When We Happened

Chapter 51: Ongpauco-Tatlonghari Reunion

Chapter 51

Ongpauco-Tatlonghari Reunion

I just got home from my 16-hour flight when a screenshot of a text from one of the Ongpauco elders showed up in the Ongpauco siblings' group chat. We were supposed to take a day off so I could rest after my grueling schedule in LA.

But here we are, on our way to the Ongpauco-Tatlonghari family reunion.

"Do I really have to go?" I asked Storm, yawning my ass off.

"I don't want to go either. But I already told you, Ahma wants to meet you."

I groaned. "The same Ahma who pushed your father to distribute his kids to his siblings? And left you to your mom alone? Is she even invited?"

He didn't answer my last question. His mom is probably at home, none the wiser. I envy her. Dapat siya na lang ang binisita namin today. Not his god-awful family, except his half-siblings, of course.

"Jamie and Louisse will be there, too," he said as he rubbed my shoulder to comfort me. "But unlike you, they already met Ahma."

Sighing, I leaned my head against him. "I should ask them for tips." Then I remembered what his family did to Louisse and Kade. I looked at him, my eyes worried. "Paghihiwalayin ba nila tayo kung hindi ako magustuhan ng lola mo?"

Umiling siya. "Dad already tried that with Louisse and Kade, it didn't work. Still won't work with us," sabi pa nito, parang walang pag-aalala sa katawan.

"Why is that?"

He looked down at me and flashed me a gentle, yet confident smile. "It took us years to be together, do you really think I'll let an old bat break us apart?"

His words eased my heart a little. "I'm really scared, Storm,"

"I'm here, I won't leave you alone," he said before leaning down and dropping a kiss on my temple. "We will get through this together."

***

I've been to many great places with even better architecture during my modeling stints abroad, but this house... No. This mansion—wait, it still doesn't match this huge-ass property we were about to enter.

"Why is your ahma living in a palace?" I asked Storm in awe, following him as we walked towards the entryway of the huge home of the elusive Ongpauco's matriarch.

Storm didn't answer, he was just content on chuckling beside me, watching me look around and admire the interior of his grandmother's house. The inside of the Ongpauco mansion is so grand, that you didn't know something like it existed in the Philippines. But somehow, it still looks welcoming and charming.

I don't know how they managed to do that. His grandmother's people probably hired a team to decorate her home to look homey even though it's literally the viper's den.

"Oh, thank God! They're here!" I heard Louisse's voice from the corner. Turning to her, I saw that the gang was already here. Jamie is seated beside her on the couch, while Kade and River are standing near them, nursing their glass tumblers filled with dark liquor. Scotch, probably.

"Why? What's going on? Why are you guys huddled over here?" I asked as we reached them.

"We're all miserable here," Louisse grumbled after hugging me. "Jamie and River want to go home to their kids, Kade and I want to go get drunk."

"Mamaya na kayo umuwi, we just got here," I said to her with wide eyes, panicking.

"They already met us, sawa na sila samin," she said, her voice laced with mischief. "I have a feeling Ahma just wants to meet Storm's supermodel girlfriend."