— Clarissa’s baby was born a girl.
The atmosphere that had been celebratory at the Dela Cruz household shifted dramatically. The anticipation of a male heir quickly turned into whispers of disbelief and disappointment. The plans and expectations that had been so meticulously laid out were suddenly in disarray. The family, who had pinned their hopes on Clarissa to bear them a son, was now faced with the very scenario they had so arrogantly despised.
The irony was not lost on me. Even miles away in Cebu, the echoes of their disappointment reached my ears. It was as though fate had intervened, handing them the very outcome they had feared and rejected. Marco, who had once turned his back on our marriage in pursuit of an archaic and sexist tradition, was now caught in a web of his family’s making.
