Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Sunset

I woke up on huge bed inside a room with a bandage wrapped around my head. When I tried to touch the wound, it made me close my eyes because of the pain I felt. A doctor was arranging and keeping his stuffs near me. He left after he finished what he was doing. I scratched my eyes so I could see properly.

I have been kidnapped! The last thing I can remember is I tried to fight with the masked men who blocked us along the road. I was hit by a baseball bat on the head that is why I lost consciousness.

Then I remembered Hughie! What happened to him? Where is he? Is he fine? I hope he is.

But I'm just wondering why I am not chained or tied to something. Don't kidnapping victims get tied?

I stood up and glanced outside the window of the huge room. From my position, I can see the vast blue ocean and the almost setting sun.

I realized that I was in a big house on a small island. Why am I here?

I quickly ran out of the room, wanting to escape. I was expecting to see men guarding the door but I saw no one. If I was kidnapped, then why is no one watching over me? And why was I in a huge room that almost looked like a hotel on an island? Who is behind this?

I heard an engine of a small boat which made me rush back inside the room to have a glance. There I saw the doctor who I guess treated my wound leaving.

Time to continue my escape. But when I was about to walk out the door, a huge body was blocking it.

It was Mew.

My brows furrowed as I clenched my fists.

"I'm sorry," he spoke. His face looked worried and apologetic. "I told my men not to hurt both of you but they told me they had no choice because you fought back. I already gave the man who hurt you a beating. I specifically told them to take care of you but they're stupid! I'm sorry." He clenched his jaw.

"Why am I here exactly?" I asked, grittting my teeth. "And where is Hughie?"

"Hughie is fine. My men took him to the hospital and they said he's fine with no complications. Just some bruises."

My jaw clenched with his answer. I remained silent as he continued to speak.

"And to answer your first question, you're here because you left me with no choice. I tried so many times to talk to you and explain everything but you won't let me. That is why I kidnapped you."

"And what makes you think I'll listen to you this time?" I arched my eyebrow. I am still furious at what he did to Hughie and me.

"We are on an island, Gulf. You can't leave this island until you listen to me first because I made sure that there is no boat that you can use to leave."

I scoffed before walked past him and stormed out of the room. He let me.

I walked down the grand staircase and left the house. I ran as fast as I could towards the beach but I saw no boat.

The island is small. Aside from the huge house, there are only coconut trees and small plants. I'm guessing you can tour around it in just ten minutes.

So that's what I did, hoping to find a small boat I can use. But to my dismay, there were none. I also did not see any other person.

With an angry face, I went back to the house and saw Mew waiting at the door.

I walked past him and looked everywhere inside the house for a cellphone I can use to call someone. I saw his phone on the countertop so I picked it up.

His wallpaper was our wedding photo. I rolled my eyes.

I was about to call Mild when I realized that I don't know his phone number. There was no internet connection too!

With so much frustration, I threw his phone to the wall and it broke into pieces.

I went out of the house again and proceeded to the beach. What if I just swim across the sea?

But that's impossible because I don't see any nearby island and I don't know where I am!

You might say that I'm overreacting. I can just listen to everything he wants to say so that all of these will be over. I could've just listened to him in Spain too. But I did not. Why? Because there is a big part of me that does not want to. Because no matter how hard I try to deny it, I know deep inside my heart, that I am still affected by him. And I am scared that whatever he wants to say will change my mind.

What does he really want to tell me? And why did he wait for three long years?

With the three years that we were apart, I always thought that I've moved on. I thought that I've forgotten him. I thought that I have no more feelings for him.

But it turned out that I was wrong. That I fooled myself all those years. I forcefully convinced myself to believe in that lie. Because the truth is, I have never moved on from him.

I sat on the sand as I heaved out a deep sigh, feeling hopeless with my plan to leave the island. This is so tiring.

So what if you haven't moved on from him yet, Gulf?

The orange color of the sea because of the setting sun somehow made me feel at ease. The crashing of the small waves reached my foot. I am barefoot and the water is reaching the hem of the black slacks I wore for my father's burial.

This whole scene is reminding me of my last day in Maldives. I can still remember how I was convinced that the metaphor behind the setting of the sun symbolized an end.

If so, what then will end today?

While watching the waves crash, I felt Mew sit not far from me.

Like me, he is also barefoot wearing his black slacks and white shirt.

I watched him with sad eyes.

If I want to leave this island, then it looks like I have no choice but to listen to him. I sighed before deciding to speak.

"What was missing in me that you wanted terribly from your ex? What was it he can give that I could not?" I asked sadly.

I decided to look away because my tears were about to fall. I did not want him to see the sadness in my eyes.

But I couldn't hold them back. My tears started streaming down my eyes.

I have always doubted myself. I always questioned what was lacking in me. Because in that brief moment I was with Mew, I felt that I was never enough. That even if I try, I will never satisfy him.

"There is nothing missing in you, Gulf. There is nothing wrong with you. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that you were not enough. It was never my intention. It was all my fault." His voice was sad too.

But I don't believe him. I continued to cry.

"If so, then why did I feel that way? I tried, Mew. I tried to satisfy you. But you always made me feel that I wasn't enough. You cheated right before my eyes. And I just let you."

"I was scared, Gulf."

"Scared of what?"

"Aron framed and blackmailed me about Hal's death. And he also threatened me with your life. But still, it was all my fault. I was weak. If only I was brave enough, everything would not have happened."

What he said left me shocked and confused at the same time. I faced him and saw tears streaming down his cheeks.

But he was watching the ocean, afraid that I will see him cry.

"Did you have anything to do with Hal's death?" I asked weakly. I wiped my tears and tried to remember my ex-boyfriend who also loved me and never hurt me.

Why would Aron blackmail him for Hal's death? I am so confused. But I let him speak.

"Aron killed Hal. He caused the car accident. But he framed me and blackmailed me. He made fake conversations on my phone that could be used as evidence. Not to mention that we had a fist fight before he died."

Anger slowly crept inside my heart.

"Why would Aron kill Hal? He never wronged him."

"It was my fault. I wanted to court you back in college so I broke up with him. I did not know he was crazy. He only wanted to kill you but ended up killing Hal instead. He threatened that he would turn things around if I tell the police. And he also threatened me with your life if I continued my plan to court you so it scared me. He was crazy and he wanted to keep me for himself. I couldn't do much back then because his family was also powerful. And it was hard for me, believe it or not. An innocent man died because I wanted to have you. My conscience consumed me. But fear consumed me the most. Fear that you might also die. So I stayed away from you and let you live in peace." His voice broke as he burst into tears.

I felt the heaviness he was carrying. But it was not the time to be sympathetic. The sadness I felt earlier was slowly replaced by anger.

For four years, I thought that Hal died in a car accident. But it was really Aron who killed him. Because he was crazy for Mew.

"Then why did you agree to marry me? Why did Aron agree to it?" I gritted my teeth.

"I tried so hard to convince my parents to help your family when I found out about the bankruptcy. I was never forced to marry you. I did it because I wanted to marry you. I have liked you even before, so when I got the chance, I took it. They agreed. Aron agreed to it too. But he gave me so many conditions. I never wanted to hurt you, Gulf. But Aron had me at my neck so I couldn't do anything. What I didn't know was that I was secretly hurting you. Because of my selfishness, I did not realize that I was hurting you. Because of my desire to be with you, I only ended up hurting you. I thought that as long as we're already married, I would eventually find a way to remove Aron from our life. But I was wrong. Because it was you whom I lost." His voice broke again.

"If it was really because of Aron, then why did you text him to take you away from our wedding?" I spat.

"I did not send the text. He hacked into my account."

I am still not convinced.

"If that's the case, then why are you chasing me now? What about Aron?"

"When you left the island three years ago, that was when I realized all my mistakes and poor decisions. I was devastated. But I never loved someone else. It was only you who I wanted so I did everything to fix my mistakes. Aron is now out of the picture because I destroyed him. He has no more money and power. For three years, I did my best to destroy their companies. It cost me three years without you, and I am not sure if you still want me back."

He looked down at the sand.

"If only you told me about everything before, maybe I would've understood. Maybe we did not have to arrive at this point. Maybe we could have done something about it."

He lifted his head and faced me. His eyes were bloodshot. Fear was evident in them.

"I was afraid that you wouldn't believe me. That you might still leave."

"So you chose to just let me feel all that pain because you did not want to lose me? Guess what, Mew. You still lost me."

"I know. That is why I admit it was all my fault. I should have fixed everything before I married you. I'm hoping that you can still forgive me, Gulf. I hope everything is not too late. Because I can't live another year without you." His voice sounded devastated but hopeful.

I looked away. One thing is clear to me now.

He was selfish. I never asked him to save our company. I never wanted him to save me from being poor. I would've chosen to be penniless rather than go through all of those pain he caused me. Because he has no idea what I've been through in Spain. Those countless nights of drinking, trying to forget my feelings for him. That after every night, no matter how drunk I am, I'll still be left inside my room crying myself to sleep. That no matter how Hughie tried, I knew that only Mew could make me feel better.

For three years, I have always doubted myself. If I was never enough.

And in those three years, Hughie always made me feel that I was. That I am enough. That I am more than enough. That I am worthy of love.

Hughie was good to me. He cared for me and never left me. He was the reason why somehow I managed to carry through despite how hard it was.

Mew's reasons are not enough. Yes, maybe this is all because of Aron. But no matter which angle you look, he still has his faults. He had his fair share of responsibilities and wrong decisions.

He could have done many things. But he still allowed for all of this to happen.

I watched the sea. The sun has finally set, a reminder that the day has come to an end. That this chapter of my life has now ended.

My father has been buried. Maybe it's finally time to bury my feelings for Mew. In these very sands of the beach.

I sighed. Finally, after three years, I have felt the peace I was looking for.

"Thank you for being honest with me, Mew. How I wish you've told me this before. It's true that I still love you. That in the past three years, I never really forgot about you. But it does not mean that I will take you back and everything will be as it was before. I don't want to be unfair to Hughie. And I have a promise to him. So I am sorry. Maybe we are really not meant for each other."

---

Hughie's Point of View

My cellphone's ringtone woke me up. I felt my head ache so I touched it. There was a bandage wrapped around it.

I clenched my fist when I remembered that Gulf was kidnapped. I am sure that this is all Mew's idea. He's so inconsiderate of Gulf's feelings.

I am in a hospital room. I reached for my phone on the bedside table and answered the call. It was Dr. Rodriguez, my doctor in Spain.

"Hola!" I greeted.

"Hola. Cómo estás?" (How are you?)

"Estoy bien. Tu?" (I'm fine. You?)

"Bien bien." (Good good.) "By the way, I have emailed you the results of your tests. I'll call you back later after my meeting. For the mean time, please check the results. I'll explain them to you later."

"Gracias Dr. Rodriguez."

"De nada."

The call ended. But another call from an unregistered number flashed on my phone screen.

"Hello? Who's this?"

"This is Aron. We need to talk."