Chapter 2: One Last Wish

I was lying on my cozy bed with my eyes staring at the ceiling of the interior cabin.

I couldn’t sleep because every time I would close my eyes, all I could see was the face of the man earlier. It kept repeating in my mind, especially the passionate kiss that we shared.

Sigh. I couldn’t believe that I would kiss a random stranger, especially since it was my first kiss. And now that I sobered up, I felt so ashamed of myself.

“What have you done, Ash?” I muttered bitterly as I pulled my hair and crumpled my face in embarrassment.

I only felt better after I convinced myself that I would never see him again.

And since I couldn't sleep, I turned on the television and made myself busy watching the news.

After a while, I yawned. My eyelids feel heavy. Hence, I turned off the tv and pulled the blanket to cover half of my body as I prepared to sleep. However, as soon as I closed my eyes I heard a knock on my door.

‘Who’s that?’ I asked but it didn’t come out of my mouth.

I didn’t get up as well as I was wondering who was knocking at my cabin door in the middle of the night.

Perhaps, it was a drunk stranger who mistakenly believed this was his or her cabin. 

But after a minute, I heard the knock again. And another knock.

With one eye open, I checked the time on my phone.

It was five minutes before twelve midnight. That’s why I felt so sleepy already.

“Haist!” I had no choice but to get up.

Annoyed, I lazily stood up and peeked at the peephole.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that it was a female cabin crew. Thus, I opened the door, thinking that she might need something from me.

The cabin crew smiled sweetly as soon as I appeared in front of her.

“Good evening, Madam. I’m so sorry to disturb your sleep but Mr. LK asked me to bring this cake that he baked for you,” the cabin crew stated as she carefully placed the utility cart in front of me.

“Mr. LK?” I inquired, wondering who was the man she was referring to.

I was still sleepy thus I couldn’t quite understand what she was saying.

“Yes, Ma’am.” She confirmed as she nodded her head.

As I glanced at the cake, I remembered the man earlier, and the deal we had flashed back in my mind, waking up all my senses completely. So, I ran back inside my cabin to check the time.

It was a minute before twelve.

‘So, he was a pastry chef? Does it mean that he made it on time? And it means that I will see him again? Ugh!’ I screamed in my mind.

Who would have thought that he was a pastry chef? Now, I understood why he quickly agreed to my suggestion and why he insisted to pursue the deal even after I kissed him.

How unfortunate! With so many people here that I would encounter, I made that kind of deal with a pastry chef!

I was annoyed thinking about the deal that I didn’t notice when the cabin crew pushed the utility cart inside. I just turned around when I heard the cracking sound of the door as she was about to leave my room.

“W-wai—“ I exclaimed. But it was too late already as the cabin crew closed the door before I could finish my word.

I was supposed to ask how Mr. LK found my cabin.

Haist. Never mind. Why would I care so much about it? Perhaps he saw me earlier when I entered my cabin. Right. Maybe that’s what happened.

 I sighed once again as I looked at the cake. Then I noticed a paper bag next to it.

“Don’t tell me,” I said to myself as I walked closer to the cart to look into the paper bag.

And I was not wrong. It was the suit that the man was wearing earlier plus a…. note?

I bit my lower lip as I read the note.

‘I did my part. It’s your turn. It’s either you pay me $100,000.00 or you’ll wash it. By the way, happy birthday! -Leo King’

‘So, LK stands for Leo King.’ A sweet smile curved on my lips because his greetings brought a warm feeling to my heart.

But my eyes bulged as my mouth fell open when I read again the cost of the suit. “Wait, how much? One hundred thousand dollars?”

It’s almost one year of my salary!

‘Does he think he can fool me?’ I whimpered as I crumpled the note and threw it into the trash bin at the corner of the room.

Then I looked again at the suit and noticed its label, C & C.

And that made me speechless!

It was indeed expensive because it’s a luxury brand designed by one of the most prestigious designers in the world, Charm and Charles. And I heard before that they’re exclusive designers of the wealthiest personalities in our country and abroad.

‘But wait, it doesn’t make sense. How could a pastry chef afford to buy that luxury suit? Does he earn that much?’ I asked myself, still couldn’t believe what I learned.

Anyhow, I chose to wash his suit. Why would I pay him that much? He already got a kiss from me and he still wanted my money? How brazen!

Feeling disgusted, I grabbed the paper bag and walked directly to the bathroom.

And as I picked up the suit, a masculine scent traveled through my nose.

I didn't realize when I brought the suit closer to my nose in order to smell it well.

‘Hmm… in fairness, he smells nice and he’s really good-looking.’ I whispered in my mind while my eyes were closed.

“Oops, wait! What am I doing?” I gasped as I opened my eyes and tossed the suit back into the paper bag.

“Unfortunately, he’s arrogant and has a bad personality,” I said as I rolled my eyes. Then I picked up the suit again to wash it.

Two days later.

The cruise ended but I never met Leo King again. If I had known that he would not get his suit back, I would have thrown it away. I assumed it was only an imitation and didn’t cost that much, that's why he didn’t bother to get it back.

Nonetheless, I was still hoping that our paths would have crossed in the port for one last time so that I could return his suit as I didn’t want to take it home with me.

‘Is that the only reason?’ My inner self asked.

“Of course! What else could be the reason?” I retorted but my face flushed when I remembered the intimate kiss we shared.

And I got out of the port without seeing him again. 

One year has passed.

Angela and I were sitting on the chair on the balcony of her room facing each other. I was like sitting in front of my vanity mirror and looking at myself as we’re very similar in appearance - from our close-set hazel eyes, button nose, and scarlet heart-shaped lips up to our silky straight dark hair. Especially now that I lost some weight since she convinced me to have some diet, telling me to watch my health.

Isn’t it funny? All my life, I lived as an only child. I had never imagined having a twin sister, much more an identical one who looked exactly like me.

Anyway, it’s been almost a year since she persuaded me to live with her. 

Right, we’re now living together. After my 27th birthday, I gave it a thought. And as I contemplated, I realized that it was about time.

We’re sisters. She’s my only family so why would we live separately? Aside from that,  it was my promise to my dad before he passed away, so I gave her the chance to live with her.

It just proved that everything really happens for a reason. My father had gone but she came. I realized that it was meant to happen for me not to live alone in this world.

But I only proved that we’re totally opposite.

I’m straightforward but she’s reserved. I love going out, but she’s an introvert who loves staying inside her room the whole day.  She’s nice and sweet though. That’s why it wasn’t hard to be close to her.

However, hearing what she said earlier shocked me and made me think twice about her personality of being an introvert.

“What are you talking about, Anj?” I asked my twin sister in disbelief.

“You heard me right, Ash. I have brain cancer. I was diagnosed seven years ago.” She announced faintly.

“S-seven years ago?” I repeated, still couldn’t absorb what she was saying.

If I remember correctly, she mentioned before that she began searching for us seven years ago, a year after our mother died.

‘So she’s sick, that’s why she used to stay in her room?’

And as I stared at her face, I noticed it was pale while she had dark circles under her eyes indicative of sleep deprivation.

“You’re right,” she confirmed as though she had read my mind. Then she continued. “That’s the time when I decided to search for you and Dad.”

“But how? I mean where did you get it? It can be treated right? Why didn’t you get treatment?” I asked one after another.

‘I lost my mom and dad. Now, am I going to lose my twin sister?’ I asked in my mind as tears stung my eyes.

She was suffering from cancer seven years ago. Meaning, she was dealing with it alone.

And thinking of it, made my heart ache.

I wanted to blame myself. If only I accepted her sooner as my twin sister, she would not suffer alone. I could be by her side. I could accompany her on her checkups and treatment.

It’s really true that regrets come too late.

Angela held my right hand as she spoke, pulling me from the daze.

“Of course, I did get treatment. Sadly, the cancer cells grew faster and came back after treatment. And just last year, my doctor pronounced that I’m in the terminal stage.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat before I responded.

“W-what does it mean?” I stammered, my voice barely audible. Then my tears slowly coursed down my cheeks.

“There’s no more cure for my disease, Ash. But I would undergo surgery to slow the spread of cancer cells. Although there’s no guarantee that it will be effective on me, I will still take the risk rather than wait for the day of my death.” She answered sorrowfully. 

I was speechless. I didn’t know what to say anymore.

Tears continued to seep down my cheeks.

‘Why is it happening?’ I asked myself bitterly.

A melancholy silence enveloped us.

After a while, I heard Angela’s voice.

“But that’s not the reason why I called you here, Ash. I have–I have one last wish, if–if it’s okay with you,” she stuttered as though she hesitated.

I wiped my tears away.

“Anything. Just tell me anything, Anj.” I answered straightly as I held both of her hands. I didn’t know why those words came out of my mouth. Perhaps, as her twin sister, I could feel the weight on her shoulders and I wanted to help her this time.

“Are you sure you will do anything for me?” She queried, wanting assurance from me.

“Of course! You are my twin sister. And it’s only now that you will ask me a favor. Why would I refuse?” I explained.

Her eyes lit up as she smiled gently. “Is it a promise?”

Nodding my head, I declared with conviction, “Promise.”

She took a deep sigh before she replied.

“Ash, two weeks from now I will get married. And– and I want you to marry him on my behalf.” She revealed, looking straight into my eyes.

“What?!” I exclaimed as shock registered on my face, hearing my twin sister’s one last wish.