ERIC'S POV
I watched Red as she stepped inside the car after refusing my offer to drive her to wherever she was staying. I expected she wouldn't let me. What kind of a woman would give in at the height of her decision to leave a man who cheated her? As soon as the car disappeared from my sight, I went back to our bedroom. Half of me expected that Red couldn't leave and couldn't survive without me. She had already gotten used to the luxurious lifestyle I gave her for five years. After all, that's what most women want.
I opened all the closets and drawers except for that one I opened earlier, where she placed her white coats and scrub suits. To my surprise, all her expensive apparel, including her bespoke party gowns, were still hanging in one compartment. In the next cubicle, her sets of party shoes and sandals were also placed neatly in one column. I opened another shelf for her signature bags, expecting to see nothing left. To m
ERIC'S POVMy vision dimmed as I saw them kissing. Red was no different than Calla, after all. She also left me for someone more famous and wealthier."Red, what does this mean?" I asked, stressing my anger under my breath. If only we were at home. I would have yelled at her, or I would have kicked and punched the wall."You may think what you like, Eric, it's fine with me," she replied defiantly, a thing that surprised me. I knew her as a submissive girlfriend, and she never talked back to me every time I had a bad mood."I saw you kissing Mr. Grey. What else could that mean?" My eyes were already burning with anger as I looked at her fearless gaze. How could she change a lot in just a few hours after she declared our breakup?"I do not deny it," she replied, giving me a bored look. I couldn't believe she could do this to me. Her actions made me a less significant person. More than anything else, she had adm
ERIC'S POVI asked many things about her, her family background, and how Red and she became friends. She also answered in detail, and I listened carefully. We both laughed at some points, taking sips of the wine in our glass now and then. When Shirley started to flush, she also lost her apprehension bit by bit. She became more talkative, even telling me those things I shouldn't know."Shirl, what do you think? Am I difficult to love? Why did the woman I love left me?"Her eyes widened as she looked at me above the rim of her wine glass. "Red and you, not on good terms?""We are fine, but she isn't what I mean," I chuckled, enjoying her startled reaction."You-you mean, you have some-somebody e-else? And she is the cause of all your drama tonight?" Her voice raised higher, and her words prolonged and stuttered."She's in the past, but she takes my heart with her." I let out a mirthless laugh as a
ERIC'S POV"Stop it, Eric," I said, turning my head away from him. I looked outside the window as images of Shirley sailed in my thoughts."To clear your best friend's image, I must admit that it was all my fault. I intentionally made her drunk. Earlier that afternoon, I heard reports about Calla, and I got a bad temper. She was the less threatening person around that I could project my anger with."I did not complain anymore, nor I confronted him for how evil he was in easing his pain away through someone else instead of me. There was no use in crying over spilled milk anymore."The reason why we were not able to disengage was that she became anxious when she thought about you. She was already hysterical, and I got scared. I had no choice then but to call for help from your staff."I remained quiet, maintaining my gaze outside the window, but he knew I was listening. His confession cut my heart like a knife.
RED'S POV"Honestly, I'm bothered. Can I see you?"I chuckled at his request. He had just left a few minutes ago, and now he wanted to see me. We were not teens anymore to not be able to contain our excitement. Before I could answer, the door to our lounge opened. The ER nurse then peeped in and smiled as soon as I looked up."Dr. Red, you are requested to go to the chairman's office right now."'What? Why?" I pulled my brows together as I asked her. Ever since I started to serve in this institution, I had never met the chairman. There was the HR Department anyway, and the chief of clinics."The executive secretary did not say anything else, doc."I nodded and stood up to get my white coat inside my room. Our chairman was a doctor, and I heard he didn't want to see us in our casual clothes once we were on the hospital premises. I wondered what he wanted from me. Though he only had the title of ch
RED'S POVI saw the triage team stood up as soon as the ambulance stopped. The orderlies jumped out from the side doors of the ambulance, then open up the rear door. Soon, a feminine figure wearing a surgical mask emerged from the ambulance. As soon as the team took care of her, I finished up my order then went out through an exit door. I thought of going to the coffee shop to grab a non-coffee frappe for a refreshment. I needed it to cool down my mixed-up and blazing emotions.I walked straight to the counter since I already had in my mind the kind of drink that I would buy. All of a sudden, an arm wrapped around my waist, and I jumped in fright. I looked up and met Sean's wide grin, followed by a peal of soft laughter."You need to lessen your coffee intake. You jump unnecessarily," Sean said, kissing my temple after he earned my glare."Why are you here?" I asked while opening my purse to pull out some bills. "Wh
RED'S POV"The president himself called and instructed me to admit her in a suite room," the OB-Gyne-on-duty, who was also my friend, told me as soon as she locked the door. She was still panting in anger and frustration because the woman again insisted on going out. She had even gone hysterical."Do you know the president?" I snapped my fingers at my side, my voice a little louder than a whisper as I fixed my gaze at her."No, of course, but he asked to talk to any OB-Gyne around. He even told me to admit her under the best OB-Gyne in this hospital. Most of all, she instructed me to keep this matter confidential.""What is happening to her? What is her name?" Her mention of the president made me suspect that this lady was the one involved in the scandal. Sean and I had just even talked about them.But-Is she Calla?"Her name is Rya Sevilla," my friend's voice broke into my re
RED'S POVThe orderly appeared out of nowhere, saving me from chatting with this woman. I'm not willing to talk about my new relationship yet, especially in this place, because they knew Eric so well."Ma'am, you're room is ready. I'll be taking you there," said the orderly, rotating the wheelchair he brought for the lady's easier access."I don't need that," she said, moving her eyes from me to the orderly, then back to me. I just observed her. She had no makeup, but her beauty still shone out. Her fair and ruddy complexion added to her almost perfect features, especially her beautiful eyes."You are also not allowed to walk," the orderly insisted, extending his hand to her and helped her sit up.I left them silently while they were yet arguing and proceeded to the station to do my morning rounds. While on the medical unit, I got busy with too many referrals that the time seemed to fly faster than usual. I h
RED'S POVShirley dropped her knees on the floor beside my seat. Her face flushed right away as she called me, and tears started to run down her cheeks."I'm so sorry, Red. I never meant to cheat on you, but I was drunk."I got shocked to see her kneeling. Though it hurts, I knew I should not put all the blame on her. Eric had already explained that Calla was the root cause of all these. However, if she didn't show Eric any motive, he would not have taken advantage of her weakness."No, Shirl. Stand up. I won'tsay I canforgive you, but the wound is still fresh," I mumbled while pulling her up and helped her stand up."I know!" She was already sobbing, and to spare us bothfrom making a scene, she ran away and went to the bathroom.Scenes of our friendship flashed in my mind again until it wandered to that moment where I saw them covered with a thin sheet--both naked. Nothing hurt me mo
"This is a mistake," I said, breaking the silence and awkwardness. "Because you thought that another man is coming in?" he said, and his lips broke into a tender smile. He strode fast towards me, then wrapped me right away in his arms. "I miss you, babe," he said in a hoarse voice, hugging me tighter. "I missed you so much." "You have no right to say that. In the next few hours, you will already have a new bride." Sean then held me at arm strength and looked into my eyes. "Mia?" "Who else?" I replied, my voice startingto crack. "My mother has long adopted Mia as my little sister. I'm sorry for not telling you this because it was part of the plan to mislead President Ric and his allies." My goodness! I felt like a candle, melting in too much shame. "I have always told you that there's no one else in my heart, long before I found you." Sean cupped my face, and when he was about to bend his h
I furrowed my brows while I took the paper bags from her hands."Dr. Mia would like you to be there at her garden wedding this afternoon."I froze in my seat, unprepared to take the big blow. Sean and Mia are getting married today? Why hasn't she told me about it? Is she afraid to break the news to me because I am sick?I felt a lump sticking inmy throat, summoning the floodgates of tears behind my eyes to open up. I chuckled loudly, but my tears trickled endlessly that I couldn't brush them enough with the back of my index fingers."Look, Dr. Red, the garden is already ready," the nurse said as she walked towards the glass wall, peeping throughthe narrow slits betweenthe curtains.I jumped off the bed after a while then sauntered towards the glass wall. A beautiful flower garden greeted my eyes, and there were rows of chairs and tables indeed, wrapped in cream and burgundy pleated skirts.I scanned the place furth
I ran to the window and parted the curtains to the side. I looked over the direction of the Kalasag Hill, and just as I anticipated, I saw black clouds of smoke rising from the forest. Instead of losing my strength in fear, I felt an adrenaline rush from within me. I stormed out of the room, and without heeding the manager's yells, I ran towards the direction of the forest.I felt within me a prodigy of strength that none of the resort’s staff was able to stop me. Not long after, I heard the sound of the galloping horse’s hooves.“Ma’am, hop in!” the manager yelled at me while I moved to the side to give way.I saw him pulling short both the reins. Then he braced one hand on the horse’s neck, holding the rein tightly and grabbing its mane. Raising the other rein up and back, he then pulled it toward his shoulder.The manager then got off quickly from the horse as soon as it pulled to a stop. Without waiting for his inst
"Thanks, God! You're finally awake!"I shut my eyes back when the blinding light of the sun entered my eyes. I then opened them slowly until I got adjusted to the glare. I stared at the woman who stood by the bedside, brushing the tears in her eyes with the back of her hand."Mia?" I exclaimed, my eyes glowed at the sight of my rival in my love for Sean."Why are you here?"Her lips trembled right away, and her eyes welled with tears. "You scared us so much, especially Sean. I got so worried that he might not be able to handle his grief."I furrowed my brows as I gathered back my thoughts on what happened before I drifted off to sleep. The ache on my back, the muscle pain, and my grogginess told me I had been in bed for days. Then, I remembered I was running after Sean and ended on escaping from the president through the cave. And I recalled everything that followed after that. A bronco bug bit me, and Philip's voice was the last thing I heard befo
The manager gestured with his hand to let me follow him to the elevator. Once we were there, he took me to the seventh floor. He waited until I stepped out before he came up by my side. Then he led me to a room at the end corner of the floor. It had mechanical locks that seemed difficult to break in, but the manager keyed in the codes with deft fingers. In less than a minute, the door opened, and he led me inside.My eyes caught the huge screen right away, displaying multiple windows that showed different areas of the hotel. The manager then ran his fingers on the keys, and the lobby where the president and his men were dining,zoomed in.“Did you hear something from them that scares you?” he asked, turning his head to look at me.I just held his gaze, but I did not nod nor shake my head.“Is this the reason?” he asked again, and after some clicks, a window opened to an area by the outskirts of the forest.My eyes flew
I tuned in a sharp ear while I was sipping from my cup, listening to their conversation. Pretending to be occupied, I picked up a magazine from under the table. These men were just a few meters away from me, though a pillar blocked me from their view. I knew they saw me, but perhaps thinking I was harmless, they did not seem to mind my presence.“Have the troops arrived already?” one of the men asked, his voice louder than a whisper. But because of the deafening silence of the place, you can hear even a needle dropping.“Yes, they are already surrounding the forest of Kalasag.”“How far is it from here?”“It’s the next hill from here.”So, I am now in a resort close to Kalasag, Sean’s homeplace. Mr. Ian and all his allies must have brought me here to blackmail me into selling the other half of my shares by using Sean as a pawn. But of all places in the face of the earth, why does Mr. I
I got up from my bed and walked towards the window. Parting the curtains to the side, the blinding light of the sun piercing through the window panes made me close my eyes for a moment. I closed my eyes tightly then opened them slowly until I got adjusted to the glare. The moment I gazed into the distance, all I could see was the rich and sprawling greeneries below the wide canopy of the sky, animated by its sailing, fluffy clouds. From where I stood, it looked like I was on top of a hill overlooking the rolling stretch of farms and plain below.I then looked around the room. My huge bed satatop a carpeted floor under a chic ceiling design illuminated by white, LED lightings underneath a rectangular frame. Aside from a set of couches, a coffee table, and built-in lockers, only a set of television, a phone, and a refrigerator graced the room. But what caught my interest in being here was the glass walls that allowed me to see the spectacular views of the rows of trees, t
I couldn’t seem to imagine that my grandfather had other women. Perhaps, he did it while grandmother was still alive. But who am I to judge him anyway?“It was a short-term relationship with his secretary, back then. When your grandmother found it out, she almost left; but luckily, your grandfather was able to persuade her to save their marriage. From then on, he never had a female secretary, and that was how Philip came in.”“So, Philip was grandpa’s secretary?”“And Sean’s, when he passed away. He is your grandfather’s most trusted assistant.”My heart sank as I heard it. I still remembered how Philip affirmed Hazel’s confession about my real identity. If it were not for him, I would not have trusted Hazel’s claims. If it were not for him, I would not have come to believe that Sean was making lies all along.“Sadly, he has betrayed them,” I said, my lips tur
“Dr. Red, I just received a report that Prospero City is now on complete lockdown,” the pilot told me after I climbed into the plane after our last stopover for refueling and engine checks.“Is it because of the spread of the Bronc X virus?” I asked, stiffening in my seat; my eyes unblinking.“Your city is the only place negative of Bronc X infection,” the pilot replied while his hands were fumbling over some keys on the cockpit. “But it is heavily guarded since Mr. Sean Grey’s business establishments are there. No one is allowed an entry or exit for the moment.”My thoughts then went on Sean and I was wondering if this pilot beside me was the one who transported Sean to wherever he may be at this moment.“Is Sean in Prospero now?” I tried to sound dry, presuming that everybody already knew our status. And surely, this pilot who brought every dignitary to each of their destinations had also