DK drove to Isla Corale to manage the new branch of his hotel and restaurant business. He placed his hands on his pockets and breathed the fresh air; his feet feeling the warm sand bed and his ears hearing the music of the beach’s waves. Suddenly, Jake came as ordered; DK tossed him a car key and sent him for a specific task. “Find another lot for sale. I want more properties here” he ordered.
Jash’s eyebrows raised, “But, you just bought a property! Do you want another branch?” he asked. DK shook his head and answered, “I want to collect investments while I still have the money. Now go and do what I ordered you to do”. Jash nodded and immediately searched for land properties that were for sale. DK just closed a deal with a land property seller in the city where he plans to build a house for him and DJ to live.
Miss Elizaga called him to ask about his licensure exams which he took on the same day also. “So, can you feel success this time?” his mother asked from the other line. He sighed and looked up to the orange skies. “I don’t know. I just did it as if it were a mini-quiz. Whatever the result is, I’m sure it will bring no changes to what I have now” DK answered.
Miss Elizaga tsked and replied, “Of course, it will change something in you! You’ll get the accomplishment that you have lacked for years now. Remember, you are doing this for your son”. DK felt how that licensure exam meant to him but he chose to keep it lowkey.
 
King entered the house where he, Joanna, and DJ are staying for a long time now. He was greeted by Joanna who was busy setting up the table for their dinner. “Sorry, I got home a bit late today. Don’t worry, food is almost ready” Joanna said while putting down the soup pot in the middle of the dining table with her hands covered in knitted mittens. “Just take your time” King replied and proceeded upstairs to his bedroom.
He went to the veranda and looked at the bright city lights. He is ready to reveal everything to Joanna now, even if it means breaking her heart. He poured a bottle of brandy into a glass and drank it all up to build up the strength he needed to confess the truth he had been hiding for years. He finally came to his senses and understood that whatever he does, he won’t get Joanna to unlove DK.
He pulled out his phone from his pocket and made an international call. Aunt Rita picked up his call, suspecting that he already knew what DK was about to say. “Mom, I think it’s time that I’ll follow you there. DK and Jash told me everything already” he said that made Aunt Rita relieved. He heard how his mother gasped on the other line.
“You’ve grown into a man, King. Don’t worry, we’ll start anew here. I won’t tell your dad what happened. Just promise me that you will never do that again. Soon, you will find a woman who will truly appreciate your love” she said. King held back his tears; pulling it altogether at once for the last time.
After a while, he heard Delia calling them all for dinner. He went downstairs and sat on the seat in front of Joanna. He looked at everyone for the last time. That would be the last time they would be sharing meals with each other. He scooped the soup for DJ and said, “Eat up, I want you to grow strong. Stronger than me”.
He could feel Joanna’s eyes focusing on him but he dared to act. Just like what they do on normal days, they spend dinner like the whole family does. After the dinner, King asked Delia to take DJ upstairs so that he and Joanna could talk peacefully.
“Joanna, mind if we go outside and watch the stars? I’ll set up the seats for us” he invited. Joanna felt hesitant but still pushed herself to agree; she wanted to make up for making King’s feelings trampled the other day at the hospital. King prepared the foldable seats and made Joanna sit.
“You might be wondering why I initiated this weird moment,” King said and chuckled. Joanna felt the cold air touching her skin and replied, “It’s not bad to stay chill sometimes. It’s not like we have a chance for this anytime we want”. King leaned back and glanced at the night sky. He started his statement by saying, “Remember when you told me that you still love Dior? Honestly, those words hurt me. It feels like a ton of knives struck my chest”.
Joanna breathed heavily and replied, “One of the reasons I went with you here is to apologize…”. King hushed her and contradicted what she was saying. “I should be the one apologizing here,” King said and glanced at her. Joanna’s eyebrows crossed and asked, “What do you mean? You see, you don’t have to apologize for your feelings”.
King shook his head and manned up himself. He slowly held Joanna’s hand, not letting go of it though he felt that Joanna is not comfortable of feeling it. “Joanna, everything is my fault. I made DK look like a bad person so you would leave him and love me instead” he said; Joanna forcefully took her hand. Her reaction conveys confusion and shock at the same time. “I don’t understand” she simply commented.
King leaned back and expounded. “I was so jealous back then. You two got married, and you had a wide future in mind, while I remained insecure about DK. It was the same insecurity I had been feeling since middle school. Every single time, DK is the one who’s winning – academics, sports, even girls’ hearts. I planned on winning against him today, and my last resort was to play dirt” he storied while Joanna kept listening while her eyes were focused on nowhere.
“DK loves you so much. I took you away from him for my own benefit. But this time, I am finally giving you back to him. DK did not cheat on you. I set him up with a strange woman I hired in the bar. I asked that random woman to take pictures of her and DK and create a story that they had sex. That’s when it started. I planned on taking you and making you believe that I am a knight in shining armor. That’s what I am apologizing about” King continued, his voice shaking and conveying regrets.
He heard Joanna’s soft sobs. She wiped her tears with her hands and replied to King’s revelation of truth. “You took advantage of my weakness. You made me believe that you were a nice guy, not knowing that it was you who caused my pain. It is you who made my life totally ruined. It is you who kept DJ’s personality hidden for a long time” Joanna pointed all the blame to King.
 She stood up, planning to leave King alone outside but King followed her and hugged her tight. King’s warmth disgusted Joanna; it made her push him with all her strength but she couldn’t get off of his embrace. “Let go of me. I have been under your possession for so long that I cannot wait to get free” she said while her tears continued falling from her eyes.
King held her tight for the last time as he replied, “Please forgive me, Joanna. I know how terrible I was. But this time, let me make up for you. Let me bring you back to the man you love the most. For the last time, before I take my flight to the States”.