Filipinas

Florencia hosts the Christmas gathering at the ancestral residence, hoping to keep the family together. The six children and Diana drift between warmth and resentment, foreshadowing deeper conflicts to come. Old grievances begin to boil as they confront money, debts, and loyalties.

Yolanda tracks down Dindo, the man newly released from prison, and learns he is engaged to someone else. It is later revealed that she witnessed Dindo kill Rex, a friend of Samuel, and Samuel helped cover up the act by claiming Rex borrowed the gun. This revelation cements a dangerous rift in the family and explains why Samuel was willing to bend the truth.

Samuel and his family migrate to the United States in search of opportunity, but a workplace scandal leaves them facing bankruptcy. With their finances collapsing, he returns to the Philippines with his children under the guise of the holidays. He eventually confesses the truth to Florencia as his children grow impatient about staying.

Gloria returns from Israel, shaken by the suicide bombing and the strain of remittances bearing down on the family. She resents being relied on to support everyone while their daughter drifts away. Yolanda confronts Gloria and recalls the sacrifice she made for Gloria's elopement and pregnancy with Greg, and Gloria admits her anger stems from not living her life with Dindo.

Vicky manages the family's onion trading business and is married to Indian national Ramesh, illustrating the cross-border ties shaping the family's fortunes. Her role provides an economic lifeline that keeps the household afloat amid mounting tensions. Her quiet competence contrasts with the louder family conflicts around her.

Emman, a left-wing activist, quarrels frequently with Samuel, who holds pro-American views. Their ideological battles reflect larger political divides that echo within the family. The disagreements add to the mounting strain during the holidays.

Narciso, the youngest, serves in the military and hides his marriage to Dindi and their coming child from the family. The concealment foreshadows future conflicts and puts pressure on family dynamics. The secret adds a personal tension to the already fraught reunion.

Diana's father Poldo is evicted by Florencia after abusing Diana's ambitions, straining the family’s already fragile bonds. Poldo is later lynched by a mob for firebombing the Filipinas residence in revenge, leaving Diana and her relatives traumatized. The incident marks a brutal turning point in the household's history.

Narciso is killed during a military mission on Christmas Eve, shocking the family to its core. Dindi suffers a miscarriage in the aftermath, intensifying the grief that grips the household. The losses deepen the emotional wounds the family carries into the new year.

Narciso's funeral on New Year's Eve becomes a flashpoint as Emman stages a protest. A heated family quarrel erupts when Samuel brawls with Emman and Yolanda tries to mediate, but Samuel accuses Yolanda of tolerating Emman's misdeeds. The rift hardens as the family confronts its own limits.

During the chaos, Florencia is knocked down by Samuel and loses consciousness. She is rushed to the hospital, raising questions about the family's ability to care for her. The incident underscores how far the family has drifted from its former unity.

At the hospital, the siblings reconcile and debate what to do with Florencia, who lies comatose. Yolanda takes charge as the head of the family, with Gloria agreeing to help care for their mother. The household begins rebuilding around a new order and renewed responsibility.

Emman goes into hiding after being framed in a terrorist incident. He aligns with the New People's Army, signaling a dangerous turn in his political commitments. The move isolates him further from the rest of the family.

Samuel returns to the United States to seek employment, choosing to leave his children in the care of their relatives. The decision emphasizes the ongoing cycle of separation and the burden of responsibility among the siblings. The move marks another shift in the family’s long-distance dynamics.

A year later, the family gathers around Florencia's still-comatose bedside to celebrate her birthday, attempting to find meaning amid uncertainty. Yolanda hopes she wakes to see her children at peace again, signaling a longing for reconciliation that transcends the past year's turmoil. The scene closes with a fragile note of unity amid ongoing illness.