Thread of Fate

13

-Third Person-

The next day, at 8 in the morning, Lea woke up feeling the comfort of her soft bed and just the right temperature. It was a really great rest for her and now, she's feeling fine. Not the best, but enough to go on with her day.

She switched positions from prone to supine, still assessing herself. She put her left arm on top of her forehead and heaved a deep sigh. After, she threw her arms onto the bed when she felt just fine, but her hand landed on another's person skin. Not on her soft bed, but on a person's arm.

She slowly peeped to see who it was and it surprised her whole being. "AHHH!!" She screamed so loud to the point that even Stella heard it from her room.

"AHHH!" Alex was awakened by it and also screamed upon hearing Lea scream.

Stella barged into their room. "Why are you both screaming? It's hurting my ears."

"I'm sorry, baby. She was just surprised. Can I please request you to leave muna? Your mom and I will talk." Alex gently explained but Stella understood it already.

Lea gave him a deadly glare after Stella left the room. "What are you doing here? Why are you sleeping here?" Lea asked him while spontaneously hitting him with a pillow.

"Ouch! Hey, stop it!" He repeatedly said. She calmed down somehow.

"Now, answer! What are you doing here in my bed?" She asked with full of conviction.

"Really, Lea. You're worse when sick rather than when you're drunk. You can't even remember what happened last night." He answered while rubbing his skin.

"W-What?" Confusion is etched on her face.

Alex looked at her playfully. "What are you thinking, ha?" Lea raised her hand holding the pillow again. "I was just kidding, okay? I took care of you last night because your fever is so high. I was so worried and so was Stella. I'm glad that you're fine now and full of energy, judging by how powerfully you hit me with that pillow. Just take it easy, okay? I don't want you to get sick again."

"Alex..." Lea's mood changed now. She felt how sincere Alex is to her.

"Lea, when you get back to your normal self, I mean, when you get better, we'll talk. We need to talk." He looked at the frames in front of them. Lea followed his line of sight and knew right away what he meant.

"For now, let's get you better, alright?" He added then he smiled at her. A very warm and comforting smile. All she can do is nod.

-----------

After they ate their breakfast, Lea went to the pool area to breathe some fresh air. For her, lying down in bed for 1 whole day felt like a month. She missed seeing the sun. She sat on one of the sun loungers and stared at the water. It is very calming.

After a few minutes more, Alex and Stella followed her.

"Daddy! Please bring me down!" Stella protested while laughing.

"It will never happen!" He replied in a singsong manner. He continues to tickle Stella while carrying her on his shoulders as if she's a sack of rice.

Lea's attention was caught and she watched the two. A small smile forms on her lips.

"Oh, look! Your mommy's here, too, Stella!" Alex brings her down then Stella went straight to her mom to kiss her cheeks.

"Mom, I'm going to my room na. I'll read some books."

"Oh, sure, honey!" Stella smiled playfully at her mom before leaving. This naughty kid... Lea thought to herself while giggling.

Left there were Alex and Lea. He is too awkward to walk closer to her or even strike up a conversation although he already slept in her bed and they already talked this morning.

"You know you can sit down, so we can talk," Lea said without looking in his direction.

Before occupying the sun lounger next to her, he exhaled first and scratched his forehead. He is nervous.

From the pool, Lea turned her gaze to Alex who is still feeling awkward. "What do you want to know first?"

"I don't have a twin, right? The man in the pictures isn't my twin or whatsoever, right?" His question made Lea laugh. "Don't laugh at me, please. I can't really remember."

"I'm sorry but amongst all the questions you could've asked, iyan pa talaga? It's very hilarious!"

"I just wanted to make sure that it's really me."

"It's you, Alex. It's you. Only you." She told him very sincerely and that reassured him.

There was a moment of silence between the two of them. Alex thinks carefully about what to ask next.

"W-Why?" He fired. Lea looked at him, confused.

"What do you mean by why?"

"Why did you let me and Vien go on? Why didn't you stop me? Why did you let it happen in the first place?"

"Alex..." She said in a breathy voice and then smiled. A smile that emanates pain. "When you first gain your consciousness, you hated my guts up until you were already in the company. I tried, but then you showed nothing but hatred."

"That was just me being in den---"

"Let me finish." She cut her off and he kept mum. "Vien wasn't even part of my plan. She liked you since day 1 but you gave her so many reasons to give up on you by showing her how much you love me. And when that accident happened, she took advantage. You fell for her in an instant and I did let it happen because I just want you to live your life after the accident. I felt responsible for what happened to you. Alex, I just want you to be happy even if it means I am not there with you. I was ready to let you go in case you're really sure of Vien. Also, I don't want you to love me just because you know that I am your wife. No one wants a love that is not a hundred percent."

"How about in the bar? When we talked? Why didn't you just tell me everything?"

"If you just know how much I resisted myself from telling you everything ever since you woke up. Alex, in the bar, you were still confused between me and Vien. I already told you. Stella and I don't want a love that is not sure and a hundred percent."

He looked down and sighed. "You told me you were married so I thought I stood no chance. I was so sure of my love for you. I was confused because I don't know how will I end things with Vien. I don't want to be alone. I even asked for a sign sa church."

Lea's heart pounded upon hearing the last thing he said. "Church? Where?"

"St. Michael, just the other day. I asked for a sign of whether to continue this madness with Vien or should I just end it. I went to the office to ask how to register for a wedding. The lady there recognized me and that's when I knew that I was already married to someone named Nathalia."

"St. Michael, I was also there the other day. Same motive as you, I am also asking for a sign. Oh, God!" She did a facepalm while laughing. "Really, when it's meant to be yours, it will be yours. Are we really that destined to the point that we're at the church where we got married at the same time?"

Alex looked at her with a creased forehead and squinted eyes. "W-What?"

"I didn't force you to love me from the start because I do believe that when two people are really meant to be, they will be together at the right time. No matter what happens, they will end up with each other. Look, we both found our signs."

After hearing it from Lea, his lips automatically formed a smile. She made him realize it. "Right." He muttered while nodding.

"Next question please?"

He stood up and occupied the space next to her. Now, they're sitting on one sun lounger. She was surprised but at the same time, she was happy that he did it.

"I can't think of a question anymore now that some of my major questions were already answered. Can you just please tell me the whole happenings? From the time before the accident happened. I wanna know it all."

She was just staring at his face until he finished talking and when he finished and looked at her, she looked down. "O-Okay..."