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Five Years of Sacrifice
I am Elias, thirty-five years old. For five years, I worked as a Chief Engineer at a large construction firm in Dubai. I endured the scorching desert heat, exhausting labor, and the crushing loneliness of being away from my family—just to give them a life they had never experienced before.
Before I left, I entrusted my sixty-year-old father, Ruben, to the care of my wife, Valerie. She promised to take care of him while I sent home 100,000 pesos every month. I even built a large mansion from my savings so they could live comfortably, along with my mother-in-law, Doña Matilda, who asked to stay with us.
“Don’t worry, Babe,” Valerie told me before I boarded the plane. “I’ll treat your father like a king. I’ll give him everything he needs. Just take care of yourself over there.”
I believed her sweet words. Whenever I called through video chat, Valerie would always say that my father was asleep or resting in his room, so I rarely got to talk to him. On the rare occasions I did, he always seemed quiet and avoided eye contact. Because of exhaustion and my complete trust in my wife, I never suspected anything.
The Secret Return
My contract ended a month early. Wanting to surprise them, I decided to go home without telling anyone. I brought expensive jewelry and designer bags for Valerie, and a gold watch and imported coffee for my father.
From the airport, I went straight to our subdivision. When I arrived at our mansion, I noticed the lights in the living room were on. I quietly entered through the gate. The guards and helpers were nowhere to be seen.
Using my own key, I slowly opened the main door. I expected warm hugs. I expected to see my father sitting in his favorite rocking chair.
But the scene before me stopped my world.