Jacob was about to punch Set when they got to the Mayo Clinic when Freya pulled him away.
"Jacob, don't make a scene here. We're not in the Philippines?" Freya scolded.
"My fists are getting hot! It's a simple instruction, he hasn't followed it yet! Is it hard to understand that you should never leave papa, huh?" Jacob glared at Set.
"Ma'am Freya, don't tell Sir Jacob anything. If he wants to punch me, that's fine with me. It's really my fault," Set bowed.
Freya couldn't believe what she heard from Don Vandolf's bodyguard. "Set, nothing happened to—"
"I understand Sir Jacob's feelings now, Ma'am Freya. I was lucky that nothing happened to the senior but what if he suddenly...my conscience can't handle that," Set said sadly.
Freya tapped Set on the shoulder. "You're doing well, Set. From what I see in you, you treat Don more than a boss...a father. All of us are prone to mistakes and that's fine. The important thing is that you admitted that you made a mistake and I see you…I see you are sorry. Not everyone can be humble, Set, that's why I admire you," she said.
Jacob quickly removed Freya's hand from Set's shoulder. His forehead was wrinkled as he looked at Freya.
"Don't tell me, you're jealous?" Freya said with a laugh.
"You just said, you admire him. I am going to remind you that we are already married." Jacob looked away.
The tension suddenly disappeared. Set and Freya laughed.
"Is there something funny? Set, do you want to lose your job?" Jacob asked, annoyed. His face can no longer be painted.
"I'm sorry, Sir Jacob. I'm just happy because I just saw your side like that. You really love Ma’am Freya," said Set.
Jacob fixed his hair and his posture. "We're still young when I already have my eyes on that woman," Jacob whispered.
Set smiled while shaking his head.
When Don Vandolf's doctor arrived, Set, Freya and Jacob immediately gave way. The nurse was already inside. The doctor and Jacob talked first before the physician finally entered the room. After performing the medical procedures that Don Vandolf needed, the doctor and the nurse immediately came out.
"Freya, right?" the doctor asked.
Freya pointed to herself and nodded.
"My patient wants to talk to you." The doctor took a glance at Jacob and Set. "And both of you, come with me," he added.
Jacob didn't say anything and immediately went with the doctor. He also wanted to give his father time to talk properly with Freya because he told him that he wanted to apologize to his wife.
Freya took several deep breaths before she opened the door to her father-in-law's room. She felt a mixture of anger and trepidation as she made her way to where Don Vandolf was lying. For her, Jackson should not be the only one in prison. The person who helped Jackson escape the law must be involved...the person who did everything possible to cover up his son's crime. Not only did Don Vandolf lie, he also cheated the law and the public because of the fake evidence and fake witness that he presented in court.
Don Vandolf's face showed sadness as Freya slowly approached him. His whole body was also covered with shame because of the sin he had committed before. Only now did he think that what he did was wrong. A parent does not always have to protect his child. It has limits and boundaries. He admitted that it was his fault that Jackson had acted like that. Regret did not disappear from his mind either. If only he had let his son's wrongs be corrected, he would not have been a man who is cunning, stubborn and indifferent to the feelings of others.
"Freya, come. Sit here next to me," said Don Vandolf.
"H-how are you feeling…p-papa?" Freya asked weakly.
"Don't worry about me. I'm a bad person so Saint Peter will not call my name yet, for sure. I'm also not certain if that's where I'm going." Don Vandolf laughed loudly.
Freya had no emotion at what she heard. "Why do you want to talk to me?"
"I know you are mad at me even if you didn't say anything. I can't blame you if you feel that way. It's my fault. Hija, I want to say sorry for everything. I know my apology is useless but I hope you just let me do what I want. I also know that it is unlikely that you will ever forgive us...my son and I, but I still want to apologize to you. I am doing everything that I can to make it up to you, hija." Don Vandolf was looking directly at Freya. He could clearly see the expression on her face.
"I don't know what to say," Freya murmured.
"When I return to the Philippines, I will surrender to the police myself. I will not help Jackson get away with all the nonsense he did to your family and to… my grandson Yael." Don Vandolf's tears fell but he immediately wiped them away.
Freya stood up. "You know about that too?" Her disgust for his father-in-law was evident in her eyes. Her teardrops began to fall. She rolled her tongue while staring at the ceiling. For the first time in her entire life, she wanted to trample an old man.
"Don't get me wrong, Freya. I just learned about it weeks ago. I hired private investigators for that. When I discovered how evil my son is, I started to feel bad about myself. All this time, I thought that I was just doing my part as Jackson's father. I thought, it's just normal for us, parents, to protect our children from any harm but...I was wrong. If anyone should be blamed for everything, it's me. I didn't raise him well. I was a scumbàg father. I also realized that I was not just afraid that Jackson would be imprisoned if I let the cops capture him on the scene...I was more afraid that our name would be ruined because of that incident." Don Vandolf chuckled. "I also have to apologize to my son. It's all my fault. I was a bad father to him in the first place."
Freya just kept looking at the tearful old man in front of her.
"Forgive me, Freya. Forgive me and my son. When I can walk again, I will kneel before you whether you want it or not." Don Vandolf took a tissue from the table near the hospital bed and wiped his tears and cold. "If only I could turn back time I will d–"
"Enough. You and your son are smart and cunning. I knew it. Both of you are good at flowery words. I don't know, but I can't feel your sincerity anymore. I lost the guts to stay with you. I can't do this anymore. I honor and respect you," said Freya. She stepped back. "I'm going back to the Philippines. I have to take care of something there. I hope you get well and I hope you live longer so that you will spend a long time in jail with your beloved son Jackson. Do you have anything else to say before I leave?"
Don Vandolf was speechless.
Freya turned around and started walking towards the door. She suddenly stopped when she remembered something. "By the way. No matter what you do, you will never be able to make it up to me. Even if it rains stars in this world, I will never forgive you."
Don Vandolf realized what he heard and remembered his surprise with Freya. Freya was about to open the door when he suddenly stopped her.
"Wait! Yael..." said Don Vandolf.
Freya frowned. She quickly confronted her father-in-law. "The pain caused by my son's death is still fresh in my mind, so don't make me feel sorry for you as his grandfather, with your nonsense reasoning." Freya also couldn't figure out why Don Vandolf seemed like a different person to her now. He felt sorry for her, but anger prevailed in her heart, especially when she remembered what had happened before.
"You don't have to mourn Yael..."
Freya's eyes widened and she quickly approached Don Vandolf. "What do you mean?"
"Help me, Freya. Help me find my grandson," Don Vandolf said seriously.
"Find? Find your grandson? Are you going crazy? Yael is in the cemetery! He's resting there peacefully! What are you talking about?" Freya said, laughing and crying.
"Use your brain, Freya. What do you think I want to convey to you?" said Don Vandolf.
Freya's knees went limp causing her to lose her balance and sit on the floor. She looked into thin air as her tears continued to fall.
"Your son is alive, Freya. He's not the one we buried. He survived Jackson's men. I've been asking my men to look for him for weeks but they still haven't heard from him. Let's work together, hija. I can't die until I can't be with and hug my grandson," Don Vandolf said tearfully.
"Is Yael alive? Is my son really alive?" Freya whispered.