Her Unwanted Marriage | MikhAiah

Chapter 24

Caius's POV

"Fuck..." I muttered under my breath as I watched her stare blankly into the distance. Athena. She didn't remember me. Ang sakit lang, para bang lahat ng pinagdaanan namin ay nabura nang parang wala lang.

I leaned back against the wall of the hospital room, arms crossed, while trying to keep my emotions in check. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her fingers absently tracing the patterns of the blanket. Wala siyang iniwang bakas na naaalala niya ako—ang lahat ng nangyari sa amin.

"Athena..." I said softly, testing her reaction.

She turned to me with a faint smile, pero walang pagkilala sa mga mata niya. Parang estranghero ako sa paningin niya.

"Yes?" she replied, her voice polite, almost detached.

God, it felt like a punch to the gut. I forced a smile. "Do you... feel okay? Anything bothering you?"

She shook her head gently and looked away again, her gaze drifting toward the window. "No, I'm fine. It's just... strange. I feel like there's so much I've forgotten, but I don't know what. It's like something's missing, but I don't know what it is."

Ako yun. Kami. Everything we had.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mas masakit—ang makita siyang gising kahit wala ako sa alaala niya, o ang idea na baka hindi ko na maibalik lahat ng nawala sa amin.

I cleared my throat, trying to swallow the lump forming there. "Don't worry. You'll remember. In time."

She nodded absently, pero halata kong hindi niya talaga alam kung ano ang dapat maalala. My fists clenched at my sides as I struggled to keep my emotions from spilling over.

I wanted to tell her everything. Kung paano siya naging lahat para sa akin. Kung paano ako nabuhay para lang sa kanya. Pero paano ko gagawin iyon kung ang bawat salita ay magpapabigat lang sa kanya?

"Athena," I said again, my voice trembling slightly.

She looked at me, waiting.

I hesitated. "Nothing. Just... take it easy, okay? I'll be here if you need anything."

She smiled softly at me, still so distant. "Thank you, Caius."

My name on her lips felt hollow. Walang init, walang familiarity. Napapikit ako saglit at huminga nang malalim bago tumayo. Hindi ko na kayang tumingin pa sa kanya habang ganito siya.

As I left the room, I muttered under my breath, "Athena... please come back to me. Remember me."

*******

Stephanie's POV

Nasa condo ako ngayon at sinusubukang mag focus sa script na sasabihin ko bukas sa interview, pero of course, may isang tao na hindi ako tatantanan.

"Ate!!! ano ba 'to? Ang boring naman dito!" reklamo ni Xianna habang naka-upo sa couch, hawak ang remote at nagbabasa ng kung anu-anong brochures na kinuha niya kung saan.

Pinipilit kong huwag siyang pansinin habang ang mga mata ko ay nasa laptop screen. "Xianna, ilang beses ko bang sasabihin? Hindi 'to playground. Kung hindi ka busy, umuwi ka na lang."

"Ang sungit mo! Ang lungkot-lungkot naman dito. Parang bahay ng senior citizen," sagot niya, sabay tayo at nagsimulang maghalungkat ng gamit sa kitchen ko.