Jillyanna drove back to her house first to record herself. She had to finish the recording now and handle the post-editing later tonight so the content could be released the following day.
After two intense hours of recording, she finally took a break before changing her clothes to visit Cielo's family. She opted for a comfortable outfit: a pair of black jeans, a white sweater, and clean white sneakers. She slipped her wallet, phone, and keys into a small sling bag.
Before grabbing the paper bags containing her gifts, she pulled on her baseball cap and a face mask. As a final precaution, she meticulously checked that all the windows and doors were securely locked. Lucian had hammered that safety habit into them ever since they were young.
Once satisfied, Jillyanna got into her car and drove off toward the Madrids' family villa. She pulled into the garage just a few minutes before six o'clock, arriving exactly as promised, and gathered her gifts from the passenger seat.
"Yanna! You're finally here!" Sky Abejuela-Madrid, Cielo's mother, exclaimed excitedly the moment she spotted her.
"Good evening, Auntie," Jillyanna greeted her, stepping into a warm hug. Sky took her hand and affectionately guided her into the house.
"Yanyan! Yanyan is here!" Alex Madrid, Cielo's father, called out as he emerged from the kitchen to greet her.
"Hello, Uncle!" Jillyanna waved warmly to the man, who was currently wiping his hands on a kitchen apron.
Seeing the genuine, radiant smiles of the people welcoming her filled Jillyanna's heart with a familiar warmth. Cielo witnessed the entire scene and couldn't help but smile, too, stepping forward with a dramatic sigh. "I'm seriously starting to doubt my own existence in this house."
Cielo teased them all before enveloping her best friend in a tight hug. "It's been an entire month since I last saw you in person! If it wasn't for our cafe's grand launching event, you wouldn't even show your ugly face!"
Though she complained loudly, her eyes betrayed how truly ecstatic she was to see her best friend doing so well.
"I know, I know. It was my fault," Jillyanna conceded softly. "But don't worry, I'm planning to stay here for a few months before deciding on my next move. There's something I really need to take care of." She looked pointedly at her best friend, knowing Cielo understood exactly what she meant.
"You are completely crazy!" Cielo laughed, reaching out to messily ruffle Jillyanna's hair, just as she always did whenever Jillyanna got a stubborn, wild idea in her head.
"Anyway, these are for you guys. I hope you like them." Jillyanna handed over the heavy paper bags.
Cielo immediately ripped into the bag with her name on it, and the moment she saw what was inside, her eyes nearly popped out of her head.
"Holy shit! No way!" she squealed, screaming at the top of her lungs as she threw her arms around Jillyanna's neck again and again. "It's the Chanel Box Minaudiere Shoulder Bag! The limited edition one! How on earth did you get your hands on this?!"
Still unable to believe her luck, she turned the bag over and over, inspecting every inch. It was perfectly, flawlessly authentic.
"I happen to be the absolute best of all best friends," Jillyanna responded with a wide, triumphant grin. She loved seeing Cielo this happy. "So you better make sure our cafe dominates the market so I can make even more money."
"You really didn't have to do this," Cielo said, though she was already hugging the luxury bag tightly to her chest. "I still have so many bags you've gifted me that I haven't even figured out how to style yet. But oh, I am absolutely keeping this one. Hehe. Thank you so much! Mwah!"
Sky and Alex shared a fond, amused look at their daughter's antics before opening their own gifts. Alex unwrapped a pair of limited-edition Nike running shoes alongside a selection of premium health vitamins, while Sky uncovered an elegant Tiffany & Co. bracelet paired with an assortment of high-end skincare products.
"You never change, sweetie. You spent a fortune on us again," Sky said, her voice tinged with a sudden, melancholic warmth.
"If I don't spend it on you, who else am I supposed to spend it on?" Jillyanna asked softly, her gaze steady. "Auntie, you and Uncle have taken care of me all these years. If it weren't for your family, I would have been swallowed whole by my relatives. I know exactly why my mother hid me for so long, and I refuse to let those people touch a single cent of her legacy. Buying these gifts is the only way I can properly show my gratitude. So please, just let me do this for you, okay?"
Jillyanna's raw response brought tears to their eyes. They knew the sheer magnitude of the hardships she had endured, and they knew it was purely through her own blood, sweat, and tears that she had built the life she had now. Sky pulled her into a tight embrace, and Cielo quickly dove in to join them.
"Group hug time!" Alex shouted with boyish enthusiasm, throwing his arms around all three of them.
Ever since Jillyanna had graduated, she had buried herself completely in her work, making in-person visits a rarity. But time and distance had done nothing to change the profound love and protective care this family held for her.
"Ahem. Ahem."
An awkward, deliberate cough from the doorway broke the emotional moment. A handsome young man stood there, holding a box containing Jillyanna's absolute favorite red velvet cake.
"Welcome home," he greeted her smoothly, holding up a hand for their traditional, practiced fist bump.
"You're looking as handsome as ever, big bro," Jillyanna teased, taking the cake box from his grasp. "Thanks for this. Ah... Lucian, this one is for you." She handed him a small, surprisingly heavy paper bag.
"The dessert fairy is as predictable as always. Watch out for cavities!" Lucian countered with a grin, already peering into the bag.
"I know. I'll brush my teeth twice, I promise," Jillyanna pouted.
She followed Sky into the kitchen to carefully slide the cake into the refrigerator, leaving Alex to finish up cooking the final dish, while Cielo and Lucian remained in the living room.
Lucian carefully opened the heavy bag and pulled out a sleek, distinctively patterned box. When he lifted the lid, his breath caught in his throat.
"Jesus, Yanna... this is way too much," Lucian muttered, staring down at a breathtaking Patek Philippe White Gold Nautilus watch.
Jillyanna walked back into the living room just in time to catch his stunned expression. "I happened to catch one of your interviews during a high-profile trial. You kept checking your phone for the time, and I noticed your wrist was bare."
Lucian was utterly dumbfounded by her attention to detail. "Still, little girl, this is incredibly expensive. You should have bought something far more modest," he reasoned, a wave of guilt hitting him since he had only brought a simple bakery cake in return.
"It's nothing compared to the sleepless nights and hard work you've poured into my mother's case," Jillyanna insisted, taking a seat opposite them and crossing her legs. "This is just my way of saying thank you."
Cielo burst out laughing at her boyfriend's conflicted, guilty face. "Oh, stop overthinking it, babe. Once she buys something, she's never taking it back. Just wear it," she said, playfully pinching his cheek before leaning in to press a sweet kiss to his lips.
"I just feel a bit guilty because we still haven't caught the culprit yet," Lucian admitted, rubbing the bridge of his nose awkwardly before pulling Cielo closer against his side.
"It's fine. To me, you're not just a police officer handling my mother's case," Jillyanna said gently, her tone full of sincerity. "You're the big brother who has watched over me for years. Just accept it as a gift from your little sister."
Deeply moved, Lucian formally thanked her and accepted the watch. He really had been a protective older brother to her, being three years ahead of both her and Cielo.
The rest of the night passed in a blur of laughter and lively conversation over dinner. They reminisced about old times, cracked inside jokes, and enjoyed each other's company. Sitting there, Jillyanna felt profoundly grateful to have these people in her life.
By 9:00 o'clock in the evening, Jillyanna began gathering her things to head out, citing the mountain of work still waiting for her.
"Are you seriously not staying the night? I even deep-cleaned your bedroom!" Cielo sulked, her bottom lip pouting at the prospect of her best friend leaving so soon.
Jillyanna gave a helpless shrug. "I absolutely have to edit the audio recordings tonight, Cielo. But tell you what—how about I come back next Monday? I'll stay here for the entire duration of the weekdays."
Cielo's sour expression instantly vanished into a brilliant smile. "You promised! You better not break that promise, Jillyanna!"
"Yes, yes, yes. I promise. I'll pack a full bag ahead of time and see you next week." Jillyanna held her best friend in a warm embrace for a few long seconds before finally slipping into her car.
"We'll be waiting for you!" Cielo yelled over the hum of the engine, waving her hand continuously until the taillights disappeared into the dark neighborhood streets.
On the long drive back to her house, Jillyanna pulled over in front of a 24-hour convenience store to grab something to keep her awake through the night. Since she rarely stocked her cupboards with coffee at home—only buying it on an as-needed basis—she grabbed three canned coffees from the cooler, paid at the counter, and walked out.
A mere minute later, Travis stormed through the exact same entrance. His eyes scanned the interior wildly, his face tight with a mixture of shock and urgency. He marched up and down the narrow aisles, but he couldn't find who he was looking for; none of the patrons inside matched her distinct, elegant stature.
Ever since the cemetery, something about that mysterious woman had been clawing at his mind. And right now, his instincts were screaming that she had been in this exact store only seconds before he arrived.
Outside, Jillyanna was jogging back to her car when she crossed paths with a familiar face. The woman stopped, a faint, recognizable smile forming on her lips.
"It's you," Savannah spoke up, stepping toward her.
"Yeah, it's me. I really am sorry about the misunderstanding earlier," Jillyanna apologized again, offering a polite smile. "Coffee?" she added, extending one of the cold cans as a peace offering.
"Just the antidote I need to keep me awake tonight. Thank you," Savannah replied, accepting the can and cracking it open right then and there. "And really, don't worry about earlier. You don't need to feel guilty."
"I'm glad you're okay. If you'll excuse me, I really have to run. I have a lot of work waiting for me at home," Jillyanna said honestly, thinking of the editing timeline.
"I'm Savannah, by the way," Savannah introduced herself, offering an outstretched hand.
"I'm Jillyanna," she replied, taking her hand and giving it a gentle shake.
The moment the name left her lips, Savannah's eyes instantly ignited with a spark of recognition. "Jillyanna? Jillyanna..." she repeated, drawing out the syllables in a searching, testing tone.
"Jillyanna Madrid," Jillyanna provided smoothly, offering her full name.
At the sound of the surname, the bright spark in Savannah's eyes instantly died out. "I see. I guess the name just sounded incredibly familiar to me for a second. Thanks for the coffee, though," she added, lightly waving the can in her hand.
"No worries. Drive safely," Jillyanna said politely, getting into the driver's seat and speeding away into the night, preparing herself for a long, grueling date with her computer.