CHAPTER 44: SURVIVOR'S TALE

"After that incident, she became a frequent visitor at the local hospital, offering excuses like 'I fell down the stairs' or 'I didn't see where I was going,'" I mutter again, still struggling to accept the harsh reality, even though I've recounted this story before. "That's the grim reality when you reside in places like Riverdale, Philippines. People are either too terrified or too corrupt to demand the truth, even when a pregnant woman is involved, so they choose to accept whatever story she provides. He eventually dragged my brother into the physical abuse as well, although thankfully not to the extent of sending him to the hospital. But that doesn't mean it hurt my brother any less."

I take yet another extended pause, my longest one yet, because once I resume, I don't intend to stop until I've shared the entire tale. Failing to do so...well, I can't even begin to fathom the consequences.

"When my mom reached her sixth month of pregnancy, he came home in the most intoxicated and d