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KABANATA 53
Last Updated:
2024-11-21 08:44:10
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The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 54
THEA'S P. O. VSeveral weeks passed by since everything happened. The chaotic night, the whirlwind of emotions. We were back in a rhythm, a comfortable, familiar rhythm that felt strangely new. Ruan had been showering me with attention, taking me on dates, making me laugh, trying his best to win back my trust and my heart. And I, in turn, was falling for him all over again, my heart softening with each passing day.Ruan's birthday was approaching, and I found myself consumed by the task of finding the perfect gift. He had everything money could buy, every luxury imaginable. A new car, a designer watch, a trip to a private island—those were all things he could easily acquire. But I wanted something more, something meaningful, something that would truly touch his heart.I spent days brainstorming, scouring the internet, asking for advice from friends and colleagues. But nothing seemed quite right. Then, one afternoon, as I was staring out the window, my mind wandering, an idea struck m
Last Updated : 2024-11-21The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 55
RUAN'S P. O. VHope had become a puzzle, a captivating enigma wrapped in a sleek black dress and a pair of sparkling eyes. She was always busy, her fingers flying across the keyboard, her phone glued to her ear, her mind seemingly miles away. It wasn't the usual Hope, the one who could always find time for a quick chat, a shared laugh, a playful banter. This Hope was focused, determined, her energy directed towards something I couldn't quite grasp."Hope," I said after several minutes of just watching her. I am trying to catch her attention as she hurried past my desk. "What's keeping you so busy these days?"She paused, her smile a little strained, her eyes flickering with a secret she wasn't willing to share."Oh, you know," she said, her voice a little too light, a little too evasive. "Just girly things."Girly things. Kailan pa s'ya natuto at na-involved sa girly things girly things na 'yon? She's always simple. And I love her just like that.Girly things. The phrase grated on my
Last Updated : 2024-11-21The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 56
THEA'S P. O. VThe day had finally arrived. Ruan's birthday. My heart thumped a nervous rhythm against my ribs as I watched him from across the office. He was engrossed in a phone call, his brow furrowed in concentration, his voice a low murmur. He looked so handsome, so powerful, so… unattainable. But I knew better. I knew that beneath that confident facade, there was a man who longed for love, for connection, for a family. And I was determined to give him all of that."Ruan," I said, my voice a soft whisper, as he hung up the phone. "Are you free for dinner tonight?"He looked up, his eyes meeting mine, his expression a mixture of surprise and delight."Dinner?" he said, his voice a low murmur. "I thought you were busy tonight.""I am," I said, my smile a little mischievous. "But I have a special date planned. Just you and me. At do'n ako busy.”He raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued."A date?" he said, his voice laced with a hint of amusement. "Where are we going?""In the lak
Last Updated : 2024-11-21The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 57
THEA'S P. O. VThe room was silent, the echoes of anger and disappointment still lingering in the air like a heavy cloud. Ruan's outburst had left me reeling, filled with a sense of guilt and regret that weighed heavily on my heart. Zara approached me with a gentle touch on my shoulder, her eyes filled with understanding and compassion."Thea," she said softly, her voice a soothing balm to my troubled soul. "This isn't your fault. You had the best intentions, and sometimes things don't go as planned."Her words brought a small measure of comfort, but the weight of responsibility still pressed down on me like a heavy burden. Nauna nang umalis sina Tito Roldan at Tita Charlene kasama ang anak ni Zara; maybe to help settle the aftermath of Ruan's outburst, leaving a palpable tension in their wake.Jenica, Ruan's mother, stood alone in the corner of the room, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and regret. I could see the pain etched on her face, the guilt that clouded her eyes. She
Last Updated : 2024-11-21The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 58
THEA'S P. O. V"B-Bahay mo 'to? P-Pero bakit dito?” Ngiti lang ang sinagot ko kay Tita Jenica. And yes, dito ko sila dinala sa bahay ko. Dito ko sila naisipang patirahin pansamantala. I just thought that this would be better kaysa ihanap ko pa sila ng ibang matitirhan."H-Hindi ba magagalit si Ruan—”"No, Tita. He… I solely own this house. Kaya walang magagawa si Ruan kahit patirahin ko pa rito ang kahit sinong gusto ko. Tsaka… hindi n'ya naman po malalaman. So, don't worry,” sabi ko sa kanya at ngumiti.As the rain hammered against the corrugated iron roof, a relentless rhythm mirroring the anxieties churning in my stomach.Napatingala ako."Naku, mukhang lumalakas pa po 'yung ulan. Tita, upo po muna kayo d'yan. I'll get you something to drink.”Tita Jenica, with her haunted eyes and perpetually weary posture, sat hunched on the worn sofa, Riyashin, her son, a miniature echo of her exhaustion, nestled beside her. Gaya ng ina ay nililibot din nito ang paningin sa kabuuan ng bahay ko.
Last Updated : 2024-11-27The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 59
RUAN'S P. O. VIt's been a week since that f*cking chaotic birthday party. A week since Thea had managed to turn what should have been a celebration into a battlefield. The stale air hung heavy with the scent of spilled beer and regret. Each ice cube clinking in my glass echoed the icy chill settling in my heart."One more,” utos ko sa bartender tsaka inurong padulas ang shotglass ko."Sir, lasing na ho kayo—”"Come on, Jako! Give me one more!”"Sir, hindi ho ako si Jako. Ako po si Rey—”"I don't f*cking care just… just give me another more!” sigaw ko.The bartender looked scared as he poured another shot of liquor on my glass.As I was about to take the glass, when suddenly, phone buzzed again. The insistent vibration a physical manifestation of Thea’s relentless calls. I ignored it, letting it fade into the background hum of the bar.The neon glow of the bar signs painted the room in sickly hues, mirroring the sour taste in my mouth. Every corner of this dimly lit dive felt more com
Last Updated : 2024-11-27The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 60
RUAN'S P. O. VThree weeks. Three days since the phone had vibrated against my thigh, a silent scream swallowed by the din of the bar. Three weeks since Thea’s voice, faint and strained, had whispered my name across the miles. Three days since I’d let my anger, my stupid, self-righteous anger, silence me.Tatlong linggo na ang nakalilipas mula no'ng bigla na lang daw nawala si Thea. Pero hanggang ngayon, wala pa ring update kung nasaan s'ya. I've already spent almost a million to pay for several investigators that might find her. Pero wala pa rin. Wala pa rin.Paano kung 'yung mga huling tawag n'ya, ginawa n'ya na lang para ma-contact ako so I could save her by chance? The memory of that call, a fragmented echo in the vast expanse of my regret, clawed at my conscience. I replayed it in my mind, a broken record stuck on repeat: the static, the breathless urgency, the barely audible plea for help. A plea I had ignored. A plea I had dismissed as another one of her dramatic outbursts, ano
Last Updated : 2024-11-27The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 61
THEA'S P. O. VThe days bled into each other, a monotonous cycle of fear and despair. The small, dimly lit room became my world, the rough concrete floor my bed. Nawalan na ako ng gana sa pagkain. Kahit sa tubig. Pinipilit kong daanin na lang sa tulog ang lahat, pero hanggang do'n, binabangungot pa rin ako.My captors, two hulking men with eyes devoid of empathy, treated me with a chilling indifference. They were brutal, efficient, and utterly devoid of any human compassion. Any attempt at conversation was met with silence or a curt, dismissive gesture. My defiance, my aggressive refusal to cooperate, only seemed to amuse them. Parang tuwang-tuwa pa sila na nahihirapan ako. Parang siyang-siya pa sila kapag nakikita nilang nagmamakaawa ako.But there was one who was different. Iyong mismong druglord na bumili sa akin mula kina Tiya Purita. Ang matandang pangit na druglord na 'yon.One evening as I was staring at the blank ceiling of the room where I was in, he entered my cell, his pres
Last Updated : 2024-11-27
Latest chapter
The Rebirth of Love SPECIAL CHAPTER 4
THEA'S P. O. VAmoy na amoy sa kabuuan ng kusina ang nakakatakam na pagkaing ako lang din ang naghanda at nagluto.I did this for Ruan. Pambawi sa lahat ng pag aalaga na ginawa n'ya noong nasa ospital ako.From the coffee I am making, my attention was instantly drew to Ruan when he entered the kitchen, his gaze sweeping across the table, avoiding mine. The coldness in his eyes was a familiar ache, a constant reminder of the chasm that separated us. I tried to bridge the gap, to rekindle the warmth that once existed between us.“Good morning,” I said, my voice betraying a hint of forced cheerfulness. “Breakfast is ready.”He grunted in response, a noncommittal sound that did little to ease the tension in the air. He sat down, his back ramrod straight, his gaze fixed on his plate. The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.Nagsisimula na akong magtaka kung bakit gan'to s'ya. Ano bang problema? O may naging problema ba?I tried again, attempting to break through the wall of his coldne
The Rebirth of Love SPECIAL CHAPTER 3
ARIADNE'S/THEA'S P. O. VHindi man n'ya ako sinamahan nang ma-discharge ako—o si Thea—sa ospital, sumunod na araw ay dinalaw naman ako ni Ruan.But his coldness was a constant, icy presence. Kitang-kita ko ang laki ng pagbabago sa kanya. Kitang-kita ko 'yung sakit sa mga mata n'ya, para s'yang laging may hinahanap. Ramdam na ramdam ko 'yon—mula sa pag iwas n'ya ng tingin, sa paraan n'ya ng pagsagot sa akin. He mourned Thea, the real Thea, the girl he loved—a girl whose life I now occupied.One night, I found him in the garden, huddled beneath the weeping willow, his shoulders shaking silently. Tahimik lang s'yang umiiyak pero kitang-kita ko sa pag alog ng mga balikat n'ya ang sobrang pagdadalamhati. That sight tore at something within me, a raw, aching empathy that transcended the boundaries of my spectral existence.I understood his pain. More than he could ever know. Minsan ko na ring naramdaman ang sakit na 'yon nang sapilitan akong napaalis at naiwan ko s'ya nang hindi man lang ak
The Rebirth of Love SPECIAL CHAPTER 2
ARIADNE'S/THEA'S P. O VThe hospital doors swung open, releasing me into the blinding sunlight. Or rather, it released me. It felt strange, even now, to think of myself as inhabiting Thea’s body. Technically, ako pa rin si Ariadne—ang multo ng kawawang Egyptian princess. But the world saw Thea. Dahil katawan n'ya ang gamit ko at nasa loob ako nito.Oo, nakalabas na rin ako ss modernong mundo. Kaya bga nakilala ko si Ruan, eh. Pero ibang-iba pa rin pala talaga ang pakiramdam kapag buhay at may pakiramdam ka. The world, right now, was a confusing blur of unfamiliar sensations and sights.The car ride home was a silent film of contrasts. The smooth, cool leather of the car seat felt alien against my skin—or rather, Thea's skin. The way the sunlight warmed my face, the way the wind ruffled my hair… it was all so intensely alive, a stark contrast to my previous existence as a disembodied spirit. Yet, it was also a constant reminder of what I had taken, what I had become.The house loomed
The Rebirth of Love SPECIAL CHAPTER 1
RUAN'S P. O. V“Thea… she didn’t simply die,” Thea—or Ariadne, rather, began. Her gaze distant, lost in the swirling embers. “Her death… it was… a shedding. A leaving.”I shifted uneasily. This wasn’t the straightforward explanation I’d expected. Thea’s death had been declared a tragic accident. At oo, masakit. Pero parang mas pipiliin ko pang maramdaman ang sakit ng pagkawala n'ya—sa kaluluwa at katawan—kaysa patuloy kong makasama ang katawan n'ya pero hindi na s'ya ang nandoon.“Her soul… it departed,” Ariadne continued, her voice barely a whisper. “It slipped away, leaving behind… an empty vessel. A shell. A-At naalala mo 'yung sinabi sa'yo sa rooftop noon? No'ng tinanong mo ako kung may chance ba na magsama tayo ng maayos at normal?” She paused, her eyes locking with mine, a flicker of something unreadable in their depths. “'Eto na 'yon, Ruan. Nakita ko na 'yung perfect vessel. Kaya finally, magkakasama na tayo ulit.”A chill snaked down my spine. The image of Thea, vibrant and ful
The Rebirth of Love EPILOGUE
RUAN'S P. O. VDays have passed and the constant words from others about how Thea won't be able to wake up still lingers on my mind. And sometimes, I almost listened. Sometimes, the weight of despair became too heavy to bear, the whispers of doubt too loud to ignore. The thought of waiting, of hoping for a miracle that might never come, felt like an impossible dream.But then I would look at her, at her peaceful face, at the faint rise and fall of her chest, and the doubt would recede. I would remember the warmth of her smile, the melody of her laughter, the depth of her love. And I would know that I couldn't give up.I was rotten from deep within, a man burdened by the sins of his past, haunted by the ghosts of his mistakes. But my love for Thea, a love that had blossomed in the darkest of times, was the only thing that kept me afloat, the only thing that gave me the strength to keep going.I was a broken man, clinging to a hope that felt like a fragile thread, a thread that could sn
The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 83
RUAN'S P. O. VThe hospital room was a sterile, white tomb, the air thick with the scent of antiseptic and unspoken sorrow. It had been three months since the accident, three months since Hope had slipped into that deep, silent sleep. Three months of agonizing hope and crushing despair.Matagal nang tumigil 'yung mga doktor na magbigay ng assurance sa akin na gagaling pa si Hope. Na magigising pa s'ya ulit. But no matter how kind their smiles are and no matter how gentle their words are, hindi ko pa rin magawang makumbinsi na isuko s'ya. They spoke of brain injuries, of the delicate balance of life and death, of miracles that were rare and unpredictable. They spoke of letting go, of accepting the inevitable.But I refused to listen. I refused to accept their pronouncements of defeat. I clung to the faintest flicker of hope, the whisper of a possibility that she might wake up, that she might smile at me again, that she might say my name. Babalik s'ya.Every day, I sat by her bedside, h
The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 82
THEA'S P. O. VThe air hung heavy with the scent of garlic and rosemary, a comforting aroma that usually signaled a pleasant evening. Parang atojo pa tuloy umalis. Lalo na nang pagtayo ko, parang bigla akong nakaramdam ng hindi maganda. Tonight, the smell seemed to cling to me like a shroud, a harbinger of the horror that was about to unfold.Kumaway pa ulit ako kay Ruan paglabas ko ng restaurant. Nakaupo pa rin s'ya sa loob pero kitang-kita ko naman s'ya sa salaming dingding. Alam ko na nakikita n'ya rin ako. As I walked to the sidewalk and before I cross the road, I took a quick glance at my watch confirmed my suspicions—it was getting late, and I needed to get home. Kaya tama lang din talaga na hindi na ako um-oo sa suggestion ni Ruan na isama pa ako. I excused myself from the table, a wave of relief washing over me as I escaped the awkward silence that had settled over the dinner.I breathe a sigh of relief—mostly like enjoying the cool night air. I took a deep breath, the crispne
The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 81
1 year later… THEA'S P. O. VThe soft glow of the setting sun painted the city in hues of orange and pink as I walked towards the restaurant, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs.It was our anniversary, one year since the day Ruan had promised to never let go of me again. One year since we had decided to face our demons together, to heal the wounds of the past.Isang taon na rin silang ayos ng mga magulang n'ya. It happened since they all decided to call everything quits. Nagkaliwanagan sila, nagkapatawaran. And I was indeed right. Sobrang daming bagay at side ng istorya ang hindi alam ni Ruan. Pero naliwanagan na s'ya nang magkausap sila ng mga magulang n'ya. Turns out, Ruan is really not who he seems to be. Mukha lang s'yang matapang at manhid; pero sa loob n'ya, nando'n pa rin ang batang s'ya na naghahangad ng kalinga mula sa mga magulang n'ya. And I saw that child when he cried while hugging his parents again after a very long time.Isang taon na rin, pero ni isa sa
The Rebirth of Love KABANATA 80
RUAN'S P. O. V"Ready na ba kayo?” I smiled with Hope's energy. Sobrang taas ng energy n'ya at ramdam na ramdam 'yon pagpasok pa lang n'ya sa sasakyan."Good morning, Ruan. Hi, Shariya! Did you miss me?” sabi n'ya ulit."'Morning, my Hope,” I said.Shariya giggled and exclaimed, "Yes!"And just as that, the day unfolded like a dream, a series of joyful moments strung together like pearls on a silken thread. Hope's energy was infectious, her laughter echoing through the bustling streets, her enthusiasm contagious. Shariya, ever the lively child, bounced between us, her infectious energy a constant source of amusement. We were a family, a makeshift unit bound by affection and shared experiences.We started with a leisurely stroll through the park, the sunshine warming our faces, the fresh air filling our lungs. Shariya chased pigeons, her giggles echoing through the trees, her joy a balm to my soul. Hope watched her with a tenderness that tugged at my heartstrings, her eyes filled with
