Before Grace could answer, loud laughter came from the master bedroom—the room he had sent extra money for, supposedly for an air conditioner.
Marlon couldn’t hold it anymore.
He suddenly opened the door.
There, lying on a new king-sized bed, was Nanay Soling with a man he didn’t recognize. They were holding beer cans, watching a large flat-screen TV.
His mother wore gold necklaces and bracelets.
The man wore branded shoes and a watch Marlon knew he could never afford.
“M-Marlon?!” Soling gasped.
“Prepared?!” Marlon shouted. “Who is that? And WHERE IS THE RENOVATION?!”
“H-he’s… your Uncle Romy…” his mother whispered.
“Materials are expensive now, son. Your money wasn’t enough…”
BOOM.
“I SENT YOU MORE THAN A MILLION PESOS! I DIDN’T EVEN SEE A SINGLE NAIL!”
“And you—you’re covered in jewelry? And you’re feeding another man with my money?!”
The man cut in:
“Hey, kid! Watch your—”
“Don’t interfere! THAT’S MY MONEY!” Marlon yelled.
Grace stepped forward, crying and shaking.
“Kuya… they gambled it at the casino. They spent it on drinking.
That motorcycle outside… they bought it using your remittances…”
It felt like Marlon’s heart was being crushed.
“Mom… why?”
“Why did you do this to me? I starved there… just so you could gamble?”
“Son… I was lonely here…” his mother reasoned weakly.
Marlon shook his head.
He was no longer the quiet, obedient son.
He held Grace’s hand.
“Pack your things. We’re leaving.”
“Marlon! Don’t! I’m your mother!”
“Yes. But you don’t get to deceive me while I’m still alive.”
Before leaving, he said firmly:
“This house is yours—since it’s all that matters to you.
But from now on… NOTHING. NOT A SINGLE CENT.”
“Marlon! We won’t have anything to eat!” Soling cried.
“You have jewelry, Mom. And your man has a motorcycle.
Sell them. Or GET A JOB.”
They got into a taxi.
In the side mirror, Marlon saw the two of them already fighting.
It hurt.
So deeply.
But he could finally breathe.
He may not have built a concrete house…
But he built his dignity.
He brought Grace to Manila.
Sent her to school.
And they started a new life—honest, real, and free from deception.
A home…
not measured by the height of its walls,
but by the strength of love and respect.
Three years passed after Marlon left Nanay Soling.
In Manila, he and Grace started in a small rented room—but slowly, their lives improved.
Grace finished senior high school and earned a college scholarship.
Marlon applied for an engineering training program and was eventually promoted to a high position.
One day, they were approved for a housing loan—and finally,
they had their own home.
Not big, but beautiful, solid, and built through their own hard work.
One afternoon, someone knocked on the door.
When Marlon opened it, he saw Nanay Soling—thin, clearly tired, and no longer wearing jewelry.
“Son… can I still ask for forgiveness?”
For a moment, Marlon’s world stood still.
He hadn’t forgotten the pain—but he chose forgiveness.
“Mom… come in and eat first,” he said.
Nanay Soling hugged him, crying.
“Thank you, son… even though I hurt you, you still have a heart that welcomes me back.”
Marlon smiled.
“I didn’t come back to support you financially anymore…
I came back to correct what went wrong and rebuild our family.”
And there, in a home filled with change and forgiveness,
they began again—
not in luxury,
not in lies,
but in the true love of a family.