“You’ve scared her enough, Tia.” Ed sat down and immediately rebuked Mia as she entered the dining room with Pedro.
Ed didn’t need an explanation as to why Liz chose to call Javier, who was at the beach. She was clearly intimidated by Mia, and understandably so. Mia’s attitude hadn’t changed at all, as proven last night at the hospital.
Ed had thought Mia might be a bit more lenient after returning from that vacation, but distancing Mia from Liz was useless.
“Are you talking about that bitch?” Mia squinted her eyes.
“Liz. Her name is Lizeth,” Ed corrected patiently. He knew what his strong-willed aunt was like.
“She’s still a bitch to me. I will never forgive her father! Just remember that! Ramos doesn’t deserve to be part of the Rosas family! If you took Marco Reyes into consideration, the situation would be different." Mia insisted.
“Liz didn't do this to m
"ED!"Ruby's voice finally echoed, and Ed released his grip. Angelo collapsed, coughing hard."I'm sorry..." Angelo gasped and tried to stand. Ruby was confused again. If anyone needed to apologize, it should have been Ed, not Angelo."You've got some nerve lying to me so blatantly." Ed's voice grew lower."Sorry, but Javier asked for this. I... didn't agree. But Javier insisted." Angelo swallowed several times to steady his voice."You still dare to defend yourself?!" Ed hissed."Let's hear his explanation first. Don't get angry yet." Ruby felt the need to intervene again. They wouldn't get any answers if Ed stayed angry."I'll explain. There's no use hiding it anymore." Angelo nodded with a resigned look on his face.Ed wiped his face, which suddenly throbbed with pain. It was a sensation he hadn't felt in a long time, now resurfacing with his chaotic thoughts."Everyone, out." Ed didn't specify who he was addressing,
“Are you satisfied?” Ed croaked as he saw Javier open his eyes and look around.Javier squinted, not in anger but with a smile. The oxygen tube was now just under his nose, making his smile very obvious.“You can still smile? You think everything is okay?!” Ed shouted.He really didn’t want to be angry at him, but Ed didn’t understand how Javier could still smile. There is nothing to laugh about right now.Javier slowly lifted his hand, wanting to reach Ed’s cheek, but he couldn’t stretch that far, and his hand couldn’t move any further.Ed finally bent down so that Javier’s fingertips could touch him.“You… shouldn’t be angry. You’re old. Anger makes you look even older.” Javier tried to laugh but ended up coughing.“Enough.” Ed hissed, half-standing to call the doctor if the coughing didn’t stop, but Javier grabbed Ed’s
"I'll kill anyone who asks again. I don't care who." Ed muttered lazily.Ed felt he had given a simple order: no one was allowed to enter the burial area except those who were already permitted. However, there were still foolish individuals attempting to request entry.Ed didn't understand why so many people wanted to make him angry when he was trying to stay sane. Ed couldn't even remember how he got through the day. His brain seemed unable to store memories properly."I already gave them a chance at the chapel earlier, and that was enough. If they want to say goodbye, pray, or whatever, then that's enough." Ed would not change his mind even if someone begged. Lori was the only person allowed to accompany him to the graveyard besides his family. There was just a single individual, and that quantity was already overwhelming."I understand, Don Rosas." Otiz nodded, then turned and ran out.Ed leaned back, closed his eyes, and pressed his throbbing t
Ruby stared, though she didn't want to, and tried to focus on Lori, who was still sitting with her face covered by a cold towel—easing the headache and swelling from crying too much.But Ruby's eyes kept drifting to that corner of the room. Ed was sitting with a drink in his hand, and Mayte was beside him.They were talking. Ruby wasn't sure what they were discussing, but they were conversing. For quite a while. Too long, in Ruby’s opinion. Offering condolences shouldn’t take that long.Ruby sighed as she saw Mayte reaching out and holding Ed's arm.“Nothing special,” Ruby thought to herself, her eyes narrowing. Ed nodded and patted Mayte's hand.“Just comforting.” Ruby mumbled, convincing herself that nothing would happen between the two of them. It was normal for Mayte to offer her condolences. She must have known Javier.“Who’s comforting whom?” Lori responded, lifting the towel from her face and following Ruby's gaze.“Huh?” Ruby was startled, only to realize that she had mumbled
But the bathroom was empty. Ruby felt a bit relieved, but her anxiety hadn't eased. Ed had clearly said he was going to sleep when Ruby left to take Lori home.Ruby reached into her bag for her phone, trying to call Ed to ask (and scold him if he was working instead), but Ed's phone was in the room. Ruby stared at the vibrating device between the sheets. Ed had indeed come to the room, but now he was nowhere to be found.Ruby quickly went out to look for him, but the only people moving around the house were the servants cleaning up after the guests, tidying up as usual.“Excuse me, but have you seen Ed?” Ruby asked one of the servants.“Oh, Don Rosas... I saw him go out earlier.” The servant pointed to the side door that leads to the beach.Ruby immediately ran outside. She deeply regretted leaving Ed to take Lori home.Maybe she shouldn’t have left Ed alone. He had looked much better than Lori, who could barely stand, but that didn’t mean he felt any better. Ed was very close to Javi
Ruby wiped her wet eyes. She felt a mixture of gratitude and the realization that Ed shared Lori's sorrow. He looked fine, but he wasn’t really okay."Javier would be proud, I think. He would smile while praising." Ruby could picture it vividly. Javier always praised even the smallest kindness."It seems like it." Ed looked around, observing the room's details, to find Javier's shadow.The room was still the same, only it felt empty. The room was no longer filled with laughter and teasing."I'll let go, but you have to give me time." Ed whispered. The sorrow and sense of loss would remain, and who knows for how long? Ed knew Javier wouldn’t like it, so he asked for time to fulfill Javier's wish for happiness.Ed would grant it, like Javier's other requests. Ed would fulfill that wish. He would live and try to be happy, but there would be a time for it."I think Javier would understand and maybe get mad if you suddenly became happy without going through the grief." Ruby held Ed's hand,
"Everything is here, Senora," Tita said, handing a woven basket covered with cloth to Ruby."Ah, thank you." Ruby took it and immediately carried it to the side door that led to the beach. As the water came into view, her tied-up hair fluttered, and she glanced at the shoreline.Ruby's destination wasn't far. Ed was sitting in a shady spot near the black coral rocks, staring out at the sea. If he wasn't in Javier's room, Ed would be there. Ruby had memorized his location."Whose idea was this?" As he noticed Ruby approaching and taking a seat beside him, Ed inquired."Mine." Ruby smiled, showing the basket she brought, filled with food.Usually, Ruby would just call Ed when it was time to eat, but this time, she brought the food to him.Lunch had long passed, actually. The sky was already reddish from the sunset. Ruby had given Ed the chance to come on his own, but he hadn't. Ed was still not himself."It looks delicious," said Ed, lo
"I built this house here because Javier wanted it," whispered Ed.Ruby's throat tightened at the sound of Ed's raspy voice. But Ruby wouldn't speak. Ed just wanted to talk."I'm here now because I wanted to protect Javier. I had to make him happy. So now, what should I do?"Ruby's tears welled up. She understands a little more now. Ed wasn't just close to his brother—he loved him deeply, and then he unconsciously built his life around Javier's world. Ed didn't want to grieve and let go, but he didn't know what to do because the foundation of his world had disappeared. He felt so empty because his primary reason for moving forward was no longer there."My mother… She died after entrusting Javier to me. She requested that I take care of him. I have done that—but what now?"Ruby wiped her tears as quickly as possible so they wouldn't fall on Ed, but it was difficult. The story was heartbreaking. Ruby knew that Ed's parents had died,