“Angela? Are you okay?” Ken’s concerned voice broke through the fog in Angela's mind, pulling her back to the present. She blinked, realizing she had been staring at Antonio, wide-eyed and speechless. Her eyes slowly went to the name tag on Antonio's shirt.DIEGO?Ken looked at her a bit embarrassed with a mix of worry and confusion.While Antonio shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, clearly puzzled by her reaction.Angela forced herself to breathe, to regain herself and control her emotions that were threatening to spill over.Her hands were visibly shaking, itching to hug him, but enough scenes had been created already. “I’m…. I’m sorry about all this,” she managed to say, her voice shaky.She quickly turned away from Antonio, trying to hide the turmoil raging inside her. “Just… a little overwhelmed, that’s all. It's not about you…my apologies.”She avoided his eyes this time.Antonio nodded politely, though his brow furrowed slightly, as if he sensed something wasn’t quite ri
Angela’s heart was pounding crazy as she fumbled with her keys at the front door, her mind swirling with the image of Antonio dressed in a waiter’s uniform at the restaurant.He was alive, right there in front of her, but he didn’t recognize her!Not just that…The image of the waitress Hinata sharing a kiss with him came to mind.Tears assembled in Angela's eyes again.He has another woman….for how long?Are they married?Do they have children? The door creaked open, and Angela stepped inside, her chest heavy with sadness and frustration and many emotions she never felt before. The house was filled with the sounds of music and laughter.The twins Lia and Liya, were in the living room, joyfully playing a dancing game on the TV with their little brother, Antonio Jr. The four-year-old’s giggle was the loudest through the house, pure and carefree. He jumped and spun, trying to keep up with his big sisters during the dance challenges.The moment Angela stepped into the living room, th
“Antonio is alive,” Angela’s voice cracked, and she took a shaky breath, “I… I saw him. Doris. He’s alive.”Doris’s eyes widened in shock, and she quickly covered her mouth to stifle her gasp.“Angela… are you sure it was him?” Doris whispered, her voice barely audible as she glanced nervously at Kerry and Courtney. “I’m very certain, Doris,” Angela replied, her voice cracking in-between tears.“It was him. But he’s… different. He doesn’t remember me. He doesn’t remember anything. I tried to talk to him, but he just looked at me like I was a stranger.”“Doris, I don’t know what to do,” Angela continued crying “It’s like I’ve lost him all over again, but this time it’s worse because he’s right there, but he’s not the man I knew.”Kerry, who was overwhelmed with shock, could no longer contain herself.Courtney couldn’t hold back her shock mixed with excitement. “Antonio is alive?”Courtney chuckled,“I can't believe that my cousin is alive!”Angela froze, her heart skipping a beat
It was late evening, Angela laid on her bed crying heavily.Suddenly, her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She glanced at the screen through tear-blurred eyes and saw Yuki’s name flashing.She hesitated, her heart was heavy with a mix of frustration and exhaustion. She knew why Yuki was calling.Doris must have told her to check on her. The thought of trying to explain everything, her pain, and disappointment was too much to bear.With a heavy sigh, Angela turned her phone face down, letting the call go to voicemail.The room was once filled with the quiet, muffled sound of her sobs as she curled up on the bed, wishing she could escape the pain and take back the hand of time. To prevent all this from happening.Grandma, Jace, Antonio's new identity.Suddenly, her eyes shot open as the thought of fighting for what was hers came to mind.She knew where Antonio was working as a waiter, all she needed was a chance to talk to him.Immediately She moved to her wardrobe for an outfit.The c
Angela's breath came out in visible puffs as she ran through the chilly winter night, heading to the restaurant. She could feel her heart pounding hard with a mix of fear, desperation, and hope.The memory of seeing Antonio alive but as a different man played over and over in her mind. She had to see him again, to convince herself that what she saw was real, and of course talked to him.When she finally reached the restaurant where she had seen him that morning as a waiter, she slowed down, her breath catching in her throat.She ran all the way from home!The warm light spilling from the restaurant’s glass walls contrasted sharply with the cold darkness outside.She cautiously approached the glass, peering through it as her eyes scanned the room searching for Antonio.Inside, everything looked like a normal day Ina restaurant. Couples and small groups sat at tables, chatting and laughing over their meals.Angela was nervously praying to see him again, it's not in her head. She saw h
She emphasized the name with a sharp edge, making it clear to Angela that she isn't playing around and that her statement was offensive.“You had your chance earlier, and you made a scene. Now you’re back here, creeping around outside? What’s your deal? You are so much interested in another woman's man? Diego is my boyfriend? Weirdo!”Angela’s heart twisted painfully at the name “Diego.” It felt like a punch to the gut, a reminder that the man she loved isn't the same anymore.Worse, he didn’t remember her at all, not even his own name. She tried to explain, her voice trembling. “I wasn’t trying to cause trouble. I just… I need to talk to him. Please…”“Look lady, Diego doesn’t need this kind of drama. Especially not from some strange acting woman who can’t even focus on her date. So why don’t you just leave him alone? Huh?"Angela’s eyes slowly clouded with tears, but she blinked them back. She wanted to scream, to tell Hinata that she had no idea what this was like, that the man
“I am not interested in whatever you say”.Hinata replied strictly.Angela felt sudden anger from her reply.Talking and convincing is hopeless.She had hoped to find some understanding, but instead, Hinata was desperate to keep Antonio to herself."He will regain his memories one day, and think about how hurt he will be to know you knew all this while whom he really is and kept it a secret from him”.With that, Angela turned and walked away.Hinata clenched her fist tightly, her heart was pounding loudly.Her head felt a bit dizzy and she took an unsteady step backwards.“There's no way it's true”.She murmured to herself and immediately rushed inside to grab her phone.“Hey Hinata, where have you been?”A co-worker asked.“Where is Diego?”Hinata replied with a question.“He is on an errand, what's up with the lady outside?”“I… I will be right back”.Hinata said and walked out of the restaurant to a quiet place.Her curiosity had driven her to search for information about Antonio M
Antonio’s eyes widened with recognition as he recognized Angela to be the same woman who acted weird towards him in the restaurant earlier.“You…” he said slower, his voice filled with confusion.Angela’s heart raced. She tried to control her emotions, but she couldn't. She hugged him tightly and cried out.“Antonio, please, I need to talk to you. Just give me a moment. I can explain everything.”Antonio glanced nervously over his shoulder towards the restaurant and pulled her out of the hug.Angela's shoulders were shaking visibly, and her face messed up with tears.“Look, I am genuinely sorry I don't know what you want. I really don’t want to have issues with Hinata. I have a girlfriend.”The mention of Hinata’s name was like a slap to Angela’s already shattered heart. “What…what about me?”“What…”Before he could finish his statement, she reached out and pulled Antonio towards her, pressing her lips against his in a fervent kiss. She clung to him, her hands gripping his jacket a