Warning: This chapter contains violence, death, miscarriage and depressing scenes. This may be uncomfortable for some readers so please, be advised. Prioritize one's state of mind all the time. Thank you.

AFTER the graduation, Adamas watched the two get married. Their marriage wasn't that grand and their only witness was Anais. Nagpakasal sila sa huwis at namuhay sa kabilang siyudad kung saan nagtayo ng bakery shop at bahay si Adamas.

Hindi imposibleng hindi sila mahanap ng mga Laurien kaya hindi na rin sila nagpakahirap pang lumayo at magtago. Alam ng dalawa na malalaman at malalaman din nila kung nasaan sila pero hindi na natatakot dahil wala nang pakinabang pa ang lalaki sa pamilya nila.

Him breaking the engagement was the cue that he already cut ties with them. Mahalaga ang engagement dahil susi 'yon upang mas lumawak pa ang ugnayan ng businesses ng Laurien. At dahil hindi ito sumipot at nagpakasal sa iba, paniguradong abot-langit na ang galit ng ama at hindi na pa nanaising makita pa ulit ang anak.

Even if Adamas Laurien would try to go back, he would likely be disowned by his family.

And he was right. His family didn't even bother finding them.

The events went fast. Maya't maya itong nagpapalit dahilan para maramdaman niyang malapit na itong matapos. The extent of his gift was almost at its limit.

Sa loob ng dalawang taon namuhay nang tahimik ang dalawa. Walang kahit anong gulo. Walang pumapagitna sa kanila. At kung may problema man, nagagawa nila itong maayos.

They were happy not until Noa got a call from someone.

Nagluluto si Noa nang hapunan nila nang biglang mag-ring ang kaniyang phone. It was from an unregistered number.

"Hello?"

"Hello. This is the Southern Medical Hospital. Is this Lilianoa Laurien?"

Napatigil ito sa paglagay ng toyo sa Adobo. "Yes. W-what is it?"

Napakunot din ang noo niya habang nakikinig. Nasa likuran siya ni Noa at dinutdot talaga niya ang tainga sa phone upang marinig ang caller.

Pinakinggan niya ang sinagot nito.

Namilog ang mata niya matapos marinig ang sinabi ng caller. Natigilan siya. Kasabay ng nalaglag na sandok ang kaagad ding pagtakbo ni Noa palabas ng bahay. He immediately followed her to the hospital.

The call reported Adamas' death. He died because of another episode of Takotsubo.

What triggered him again? 

The event he saw were all happy memories with Noa so how come he was triggered by extreme emotions? Did happiness kill him?

Dumiretso sila sa emergency room pero may nurse na humarang at sinabihan si Noa na magtungo sa second floor. Sira ang elevator ng hospital kaya walang choice si Noa kundi sa hagdanan umakyat.

"Noa!" Muntik nang lumuwa sa gulat ang puso niya nang makita ang manunulat na bumangga sa pader dahil sa isang malakas na puwersa. Katatapak lang nito sa second floor pero isang hampas kaagad sa ulo ang natanggap nito.

Kaagad niyang pinukol ng masasamang tingin ang humampas kay Noa.

It was Anica. Kasama rin nito ang iba pang mga anak.

"Hayop ka! Pinatay mo ang anak ko!" Muli nitong sinugod ang nakahandusay na si Noa. Hinila nito ang buhok at pinagsasasampal ang mukha. Walang tigil nitong kinakalmot ang pisngi ng babae. "Dahil sa 'yo inatake ang anak ko! Pinatay mo siya!"

"I . . . w-what?" Dumudugo na ang labi ngunit dahil sa sinabi ni Anica, parang nakalimutan ni Noa na puno na ng sugat ang kaniyang mukha. Nanatili itong nakahandusay sa sahig.

"Kung hindi mo sana pinikot ang anak ko, hindi sana ito nangyari sa kaniya. Buhay pa sana siya!" Tumutulo ang luha sa mga mata ni Anica at nanlilisik na tiningnan si Noa. "Adamas was a good kid but you ruined him! It's all your fault!"

"Stop, you damn woman!" Adamas sneered at Anica. Even knowing he couldn't do anything, he still tried to grab her hair.

He couldn't just stand and watch. Hindi niya kayang panoorin ang manunulat niyang sinasaktan dahil nasasaktan din siya. It was the least he wished to see. Nadudurog ang puso niya sa tuwing nakikita itong nahihirapan.

Biglang tinadyakan ni Anica ang mukha ni Noa dahilan para mawala sa balanse at maitulak ito sa hagdan.

His life flashed before his eyes as he watched her beloved Noa fall down the stairs.

"Noa!" Nanginginig ang tuhod na tumakbo si Adamas patungo sa kaniyang manunulat. He tried to reach for her hand, hoping with all his might that the extent of his gift would extend its limit. He wanted to save her.

Please, just this moment.

Pero hindi. Tumagos lang ang kamay niya. Kahit hindi niya man gustuhin, wala siyang ibang nagawa kundi panooring bumagsak sa hagdan ang manunulat.

"No! Noa!" Namuo ang luha sa mga mata niya. Kaagad siyang tumakbo papunta sa babae subalit bago pa siya makarating, biglang nagdilim ang paligid.

Sunod niyang nakita, nasa loob na siya ng isang hospital room. He hurriedly went to the hospital bed and checked his author's condition.

She was still unconscious. May bandage ang ulo nito at nakasemento ang kaliwang braso.

"My Noa." He caressed her wounded cheek. His fingers just passed through which made him feel more frustrated. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I wasn't able to help you."

Naupo siya sa tabi ng hospital bed at siniksik ang mukha sa gilid ng unan ng babae. "But I'm glad you're alive."

Seeing Noa falling down the stairs made him lose his breath. At ngayon lang siya muling nakahinga. Subalit, mabilis pa rin ang tibok ng puso niya at nandoon pa rin ang kaba.

Napalingon si Adamas sa pintuan nang may pumasok. It was Anais.

Umupo ito sa gilid ng kama at buong ingat na hinaplos ang mukha ng babae. Namamaga ang mata nito, halatang kagagaling lang umiyak.

Unti-unti namang nagising si Noa. Napunta ang tingin nito kay Anais. Ilang saglit ay bigla itong nataranta. Dali-dali itong bumangon pero napahiga rin pabalik dahil sa sakit ng buong katawan.

"Huwag mo munang piliting gumalaw," pigil ni Anais.

"Si Adamas? Where is he?" Mariin nitong hinawakan ang damit ni Anais gamit ang isang kamay. "Where is my husband?"

Umiling si Anais. Bakas sa mukha nito ang puyat. "Wala na siya, Noa."

"W-what?"

"The doctor said he experienced another episode of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. Nang dalhin siya sa hospital, huli na para maagapan siya."

Kaagad na umiling si Noa. "No. No. T-that can't be true." Hindi na mabilang kung ilang beses itong umiling, hindi kayang tanggapin ang balitang wala na ang asawa.

"You're lying. He's not dead!" Isa-isang tumulo ang luha sa mga mata nito. Nanginginig ang mga labi nito habang sinasambit ang pangalan ng asawa. "Where is he? Let me see him! Let me see my husband!"

"Noa, don't move. Hindi ka pa okay." Hinawakan ni Anais ang magkabilang braso nito nang subukan nitong bumangon ulit.

Tinulak nito si Anais at hindi nakinig. Bumaba ito sa kama ngunit dahil hindi pa nito kayang tumayo na mag-isa dahil sa mga natamo, bumagsak ang katawan nito sa sahig.

"Noa!" Kaagad siyang lumapit sa manunulat na pilit na gumagapang papunta sa pintuan habang iniinda ang sakit. Pero kahit na kaunting usog, hindi sumusunod ang katawan nito.

"Fuck! Move!" sigaw ni Noa. Namayani ang galit at sakit sa emosyon nito. "Gumalaw ka! Please!"

Adamas crumbled as he watched her author desperately trying to get out of the room. She was screaming while banging her injured head at the same time because of frustration.

He couldn't believe he would see for himself his beloved Noa be so desperate. This wasn't what he yearned to see way back in the fictional dimension. What he envisioned about her and what her life was were far from what he saw. He never once thought Noa would suffer.

Why is the real dimension so cruel to my Noa?

"Noa, please, stop . . ." Hindi niya napansing tuluyan na pa lang tumulo ang mga luha sa mga mata niya.

"Noa, ano ba! Sinasaktan mo lang sarili mo." Anais stopped Noa from hurting herself. Dumudugo na ang kilay nito dulot sa pagkakasapok nito sa sarili sa sahig. "Wala na siya, Noa. He passed away three days ago. At nilibing siya kahapon."

"Hindi 'yan totoo! Adamas is not dead! He is not dead!"

Niyakap ni Anais nang mahigpit si Noa. "I'm sorry. As much as I want to lie to you, I can't. I tried to stop my family and told them na hintayin ka munang magising bago siya ilibing. But knowing Mom, wala siyang pakialam. I'm sorry, Noa. I'm sorry wala akong nagawa para pigilan sila."

Napatulala si Noa. Nagraragasa ang mga luha nito sa mga mata. "Wala na siya? W-wala na? Dahil ba sa akin? Dahil ba pinakasalan ko siya?"

Humiwalay si Anais at mabilis na umiling. "No. It's not your fault."

"It's mine. It's my fault. I k-killed him. I killed him. I killed Adamas." Nakalimutan na nitong kumurap at nakatitig na lang sa kawalan. "I killed him. I killed him. I killed him."

"Noa, stop. You are not the one to blame. Walang may gusto sa nangyari." Hinawakan ni Anais ang magkabilang balikat nito pero hindi na nakikinig pa si Noa.

"Kasalanan ko 'to. No'ng una, dahil din sa akin kaya siya inatake. Ngayon naman, ako pa rin. Pinatay ko siya, Anais. Kasalanan ko 'to lahat." Napahawak ito sa sariling mukha. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Noa, tumigil ka!" Kaagad na hinawakan ni Anais ang isa nitong kamay nang magsimula nitong saktan ang sarili.

"Let go of me! Kasalanan ko 'to!" Muli nitong tinulak ang babae. "Ayoko na! Ayoko na rin dito! Ayoko na mabuhay! Pagod na ako! I might as well die with him!"

"Noa . . ." Napako si Adamas sa kinatatayuan habang pinapanood ang manunulat niyang unti-unti nang nawawala sa sarili. Ang itim na emosyong pumapaligid dito ay unti-unting kumakapal. This was too much for him to see.

She wrote him strong but seeing her in her worst state, he felt like he could die anytime soon. He would never be strong enough and not be affected by her author's insanity.

"Noa, ano ba! Stop!" Kaagad na winaksi ni Anais ang kamay nito na sinubukang hilahin ang sariling buhok. She coped her face and didn't let go. "Listen to me. I know you're hurt. I know hindi mo pa kayang tanggapin and I know mahihirapan ka na wala na si Adamas pero kailangan mo pa ring lumaban, Noa."

"How? Ako na lang mag-isa, Anais." Pumiyok ang boses nito. Mariing napapikit si Noa. "How am I supposed to live without him?"

"Your baby is alive."

Natigilan ito. Ganoon din siya.

My Noa is pregnant?

"M-my baby?" She touched her stomach. "But I was pushed down the staircase. There's no way . . ."

"The baby survived." Anais let out a smile. Pinahid nito ang mga luha sa mga mata. "Hindi ka nag-iisa. You still have your baby, so please, don't lose yourself, okay? Nandito ako. Tutulungan kita."

Muling humagulgol si Noa at niyakap nang mahigpit ang babae. She cried herself out and Anais didn't leave her side. She didn't leave her until she fell asleep.

Adamas, too, stayed by her side. Even though she couldn't see him, he wanted to watch over her. He didn't want to lose sight of her because he was afraid that something might have happened. No matter how weak he was feeling at the moment, he knew that Noa was feeling more than what he had right now. He was most worried about the dark emotion covering her too. Thankfully, it subsided because of what Anais told her.

But how long would this keep her sane?

Two days later and Noa was still inside the hospital. The pain in her body was now bearable, allowing her to move.

"Oh, my wordy Noa, please be careful," alalang saad niya nang bahagya itong tumalon pababa ng kama.

Hinawakan nito ang stand ng Dextrose at dahan-dahang naglakad palabas ng kuwarto. He followed her while his arms were open, ready to catch her anytime she would fall. And even though how slow, he walked at the same pace as her.

Tumigil ito sa harap ng staircase.

"Do you want to go down? Be careful, okay?" he reminded her. Nilingon ni Adamas ang paligid, nagbabakasakaling mahanap si Anais upang maalalayan si Noa pero iba ang nakita ng mga mata niya.

He clenched his fist as he glared at the man walking towards Noa.

It was Azure.

"Hey, Noa. Long time no see. It's good to see you," sarkastiko nitong sabi at nakapamulsang tumabi kay Noa. "Do you want me to help you?"

"No. Get lost." Noa didn't bother to glance at him.

"You're still so cold despite losing your husband." He chuckled. "Get over it, Noa. Kung sa akin ka pa kasi napunta, hindi mo 'to mararanasan ngayon."

"Hindi ka pa rin tapos? You get over it, Azure. I will never want to be with you."

"Well, as much as I want to, it makes me furious that I didn't get what I want." Umupo ito sa hagdan. "And of all the people who I didn't succeed in beating, ang kapatid ko pa. Ang kapatid kong mahina at iyakin. Tell me, Noa. How am I supposed to get over that when I am way better than him?"

Noa scoffed. "Oh, believe me, Azure. You're no better. You are actually the worse. Your ego is the proof." She rolled her eyes and was about to take a step but Azure stood up, stopping her.

"And this is the worst part. Kahit wala na ang kapatid ko, siya pa rin ang iniisip mo. Siya pa rin ang pipiliin mo. At nag-iwan din siya ng isang bagay na mas lalong nakakagalit." Pinasadahan nito ang tiyan ni Noa bago naglakad at nagtungo sa likuran ng babae. "I hate it, Noa. I hate you carrying my brother's child."

"Wala akong pakialam. Leave me."

"I don't want you to have a kid with him." Mariin nitong hinawakan ang balikat ni Noa. Nilapit nito ang bibig sa tainga ng babae at saka bumulong. "Noa, do you want to go down the stairs again? In a hard way?"

Adamas cursed when he realized what he was about to do. He grabbed Azure but to no avail, his feet just past through.

"Shit! Please, just this once. Let me save my Noa!" He pleaded and tried kicking him but the same thing happened. He couldn't touch him.

He forgot how many times he felt helpless and watched her Noa getting hurt by a Laurien. Huli na para makaangal pa ang babae. Tuluyan na itong tinulak ni Azure pababa ng hagdan.

"Noa!" His scream reached the corners of the hospital. For the second time, immense fear flashed before his eyes. Pangalawang beses na itong nangyari subalit wala pa rin siyang nagawa. Nakatanaw lang siya habang patuloy na pinapahirapan ang kaniyang manunulat.

And for him, this was the worst torture of all.

Umusbong ang galit niya sa lalaking tumulak kay Noa. Lalo pang lumaki ang poot na nararamdaman niya nang marinig itong tumuwa.

"Serves you right." Hands in his pocket, he walked away while chuckling.

And if Adamas could split that mouth wide open, he already did. He already gave him the most gruesome and inconceivable death. How dare he lay his hands on his Noa. How dare he killed his author's child!

He gritted his teeth. A tear fell from his raging eyes as he didn't remove his gaze from the man. "Azure. I will make you suffer the worst."