Chapter 1

Third Person's POV:

"Devin! Tingin dito please!"

"Devin, dito! dito!"

"Devin, isang ngiti naman diyan oh!"

"Tingin ka dito banda Devin!"

May malapad na ngiti na kumakaway si Charlotte sa buong media. Pinapasadahan niya ng tingin ang buot sulok ng venue kung saan ginaganap ang VIP Premiere ng kanyang bagong pelikula.

Mabilisan siyang napatingin sa suot na relo sa kanang pulsuan at agad rin ibinalik sa harap ang tanaw nito.

Charlotte can't believe that after her downfall years ago ay magagawa niya pang makabangon ulit, hindi lang simpleng pagbangon, but she has risen massively in just a short period of time.

Charlotte now goes with the stage name Devin. Big names in the industry aren't just offering her roles in movies or series, a lot has also offered to write a song for her to sing and release. She's currently focusing on acting as of the moment while preparing for an album at the same time. She's busy, and booked left and right.

"Hey, you should thank me, how does that even makes sense na wala ang bida sa sariling congratulatory dinner ng movie niya, huh?", sabay lakad ni Valerie sa nagmamadaling kaibigan habang nagtatanggal ng hikaw patungong dressing room.

"Yeah, I know. Thank you, alam mo naman na I'm happy to have this opportunity, but my husband will always be my priority, right?", may saglit na tingin kay Valerie nitong sabi.

"Wala pa rin bang improvement? Magwa-one year na kayong kasal, is he still being distant? Why would he even propose to you kung magiging ganyan siya?", Valerie grumbled with a hint of distaste.

Napahinto si Charlotte sa paglalakad, dahilan para mapahinto rin si Valerie. Hinarap ng dalaga ang kaibigan, at saka inabot 'yong hinubad na pares ng hikaw kay Valerie. Napabuntong hininga ito.

"He said, I'm on my peak, I can't get pregnant and ruin my figure. He wants me to enjoy the spotlight for now.", Charlotte whispered wearing a face of dismay.

Napailing naman si Valerie.

"That kinda makes sense... you waited for this, and kakasimula mo pa lang ulit. If you get pregnant, you'll be facing a lot of consequences too.", nakataas na tingin ni Valerie na sambit na tila ba ay iniisip ang maaaring mangyari sa oras na mabuntis si Charlotte.

Napakamot si Charlotte sa sariling batok at nagsimulang maglakad ulit, sinabayan siya ni Valerie.

"I know, but I'm not getting young.", bulong ulit ni Charlotte na hindi narinig ni Valerie.

Simula nang magising si Zach, everyone was left in distress knowing that Zach lost his memories. Charlotte never left his side, he helped him in so many ways.

The man that she loves so much, seems to be a stranger, the feeling was different but she removed the negative thoughts out of her mind and chose to live positively. She was there hanggang sa makalakad na ulit si Zach, hanggang sa makabalik ito sa trabaho... hanggang sa kung ano sila ngayon kahit na hindi pa rin bumabalik ang memorya nito. She's not rushing things, she just wants him to heal completely, she will wait no matter how long it takes.

When Zach asked for her hand for marriage, it was all too sudden, she doesn't want to get married kung hindi pa naibabalik ang mga alaala ni Zach, ngunit kailan pa? Hanggang kailan siya mag-aantay? Naniniwala siyang the heart remembers, what the mind forgets, kung kaya't umoo siya ng mag-propose ang nobyo sa kanya, thinking that maaaring hindi maalala ni Zach ang mga alaala nilang magkasama noon ngunit nasa puro pa rin nito ang pagmamahal para sa kanya kasi why would he even propose kung hindi gano'n ang nararamdaman niya? The past doesn't matter anymore, when the present now holds everything.

But, even with that, kahit na kasal siya sa lalaking mahal niya... She feels empty inside. She feels so wrong, parang may mali because it feels like the spark that she have felt for him before is no longer there. That's why she's trying hard to fix it, pero hindi tumutulong si Zach.

But, even with that, kahit na kasal siya sa lalaking mahal niya... She feels empty inside. She feels so wrong, parang may mali because it feels like the spark that she have felt for him before is no longer there. That's why she's trying hard to fix it, pero hindi tumutulong si Zach.

She thought na pag nagkaanak na sila baka maging tulay ito na bumalik 'yong siklab ng apoy nila sa isa't-isa na ngayon ay unti-unting nahihipan ng hangin. But, Zach, after the marriage seems to be distant. Parang nagpakasal lang sila just for the sake of being married, but not actually being husband and wife. Charlotte doesn't feel like she's someone's wife at all. Ang lapit ni Zach sa kanya physically pero ang layo ng nararamdaman nito.

Despite the unfamiliarity, Charlotte didn't mind at all. The depth of her patience to understand her husband is unreachable, pinaghihirapan niyang ibalik sa dati ang lahat thinking na naninibago lang si Zach, na kaya gano'n na lamang ang trato nito sa kanya ay dahil wala itong maalala.

"Here's your keys, your car is ready in the parking lot.", hagis ni Valerie ng susi ni Charlotte sa kotse nito. Palagi itong nami-misplaced ng dilag, kung kaya't ang manager slash kaibigan nito na si Valerie ang palaging may dala.

"Thank you, I'll update you.", salo ni Charlotte sa susi at nagmamadaling lumabas ng dressing room bago pa siya hanapin ng direktor at hindi makaalis ng tuluyan.

Sinundan naman siya ng tingin ng kaibigan nito na si Valerie.

"Good luck friend.", mahinang sabi nito sa sarili.

Charlotte's POV:

"Daks?", silip ko sa master's bedroom, naabutan kong may kausap si Zach sa cellphone, na agd niyang pinatay at binaba nang marinig ako.

Nagtataka akong pumasok ng kwarto, I hid the bottle of wine that I got as a gift from Althea. Ever since gumising si Zach, one thing na nakakapanibago sa kanya ay naging mahilig siya sa wine.

Kanina ko pa siya tinatawag mula nang makarating ako, ngunit wala siya sa baba.

Napalingon siya sa akin, saka niya ibinulsa ang cellphone niya.

"Sino kausap mo?", tanong ko sa kanya. His reaction was just weird, bigla ba namang patayin 'yong tawag ng marinig ako. May tinatago ba siya?

Napatayo siya mula sa pagkakaupo niya sa gilid ng kama.

"Someone from work.", maikli niyang sagot at naglakad patungo sa akin.

Someone from work? Eh ba't parang gulat na gulat siya nang marinig ako?

Zach... he's not cheating... right? Zach wouldn't do that.

While I'm drowned with my own thoughts, as I am starting to overthink... I felt his presence in front of me.

Overthinking? That word never existed no'ng hindi pa nangyari 'yong aksidente. Zach gave me more than assurance, I was never worried about a single thing noon maliban kay Kye.

"What are you hiding?", tanong niya sabay turo sa likuran ko.

Ikaw, Zach? What are you hiding?

I shook the thoughts away, I showed him the bottle of wine.

Napatingin siya dito.

"Wanna drink with me?", I tilted my head a bit to the right with a fainted smile while waiting for his response.

Inilipat nito ang tingin niya mula sa hawak kong bote ng alak, papunta sa aking mukha.

"Di ba dapat kasama mo ngayon ang crew ng latest movie mo to celebrate its premiere?", tanong niya sabay kuha sa akin no'ng bote ng wine, buti kinuha niya nangangalay na kamay ko actually.

I smiled slightly.

"I wanted to celebrate with you.", sagot ko.

Pinanliitan niya ako ng mga mata, may kasamang pagdududa ang tingin niya. Ayaw pang maniwala, 'yon naman talaga ang totoo.

Kinuha ko ang isa niyang kamay na walang hawak na bote ng wine, napayuko siya ng tingin dito.

I was about to tell him na I think we should consider na bumuo na ng pamilya, ngunit inagaw niya ang kamay niya mula sa pagkakahawak ko at saka ito inilagay sa ibabaw ng aking ulo.

"Get changed first and come down after. I'll have the wine ready by then.", iwas niya sa akin. Ginulo niya ang buhok ko ng mahina, bago ako lagpasan upang makalabas sa kwarto.

Naiwan ako doon sa kinatatayuan kong nakayuko.

Napahawak ako sa sariling kamay. I... feel so empty right now. Pa'no ko ba maibabalik sa dati ang lahat? Ano ba gagawin ko upang maibalik na ang mga alaala niya? I can feel him changing every single day, araw-araw akong natatakot na baka maagaw siya sa akin. He's been acting suspicious, and I've been turning a blind eye, giving him all the trust that I could give kasi kahit nawala ang mga alaala niya, alam kong hinding-hindi ako magagawang lokohin ni Zach. That's just not him.

Napaupo ako sa malamig na sahig, kasing lamig nito ang palad niya nang hawakan ko ito kanina. Kasing lamig ng pagsasama namin.

I covered my whole face with my hands as I heaved a sigh. I can't even cry kasi mamumula ang mga mata ko, at agad na mamamaga ito. He'll see through me, ayokong isipin niyang nahihirapan ako.

Hinding-hindi ako mapapagod pero nasasaktan na ako.

Third Person's POV:

Sa kabilang dako ng mundo ay ang malapad na likuran ng isang makisig na lalaki na animo'y nagtatago sa likuran ng isang istatwa na kasing tangkad lamang nito.

Maingat nitong nililibot ng tingin ang bawat sulok ng paligid;

"If you're going to hide, at least hide at a better place.", litaw ng isang boses mula sa likuran nito, dahilan nang pagkagulat ng ginoo. Sa sobrang gulat niya ay muntik nang matumba ang pinagtataguan na istatwa, mabuti na lamang ay nahawakan niya ito ng mahigpit.

Nakahawak sa kaliwang dibdib nito na napalingon ang ginoo.

"Hey, that almost killed the sht of me! My soul almost left my body, the h*ck is wrong with you.", hingal nitong reklamo.

Masama siyang tinignan ng kaharap na binibini.

"This feels like an insult, you hiding and at an obvious spot, that is.", may kasamang irap nitong pagtataray.

Naibaba ng ginoo ang kamay mula sa kaliwang dibdib, saka napatikhim.

"I told you to stop following me, I already ended the engagement almost a year now.", deretsahan na ani nito.

Napanguso ang dalaga sa narinig nito, she obviously didn't like what she heard.

"At least give me a reason for breaking off our engagement, how can you be so cold-hearted?", pagmamaktol ng dalaga na parang nakikipaglaro ng habul-habulan ng kamay sa kausap na ginoo, sapagkat nais nitong hawakan ang kamay ng kausap ngunit inilalayo nito ng binata.

"I've told you the reason million times already, Louise. Come on! Stop acting deaf.", may iling nitong sabi habang inaabot ang nangngati na likuran.

"Zethus, I love you."

Ngumiti ang binata sa sinabi ng binibini, he tapped the lady's right shoulder.

"And I don't.", walang pagdadalawang isip nitong sambit.

"Alfonso!", lagpas nito sa dalaga sabay taas ng kamay upang makuha ang atensyon ni Alfonso, ang kinikilala niyang kanang kamay.

Napahinto ang medyo may edad na ginoo, at inantay na makalapit sa kanya si Zethus.

"Any update with my brother?", may kasamang akbay kay Alfonso nitong tanong.

"Yeah, I'm gathering information about your brother. I'll give it to you once I'm done, so that you can get ready before we meet him. Remember, we cannot screw this up. No one knows that you can't remember anything after the accident. People will use it as as threat or as an opportunity to destroy you, and take credit of what you've worked hard on all these years, and that includes your brother. You've met him a couple of times before, you can't act that you don't remember anything once you meet him. Let's be patient.", mahabang pangangaral na kasamang banta na sabi nito sa binata, na may mapaglarong ngiti naman na pinakikinggan ni Zethus.

"D*mn, I feel like a ticking bomb waiting to explode, huh?", kampante at natatanging sagot sa mahabang sinabi ni Alfonso na sagot ni Zethus.

Tinanggal ni Alfonso ang pagkakaakbay ng binata sa balikat niya.

"You've played around enough, get ready, we're visiting your father.", seryosong ani nito.

Zethus shrugged his shoulder. Nakapamulsa itong lumingon sa istatwang pinagtataguan kanina sa loob ng mansyon na tinutuluyan nito upang tignan kung andoon pa rin si Louise.

"Jeez, she's tough.", mahinang reaksyon nito na nakangiwi nang makitang andoon pa rin ang dalaga.

"Handle her for me.", utos nito kay Alfonso, bago tumalikod upang umakyat patungo sa kwarto niya.

Alfonso gave one of the men in black hovering around the mansion a quick look, and it immediately understood what to do. Nilapitan nito ang ang dalagang hindi pa rin makaalis sa pwesto, tulala na tila ba ay hindi matanggap ang huling narinig mula kay Zethus.

Ibinalik ni Alfonso ang tingin sa paakyat na binata, may kinuha ito sa bulsa niya. It's his phone.

Alfonso dialed a number on his phone. Itinapat niya ito sa tainga at inantay itong mag-ring.