I THOUGHT MY ELDERLY BROTHER’S CHILDREN WERE OLD FOR FIVE YEARS — WHEN THE FATHER RETURNED RICH, HE THOUGHT HE COULD BUY THE CHILDREN WITH MONEY, BUT THIS IS WHAT THE ELDERLY SISTER SAID…
THE PROMISE WITH THE LAST BREATH
I am Elena, 32 years old. I am single, I have no children of my own. All I have are my three nieces: Buboy (12), Ana (8), and Bunso (6).

Five years ago, my sister Clara died of cancer. Before she took her last breath, she held my hand.

“Elena… you take care of them. Don’t abandon them. You become their mother and father.”

“Promise, Sister. I won’t leave them,” I cried.

Since then, I have forgotten myself. I worked as a call center agent at night and sold snacks in the morning. My boyfriend proposed to me several times, but I broke up with him because he didn’t want to accept three children. I chose my nephews.

Their father? Rico. Rico left them when Ate Clara got sick because he “said he couldn’t afford the expenses anymore.” He ran away and never made a sound.

THE RETURN OF THE “KING”
One Sunday afternoon, while we were happily sharing a simple fried chicken that I cooked, a black SUV pulled up in front of our small rental.

A man in shades and an expensive suit got out. He was accompanied by bodyguards.

Rico.

My eyes widened. He was completely different. Before, he was scruffy and unemployed. Now, he smelled like a rich man.

He entered the gate without saying goodbye.

“Rico?” I asked in surprise.

He took off his shades. He looked at our house with disgust.

“Elena,” he greeted. “It’s so cramped here. It’s hot. Is this how you raised my children?”

“What are you doing here?” I asked boldly as I placed the children behind me.

“I’ll get them,” Rico replied as if he were just ordering food. “My grandfather died and I inherited a large land and business abroad. I’m a billionaire, Elena. I can now give them the life they deserve.”

He approached Buboy. “Buboy! Son! This is Papa!”

Buboy stepped back. He didn’t smile.

THE OFFER OF THE MANSION
“Listen,” Rico told the children. “Come with me right now. I have a big house. There’s a swimming pool. I’ll buy you a PS5, an iPhone, and all the toys you want. You don’t have to endure the heat and sardines at your aunt’s anymore.”

Rico turned to me and pulled out a blank check.

“Elena, here. Write down how much you want. I’ll pay you for taking care of them for five years. That’s enough for you to start your own life. Get married. Let go of my children.”

I trembled with anger.

“Pay?” I shouted. “Do you consider my service a job?! Do you consider the children, a commodity that can be redeemed?!”

“Don’t be so clean, Elena!” Rico shouted. “You can give them nothing but poverty! Me, I can give the world! As their father, I have rights!”

“Rights?!” I insisted. “Where were your rights when their mother was dying? Where were you when Bunso was crying because she didn’t have milk? Where were you when my hand was covered in bruises?! You lost your rights the day you abandoned them!”

“Well, let’s let them choose!” Rico challenged.

Rico knelt down in front of the children. He showed them the car keys and the photos of the mansion.

“Children, will you go with Papa to the mansion? Or will you stay here with your Aunt who has no money?”

THE DECISION
The surroundings were quiet. I was nervous. I knew our lives were hard. Maybe… maybe they wanted a good life. If they chose their father, there was nothing I could do.

Rico looked at Buboy, the eldest.

“Buboy, you’re the one who understands better. Don’t you want to be a Pilot? I’ll let you study in America. Come with me.”

Buboy took a deep breath. He held Ana and Bunso’s hands tightly.

He stared Rico in the eye.

“Sir,” Buboy began.

“Sir?” Rico was shocked. “You call me Papa!”

“Sir Rico,” Buboy continued. “I remember when you left. Mama was crying while she was vomiting blood because of the pain. You guys just packed up and left. You said, ‘Take care of your own lives.’”

“I was young then, but I remember it very well.”

Buboy pointed at me.

“Aunt Elena? She sacrificed everything. She didn’t have new clothes just so we could have uniforms. She didn’t have a love life just so she could watch over us. Whenever we were sick, she wouldn’t sleep.”

“Now, you’re offering us a mansion and a swimming pool?”

Buboy shook his head.

“What will we do with the mansion if we are with the person who abandoned us? We would rather eat dry food and sleep on a mat, as long as we are with the person who didn’t give up on us.”

Buboy hugged me. “We are only here with Tita-Mama. She is our parent. You are just our donor.”

Ana and Bunso hugged each other too. “We love you, Tita-Mama!”

END
Rico’s shoulders slumped. His arrogance earlier crumbled. His money, his car, and his power did nothing against the foundation of love I had built over five years.

“Fine!” Rico shouted to cover his shame. “If you don’t want to, don’t! I hope you repent of the hardship!”

I tore up the check in front of him and threw it in his face.

“Get out,” I ordered. “And don’t come back. Because this family cannot be bought.”

Rico left defeated.

We were left in our small house. I hugged the three children and cried with joy.

“Auntie, don’t cry,” said Bunso as he wiped my tears. “We’re rich after all. Because you’re here.”

That day, I proved that it’s not blood that dictates parenthood, but presence, sacrifice, and love. Even though I’m only an Aunt on paper, I’m the Mother in their hearts forever.

THE END