Chapter 49

After a few days...

This is the final destination when Allena will finally be able to hold the body of her deceased son. Hale's relatives can no longer show any smiles, only crying and red eyes from endless tears.

Breathing is labored, coughing and even choking. The whole face is washed in the bitter rain from the closing eyes. Screams as if legs are being squeezed became the music, notes forming in minor became the result of the melody.

It seems that with each release, heavy feelings that have been held for a long time are released. As Allena sobs, she tightly hugs the coffin of her beloved son.

In the rush of heartbreaking feelings, they are accompanied by angry thunder and lightning. It seems that the sky is also crying, almost all resentment has been thrown to the ground. The weight of the falling rain was as heavy as the piano.

A grandmother signaled that it was time to take Hale's body to the church. Allena and her husband and children gradually separated. To hide their puffy eyes, they first put on sunglasses. Each of them carried a box of tissue paper. Even though they tried not to cry, it was as if they were pinching their chests.

The barako had gathered to voluntarily carry the coffin to the altar. With the weather on this day, it seemed that they had prepared themselves for the fate of their funeral. It is believed that when the rain stops on the day of the funeral, it means that the soul of the deceased is not ready to say goodbye.

However, even though the coffin does not contain Hale's real body, it seems that the soul of the person they are holding is happy. Most people loved him even though he was not related to them by blood.

"Mom, are we close? I might be late, I hope not," Hale assured Madam Zorraida.

His new mother faced him. "We'll be at the church in just a few more laps."

He sighed as if a thorn had been pulled out. He had waited so long for this opportunity, he couldn't miss the day of the funeral. He was desperate to see his family. Even for just a moment, he just glanced at the mourning of those who loved him, for him that was enough to make him feel that many people remembered him.

Five minutes had passed, just one lap left and he would finally witness what he had been waiting for. As time went on, his feelings grew heavier. He couldn't explain this feeling he had, should he be happy because he was still alive or should he just be sad because his family knew he was dead.

Madam Zorraida had parked near the church. Hale immediately opened the car door and hurriedly walked past the long line of people dressed in black and white.

"Be careful with your steps, Hale. It's not time for everyone to know that you're still alive. Don't be a fool, don't embarrass your family."

Her mother-in-law held her tightly by the arm. She looked at him in surprise. She didn't expect him to read her mind.

She just nodded and wiped away the tears that were forming.

They didn't go straight to the church, Madam Zorraida could tell that there would only be a scandal if they weren't careful. In their haste, they forgot to wear masks.

The two of them looked at each other as if they were worried. Hale swallowed three times. He was sweating profusely. They hadn't prepared well for this walk. What if someone recognized them, their plans would be ruined immediately.

"I know what we're going to do, we'll buy make-up and hats to cover our faces. We'll just watch from the sidelines later, don't let it be known that you're carrying something and your cries might echo in the church. Is that clear?" Madam Zorraida reminded her.

They walked briskly to a nearby shop. They didn't stay long because they didn't want to miss the best part. They knew that by the time they left the shop, the short mass would be over.

The church was only a few meters away from where they were walking, but Hale could already hear a hired singer singing from inside the church. The song was familiar to her, a song with the title Kahit Isang Saglit by Martin Nivera.

Her chest tightened and her throat suddenly went dry. "Mom, let's hurry up. The mass is over."

She tried to muster up courage. She couldn't pass out here. She only had a few steps to go so she calmly breathed straight.

When they arrived at the church, someone was reading the letter.

"My dearest child..."

"We are the luckiest parents of your father because... you became our child. You are our joy..."

(sobering and bursting in tears)

"...ever since you were a little girl. You filled our void because..."

Allena couldn't take it anymore, she started sobbing and sobbing until her voice was weak. She took a deep breath to force herself to finish the message.

"We thought we would never be able to start a family, but when you came into our lives, that's where our luck began..."

"But now that you're gone, we don't know how to get back up. You've become our only breadwinner..."

"You can rest now, no... h-h-you won't be hurt again. It's hard to accept but... b-but... fly high now in the sky. You deserve to rest, but you don't deserve to just die in injustice..."

Hale felt her heart ache from what her mother was saying. Unable to bear it anymore, she ran away from the church and headed to a distant place.

Madam Zorraida chased after her to accompany her.

Hale was all frowned upon but secretly sobbing. She was crying silently, as if she was screaming without a voice. Not long after, her mother-in-law caught up with her inside a public cr.

"I want to hug them tightly. I feel sorry for my Mommy, she shouldn't have to go through that. The pain is so bad, it broke my heart into pieces hearing her say those words. Why did anyone even let it out that I had passed away? Why! I'm still alive but I'm already being held, because I'm not in my body yet. It really hurts!"

Madam Zorraida suddenly hugged her. This was the moment she had the opportunity to cry and scream everything. What she was carrying was so heavy, it seemed like she was carrying the world. Almost all the problems and blows in life had landed on her until she finally fell to the ground.

"Just cry, my dear. No one will stop you, you can cry on my shoulders no matter how long it takes."

Hale had nothing more to say. She would just let everything she wanted to convey through crying and screaming. The large amounts of her tears were the product of all her suffering.

After a minute, he wiped his tears with a handkerchief. He ran to a nearby field full of garbage.

"This is my last cry. I will get up, I will get up! I can't let my family and I live in sadness and grief, I will make them taste everything... I will make Harrison pay for everything he put me through! I will knock him down! I swear, I will make his life a living hell until he begs me to forgive him! Starting today, I will expose my weakness. One day, they will taste the poison that a bully vomited! Arrrggghh!"

He knelt down and threw the two bottles he had picked up on the ground.

~~~

Harrison thought about going to Hale's funeral. He canceled all conference meetings for the whole day.

Even though he was in a hurry, he didn't take the elevator because he couldn't wait any longer, he was just unlucky that he didn't get there before it was full earlier.

He didn't bother his personal driver anymore. He now wanted to be alone and visit Hale alone.

His breathing was fast, as if a horse was chasing him. He was sweating profusely and swallowing his own saliva.

Even though he tortured Hale, he still couldn't relax. He knew that the hostage had escaped, which is why he wondered how his former trainee had died.

He even accelerated the car so that he could reach the altar. He just wanted to sympathize, at least he had him with his company.

Before he went to the venue, he stopped by the bank to withdraw money, he wanted to donate to the deceased.

After that, he dared to enter the church where the coffin had been delivered this morning. As soon as he stepped through the gate, Hale's mother met him with a sharp look.

She walked towards him as if she was going to attack him. Her hands were clenched and her lips were bitten tightly.

"You have the audacity to come here! After torturing him and making him fall, you still dare to face us? Huh! You have such a big face!"

"I-I-I just want to sympathize-"

(Slap!)

"We don't need your sympathy! If you came here to apologize, we won't accept it!"

After a while, she dragged him and pulled him towards Hale's coffin.

"I want you to face my son, look at him! Look at what you did to my son! You can never get his life back that you cut off! So don't ever apologize to us!"

Harrison was already sobbing from the tension he had. The burnt face of the corpse terrified him. He just knelt down in front of Allena and showed her the one million pesos he had in his pocket.

"Forgive me for what I did. Yes, I admit that I tortured him; but I can't kill someone. Let me tell you my explanation..."

"Don't explain yourself anymore!" Allena grabbed the money and tore it all apart. "You're the last one, you're still being a jerk! You didn't respect my son's funeral! Get out of here! We don't need your explanation, and we don't need your money! Get out! Get out!"

Harrison didn't hesitate to leave. He was embarrassed and deeply regretted having just torn up the large sum of money he was supposed to donate.

After leaving the church, he muttered before getting into his car.

"I wish I hadn't gone, I wasted so much time and money. Fucking assholes! If they really want a war to get back at me, they shouldn't even try. They can't do it!"

He laughed like a demon, even though he was embarrassed, he was still happy.

"I still have the last laugh! Hahahaha! Ahahahaha!"