Chapter 1

• "Are you certain about your decision, Sarah?"
• For the hundredth time, Sarah's mother has asked the same question, and she has the same answer.
• She heaved a deep sigh before she faced her mother and caressed her face.
• "Yes, Mom. I am sure about this. Mom, I needed this. I need this for myself, I need to be alone. I want to start again all over again, I want to go back to being the old Sarah. The old Sarah is happy, brave and does not care about what other people say. I want to be the old me again. The old me before I met Jason."
• Clarissa, her mother, smiled sadly and touched her daughter's cheeks with her hand.
• "You have the opportunity to start a new life here, darling. You don’t need to go to Greece. Your father and I will assist you in dealing with those who would mock and hurt you. You know that we are always here for you.”
• Her mother's words made her smile bitterly.
• "Mom, we both know that many investors left our company following the scandal in which I was involved. And, Mom, this is my problem. I don't want you and Dad to be involved in anything else. I can handle it if it's just me, but I can't stand it if you and Dad are also affected. So, please allow me to do this. Let me go."
• She explained, hoping to make her mother understand.
• When her scandal and imprisonment became public, more than half of their company's investors fled, causing it to nearly go bankrupt. It's a good thing her father was able to intervene and save it. Because if they lose their business as a result of her actions, she will be even more unable to forgive herself.
• More than a year has passed, and she still can't forgive herself for what she did to Jason and Isabel.
• Jason has been her boyfriend for three years, but she only discovered he was cheating on her with her best friend, Isabel, about a year ago.
• After discovering that Jason and Isabel had duped her, she stormed into Isabel's apartment, confronted her until she was unable to help herself but physically hurt Isabel, and even attempted to set fire to her apartment, resulting in her arrest and imprisonment. Her confinement, however, did not last long due to her parents' power, wealth, and connections. Isabel also withdrew the lawsuit she had filed against her.
• And because their family is well-known in the business, what she did become a huge scandal that affected not only her but also her family.
• Even though she is now free, the guilt, remorse, and sadness she feels in her heart remain. If she had been understanding and if she had accepted that she was no longer the one Jason loved, if she had just listened to his pleas a few times, it wouldn't have ended like this.
• But she let her emotions be controlled by her anger, and in her great love for Jason, she did heinous things that she still regrets to this day. And all she could do right now is bemoan the fact that no matter what she did, she would never be able to change the past. What happened has already happened, and no matter how much she regrets what she did or how much she apologizes to Isabel, nothing will change the fact that it happened.
• Nobody can change the fact that she turned into a madwoman and a criminal.
• She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at her mom who was staring at her intently. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm sorry for all the wrong things that I've done. I'm sorry if you and Dad were affected by my wrong decisions. I'm sorry if I embarrassed our family. I'm sorry if I defiled what you care about the most. Our last name and our company. I'm sorry, Mom. I am sorry." She sincerely said and let her tears flow.
• Her mother hugged her and gently stroked her back as if to calm her down. "Hush now, darling. How many times do we have to tell you that it's okay now? It's time for you to move on." Her mom said then let go of their hug and faced her, her warm palms on her cheeks. "Yes, you made a terrible mistake but you already regret it, don't you? I know how much you loved Jason. We've witnessed how you treasured him, adore him, love him unconditionally, and give him everything that you could offer. So we can understand why you did all of that. I am not saying that what you did is right and that they deserve that but I understand where you are coming from, darling. Isabel and Jason had already forgiven you so please, forgive yourself as well. It's time for you to move on."
• If only it were that easy. If only when she says that she would move on then she would immediately forget everything but it's not. Because every time she goes out and she sees how people look at her, how they are giving her a judgmental look, the self-esteem that she tries so hard to build slowly diminishes.
• She can tell by the way they look at her that they regard her as a hideous person. And she can't blame them because that's the truth: she's a hideous and awful person, and even if she's already regretted it, nothing can be undone. Until she is here in the Philippines, she will not be able to move on.
• She knew what she was doing was a cowardly act, but it was the last thing she knew she could do to have some peace in her heart.
• She just smiled at her mother and then kissed her on the cheek. "I need to be somewhere, Mom. I'll be back." She said but even before she could leave her room, her mother spoke again.
• "Don't tell me you're going to see them again. Just leave them alone, Sarah, and forget your love for that man. He's already happy with Isabel." Her mother said.
• She gave a bitter smile.
• "Mom, I'm not bothering them, am I? And I have no intention of doing those things again. I know he's happy now. I just wanted to see him before I left so I could settle down and relax. So don't worry, Mom; I won't make the same stupid mistake twice. I will not do anything that will jeopardize our future."
• She told her mother without looking at her and then exited the room.