A MILLION YEARS LATER, WHEN HE CAME BACK TO HIS FATHER’S HOUSE, HE WAS AMAZED AT WHAT HE SAW.

 

The sun was bright but the breeze inside the luxury SUV was cold as it drove through the dusty streets of San Isidro. Inside sat Clara, thirty-five years old, sophisticated, full of jewels, and carrying an aura of triumph. She is the owner of a large cosmetics company in California. After a decade, he finally returned to the Philippines. Her heart was filled with excitement and excitement. Her goal is to surprise her only brother and the hero of her life, brother Ramon.

 

 

 

They were orphaned by their parents. Ramon’s brother, who was ten years older than him, stood in for his father and mother. Ramon did not get married. It gave the whole youth to farm work, being a loader, and whatever else to get Clara to get an education and send her to America. When Clara was successful, she promised to repay everything. Every month, she sends nearly 200,000 to their Aunt Ising and cousin Belinda, whom she entrusted to take care of Ramon when he suffered a stroke and lost his sight five years ago.

According to Aunt Ising, her dream home has been realized. “Oh, Clara, your sister’s room is beautiful!” It’s air-conditioned, has a soft bed, and even has a private nurse! “Don’t worry, he’s a prince here,” was what his uncle always said on the video call. Whenever Clara wanted to talk to Ramon, Belinda always said “Brother is sleeping” or “In therapy,” so they often chatted using the cell phone sent by Clara. Clara was relieved because they were her blood.

The car stopped in front of a huge, elegant house with a high gate. The paint is white and gold, has lion statues on the front, and is obviously spent. “That’s it,” Clara whispered. “The fruit of our suffering.” He got out of the car, adjusted his designer shades, and rang the doorbell.

A housekeeper came out. “Who are they?” he asked. “My name is Clara. Ising’s nephew. “Are they there?” he replied. He was brought in. Entering the living room, Clara was amazed at the pride of the items. There were the appliances he had sent, the furniture he had paid for. A short time later, Aunt Ising and Belinda descended the grand staircase, both in expensive household clothes and full of jewels.

“Clara!” cried Aunt Ising. It was as if he had seen a ghost. “B-Why are you here? “I thought you were going to be here next month!” Belinda was terrified too, quickly hiding the new iPhone she was holding. “Surprise, Auntie!” exclaimed Clara with a smile. “I just wanted to see my brother. Where is he? Is he in the upstairs room?”

The mother and daughter looked at each other. There was fear and fear in their eyes. “Ah… eh… “Clara,” Belinda said quietly. “Ramon is not here. Nasa… In what… At the Therapy Center across town! “Yes, he had to go to the doctor to see the doctor.” Aunt Izuku nodded, “That’s right! That’s right! He will be back next week. “Take a break, Clara. You’re tired of traveling.”

Clara was astonished. “Therapy center? You didn’t say anything to me like that. “Why are you so afraid?” Clara began to get worried. There was a strange beat in his chest. It is the “Blood Leap.” He didn’t believe it. “I’m going to go to him. “Which center is that?” he asked. “Oh, the guest is forbidden!” “Shut up!” exclaimed Aunt Anne.

With a sigh of relief, Clara said goodbye to the cCR. But instead of going to the bathroom, she slowly walked out the back door into the dirty kitchen and yard. She wanted to look around the house. As she walked through the wide yard, she heard a faint cough coming from the far end, near the pig and chicken coop.

Clara approached. The smell was pungent—a mixture of the smell of animal manure and rotting garbage. Next to the pig cage was a small hut made of patchwork and traps. There was no door, only a curtain sack. Clara peeked out.

At that moment, his world came to a halt. His precious bag fell into the mud.

 

 

 

 

Inside the dark, dingy hut, a man lay on an old barefoot hut. He was skinny, almost bone-and-skin. His hair and beard were black with dirt. His clothes were tattered sandals and shorts. His eyes were white—blind. Flies were crawling on his leg wounds. Next to him, there was a plastic bowl with only rice mixed with water and a little salt—food worse than a dog’s food.

“Water… water…” The man groaned softly.

Clara knew that voice. Even if it was soft, even soft, she knew it.

“What?” called Clara excitedly.

The man was stunned. He stood up slowly, gasping for air. “C-Clara? Youngest? Is that you? Am I dreaming again?”

Clara sobbed. She ran and hugged her brother tightly. She didn’t care about the dirt, the smell, the mud. She hugged her brother who had given her everything. “Brother! My God! What did they do to you?! Brother, I’m sorry! I’m sorry I didn’t come this time!” Clara’s cry echoed through the yard, filled with pain and anger.

Ramon patted his brother’s face with a rough, dirty palm. The blind Ramon was also crying. “Youngest… you’re here. Thank God. I thought I was going to die without hugging you.”

“They said you were in the air! They said you were the queen! Why are you here by the pig?!” cried Clara as she looked at her brother’s bruises and wounds.

“I can’t do anything about it, Ronald Reagan,” he muttered. “Ever since I had a stroke and gone blind, they took my cell phone. They threw me away. They told me you didn’t have anything left. They said you were in trouble in America and they had to keep me. That was my food, leftovers. Sometimes they even forget.”

“They are liars!” cried Clara. “I send 200 thousand a month! This house is for you! The car is for you!”

At that point, Aunt Ising and Belinda arrived, gasping for breath. They saw the scene. They turned pale.

“Clara! Let me explain!” sigaw ni Tita Ising.

Clara stood up. Her face, which had previously been filled with tears, was now replaced by a terrifying rage. The “Clara” kind niece was gone. Facing them was the “CEO Clara” who was used to running an empire and destroying opponents.

“Explain?!” cried Clara, shaking the whole mansion. “What are you explaining?! That you made my brother an animal while you were wasting my hard-earned money?! The thickness of your face!”

“Clara, we’re family! We’re just stuck! Ramon, it’s hard to take care of, peeing on the bed, so we put it here so the house doesn’t smell!” Belinda reasoned.

“PAKK!” A loud slap landed on Belinda’s face.

“You’re worse than pig dung!” cried Clara. “I named this house after my brother Ramon! You’re the one who lives here! You’re the one who eats it! And then you’re going to throw him out?”

Clara grabbed her cell phone and called her lawyer and the police.

“Attorney, come here right now. You have the title to the land and the house, right? And bring the police. I want these people out of my property. NOW. And I’m going to file a lawsuit. Serious illegal detention, maltreatment of incapacitated person, estafa, and qualified theft!”

Aunt Ising fell to her knees. “Clara! Don’t! Have mercy! I’m your aunt! We’re your blood!”

“Blood?” said Clara, looking at her aunt sharply. “The blood that is in you is poison. When my brother was starving, did you feel sorry for him? When he was cold here while you were in the air, did you remember that he was your blood? No. All you thought about was my money.”

The police and the lawyer arrived. The authorities were aware of Ramon’s condition. They immediately arrested Aunt Ising and Belinda. They struggled, swore, screamed, but did nothing. They were dragged out of the mansion they thought were theirs. The neighbors came out, seeing the embarrassment of the mother and daughter who had once been living in the village.

Clara and her driver picked up Clara’s brother. They took her into the mansion. Clara bathed her own brother. She wiped the dirt, she dressed the new clothes, and she fed the delicious soup.

“Brother, I’m here. They’ll never hurt you again. You’ll never be hungry again. I’ll take care of you,” Clara cried as she tried to touch her brother.

 

 

“Thank you, Youngest. The soup tastes good. It tastes like love,” smiled Ramon, who despite the blindness could see the light of hope.

In the days that followed, Clara had the house renovated to make it accessible to Ramon. She hired a private nurse and physical therapist. With proper care and nutrition, Ramon’s strength gradually returned. Although her eyesight was not restored, she was happy to be with her brother.

Aunt Ising and Belinda are now languishing in jail. Clara’s case is without bail due to the seriousness of the abuse. All the property they bought with the stolen money was revoked by the court. Clara also learned that Belinda was spending the money on gambling and drugs. Karma charged them.

One afternoon, as Ramon sat on the porch, he grabbed Clara’s hand.

“Honey, don’t plant anger in your heart, will you? They did wrong, but God will take care of them. The important thing is that we are whole.”

Clara hugged her brother. “Yes, brother. My wealth, my success, is worthless without you. You are my true treasure.”

Clara proves that money can be earned, but a family that truly loves is only one. And in the end, evil always has its limits, and good and truth will always prevail. The “pig” they placed on Ramon became a symbol of their downfall, and the brothers’ love became the foundation of their new beginning.

For those of you who have been wronged, especially those who have been wronged, what would you do if you found out that you were being cheated on by someone you trust? Can you forgive them? Comment below and share this story to serve as a warning to everyone!