“I’d rather have Romina beside me than you. All you ever do is to cause trouble where there shouldn’t be. Marga wasn’t the only one Jude saved. My brother saved you too. Are you happy now? All your secrets will be buried with him. The truth is that simple, Daniela. If Jude had survived this, you wouldn’t have.”
Alvin was worried about the trouble they would be in if anyone, especially Daniela found out that they had had Jude shot. Hector assured him that no one would find out what they had done since even the police would think that it was the crazy guy. A phone call came in. “What’s the news?” Hector asked. “Is there a funeral?”
“No funeral, boss. I think the cop is still alive.”
“What? How is he still alive?”
“No idea, boss. But I heard they operated on him.”
“Fine. I’ll take care of it.”
“He’s still alive?” Alvin asked in disbelief. “What will you do now? What if he speaks to Romina?”
Hector thought for a second and made a phone call. “Hello, it’s time for you to repay me. I need your help.”
At the mansion, Daniela resorted to preparing her daughter’s favorite food since she was traumatized by the incident at the hospital earlier. Savannah insinuated that Hector could have a hand in it, suggesting that Danny girl go and confront him about it in person. Daniela then asked nanny Esther to pass the food on to Marga, explaining that she had to go and settle something somewhere.
Hector was ignoring Daniela’s phone calls. Alvin asked him to either pick up or put the phone on silent, and Hector grumbled that he couldn’t touch the phone because Daniela kept calling nonstop. Alvin suggested that he pick up but Hector wasn’t ready to talk to her until he had received updates about Jude. “I nailed it,” Hector said gladly. “I stopped the cop from revealing the truth, so she’ll see me in a better light.”
Myrna asked the doctor why her son wasn’t waking up, and the doctor told her that he was still in a state of coma. Myrna asked whether Jude would wake up and the doctor said they couldn’t be certain. After the doctor left, Myrna tried talking the comatose cop into hanging on. “Jude Bartolome, you can do this,” Kulas said in the background.
“Son, I’m not done making it up to you,” Mryna sobbed. “There’s so much more I need to do for you…”
“Jude needs to rest, right?” Kulas asked Gino back outside. “What’s she doing? Don’t tell me she’s talking to him.”
“I know you can do this,” Myrna sobbed.
“It’s not like he can respond.”
A doctor entered the room and sent Myrna on her way. As Myrna joined Kulas and Gino outside, “the doctor” administered a drug into Jude’s IV. Mikoy walked into the mansion and met nanny Esther. A moment later, they heard Marga screaming and they rushed into her room. Marga started bombarding Esther with questions about her parents’ whereabouts. When she learned that they weren’t around, Mini-Daniela started throwing a fit and unleashing her anger and rotten attitude on both Esther and Mikoy. She then kicked them out continued with her ‘cry-fest’. Daniela stormed into Hector’s place and confronted him about what had happened to Jude and her daughter. Hector said he had only done what she had asked him to do.
“What in hell possessed you to do that? Are you insane?”
“What do you mean?” Hector asked, incredulous. “Those were your orders. What else could I have done? Unless you just wanted me to cut his tongue out. If you have a problem with the way I work, you should have made your instructions clear.”
“How was I supposed to know you’d go that far? You endangered his life.”
“I thought you’d be happy, but I guess I was wrong. I risked my own life so you’d go scot-free. And you’re still mad at me?”
“And this will be the last. I don’t want to associate myself with you anymore. I have Romina’s money now. I will give you Cassie’s share, per our agreement. After that, we are done.”
Romina and Cassie discussed about Jude’s condition and hoped for his survival. Romina then asked about Kristoff and Cassie revealed that the company he had signed up for the endorsement were suing him because he had left the event all because of her. “What makes you say that?” Mina asked.
“That was the day I had the surgery,” Cassie replied. “I feel so guilty. Ever since we got into that accident, he’s missed a lot of opportunities just to take care of me.”
“Cassie, he made those decisions because you’re important to him.”
Bernard pulled over outside the hospital and asked Kristoff not to worry about the case. Kristoff apologized for giving him yet another problem to worry about, and Bernard counseled him not to bail on any other commitments in the future. He then asked him to go and check up on Cassie. The Bartolomes were discussing about the possibility of Jude’s survival when they noticed a doctor and assistant rushing in on account of Jude’s spasms and thrashings.
“What are you doing to my son?” Myrna wailed as the doctors struggled to stabilize Jude.
“Jude Bartolome,” Kulas called out. “Get up right now!”
The doctors stopped trying when the electrocardiogram (EKG) showed Jude’s electrical heart signal dropping down to zero. The telltale sound of death followed. The doctor checked her watch. “Time of death, 1:27pm.”
The Bartolomes were beside themselves outside. “No. My son’s alive,” Mryna wailed. “Bring him back. No. No!”
Hector paid up the goon for a job well done and dismissed him. He asked Alvin why he was wearing such a long face, and Alvin told him that Daniela might rat them out if she found out that he had k!lled Jude, her brother-in-law.
“She told me to stop him,” Hector stated. “Her brother-in-law, from revealing anything. If we get caught, she’ll get arrested too.”
“But…”
“That’s enough. Let’s just drink.”
Romina found Carlos sitting by himself outside the hospital. She asked how Jude was and Carlos said he didn’t know. As Mina tried comforting him, Daniela came over and started making a scene.
“Can you not do this here, Daniela?” Carlos said. “I’d rather have Romina beside me than you. All you ever do is to cause trouble where there shouldn’t be.”
The Mangubat brothers went ahead to drink to their ‘good fortune’. Glen then brought Hector the deed to the autoshop which Kulas had pawned off as collateral for his debt.
“Looks like it’s my lucky day today,” Hector jeered. He then gave the muscle some money to buy some drinks. “See this right here?” he said to Alvin, gesturing at the papers. “This is my chance to make her mine. There’s nothing stopping me now. My wish is coming true.”
Back outside the hospital, Carlos asked his mother what had happened, on account of the expression on her face as well as his father and brother. Myrna told him that Jude was gone. Kulas went ahead to unleash his frustrations on Romina and sent her on her way before taking comfort in Danny girl.
Marga was ranting on about her parents never being there for her. She spouted some more nonsense as Mikoy tried talking some sense into her. Nanny Esther then came over, bearing news of Jude’s death. Daniela gave her condolences. As the honourable saint that she was, she gave Gino some money for Jude’s funeral and spouted some crap I chose to ignore.
Mini-Daniela asked whether it was her fault her uncle had died , and Danny girl said she had also been a victim. (Yep. A victim of your dearest mommy’s mädñess). Romina gave her condolences to Carlos, adding that she hadn’t even gotten the chance to thank Jude for all the help he had given her.
“I don’t understand,” Carlos wailed. “He was trying to do the right thing. Why did he have to go and die?”
“I’m so sorry, but did he mention anything to you? He was supposed to tell me something important before he died.”
Carlos shook his head a moment before Daniela walked in on the scene and started ranting. Mina left as Carlos looked on, exasperated. Danny then revealed how she was helping with Jude’s funeral to repay him for saving Marga.
Carlos gave Danny girl a look. “Marga wasn’t the only one Jude saved. My brother saved you too. Are you happy now? All your secrets will be buried with him.”
“That’s unfair,” Danny girl wailed. “I’m not that evil I’d feel happy about what happened to your brother.”
“The truth is that simple, Daniela,” Carlos countered. “If Jude had survived this, you wouldn’t have.”
The Bartolomes went to the morgue to see and mourn over Jude’s body. Carlos joined them as Myrna was crying and saying that she needed more time to make it up to him. Alvin suggested to his brother that he accept Daniela’s offer so they could shake her off for good. Hector was determined to get half of everything Romina had given Daniela, and not just Cassie’s share if she really wanted to pay him.
“Half of everything? There’s no way she’d do that.”
Hector smirked. “I know.”
“Then what?”
“I know pretty well that she’ll refuse. That’s exactly what I want to happen. I’ve invested way too much effort in Daniela. I’m not letting her go that easily.”
Cassie asked if she could go to the wake, and Romina told her that she needed to recover. She asked Neil to go in their place with a nice bouquet. Neil was more than happy to oblige since he wanted to check up on Gino as well. Mina then had a phone call from the most unreliable ass off the century. Yep, it was Vickie, the daughter of nurse Pearlita. Vickie asked Mina to meet up with her. A moment later, Vickie met up with Romina, crying and claiming that her mother had passed away. Mina gave her condolences and Vickie went ahead to spout some more crap about not knowing anything concerning her räpë case. (What I tell you?)
Daniela was still going on with her preparations for a perfect funeral for Jude. Hector barged into her office and threatened to reveal all her secrets if she didn’t behave. He then demanded for exactly half of what she had gotten from Romina if she wanted him out of her life for good. Romina told Bonita and Bernard about the supposed death of nurse Pearlita. She was however still determined to search for the truth, and Bernard advised that she focus on Cassie first while they prepared for Daniela’s next move. Mina then asked Bonita if she had any news about the expansion, and she told her that she hadn’t learned anything new yet since Mrs. Galvez had all the files locked. Bernard then brought up how most of the board were on Daniela’s side and were tight-lipped about giving information to avoid leaks.
“Don’t we have any other way to get evidence?” Bonita asked.
Romina noticed Mrs. Galvez talking to someone outside. “We do. Mrs. Galvez’s secretary.”
Back in Daniela’s office, Danny girl was still going on about how they had already had a deal. Hector said he was just making changes to it. Before he left, he told her to call him once everything was settled. Savannah asked Daniela whether she would really give Hector half of the Mondragon fortune, adding that she needed that money to cover up the problem with the expansion. Daniela was however determined to give Hector whatever he wanted so she could get him out of her life. Vickie met up with the Mangubat brothers and told them that she had done what they had asked her to do by making Romina believe that her mother really was dead. Alvin then gave her some money to scram and start a new life somewhere else.
“Oh, and Vickie,” Hector began. “Remember the cop you talked to? He’s in a nice coffin right now. So if you and your mom want to live a little longer, leave this place.”
“I feel so useless, Romina,” Carlos said as he walked into the living room.
“Carlos…”
“In the end, I couldn’t save Jude. You were right – I am a coward. I can’t even protect the lives of the ones I løvë.”
“It’s not too late,” Mina admonished. “You just need to be strong. What happened to the Carlos who was willing to do anything for his family? There’s a reason I løvëd you before, and that person is still in you.”
Carlos stared at Mina and gawked like an idïøt. He then advanced and tried making out with her. Danny girl walked in on the scene as Mina tried to keep him away. Daniela started making a scene, demanding that Mina get out of her house. Mina faced off with Danny girl. “I know how to keep my end of a deal,” she spat. “You don’t need to kick me out.”
“What are you talking about?” Carlos asked in confusion.
“I made a deal with your wife,” Mina said, staring a hole through Daniela. “She would save Cassie’s life in exchange for everything Robert left us.”
Nanny Esther and Carlos were in shock. Romina then asked Esther to bring their things outside. Daniela stopped Mina as she tried walking out. “Do you think I’ll let you go so easily?”
Mina glared at Danny girl. “Trust me, you don’t want to go against me, Daniela. You have everything now. I have nothing left to lose. I can’t say the same for you.”
Bonita brought Romina to their new house at Navotas. Mina thanked her and promised to move out right after Cassie was discharged. Bonita told her that she could stay for as long as she liked. Jepoy brought her things in and some neighbors followed with some home-made food to welcome her back. Carlos was packing up his stuff to ditch Daniela yet again. Daniela was ranting on about catching him with another woman, and Carlos gave her a piece of his mind.
“Just own up to what you did,” Daniela grumbled. “You know what you did was wrong.”
“Yes, I was wrong to choose you! Your sister’s life was in danger, and you actually used that as leverage to get back at them. I don’t know what else you’re capable of.”
“I just did what I had to do. I got rid of our biggest problem.”
“You can’t fix anything because you’re the problem here! You’re the reason our family and this house has been torn apart!”
Marga barged in and started ranting to her father about his decision to leave them after everything that was happening. Carlos bowed down his head in shame like a child receiving a much more needed scolding. (Yep. He was the child, and Marga was the parent). Roxy asked her father permission to go and visit Marga since she had posted online that her uncle had died. Hector reluctantly gave the go-ahead. At the Bartolomes, Daniela listened in on Marga and Mikoy’s conversation about her and her husband. She then went to join Carlos, who shifted away and told her to stop with her nonsense. Danny girl said she just wanted to comfort him.
“If you want to comfort me, leave me alone,” Carlos grumbled before getting up to join Jude and Kulas at the table.
Daniela looked on as the Bartolomes mourned. “I will never stop until I find the monster who shot our son,” Kulas vowed. “Even if I have to return the favor myself.”
Danny girl looked on. Mrs. Galvez gave her secretary a document and asked that she keep it a secret. Bonita spied on them. The doctor checked on Cassie and announced that she was recovering quickly. Mina thanked her and Kristoff asked if she could go home now, and the doctor said that she could go home in a day or two once her test results proved nothing wrong. Cassie was excited to enroll in Maxwell again and be with her batch mates.
“Let’s wait for the doctor’s advise first,” Mina admonished. “Your body might not be able to handle it yet.”
“Actually, she has enough time to recover before school starts” the doctor cut in. “It won’t be a problem.”
“Sorry, doc, my mom just tends to worry about me whenever she can,” Cassie teased.
“Well, that’s good news for us,” Bernard commented as the doctor left. “You know, Cassie, we didn’t give up because you didn’t either.”
Back at the Bartolomes, Daniela joined a very unhappy Carlos outside and tried to emotionally blackmail him into coming back home. “I’ll only come back on one condition,” Carlos said. “Make things right again.”
“What? I’m doing the right thing for our family to live peacefully.”
“And you’ll hurt other people just so you’ll get what you want? You just proved how selfish you really are.”
“So what do you want me to do?”
“Give everything back to Romina.”
Mini-Daniela came over and interrupted with her usual glorified insolence. Carlos tried talking some sense into her, saying that she knew right from wrong and that money wasn’t theirs and should be returned to the rightful owners.
“So you won’t come back unless mom returns it?” Marga asked.
Carlos nodded. “Did you even think about how your decision would affect me? What did I do to deserve a broken family?”
Mini-Daniela stormed off and Mikoy followed. “This is what happens when you choose them,” Danny girl commented. “Our family’s falling apart while you’re trying to fix theirs. You can get mad at me, but don’t get mad at Marga.”
“I’m not mad at her. I’m only explaining why our family is falling apart.”
“You already lost somebody you løve. I hope you don’t lose Marga too just because of Romina.”
