“I begged you to protect my daughter Cassie from Daniela and Marga. But what did you do? Nothing. You let your wife and daughter hurt my daughter. Where were you when Daniela locked Cassie out of the house?! You’re worthless. And a coward! Mark my words, Carlos. Someday, you will suffer the worst for being a coward.”
Alvin pleaded with Cassie to give him another chance so he could be a good father to her and Roxanne. Cassie however told him that she only had one father whom she recognized. Kristoff came in as Alvin tried to convince her some more.
Kristoff asked Cassie to come with him and she glady took the chance to get away from Alvin. Romina came back into her cell to find her things ransacked. She began searching frantically for her family’s photo and Pilar informed her that Cindy had it and she had to go and meet her out back if she wanted it back.
“I’m not afraid of her,” Mina said, making her way out.
“Don’t go, Romina,” Pilar warned. “It’s an obvious trap.”
“I don’t care. I need to get back the photo of my family.”
“Cindy will k!ll you for what you did.”
“She can’t do that. The authorities are on our side.”
“Yes, she can. Because I’ve done it. I regret a lot of things. I used to boss people around here. I was worse than Cindy because I hurt people for fun. I extorted and got protection money. And I got away with all of that. Cindy can get away with anything too.”
“But I can’t stay like this forever,” Mina said wailed. “I can’t wait for Cindy to get back at me. I have to confront her. I need to put an end to this right now.”
Romina confronted Cindy and demanded to have back the picture she had stolen from her. Cindy placed the photo on the table and dared Mina to take it. Mina told her that she had to return it herself since she had taken it. “I’m not afraid of you,” Mina said. “You bully people because you’re insecure.”
“Be careful what you say to me,” Cindy warned.
“I’m just telling the truth. You hurt others to amuse yourself, and steal a picture of someone else’s family because you’re lonely.” Mina snatched the photo from the table. “Don’t worry. I’ll let you borrow it some other time. I’ll even introduce them to you if it’ll help alienate your sadness.”
The other inmates laughed mockingly as Mina stormed away. Kristoff was walking around the party grounds with Cassie when some friends of his took him away. Meanwhile, the Mean Squad mocked Marga for making them believe that Cassie was now their maid. They challenged her to prove it to them and Marga called Cassie over and shoved a tray of drinks into her hand, telling her to serve her guests. Cassie forced a smile. “Sure Marga,” she said, starting to walk away. “Wait. I don’t think I heard the word please.”
“Cause I didn’t say it.”
“Oh. I thought you were just asking for a favor. I’m okay with that, but you’ll have to say please.”
“As if I’ll ever tell you that.”
Cassie gave back the tray. “Then, no. It’s your party, so you should serve your guests. And please make sure to clean the place after you’re done. After all, this is our home. Enjoy the party.”
The Mean Squad mocked Marga as she stood there like idïøt she had been made. Kristoff eyed her. Roxy was in Cassie’s room, admiring Marga’s photos when Marga came in and demanded that she get out. Roxy told her that she was her idol and she wanted them to be friends. Marga seemed to be considering the idea. Myrna went to Kulas’ house. Carlos was upset that their mother had been coming around to help in the house. Gino told him that they couldn’t be angry at her forever and Carlos took offense and reminded him that she had abandoned them and used them for money.
“Son, I regret everything I did back then,” Myrna said. “I want to change.”
Carlos gave her a look. “It’s too late.”
“Son, you of all people should know the hardships I endured with your father.”
Kulas ran into Jessa after working on a customer’s vehicle. He asked her to join him for some snacks and Jessa reluctantly agreed. Kristoff found Cassie at the maids quarters. He told her that he had heard about how Marga had taken her room. “But I didn’t think they’d let you sleep here.”
“How did you find me here?” Cassie asked.
“The maids told me you were here.”
As Cassie and Kristoff sat, Nica watched them secretly, a mischievous smile on her face. Meanwhile, Daniela arrived back home and Marga asked what had happened to her face. “That witch Romina did this to me,” Danny girl hissed.
“How dare she… please tell me you fought back and gave her a bruise.”
“Don’t worry, Marga. I’m sure she’s suffering more than I am. I promise to make her misëräble no matter how much more I have to pay.”
Back at the maids quarters, Kristoff couldn’t understand why Cassie was keeping silent about how she was being mistreated. Cassie told him that she was doing fine and she wanted his father to focus all his attention on her mother’s case. Nica had been joined by Nadya and they both listened in. Kulas came back home and wasn’t that pleased to find Myrna there. He asked her to stop pestering them and Myrna told him that she would always come around as long as her sons lived there.
As Carlos started to leave, Mryna tried to accompany him but Kulas insisted that she stay behind and do the chores. Nica and Nadya dragged Marga along to the maids quarters as Cassie told Kristoff that she needed to wait and endure everything until her reunion with her mother.
“Cassie, you don’t have to act strong all the time,” Kristoff said. “Especially in front of me. We’re friends. I’m just worried about you, so please let me help you out.”
Cassie sobbed silently and Kristoff comforted her as she leaned into him. Marga watched annoyingly with the Mean Squad, and the girls mocked her since Kristoff seemed to be more into Cassie. Marga stormed into the maids quarters and started making a scene, much to Kristoff’s surprise. She dragged Cassie onto the party grounds and Esther shoved her away as she started wrestling with Cassie. “She brought a guy into your room,” Marga announced.
“Cassie and I were just talking,” Kristoff said in disbelief.
“We weren’t doing anything wrong,” Cassie said. “You saw us talking. Is that why you’re angry?”
“Like mother like daughter. Tell me, Cassie, did your mother teach you to be a slut like her?”
“What did you say?” Cassie pounced on Marga and wrestled with her as Kristoff and Esther tried to separate them. “Leave my mother out of it!”
Daniela walked in on the scene and Marga told her that Cassie had brought a guy to her room. Daniela dismissed everyone. Pilar warned Romina to be careful of Cindy and to watch her back since she would probably not let slide what she had done. As soon as Pilar left, some inmates subdued Mina and dragged her away. Back at the mansion, Daniela släppëd Cassie and started wrestling with her like her age mate. Esther pushed her away and held Cassie protectively as she cried, much to Daniela’s surprise.
“Not Cassie,” Esther wailed. “Hurt me instead. This is all my fault. Blame me. I didn’t raise you well enough. When your mother passed away, I dedicated my life to you, I took care of you. How did you end up like this?”
Cindy and her gang dragged Romina into the washroom and dunked her face into a barrel of water. Romina was saved by the roll-call bell after being roughed up some more. Nana Esther tended to Cassie’s bruised cheek and promised to protect her.
Cassie sobbed and told her that she missed her mother and everything would have come to an end had she been there. Neil came in after learning about the incident and consoled her. A goon informed Hector that Romina’s lawyer had refused to accept the bribe they had offered.
“If that didn’t work, you know what to do,” Hector said.
“Right, boss.”
As Pilar tended to Romina in the prison cell, she told the older woman that Cindy had finally gotten back at her and she couldn’t die there because her daughter needed her. Mina pleaded with Pilar to help her defeat Cindy because she needed to stay alive for her daughter. “For now, no one else can help you but yourself,” Pilar began. “If you want to beat Cindy, you should recover first. And when you’re ready, come to me again, that’s when we’ll start preparing.”
Some goons harassed Attorney Sanchez, Romina’s lawyer and threatened to kidñäp her daughter if she didn’t accept their offer. “Make sure Romina loses her case,” said the scoundrel. “And your family will be safe.”
Romina approached Pilar and told her that she wanted to get out of prison alive, and that she was ready to listen to her. Pilar then took her through some intensive training. “Physical strength isn’t all you need. You need mental fortitude and above all, willpower. You’ve gotta train yourself. No doubts. No hesitation.”
Cindy and her gang mocked Romina. A voiceover by Pilar : “It won’t hurt to learn more self control, Romina. If you need to swallow your pride, do it. Sometimes, you need to humble yourself and strengthen your foundation first.”
At the mansion, Marga deliberately pushed Cassie and she stumbled into Daniela. Cassie apologized for bumping into her but Daniela didn’t forgive. She started pulling Cassie’s hair until Esther rushed in to save her. Pilar’s voiceover continues: “You must make sacrifices. If you are to lose, what matters is you get up again. And fight. Remember, winners never quit. You must be strong mentally because you need to choose which fight to take on.”
Cassie applied some ointment on her wound. Meanwhile, Cindy tried to provoke Romina in jail but Mina ignored her. “Learn who your enemy is – their strengths and weaknesses. Watch their every move.”
Romina told Pilar that she needed to toughen up and things wouldn’t get better if she just sat back and watched. “You can’t defeat the enemy with strength alone, Romina,” Pilar said. “You need to use your head too. Look before you leap.”
The Mondragons and the Bartolomes commemorated the 40th day of Robert’s death. As Daniela swore not to let anyone take anything else away from her, Romina shared some moments with Cassie, Neil, Bonita and Jepoy. Alvin told his brother that he hadn’t been able to talk to Cassie since the guards wouldn’t let him in. Hector insinuated that Daniela might have kicked her out since a month had already passed. Alvin suggested that he talk to Daniela and find out about Cassie since he could control her.
“Fine,” Hector agreed. “You handle Romina’s lawyer, I’ll deal with Daniela.”
Marga was nagging and ordering Cassie to go and clean her room. Cassie refused and told her to go and clean the place herself since it was now her room. Marga ranted some more, and Esther rushed in and shoved her away as she went after Cassie. Daniela arrived on the scene and Marga got scratched during the altercation.
A moment later, Daniela had a talk with Esther, asking why she always took Cassie’s side. Esther told her that she was just protecting Cassie because the poor girl had nothing to do with her feud with Romina. Cassie paid a visit to her mother and showed her the exams papers she had excelled.
Mina was amazed. “My daughter’s so brilliant,” she said, giving Cassie a hug. “So brilliant.” As Romina pulled away, she noticed the scar on Cassie’s arm. “What happened to your arm?”
“It’s nothing, mamma,” Cassie said.
Romina glanced at Neil and Bonita. “Tell me the truth,” she insisted. “Is Daniela the one who hurt you?”
“Ma…”
“Yes, it was Daniela,” Neil cut in as Cassie hesitated.
“Uncle Neil,” Cassie admonished.
“I’m sorry, Cassie, but you shouldn’t keep this from your mother. Daniela and Marga have gone too far.”
“Cassie,” Mina began. “What else did Daniela do to you? Tell me the truth.”
Cassie was still hesitant and Neil told Mina that Marga løvëd to ättaçk Cassie occasionally and Daniela had even släppëd her all because she had been with Tope. “You shouldn’t be hiding things like this from me,” Mina said to her daughter. “Those two are abusing you. I won’t let this slide.”
Daniela was still going on with her sob story of how Romina and Cassie had stolen her father from her and how Mina had ended up k!lling him. Esther tried talking some sense into her but Danny girl threatened to fire her if she ever got in her way again. She asked her to choose between her and Romina but Esther told her that she couldn’t do so because they were both her family. “It’s clear then,” Daniela wailed. “You’re choosing Romina. I am giving you a one whole year salary, and a compensation for your retirement. You’re fired. Just go.”
Back at the city jail, Romina pleaded with Cassie to leave the mansion, telling her that she would be at peace once she knew they weren’t hurting her because Daniela and Marga wouldn’t stop coming after her. “You need to listen to me,” Mina said. “Daniela will not think twice if she’s given the opportunity to hurt you. Please, leave the mansion.”
Daniela was having her own personal little ‘cry-fest’ when Cindy called her on phone and sent her a photo of Romina being beaten. “That’s it?” Daniela asked. “That’s not enough. I want you to make her life hell. Make her suffer physically so she wishes she was six feet under.”
Romina was beating herself up for not being there to protect her daughter. She literally punched the wall in frustration, drawing blood. Pilar brought her back to her senses and told her to relax and think of how she could defeat her opponent, Daniela. Carlos was having a talk with a worker from Primarosa when a phone call came in. “Hello.”
“Carlos, are you busy right now?” said Romina on the other line. “We need to talk.”
Cassie found Esther packing and she asked her where she was going. Esther told her that she was just taking a short vacation but Cassie seemed doubtful. “Is this because of what happened between me and Daniela?” Cassie asked. “Is she sending you away?”
“I have to respect her decision,” Esther said.
“Naana…”
“I’m worried about what’s happening in this family. I’m concerned about leaving the mansion. If Daniela is still acting like this, there would be no one to hold her back. Now that her father is gone, she’s incontrollable.”
Cassie took the older woman’s hand. “You aren’t leaving, Naana. You’re staying here.”
Cassie confronted Daniela and told her that she wouldn’t allow nanny Esther to leave. Esther asked her to stop, telling her that she was okay with it. “But I’m not okay with it,” Cassie sobbed. “You’re basically part of our family. You have nowhere to go, so you’ll stay here, okay?”
“And who do you think you are to make that decision?” Daniela asked.
Cassie turned to her half-sister. “I’m the reason you’re kicking her out, right? So I’ll leave the mansion instead. Don’t drag her into this.”
The Mean Squad sent Marga the video they had taken of Cassie while she was being humiliated at the party. Nadya mentioned that she felt sorry for Kristoff because his teammates had teased him with the incident. Marga ended the video call and called Kristoff on the phone. When he didn’t answer, she sent him a text message, asking whether he was alright. A sharp reply came in a few seconds later : “Am I alright? Why don’t you ask yourself? Liar.” Esther pleaded with Cassie not to leave her account. Cassie told her that they wouldn’t be able to live peacefully as long as she was there.
“But you don’t have to sacrifice your home just for me,” Esther argued. “I know how much this mansion means to you.”
“I’m not only doing this for you, Naana Esther. I also have to do this for mamma so she won’t worry about me.”
At the city jail, Romina walked into the visiting area and glared at Carlos. “You’re undependable,” she said.
“What are you talking about?” Carlos asked, confused.”
“Carlos, I asked you, I begged you to protect my daughter Cassie from Daniela and Marga. But what did you do? Nothing. You let your wife and daughter hurt my daughter.”
“Romina, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You don’t know? That’s your answer? Where were you when Daniela locked Cassie out of the house?! Where were you when they were hurting my daughter? Where were you, Carlos?!”
“I have my own problems to deal with,” Carlos argued. “Be reasonable. I can’t keep an eye on your daughter all the time. I’m not her legal guardian.”
“You can’t watch over her?” Mina asked in disbelief. “Or are you just avoiding responsibility? I’m not surprised. You’ve always been like this – you never keep your word. Just like when you stood me up on our wedding and gave up on our relationship.”
“Our past has nothing to do with this, Romina.”
“Yes it does, Carlos. This just proves what kind of person you really are – you’re worthless. And a coward!”
“Enough!” Carlos barked. “You have no right to talk to me that way. You have no idea what I’m going through.”
“You think you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders, because you’re self-centered. Mark my words, Carlos. Someday, you will suffer the worst for being a coward.”
Carlos was left speechless as Romina eyed him and stormed away. “It’s time for me to talk to Bernard,” Mina said to herself back in her cell.
Hector barged into the mansion and Daniela greeted him with her signature scowl. Hector told her that he didn’t like seeing a beautiful woman like her frown. “Did you just come here to annoy me?” Danny girl asked.
“Not really,” Hector replied. “You seem cranky today. Why don’t we just chill out and relax?”
“Why don’t you just tell me what you want?”
“We heard that Marga and Cassie had a fight. I want to make sure that Cassie’s still here.”
“I don’t know.”
“What?”
“As far as I remember, she volunteered to leave.”
“You should have stopped her.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because I said so. She can’t leave this house until we get our money from her.”
“That’s no longer my problem.”
“Don’t give me that attitude, Daniela. My problem is your problem.”
Cassie was walking through the kitchen with her belongings when she noticed Daniela and Hector. She stopped and listened. “I’m helping you to make sure Romina rots in prison,” Hector went on. “And this is how you repay me? Can’t you at least do your part?” Something fell and Cassie quickly ducked for cover as Daniela and Hector both turned and stared in her direction.
