30: Have mercy on him

Pulling into the café parking lot, Khana spotted Bettina sitting at a corner table inside. She walked in, her steps quick and purposeful, and sat down across from her friend.

"Bettina, what's going on?" Khana asked, her voice shaky.

Bettina leaned forward, her expression serious. "Khana, I didn't know how to tell you this, but you need to know the truth about Richard. He..."

"What about him? Cut to the chase and spill it out," Khana said, crossing her legs and raising her eyebrows.

Bettina faked a tear. She uttered, "He doesn't have much time left."

Khana's heart pounded. "What do you mean?"

"He returned from China as early as he could to tell me this. He was afraid that it would spread fast, so he asked for help from me to hide it from everyone. He even hid it from his family," Bettina replied.

"What is he hiding then?" Khana asked, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and confusion.

"The reason he is so desperate to have you as his wife is because he wants to feel loved by the woman he loved the most before he runs out of time. Please do not tell him, I told you about his tumor," Bettina replied with teary eyes.

“Have mercy on him,” Bettina added.

Khana lost words. She was so shocked, that even her brain had not processed the information yet.

"You aren't making up stories this time, right?" Khana asked with a slight edge of disbelief in her voice.

"I know you no longer trust me anymore, but you can go to the XXXX hospital to verify it," Bettina replied. She stood up and left the café, leaving Khana in a daze.

Khana sat at the table, staring blankly at the space Bettina had vacated. Her mind raced, replaying Bettina's words over and over again. Could Richard really be dying? She felt a mixture of shock, confusion, and a creeping sense of guilt.

When Khana returned home, she looked for Richard to discuss things, but he was no longer there. Instead, there was a note left on the kitchen counter. It read:

"To my lovely woman,

I know you still loved him, and I don't know where I was during those times. I have accepted that I was an option, but it is fine with me as long as you allow me to stay by your side. I'm truly sorry for not holding back when you enticed me last night. I know I should have considered you were intoxicated that time, and since I was sober, I should have controlled my urge. I'm truly sorry, I hope you can forgive me. I wish we could start all over again. Please let me spend the rest of my life with you. Honey, I made your breakfast and a chicken broth to help you recover from your hangover. I love you.

---- Richard."

Khana lost her strength. She sank into a chair, her strength draining away as a tear slipped down her cheek. The note was a poignant reminder of Richard's love and his sincere, if flawed, attempts to make amends.

She couldn't shake Bettina's words from her mind: "He wants to feel loved by the woman he loved the most before he runs out of time."

"What if he is really dying?" she whispered to herself. The thought gnawed at her. Even though her heart belonged to Henry, she couldn't bear the idea of Richard facing his final days alone and unloved. Despite the pain and complications of their past, Richard loved her unconditionally. He had been there for her in ways Henry never had.

Khana spent the rest of the day in a daze, replaying her memories with Richard, good and bad. His earnestness, his faults, his love—they all swirled in her mind. Could she truly turn her back on him now, knowing what she knew?

That night, Khana lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep eluded her as she pondered her next move. She knew she needed to verify Bettina's story, but part of her already believed it. The sincerity in Richard's note, the way he had looked at her recently, and even his desperation—it all pointed to a man running out of time.

Her phone beeped, and it was Richard's message. He simply texted her to tell Khana that he knew she might hate him, thus he'll wait until she wants to talk to him again.

Khana was hesitant to reply. She thought of giving him a call, but she didn't know what to say yet. Hence, she chose to sleep and swore to make up her mind when she woke up.

The next morning, Khana decided to visit the hospital. She needed to know the truth, not just for Richard, but for herself. 

Wearing a simple above-the-knee peach dress, she walked into the sterile environment of City Hospital. Her heart pounded with anxiety. 

"Hi, hmm... good morning," Khana greeted the nurse first.

"Good morning, ma'am. How can I help you?" The nurse replied.

"Yes, Richard was here for checkups," the nurse confirmed. 

After speaking with a sympathetic nurse, she managed to get the information she needed.

"May I talk to his assigned practitioner?" Khana asked.

"Please give me a moment to check the Doctor's availability. Please sit over there in the meantime," the nurse replied.

After a couple of minutes, the nurse informed her to go directly to the doctor's office. Unknown to her, the doctor was bribed with a lump sum of money to cooperate with Bettina's scheme. The doctor was also in love with Bettina, thus it was an easy-peasy thing for Bettina to have the doctor play on her drama.

"This is a confidential matter. My patient does not want to let a word out."

"I beg you. Can you please confirm if Richard is truly dying?" 

"Why does it matter to you?"

"I-I am his fiance. Don't you think I deserve to know the truth?' Khana replied.

The doctor swiveled his chair and took a brown envelope in his drawer. He sighs and hands it over to the lady. He uttered, "He has a tumor, and his prognosis isn't good. I'm sorry, but he has approximately 8 years to live, which of course, will shorten according to unexpected circumstances."

Khana's heart sank. The confirmation hit her harder than she expected. Bettina had been telling the truth. Richard's time was limited. She left the doctor's office with a heavy heart, the weight of her decision pressing down on her.

"O-Oh my gosh!" Khana uttered in surprise. She gasped, and a tear fell from her eyes. She realized how cruel she is to a person who is battling with illness.

The lady went to his father's ward, whereas Karylle welcomed her with an embrace. 

"Where have you been last night? I'm glad Richard took care of you."

"Mom, I'm going to marry him as soon as possible," Khana firmly uttered.