“You’re a coward. You never learn. Is that the example you’re setting for Marga? What kind of mother loses her child like this? I told you that I’ll make you pay, right? Why do you seem so scared? Listen, sweetheart, instead of throwing a fit here, why don’t you go look for Marga? Listen to your mother now, okay?”
Daniela was having trouble reaching Hector on the phone at the CrAvenue Diner. Marga came over and she asked her about her suitor and told her to introduce him to her. A co-worker came to call Marga since the baking class was about to begin. Daniela stayed behind and tried to reach Hector again, all to no avail. Isaiah came in just then with a bouquet of flowers. He introduced himself and asked for Marga.
“I’m not quiet familiar with your family,” Danny girl said. “What industry is your family into?”
“None,” Isaiah replied. “My dad is a basketball player while my mom is a housewife.”
“Oh. I’m Marga’s mom by the way,” Danny girl said, snatching the flowers from his hand.
“Hello, aunt.”
Carlos called Marga on phone and asked about her mother and she told him that she was there with her at the diner.
“Where are you?” Marga asked. “The event is about to start.”
“Event? Alright. I’m on my way.”
Meanwhile, Daniela lashed out at Isaiah and told him that Marga didn’t need someone who had a mediocre family background like him. “If you’re thinking of courting her, stop. Right. Now.” Danny girl then dropped the flowers and scared Isaiah away.
Marga ran over a second later. She tried to go after Isaiah but her mother held her back. “What did you do?”
“Nothing,” Daniela replied.
Marga glanced at the floor and noticed the flowers. “You’re lying. I know those flowers are from Iz.”
“Oh come on, Marga. You’ll find somebody better. Trust me.”
Kulas received some brand new appliances at the autoshop. He called over his sons and wife and asked them to help him carry them inside. He asked about Carlos and Gino told him that he had already left. He then gave Gino some money. “Give that to him. Tell him I’m returning what I borrowed from the car shop. I don’t owe him anything now.”
“Where did you get money for all this?” Myrna asked.
“Good question,” Kulas replied. “From my winnings, of course.”
“Didn’t we tell you to stop, Kulas?”
Kulas shushed Myrna. “Nagging all the time. I’ve proven you wrong. Something good came out of my gambling. But you’ve done nothing but set Carlos and I against each other.”
“Dad, don’t talk to mom like that,” Gino cut in. “It’s mother’s day.”
“Was she ever a mother to you? She abandoned us, so spare me the lecture.” Kulas then instructed his sons to carry the things inside. He then gave Myrna some money to get him 3 bottles of whiskey.
The baking class had began at the diner and a chef coached Cassie, Marga and some others about the processes as the audience watched. Cassie noticed how Marga was whisking as if she was having a fight with the ingredients. “You’re doing it wrong, Marga. The ingredients are spilling all over.”
“Mind your own business,” Marga snapped.
“Is something wrong with Marga?” Romina asked Daniela in the audience.
“That’s none of your business,” Danny girl spat.
“Believe it or not, Daniela, I’m just concerned about her.”
“She knows what she’s doing. Stop acting like a caring mother, especially to my daughter.”
“Suit yourself.”
Daniela walked to the back where Nanny Esther and Neil stood. They left for the front since Neil couldn’t see what was going on from where they stood. Daniela then snatched up a cellphone from the table and planted it in someone’s bag. Kulas paid off a guy who had installed the AC in his room.
He asked Jude whether Carlos was coming and he told him that Carlos had just found out about the event at the diner since he wasn’t really on talking terms with Daniela, adding that he was on his way there. Mikoy was enjoying some snacks and listening in from the living room.
“I warned him about this,” Kulas grumbled. “They keep fighting without seeing how it’s affecting my granddaughter.”
“I guess that’s why Marga has been difficult lately,” Jude said. “Her parents aren’t there for her.”
“I agree, son,” Myrna added. “Poor Marga.”
Back at the diner, Sir Wacky announced that it was time for the contestants to let their mothers try the cupcakes they had baked. Cassie gave Romina and nanny Esther a cupcake each and wished them a happy mother’s day. Marga stormed over to her mother and offered her hers grudgingly and Daniela asked whether she was still upset with her. “You shouldn’t have told Iz to leave,” Marga said.
“He’s no good for you,” Daniela declared. “Now let me taste this cupcake so we can move on.”
Nadya’s mother then noticed that her phone had gone missing. “Oh dear,” Danny girl said. “Maybe it was stolen. Let me ring your phone.”
“That’s my phone,” Mrs. Ricaforte said, following the sound as it rang. “It’s ringing inside this bag,” she announced, holding it up for everyone to see. “Who’s bag is this?”
Romina and the others turned. “It’s my daughter’s. Why?”
“So she stole my cellphone.”
At the autoshop, Mikoy told Mryna and Gino that he was leaving. Myrna wrapped some food for him while Gino asked where he lived “Everywhere,” Mikoy replied.
“What do you mean?”
“I live everywhere I end up sleeping. Every night, new home.”
“So you’re basically homeless,” Mryna said. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“I can take care of myself. Besides, I don’t wanna be a bother.”
“You come to the car shop everyday looking pretty neat,” Gino cut in. “Where do you get your stuff? Don’t tell me you don’t shower.”
“People throw away tons of stuff you can still use. Also, I take baths in the water pumps around.”
“He’s smart,” Gino said to his mother.
“Why don’t you stay with us?” Mryna offered. “The streets aren’t safe for boys like you.”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t wanna impose.”
Despite Mikoy’s protests, the Bartolomes manged to convince him to go home with them. Back at the diner, Romina told Mrs. Ricaforte that it was wrong to just accuse someone. Kristoff came over and told her that Cassie would never steal anything. Cassie eventually went to open her bag and she stared in shock and horror as Mrs. Ricaforte’s phone was found inside.
“How dare you steal from my mommy,” Nadya said. “Are you that desperate?”
“Nadya, I’d never do that,” Cassie said.
“I doubt that,” Mini-Daniela bitçhëd. “Everyone here knows how poor you are now.”
“Being poor doesn’t mean I have to steal to get by.”
“Romina, is this how you raised your child?” Danny girl mocked. “She keeps lying even when she’s caught in the act.”
“Daniela, my daughter is not a liar. And she didn’t steal anything.”
“It’s clear that she did. The phone was inside Cassie’s bag.” Daniela turned to Mrs. Ricaforte. “If I were you, I’d file a case against that child.”
“Don’t think I’ll allow it, Daniela.”
“Make a single move and all hell will break lose,” Neil threatened.
Daniela tried to call the police but Romina snatched her phone away. “It’s too late to defend your daughter now,” Danny girl taunted. “Just admit that you failed in your job. As a mother.”
“Is this what you meant when you said you’d show everyone that I’m a worthless mother?”
“Daniela has nothing to do with this,” Mrs. Ricaforte interrupted. “Your daughter stole from me, so I’ll call the police myself.”
“Excuse me. Calm down,” Sir Wacky interrupted nervously. “No need to raise our voices. I’m sure we can settle this. We have surveillance cameras.”
“Where?” Danny girl asked. “I don’t see one anywhere.”
“It’s right there.” Sir Wacky pointed behind Daniela and she turned to stare at the CCTV camera anxiously.
“Fine. Go ahead and call the police if you want,” Romina dared. “But on one condition – let’s check the CCTV. And if it shows that my daughter stole your phone, I’ll hold her accountable for the crime myself.”
“And if she didn’t?” Daniela asked.
“What else? You’ll be charged for it.”
Daniela turned to stare at the CCTV camera again as Romina looked on angrily. Hector arrived home with his brother late. He his her daughter the excuse of getting stuck in traffic. Roxy reminded him that it was mother’s day and they usually celebrated it together to get her mind off things. Hector apologized, saying that he had forgotten about it. “There’s food on the table,” Roxy said before walking away, upset.
“Don’t worry, Hector,” Alvin encouraged. “All this won’t be for nothing once Romina’s in jail. I already received Cassie’s share from Daniela. Not only can you give Roxanne a better life now, you can even get her a new mother.”
Kristoff found Cassie crying by herself and he offered her some water and assured her that the footage would prove her innocence.
“It’s just so frustrating, Tope,” Cassie sobbed. “These things keep happening to me. I keep getting blamed for things I would never do. And now, the event was ruined because of what happened.”
“Cassie, what happened was not your fault.”
“I know that. But I still can’t help but feel frustrated. I keep experiencing these things, and it never seems to end.”
“Cassie, I promise I will never allow this to happen to you again. If I need to focus my attention on you 24/7, I’ll do it.”
“Tope…”
“I will protect you. With everything I’ve got. Always remember that no matter what other people say, you are the only one that I will ever trust.”
Mini-Daniela and the squad watched as Kristoff consoled Cassie. In the diner’s surveillance room, Romina, Daniela and Mrs. Ricaforte with Sir Wacky, watched the CCTV footage. Romina asked the surveillance guy to stop the video as Daniela walked over to Cassie’s bag and began opening it.
“I knew it,” Romina hissed, grabbing and pulling at Daniela’s hair. “How dare you?! How dare you try to blame my daughter for this?!”
Sir Wacky managed to pull Romina back. “Mrs. Mondragon, calm down.”
“It wasn’t me,” Daniela said lamely. “I’m not involved.”
“What are you waiting for?” Romina barked, glaring at Mrs. Ricaforte. “Are you going to call the police or do you want me to personally throw you out of here?”
“I’m sorry. It’s my mistake,” Mrs. Ricaforte said. “I shouldn’t have believed Daniela right away. Please. You don’t have to call the police.”
“Fine. I’ll let this one slide. But you’ll ask my daughter for forgiveness.”
“Really mamma? Did they prove I’m innocent?” Cassie asked back in the main room.
“Yes, Cassie,” Mina replied. “And they’re both here to tell you something.”
“I apologize for accusing you, Cassie,” Mrs. Ricaforte said. “This won’t happen again. Mrs Mondragon, I’m sorry.”
“Daniela, do you have anything to say?” Romina asked.”
“I’d rather see you in court than kneel before you, Romina.”
Romina laughed. “I’m not surprised. Because that’s who you are. You’re a coward. You don’t recognize your mistakes. You never learn, that’s why you repeat them. Is that the example you’re setting for Marga?”
“Leave my daughter out of this.”
“Says the woman who framed my daughter, and had me räpëd years ago. How dare? You have no right to make demands of me.”
“How dare you slander me, Romina.”
Sir Wacky tried to restore order as Daniela tried going after Romina. Carlos arrived just then and asked what was going on. “Carlos, perfect timing as always,” Romina taunted. “Why don’t you help me to tell everyone here about how your wonderful wife had me räpëd, and then covered it up for more than sixteen years.”
“Daddy, is that true?” Marga asked.
Carlos glanced at Daniela.
“Well, Carlos,” Mina teased. “Cat got your tongue? How disappointing. You’re no different from your wife.”
Kulas found Mikoy in the living and he asked what he was doing there. Mikoy told him that Myrna had asked him to sleep there tonight.
“Are you her son?” Kulas asked.
“No, Mr. Kulas.”
Kulas however called Myrna out and asked again whether Mikoy was her son. Myrna told him that Mikoy was helping them at the car shop and had nowhere else to go.
“You feel sorry for him?” Kulas grumbled. “And then what? You’ll feed him too?”
“Mr. Kulas, relax,” Mikoy cut in. “I understand you don’t want me here. I don’t blame you either. I’m a stranger to you. But if you need help with anything, just call me.”
Daniela arrived home with Carlos and thanked him for not saying anything. Carlos asked whether she was happy since she didn’t even seem sorry about what she had done. “I couldn’t break the truth to our daughter,” Carlos said. “But if it were up to me, I’d say it out loud for anyone who would listen.”
“Don’t you even care about our family anymore?”
“I’m only putting up with you. For Marga’s sake. If not for her, I would have left you. But she doesn’t deserve this.”
Mini-Daniela was going into her parents’ room when she heard them arguing.
“Is that how you see me now?” Danny girl barked in the room. “After I gave you everything? I gave you my life! Everything I had!”
“I don’t remember asking you to, so don’t use that against me.”
Daniela shoved Carlos.”How could you do this to me?”
Romina told Neil and nanny Esther that she felt sad because Marga was getting dragged into her issues with Daniela. She asked Esther how Marga was doing and she told her that Marga had confined herself in her room. Cassie came over to the dining table and gave both women a bouquet of flowers and wished them a happy mother’s day. “Daniela will never be able to destroy our bond. Because we’re a family.”
Daniela talked to Hector on phone and asked him to give her some good news since she had had a very bad day. Hector told her that the judge was furious with Romina because she thought Mina had tried to bribe her. “Did she say she wouldn’t acquit Romina?” Daniela asked.
“Not really,” Hector replied. “She stormed out of the restaurant.”
“You have to be sure. The court’s reaching a verdict tomorrow. Go talk to the judge again.”
Later that night, Romina caught Marga trying to sneak out again. She asked where she was going and Mini-Daniela told her that it was none of her business.
“Marga…”
“Don’t you dare stop me.”
The next morning at Navotas, Marga was trying to call her uncle Gino on phone when some little boys started harassing her. Marga ran off and they gave chase and cornered her. “Don’t come any closer,” Marga said as the boys surrounded her.
A little boy snatched Marga’s phone from her hand. “Why did you have to make us run?” They then grabbed her bag and started rifling through it. Marga ran off.
Romina told her daughter that they could start their lives anew once she proved that she had no hand in her father’s death. Cassie asked whether there was a chance for her being given a not guilty verdict and Mina told her not to worry because none of the evidence they had against her would stand.
“The truth is bound to come out in the end,” Mina stated.
“Exactly, Romina,” Daniela countered as she came over to the dining area. “And when the truth comes out, you’ll be out of our lives for good. Need help packing?”
Romina took a seat at the table. “No, thanks, Daniela. I’ve packed your bags for you. Do you know where your daughter went?”
“Don’t change the subject. Why, are you worried everything I said will come true? Justice will be served.”
Romina was amused. “And I bet it’ll taste just as good as the breakfast nanny Esther is serving, which I know you won’t like. You should focus on your family, before you completely lose them.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I was just giving you some advice. After all, I am still your stepmother.”
“Then step away from my family.”
Mikoy was wandering around Navotas when he came upon the band of little criminals going through their loot. He asked whether they weren’t bothered about the police to be stealing in broad daylight.
“And who says that we stole any of this?” asked the leader.
Mikoy checked out a shirt and tossed it at him. “It’s a cute top.”
“That does it. Hope you can punch faster than you talk.”
“Teach him a lesson, boss,” one of the boys said. “He’s always getting in the way.”
Mikoy noticed the wallet the boy was holding. He snatched it from him and inspected it. “Poor girl’s probably crying right now. Where’s the rest of her stuff?”
“None of your business. Go ahead, boss. Beat him up.”
Mikoy suddenly shoved the boss and his gang and they fell like a bag of wind. He grabbed Marga’s other stuff and hesitated for a moment. “Catch me if you can,” he teased before running off.
Marga was out of breath from all the running. A guy asked for her number but she ignored him. A moment later, Mikoy asked about Marga and the guy she had snobbed earlier pointed her out to him. Mikoy hurried over and tried to return her things. Marga however greeted him with a scowling face. “You. I knew it. You are a thief. I’ll have you arrested. My uncle’s a cop.”
“Hold on, miss. I already went out of my way to find you, and now you’re having me arrested? Are you serious?”
“I’m sure you were in cahoots with those robbers earlier. You’re just a thief like them.”
“You better watch your mouth. I’m not a thief, so don’t insult me. Did you see me with them earlier? If I was with them, why am I here giving these back? I’m not that stüpïd. You should be grateful I came looking for you.”
Mikoy dumped Marga’s bag on the floor. He then thrust her wallet into her hands and stormed off. Kulas treated everyone at the autoshop to some food after making some winnings yet again. One of the guys commented that he wouldn’t be surprised to see him one day driving his own car.
“That’s not impossible,” Jessa said. “Right Kulas? You just need to win one more time. It’d be easy since you keep getting lucky.”
Daniela exchanged a few words with Romina as she went into the courtroom with Bernard. She then noticed Alvin walking nearby as she was on the phone with her lawyer. Alvin watched as the judge went into a restroom. Daniela came to drag him aside to ask what he was doing.
“Hector told me to make sure the judge sides with us,” Alvin announced.
“Did you do it?”
“Yeah. I think we managed to convince her but I’ll talk to her again.”
“You better make sure, Alvin. Because you know what’s at stake here. If you mess up, you’ll be sorry.”
The judge came out of the washroom at that moment and noticed Alvin and Daniela talking. Cassie apologized to Sir Wacky for ruining the event and causing problems. Sir Wacky told her that there was no need because she hadn’t done anything wrong. The talent scouts reps came over and asked about Marga. Since they couldn’t reach her on phone, Sir Wacky left Cassie and Kristoff to help them in finding Marga while he went to take care of some things inside. Cassie then called nanny Esther and asked her to check whether Marga was still home since the scouts were waiting for her.
“In view of all the foregoing,” began the bailiff in the courtroom. “The court finds the accused, Romina Andrada-Mondragon, not guilty.”
The judge hitted her gavel to affirm the statement and some of those in attendance gave a clap offering as Romina hugged her løvëd ones in relief. Daniela looked like she would explode any moment now. “I’ll make sure you get back all the assets the court froze,” Bernard assured.
“Bernard, thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me.”
“Don’t thank me, Romina. I only did what was right.”
“Thank you,” Mina said, giving Bernard a hug. She then turned to her stepdaughter. “Daniela, aren’t you going to congratulate me?”
Danny girl sprang up to her feet. “No! I won’t allow it. You k!lled my father. You need to pay for mürdëriñg him.”
“Please calm down,” Danny girl’s lawyer tried to reason.
“How can I calm down? They acquitted my father’s mürdërer. My father deserves justice. I won’t allow this.”
Romina stared back at Daniela in contempt. “For once, we’re on the same page. I will not let you get away with framing me either. So brace yourself, because the ball is in my court.”
Carlos asked around the house for Marga and nanny Esther told him that she was also looking for her because Cassie had called and said that she was needed at the diner. “She’s not in her room?” Carlos asked.
“No one has seen her since last night,” Esther replied.
Carlos flashed back to the incident at the rooftop where Marga had almost fallen. “Kindly call Daniela. I’ll try calling her friends.”
Daniela was still ranting on about how she wouldn’t let Romina get acquitted as they came out of the courtroom. Savannah suggested that she file for an appeal.
“Does that mean they can’t unfreeze her assets?” Danny girl asked her lawyer.
“They already have access to it.”
“Then what the hell is the point?” Daniela then had a phone call from Carlos, telling her about Marga being missing and not answering her calls. Danny girl flashed back to how Romina had asked her whether she knew where her daughter went.
Kulas was having a really bad night at the gambling house. Jessa asked him to relax, saying that he had to lose to win. Kulas complained that he had already lost too much and Jessa told him to do better next time. “Just borrow money so you can start over,” Jessa counseled. “Remember, our next goal is to buy a car.”
Kulas then had a phone call. “Carlos.”
“Dad, did Marga go to the car shop?”
“I’m not at the car shop, but I didn’t see her earlier. What’s wrong?”
“Marga’s missing, dad.”
“Call Jude, right now. We need to find Marga.”
Marga followed Mikoy as he was ruffling through some junk on the streets. She asked him not to leave her there because she was scared that the robbers might come back for her. She pleaded with Mikoy to help her since she didn’t have any money left. Mikoy gave her a look. “You’re asking me for help after calling me a thief? You’re unbelievable.”
“Come on. I’ll pay you once we get to my dad’s shop. So are you gonna help me?”
“First, you call me a thief, and now you think you can just pay me. Do you really want my help or are you just here to insult me? Mikoy was suddenly amused. “Did you run away from home? And of all the places in the country, you ended up here? You should have just put a sign around your neck saying, ‘rob me, I’m loaded here.'”
Marga sighed impatiently. “Are you going to help me or not?”
Sparks flew as Mikoy stared silently. At the diner, Romina told her daughter that they could finally have their old life back again because she was now a free woman.
“I’m so proud to be your son right now,” Kristoff commented.
Bernard was amused. “Why, weren’t you proud before?”
Kristoff laughed and watched as Cassie gladly hugged her mother. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her this happy.”
Daniela stormed in. “Romina. Is this your start of your revenge against me? Where is my daughter? Where did you take Marga? I know that you’re involved in her disappearance.”
“Your daughter’s missing and you’re immediately blaming me?” Mina asked in disbelief.
“You’re the only one cruel enough to do something like this. You also did it to Alvin.”
“What did I do to Alvin? Didn’t he tell you he just got into a scuffle?”
“What is this, your revenge against me for what I did to Cassie?”
Romina laughed. “Hold on with your accusations, Daniela. Try looking in a mirror first. What kind of mother loses her child like this?” Mina parried Daniela’s hand away as she tried to släp her. “I told you that I’ll make you pay, right?”
“Show me where Marga is,” Danny girl hissed.
“Why do you seem so scared? What you afraid of? That I’ll hurt your daughter the way you hurt me?”
“Lay a finger on my daughter and I will k!ll you.”
“Like how you k!lled Robert?”
“Don’t change the subject. Where is Marga? Give my daughter back to me.”
“I already told you. I would not stop until I get a confession out of you.”
“So you are involved. How could you bring Marga into this?”
“Did I say that? Cassie, let’s go.”
“You will not leave until you tell me where my daughter is.”
“And who’s going to stop me, you? Come on, then. I dare you. Listen, sweetheart, instead of throwing a fit here, why don’t you go look for Marga? Listen to your mother now, okay?”
Romina stormed off with Cassie and Neil. Bernard approached Danny girl. “You’re accusing the wrong person, Daniela. Romina would never drag Marga into your feud. But if there’s anyone capable of doing that to a kid, it’s you.”
Mikoy noticed Marga’s stomach constantly rumbling from hunger. They came across a diner and he asked Marga to wait for him. Marga was scared that the robbers would come after her again but Mikoy assured her that he would be back soon. A security guard stopped him as he was going inside.
“My friend’s hungry,” Mikoy said. “I’m gonna buy her some food.”
The guard looked Mikoy up and down. Mikoy was amused. “But I guess people like me aren’t allowed in there.” He then gave the guard all the money he had left and asked him to make the waiter buy the food for him while he waited outside.
Carlos met up with Daniela and asked about Marga. Daniela told him that Marga wasn’t at the diner and she hadn’t been able to get anything out of Romina. “I’m sure that she took Marga to get back at me,” Danny girl said. “We should call the police.”
“Why do you always blame Romina for everything?” Carlos asked.
“I’m telling the truth.”
“You are? That’s new. But if your suspicion is correct, no one’s to blame but you. Marga got involved because of you. Just pray our daughter isn’t in danger.”
Mikoy sat with Marga at the back of a truck and gave her the food he had bought. Marga smiled at him in appreciation and stared for a while. Mikoy was grinning down at her like some kind of lost puppy that had just found his life’s purpose. Marga offered Mikoy some food but he silently declined and kept on staring as she ate. The episode ended as Marga turned to Mikoy and smiled again.
