.
"Baby, don't think about that anymore. We wanted to help you—not just before, but also now. Especially now, because it's not just you who's affected. There's a little life depending on you. I know you're not admitting it, but you know you need help. So just let me, okay baby?"
Angela looked at her boyfriend, a small smile on her lips. She didn't know what her future held in the coming months, but there was one thing she was sure of—she wasn't alone.