The third point of view:

"Mom?"

"Huh?" the woman was roused back to reality.

Pedro looked his mother over, "Are you alright?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Cecil gave her son strange looks.

"You just seem out of it," He scrutinized his mother.

"I was just thinking about something," was her reply

"What is the problem?" the boy was disturbed for a slight moment before an idea struck him, "Wait a minute, Let me guess? You're thinking about Emerald, right?" Pedro watched with delight as his mother's face heated up.

"What? No way!" Cecil denied it right away.

"You're not a great liar mother," He pointed out the fact he could see through her.

"Fine, I was thinking of him..." she answered yet was quick to clarify, "But not in the way you're thinking,"

"How did you know what I'm thinking? What am I thinking about? Mom, your mind is so dirty," He teased her intentionally with a blank stare.

Cecil went red in the face, "Stop putting words in my mouth," she warned him still flustered.

"Just date him if you like him," Pedro said to her out of nowhere, "I like him, he seems to be a good man and you both already have my blessing,"

"Why don't you tell me you're in a hurry to get rid of me because you now got a girlfriend," she slapped him at the back of his head.

"Ouch, mother!" Pedro whined while looking around to make sure nobody had seen that. It was so embarrassing.

Mother and son were outdoors taking a stroll on the lawn that cloudy afternoon. There wasn't much to do in the house; everything was taken care of by the maids. Sakuzi and Emerald had issued a warning to the workers to not let them do a thing: they were guests and were to be treated like one.

"Mother," Pedro wrapped his hand around her shoulder, becoming a head taller than her with them standing so close to one another. One sight at them and a stranger might mistake them for siblings instead of mother and son. Cecil had a baby face and her son had grown so handsomely, hence the scene of them walking side by side was picturesque.

"No matter what, you're always my first love," Pedro said to her.

However, Cecil snorted in disbelief, "Why don't you declare that openly in front of Isabella?" she smirked.

Pedro gulped, confirming her assertion.

"Just as I thought," she laughed when she saw her son's conflicted expression. She then pats him on the back, "Don't be so serious, I was just teasing you,"

However, to her surprise, Pedro stepped out in front of her causing her to halt.

"What is it now? I've told you that I was just joking....." She trailed off when Pedro took her hand.

"Mother," he called, staring her straight in the eyes, "You've done enough for me by not aborting me in the womb. You have done all you could ever do for me by taking care of and being patient with me for the past eighteen years of my life. But it's time for you to be happy,"

"Why are you speaking like this?" Cecil murmured, fighting against the tears that were battling to escape her eyelid.

"I know you like Emerald,"

Her face changed, "Can we not go there?" Cecil wanted to withdraw her hand yet Pedro held on tight.

"You were the one who told me about giving second chances when I almost gave up Isabella. Mother, you cannot let one bad experience ruin your relationship with -"

"It wasn't one but two," She corrected, hinting at his father's - Fernandez - abandonment and the one-night stand with Emerald.

"But still mother -"

"Pedro, the adult world is complicated," She cut him off, "There are some deeply rooted problems that can't be solved with a few motivational words,"

"But I want you to be happy," Pedro insisted.

"I know," She cupped his face, caressing it with affection, "And I'm happy,"

"Mom..."

"Pedro, you might not understand when I say this, but you're my greatest accomplishment. Seeing you, healthy and happy alone makes me content - that's how much a mother's love is worth. Even if I have no money, nor a man by my side to make me happy - as you claim- seeing your face and knowing that I trained up a young, handsome, intelligent, strong man is my joy. This is why I'm going to fight tooth and nails for you - your father would not take you away from me. I promise you that, "

"So son…." Tears slipped down her face, "Please continue to be happy because your happiness means my happiness,"

"Seriously," Pedro sniffed, wiping away the tears from his face, "Why do you always like to make me cry?" he complained.

Cecil simply drew him into a hug as if this was the last time she would set her eyes on him. As far as she had her son by her side, there was nothing the world threw at her way she wouldn't survive. Pedro was her everything.

"This is so frustrating, I feel as if I'm sharing you. Could this be called jealousy? No wonder some mother-in-law are so mean to their daughter-in-law," Cecil said, staring at the approaching figure.

"What are you talking about?" Pedro questioned, pulling away from her.

"Over there," She tilted her head in the direction of Isabella walking over to them, "You both aren't even married yet and I'm having a hard time getting a bit of your time," she grumbled like a surly old woman.

"Hi Cecil," Isabella greeted

"Hi, Isabella," she responded

"Hi babe," appeared a special kind of smile that hadn't been on Pedro's face previously as he leaned in to kiss Isabella.

"Young people these days," Cecil clicked her tongue, seeing that as a cue to take her leave. It was obvious she had overstayed.

However, before Cecil could go far, she shouted, "Don't get pregnant!"

"Don't count on it!" Hollered back Isabella to her bewilderment.

Cecil almost choked on her saliva, what kind of girl was that? Even as aged as she was, she couldn't be that audacious? The woman began to question if handing her son over to Isabella was a good idea.

It was in her state of contemplation that she viewed an oncoming vehicle into the compound, he was back so soon? A surge of excitement went through her for strange reasons and before one knew it, Cecil tracked him back to his room.

Without much thought, she went in without knocking. However, her eyeballs almost fell out of their socket when Cecil came in to meet a hard rock abdomen that rippled with strength as he was in the middle of taking off his shirt.