The chapter begins with the protagonist recalling her high school days when her brother, Andoy, would drop her off and pick her up from school in a borrowed Cadillac. They come from a poor family, and the car belongs to the family Andoy works for as a live-in chauffeur. The protagonist's mother takes care of their uniforms and tries to make them fit in with the wealthier students at the convent school the protagonist attends on a scholarship.
In 1976, Andoy loses his job after being caught celebrating the birthday of his employer's daughter, Ligaya, in the backseat of the car. With Andoy unemployed and their mother struggling to support them, the protagonist is unable to go to college immediately. They spend the next year working odd jobs to make ends meet. In May 1977, Andoy tells the protagonist that he has found a new job in Saudi Arabia.
The protagonist is initially excited about the prospect of Andoy working in Saudi Arabia, imagining a better life for both of them. Andoy explains that the job will pay well and enable him to support their family and save for the future. However, the protagonist worries about managing college and work without Andoy's support.
The protagonist, named Mia, is a talented writer who is struggling with her academic performance and lack of direction. She decides to switch her major from journalism to English literature with a focus on creative writing, hoping to find her true passion.
Mia's friend, Andoy, who is working in Jeddah, becomes a source of inspiration for her writing. She shares her drafts with him, and he encourages her to continue pursuing her passion. However, her classmates in a fiction workshop criticize her for not including enough conflict in her stories based on Andoy's experiences.
As Mia delves deeper into her writing, she becomes engrossed in fictionalizing Andoy's life in Saudi Arabia. She starts creating fictional disasters and conflicts to add tension to her stories. Meanwhile, she misses the signs of trouble in Andoy's actual life as he begins to develop a romantic relationship with his employer's wife, Alia.
Mia's twin nieces recognize their father, Andoy, when he visits their home in his carabao uniform. Mia jokes with him about his supposed mistreatment in Saudi Arabia, but he reveals that he is actually content and in love. Andoy shares his forbidden love affair with Alia, and Mia struggles to comprehend his choices and the risks he is taking.
The chapter concludes with Mia keeping Andoy's secret from her family, hoping that the situation will resolve itself. However, as time passes without any communication from Andoy, she begins to fear for his safety and well-being.