The Truth

TW: mentioning illness, death

Tyron's pov

I was restless, nervous, and scared. Keep on walking back and forth while keeping my phone in my shaking hand. Still wondering what I would say to Jennifer the moment I called her.

She'll probably sue me once I tell her what happened.

I took a deep breath as my thumb trembled and pressed the call button. I nervously bit my lower lip while waiting for her to pick up the call.

"Hello? Who's this?" I snapped as I heard its voice from the other line, my heart started pounding as my sweat formed on my forehead.

"Jennifer.." I let a heavy breath escape.

"Tyron? Oh, it's you! What miracle in heaven is going on and you called? Did you accidentally hit the call button and started talking to me? We're still not okay, Ty. So stop hoping. I can still clearly remember all your mercilessness to Ara that I will surely never forgive," she said coldly, I gulped.

"Well, anyway, how's Ciara? She went home, is she already with you? Did she go there safely? I'm worried about her, so you start taking better care of her now. I'm giving you another chance this time, Ty. But also consider this as a warning. She just forced me to go back there because she can't stand thinking of you being alone, and she is too far away from you. She chooses to be with you despite the fact of you fucking ruthless to her. And I'm telling you, Tyron. Once I hear that you hurt her again, and you didn't mark my words seriously, you really won't love what I'm gonna do to you." She warned, and I could sense the anger in her voice. I can even feel her death glare pinning on me though she's really not in her in front of me.

With everything she just told me, I couldn't be able to speak up anymore and just felt like my mouth had been a ziplock.

I don't know how I should tell her. It made me more nervous after she utter all of those.

"Still there?"

"J-Jennifer... I have something to tell you." I cleared my throat when my voice was shaking. I took a deep, deep breath.

"Hmm? Are you okay? Your voice seems kinda shaking. Are you sick? Or.. did something happen? Didn't Ara get home there?!" I was devastated by the tone of her voice. I didn't even know Ciara would go home, if only you just told me. I-I hope... I hope this didn't happen.

Fuck it, Tyron. It's all your fault, why are you putting someone on blame again even if it's really you who's at fault?!

"Did something happen, Tyron?" Her voice became more serious.

"Jennifer, Ciara..." I slowly utter almost whispering, while my hands were still shaking. I knew that when I told her the truth, it was unlikely she would rush here to the hospital to attack me.

"What about her?"

"S-she... Ciara.. fuck. She's.." I keep stuttering. I want to speak it out but my tongue seems so knotted that I can't even say a phrase.

"Can you just be straight to the point?! I'm getting impatient here, Ty." She exclaimed. "Now tell me—"

"She's in hospital," I closed my eyes as I finally said it. I waited for her to shout, but I heard nothing.

"Where are you?" I pressed my lips together.

"Manila Hospital," I answered, stuttering. I immediately let out a heavy sigh of relief when she dropped the call.

I squatted and covered my face in frustration.

Face your problem, Tyron. It's your fault.

I waited a few more minutes before I heard a loud shout coming from the lobby.

"Where's my best friend?!" I heard it exclaim, anger was so obvious in its voice.

"Ciara Hilvano?!"

"Emergency room, Miss."

I saw how Jennifer turned to where I was. I even watched how her eyes glazed over as she looked up and walked in my direction. I gulped and took a step back when she walked with heavy footsteps in my direction.

"Jennifer, let me—" my words were cut by her slap on my face with a strong impact that made me quite numb for a second. I haven't even faced her when I feel her palm landing on my other cheeks.

"Fuck you! Fuck your whole life, Tyron! Fuck you! Are you happy now, huh?! Are you happy?! Are you happy now that Ara is dying?! What now?! Fucking speak up you bastard! You son of a fucking demon! What did she do wrong for you to treat her like a freaking animal and even lead to this?! Death?!" She yelled as she pushed and punched me in my chest.

"Don't touch me!" She yelled at the nurses who were now trying to stop her.

"What now, Tyron? Why don't you speak up? Ah, maybe you're already jumping in joy inside of you that's why you're not answering me anymore, right? How does it feel to see the person you always wished to die was now lying inside, suffering, and surviving her life in death, huh? Is it fun?! Tell me, is it fun?! Why aren't you jumping for joy?! Isn't this what you want, get rid of her?! Didn't you just tell me that she deserves this?! Damn hell, Tyron. Why are you so fucking merciless?! I entrusted her to you because I thought she would be happy with you, but I was wrong because you took that opportunity to hurt her! What did she do to you to make her suffer like this?! Why does she have to come to this kind of situation? What did she do wrong to make her put in there!" She shouted and weakened and punched me in the chest. I could see the anger in her eyes, even though it was full of tears.

I could no longer hold back my tears. I just let my body fall.

'I know it's all my fault and I have no right to complain."

I'm sorry, Ciara.

Ciara's parents arrived just a few minutes later.

"Tyron, Jennifer! Where's Ciara ?!" Tito asked, looking so angry.

"That kid.. she's really stubborn! Look what happened! My God! I really don't know what to do with her anymore!" Tita lost her temper as she frustratingly massaged her senses.

I saw Jennifer rise from her seat.

"What did you say, Tita? Did you just blame Ara?" Jennifer just seems to keep herself from raising her voice to Tita.

"Of course! She must be to blame because it's her fault! If she hadn't been stubborn and just listened to us, that wouldn't have probably happened to her!" Tita shouted.

My brows furrowed.

She didn't even see what really just happened... Why is she speaking as if she knows that Ciara was always at fault?

"What? Seriously, Tita? Your daughter is dying inside that room. But on how you blame her right now seems like you're really sure that it was her fault, where in fact, she's the victim here! I can't believe it, Tita. You're acting as if she's not your child. Sorry for being frank and disrespectful, but I can't take this. Are you blind? What kind of parents are you?! You didn't even ask first what happened and you're now blaming her?! Wow! What a waste!" Jennifer shouted, I was surprised by her words, but I was more surprised when she received a slap from Tita.

"You better shut your mouth, Jennifer, because you know nothing!" Tita shouted.

"You are the ones who knew nothing here! Your child was suffering all her life! Now that Clara's in a critical state, you still don't care about her?! Did you just claim her as your child for the sake of your business? Because if you do, then I can tell that you're both useless parents!" Tita's mouth loosened up when Jennifer couldn't hold herself to speak up. Even before Tita could do anything to Jennifer, I immediately pulled right behind my back.

"T-Tita, she's right. Ciara did nothing, a-and... it's my fault." I confessed.

"There. Ask him! Ask this asshole, because you believe all his lies, you can't even ask your child if this man's accusations against your child were all true," Tita frowned at Jennifer's words, and I was also a bit surprised because I didn't know how she knew about that.

"What? You thought I wouldn't know everything you're doing to Ara? Ha! It's now or never, but I'm not going to just stand there, let myself get blind by your manipulations! Just like what you did to them," she pointed at Tita and Tito who are now frowning, confused about what Jennifer's saying.

"What are you saying, Jennifer?" Tito asked, but Jennifer didn't answer, so I took the courage to answer.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault. What I told you before was not true. I only managed to slander her because of my anger issues towards her. I-I'm sorry, Tito, Tita, sorry." I sobbed pleadingly.

They both just looked at me as if they couldn't believe what they heard from me.

"What did you just say?"

"T-tita, I'm sorry.." I just found myself stumbling on the floor when Tito hardly punched me.

"What kind of person are you?! You made our child look bad in front of us just because of your anger? That was nonsense! We trusted you, but you just made us ride on your lies!" Tito angrily exclaimed.

"I'm so sorry, Tito. Please forgive me.. Tita..."

"Don't call me Tito! It's disgusting hearing it from a demon like you!" He blurted out.

"I'm sorry." I kneel on my knees and pleaded.

"Please forgive me, Tito... Tita, I'm begging you."

"Stay away! Pity you? Why? Did you even feel a bit sorry for Ciara when you did nothing but hurt and ruin her whole being with us?! What did my child do wrong to you to treat her like this!"

"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I continued apologizing.

"It's too late, Tyron. You've done everything you want. You can leave now, we don't need you here." Tita coldly said, anger was so obvious in their eyes. I stood up.

"I'm sorry, Tito, Tita, Jennifer, please. I regret all that I did. But ease, even just for now, I'll wait for Ciara to wake up, I want to apologize to her personally. Don't worry, after that, I will finally leave and will not show up ever again. Just please, please give me another chance. I beg you, Tito, Tita... " I desperately asked for another chance.

I need to do this. I can't bear leaving her without apologizing for what I did.

"All right. I'll give you another chance, but after that, I don't want to see your face again!" She pointed to my face.

"I understand.."

"Relatives of Clara Hilvano?" We all gaze at the doctor who comes out of the room where Ciara was admitted.

"Best friend... I'm here best friend, Doc. How is she?

"We're her parents," Tito answered.

"And, who's Tyron?" They all glance at me.

"I'm Tyron, her husband.." I responded,

"D-doc, how's my daughter?" Tita worriedly asked, but instead of answering, he just looked at us with concern.

"Doc... Tell us, how is she right now?"

"I don't know where to begin, it's hard to tell her condition right now, but all I can say is she's in critical condition. A very critical situation is that there's no chance for a response from the patient." The doctor said looking so disappointed.

What does he mean?

"W-what? How bad is it, doc?"

"She was hit hard on the head when she was run over by the car, so her brain was affected which is now rotating and twisting on its axis or what we call the brain stem, causing it to disrupt the normal flow of nerve pathways, so she now lost her consciousness," he explained.

"If the patient remains unconscious for a long time, she may go into comatose. She might also lose memory. In any case, it does not seem to be the case. She will not be able to reach the stage of comatose because in her case right now, she only has ten hours left to be rescued. I don't know how this happened, but I think it's also an effect of her serious illness now, so her body is getting weaker. As soon as possible she needed to wake up, if she can't do it, it may lead her to death." I was stunned, getting frozen by where I was standing. I felt like something hard hit my chest.

W-what?! Only ten hours?! I don't understand! Also, Illness? D-does she has cancer?...

I heard Tita sob, "D-doc, this can't be happening. W-what should we do? My child can't die, doc! Please, do everything. No matter how much it costs, I'll pay you, just save my daughter, please!" Tita pleaded, crying. I couldn't stop myself but burst into tears too.

"I'm not sure if we can even save her. Her condition is so critical, that I don't know if she will be able to wake up in ten hours. Only the machine gives hope to her life now."

"What do you mean, doc? Why can't she wake up in such a short time? And.. What are you saying about this disease? What disease?" I asked incredulously.

"She has cancer in the heart."

Does she have heart disease?!

"What?

"Hasn't she told you yet? The assigned doctor told her this before. It's a bit suspicious to us because there's a man who always takes her to the hospital, so we tried checking her health. And that's when we found out, she has heart disease, that's why she often lost consciousness and was rushed to this hospital.''

I seemed to be stunned by everything I heard from what the doctor said.

She's here often? In that case, is it that why she always went out because every time I hurt her.. she comes here? But man? Who is the man bringing her here?

"Omygash.. we don't know, we don't know what's going on with her. God! I'm sorry, Ciara. We're sorry." Tita cried.

"Maybe she's afraid you'll get worried so she can't tell you right away, otherwise, you don't have enough time with her, that's why she can't say such important things. There's no wonder if it's that easy for the patient to surrender. "

N-no!

"I'm sorry, I need to leave because a lot of patients inside this hospital need to be saved." The doctor said and left us all dumbfounded.

I quickly entered Ciara's room which now had so many body apparatus attached.

I ignored my tears streaming down. All I knew was that I found myself hugging Ciara's body unconsciously.

Why didn't she tell me...