Chaca had returned home, fetched by Faris. Upon entering her home, she was immediately met with scornful glares from her mother and sister, but Chaca paid them no mind.
"Go rest for now," Faris said gently, to which Chaca nodded.
After Chaca had retreated to her room, Faris promptly joined Lana and Leona.
"Leona, darling, go to your room. Mom and I need to talk," Faris spoke softly – indeed, he was always gentle, patient, loving, forgiving; an ideal husband and father.
Once Leona had left, Faris turned to Lana with a piercing gaze.
"What?" Lana snapped back sharply.
"Can't you be a bit kinder to Chaca?" Faris spoke softly.
"No?" Lana retorted quickly.
"She's still your child," Faris said calmly.
"She's not my child, she's the child of some wretch," Lana exclaimed, tears spilling down her face.
"Honey, Chaca's done nothing wrong here; she's innocent and pure. Don't take it out on her, she needs her mother's love too," Faris said with tenderness.
"You're the fool! You are not her biological father; why do you love her so much? You're closer to that wretch's child than your own daughter Leona," Lana yelled, her emotions overflowing.
It was true that Faris felt closer to Chaca, but it wasn't without reason; his wife's constant blaming of Chaca and preference for Leona put Faris more on Chaca's side. He thought, if he too differentiated between Chaca and Leona, wouldn't that be too cruel for Chaca? Although she never received love from Lana, Chaca could at least feel loved by him. Faris certainly loved Leona too, indulging every request and whim, but Lana's influence had twisted the girl's thoughts, making her believe that Chaca was usurping her place as Faris's favorite daughter, thus her hatred for Chaca grew, especially when she learned Chaca was not her father's child.
"Who says I don't love Leona? That I don't look out for her? That I love Chaca more than Leona?" Faris finally shouted, tired of Lana's behavior.
"Both of them are MY CHILDREN," Faris declared firmly, "I make no distinctions; they are the same to me. You must stop poisoning our eldest daughter's mind. Remember, Leona and Chaca remain sisters even with different fathers," he said.
"Chaca is not your child," Lana insisted, her gaze fierce.
"Chaca is my child as well, always. Even in death, my wealth will be divided equally between them," Faris affirmed.
"No, she's not your child, she's the child of a bastard, a criminal, a bringer of bad luck, an illegitimate child; she doesn't deserve to be here," Lana screamed.
Slap!
Faris sharply planted a kiss onto Lana's cheek with the palm of his hand.
"Mind your words, Chaca will always be my child," Faris stated and then he left.
"Aarghh! Wretched child, spawn of the devil, I should have gotten rid of her long ago, miscarried her when she was in the womb," Lana voiced, filled with hatred.
Unbeknownst to the two of them, Chaca overheard her parents' argument; her heart ached terribly upon hearing her mother's curses, but she could only stay quiet and sob.
'Is mama's hatred for me this deep? Does she really not want my presence that much? It was not my wish to be born like this. If given the choice, I would have chosen not to be born into this world,' thought Chaca.
'When will I ever feel mom's embrace and affection?'
Chaca continued to murmur in her heart while crying. Her heart was in excruciating pain with the realization that she was indeed an unwanted child to her mother.
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