All Chapters of The Rebirth of Love: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

THEA'S P. O. VThe smell of burnt toast and something vaguely resembling scrambled eggs hit me as soon as I woke up.I stumbled out of bed, my head still fuzzy from sleep, and followed the aroma down the stairs.My kitchen, usually a haven of order and delicious smells, was now a scene of culinary disaster. The countertop was covered in a chaotic mess of burnt pans, spilled ingredients, and a lone, blackened spatula. And there, in the midst of the chaos, stood Ruan, his face flushed, his hair tousled, his eyes wide with a mixture of embarrassment and sheepishness."Ruan?" I asked, my voice laced with a mixture of amusement and concern. "What on earth are you doing?"Lumapit agad ako sa kanya at inagaw ang sunog nang wooden spoon.He turned, his eyes meeting mine, his cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red. He looked like a lost puppy, his usual confidence replaced by a shy awkwardness."I... I wanted to make you breakfast," he mumbled, his voice barely a whisper. "To thank you for... f

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

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

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.

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