After a week of being confined to the hospital ward, Khana was finally discharged. Richard was there, waiting anxiously outside her room, his heart pounding with hope and fear. The lady's groom-to-be was determined to win her back, to convince her that their love was real, even if she couldn't remember it.
Richard's heart skipped a beat when he noticed Khana emerged from the ward, supported by a nurse. It is no surprise she looked fragile and lost, her eyes clouded with confusion, yet he refused to let doubt creep in.
He stepped forward, offering her a reassuring smile as he reached out to take her hand. Then, Richard kissed the back of her hand, even though he felt her wanting to pull her hand back.
"Khana," he said softly, his voice trembling with emotion. "I'm so glad you're okay."
Khana nodded weakly, her gaze drifting away as if she couldn't bear to meet his eyes. Richard's heart sank at the sight, but he pushed aside his own pain and tried once more to get her attention.
"Khana," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm here for you."
Khana nodded, her expression distant as she glanced at him briefly before turning away, which made Richard's heart clenched at the sight. And, such wounds cut deeper as she shrugged him off like a stranger, briefly conversing in a civil manner.
As they made their way down the hospital corridor, Richard spoke softly, trying to reassure Khana that everything would be okay. However, she remained distant, her mind seemingly elsewhere.
Once they were outside, Richard couldn't contain his emotions any longer. He pulled Khana closer to him to embrace, his tears mingling with hers as he whispered words of love and reassurance.
But Khana pulled away. Her expression was that of contentless paper as she uttered, "I need to go to the restroom."
Richard felt as if he had been punched in the gut. He had hoped that being by her side would help jog her memory, but it seemed that their love was lost not just in her memory, but the heart failed to recognize it as well. He fought back his tears as he struggled to find the right words to say.
"It's okay, Khana," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I'll escort you then."
She simply shook her head and replied, "I'll be back. I can handle myself."
He nodded his head and watched the figure of a lady as she mixed in the people in the corridor.
While waiting, his phone suddenly rang, and upon checking, it was none other than his supposed mother-in-law; if only the wedding had gone through.
He took a deep breath before sliding his finger on the screen to respond to the call.
"How is she, dear?"
"She's still the same, mom. She has this blank expression on her face as if your daughter loathes seeing me," he spoke softly on the other line.
"I beg you to understand her more than you already did. You see, my daughter is stubborn most of the time. You just have to make her remember you. Please don't give up on her. She easily gets mad when frustrated, so don't force anything all at once."
"I'll do my best, mom. It is just that I don't know what else to do. I already brought everything she likes to eat. The things she loved to read and the things she found amusing."
"I leave you two to have more time together. Bring Khana to the place you used to go. It might help her relax a bit while it may trigger something inside that brain of hers," says Khana's mother on the other line.
"I will do that, Mom. She's here. We'll go ahead."
"Alright, dear. Just let me know if you need help."
Richard hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. He held her hand and escorted her to the shotgun seat. He kept throwing short glances at the lady beside him.
"Is there any place you would like to visit first?" He asked, trying to get her attention as she was busy looking outside. Luckily, the signal light turned red. Hence, he grabbed the opportunity to hold her hand.
The lady pulled her hand away and took the phone in her pouch. Then, she replied, "I just want to go home straight."
He faked a smile and replied, "As you wish, honey."
He wanted to insist on bringing her to the place they used to buy coffee. However, she seemed exhausted and not in the mood to stroll outside. Thus, he drove her home instead.
He opened the door for her as they arrived at Khana's apartment. The lady rested on the sofa bed at the sala, leaving him no choice but to watch her silently as she faked sleep.
Richard found himself sinking deeper and deeper into despair. He felt himself losing her a little bit more. Alone in his thoughts, Richard wept for the love they had lost, for the future they had planned together that now seemed nothing more than a distant dream. He longed to hold Khana in his arms, to feel her warmth and hear her laughter once more. But she remained distant, her heart closed off to him in a way he had never imagined possible.
While in deep thought, he remembered Bettina's words as he accidentally heard the two talking back then...
'Take some time to rest and reflect. Spend time with Richard, and perhaps you'll find clarity in your feelings. He has been by your side, serving you like a devoted partner. Wouldn't it break your heart to hurt someone as genuine as him?'
And in the darkness of his despair, Richard began to question everything he thought he knew about their love. Had Khana ever truly loved him, or had she simply been grateful for his support during her darkest moments? Had their relationship been nothing more than a figment of his imagination, a fleeting illusion that had vanished as quickly as it had appeared?
Richard stirred in the kitchen, the aroma of freshly cooked pancakes and brewed coffee wafting through the air. It was a special morning for him, as he was preparing breakfast in bed for Khana, his fiancée. He meticulously arranged the tray with her favorite foods, hoping to bring a smile to her face and perhaps rekindle some memories of their happier times together. As he carefully carried the tray to their bedroom, he couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty gnawing at him. He set the tray down on the bedside table, the anticipation building within him. Would this gesture be enough to bridge the growing gap between them? He couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness. Would Khana like it? Would it bring back fond memories for her? He pushed the doubts aside, focusing instead on his love for her and his hope that today would be a turning point for their relationship.Khana stirred from her slumber, her eyes fluttering open to see Richard standing by the bed with a hopeful
Khana's gaze flickered for a moment before she responded, her tone tinged with sadness. "The church where it all began," she said softly.Richard's heart sank as he realized the significance of her words. Memories flooded his mind, both sweet and bitter, of their journey together. But overshadowing it all was the image of the sinister priest, Henry, whom he suspected Khana had grown too fond of. Despite his mounting fears, Richard forced himself to remain calm. He knew he had to confront his suspicions head-on, but the thought filled him with dread."I'm just telling you. I don't need your help. I want to go there on my own feet."Richard was torn between forbidding her to go there or letting her go, but dragging himself to where she wanted to go. He sighed and replied, "I'll go with you. No more buts. I need to look after you."'I need to look after both of you and tear you apart, slowly yet surely,' he mumbled to himself."Wait here. I'll go ahead and wear appropriate clothes before
Henry, the priest, stood near the altar. As his gaze swept over the shadowy landscape, he caught sight of a figure approaching. He noticed a silhouette of a lady entering the dimly lit church. A lady was wearing a flowy red maxi dress paired with white flat sandals; such a silhouette was quite familiar to him. He squinted to confirm the identity of the lady, which turned out to be Khana, the woman whose unexpected presence both bewildered and alarmed him. With each step she took towards him, his confusion deepened, mingling with a sense of foreboding.His heart was heavy with concern and apprehension. The night air was thick with an uneasy stillness, broken only by the distant hoot of an owl. He thought the guy who warned him in the confession room would have followed the lady. His thoughts were consumed by the anxiety of Richard's imminent arrival, and the havoc it could wreak upon the tranquility of the night. The priest knew trouble may come whenever the lady came near the church
Khana led him to the long wood bench on the first row, left corner, next to the aisle. The priest was seated on the bench as the lady pushed him without breaking the kiss. Even if he closed his eyes, her captivating eyes and soft lips still flashed in his mind as he stuck his tongue in her ips.His whole body is burning... It felt like electricity entered their whole body and ran wild to ignite. Suddenly, a loud knock on the door awakened Henry. When he opened his eyes, he was sweating, and his heart was beating crazy. Then, he breathed a sigh of relief upon realizing, what had happened was just part of the sinful dream. He stood and grabbed the doorknob to see who was on the other side of the door. "Good morning, Trevor," says Fr. Henry."Good morning, Father. Sorry for interrupting your peaceful sleep. I only want to remind you of your schedule today," says Trevor, a novice priest.Fr. Henry nodded and smiled."The school of Saint Belminde had requested a mass to welcome the exch
Khana is one of the sponsors of the scholarship launched for Senior high school courses at Saint Bemilde. Thus, it is no surprise the lady had been invited to the mass offered for the opening of the school calendar. She wore a dreamy oceanic like dress, paired with a white stiletto."It must be fate doing it again. Who would have thought that he'll be there," Khana murmured while looking at the guy ascending the stairs to the mini stage.Khana can't help falling in love deeply into the beauty at the stage who is currently the center of attention of the masses. On the other hand, she also falls into despair as soon as the feeling of guilt of having romantic feelings for a man who dedicates his life to serve the church had knocked her head. She knew that Henry would not give in to her, he simply cannot be hers. Khana smiled sweetly at the priest when their eyes locked but they looked away. Seeing how he ignored breaks her heart. The lady asked herself how can he be so merciless? She r
Richard's heart raced with anticipation as Khana agreed to go on a date with him. He had invested so much effort into arranging this before his urgent trip to China that he had no choice but to return to his hometown to fix the deficit project their company was facing, and now, finally, they were spending time together. As Richard and Khana sat across from each other at a quaint cafe, the atmosphere was warm, but Khana's mind was far from the pleasant surroundings. He couldn't help but steal glances at Khana, trying to decipher her mood. He kept looking at her, trying to read her mood. Richard hesitated to ask the lady to leave the country and be wherever he was. He's too afraid to trigger her irritation because she might walk away and refuse to open her heart. The gentleman wants to open her heart slowly but surely. He will never give up until she falls for him.Khana, on the other hand, viewed this outing purely as a friendly hangout. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, unable to
Henry sat in the silence that followed the lady's departure, the creak of the door echoing in his mind like a portentous bell tolling. He massaged his temples, feeling the weight of his emotions pressing against his head."What have I gotten myself into?" His voice was a mere murmur, barely audible in the heavy stillness of the room.A knock startled him from his thoughts, and he looked up to see Sister Anissa entering, her face etched with concern."Father, the lady has left," she said softly.Henry straightened, attempting to regain his composure. "Ah, yes. I was... in prayer," he replied, his words stumbling slightly."I apologize for interrupting, Father," Anissa said, bowing her head."No trouble at all, Sister. Please, attend the church while I'm away," Henry instructed, gesturing towards her duties."Where are you headed, Father?" Anissa asked, curiosity coloring her voice."Just for a brief stroll," Henry answered vaguely, offering no further explanation."Very well. Take care
"I even packed my things that day to run away with you! But you ghosted me. I should not have this lingering feeling for you because you vanish and show up as someone far from my league," Khana cried in frustration."It was you who did not show up that time. I was there the whole day, but you never came," Henry responded with a calm voice since he would never yell at her. Khana and Henry stood facing each other, their expressions a mixture of confusion, hurt, and a growing realization that something sinister had interfered with their past."What do you mean? I was drenched in rain waiting for you the whole day at our meeting place!" Khana yelled, her voice laced with frustration."Rain? How come you were drenched when the sky had not cried for the whole day?" the confused priest, Henry, replied, trying to make sense of the conflicting memories."Are you telling me I'm lying?! I waited for you from three in the midnight until eight in the evening, but neither your shadow appeared!" Kh