Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Before I left the city, I promised myself that I will never ever come back again. I don't even want to remember what happened before I finally gave up. My mind can't handle that. I decided to take a break from everything after what happened. Before I was completely consumed by anger, pain, and remorse. And I think that’s just okay. It's okay to rest for a while. It's okay to leave and nothing will happen again. Because the truth is that there is really nothing to go back to.

But I don't know if I'm just playing with life or what. After years of running away, why even now when I know I can recover again?

For a moment, I glanced at the man beside me. My heart was still pounding and it didn't seem to want to calm down. I feel like I’m going to vomit with so much nervousness and fear as I feel his warm and heavy presence next to me. Its jaw tightens as it smokes a cigarette. I saw the sharpening of his gaze, so I quickly averted my gaze. I hugged the towel Sir Anton had given me earlier.

“Are you coming together, Ana? We're heading.”

I looked up at Sir Anton when I heard that from him. I even noticed Erika's meaningful look at me before turning to the man still silent next to me. I was about to answer but he preceded me, so my mouth just fell open.

"After you, bro." I felt even colder when I heard his voice.

"Don't be too hard on her, bro," a man replied before they finally left.

“We'll go ahead, Ana. Let's just meet at home. ” Erika said goodbye to me.

I bit my lower lip because I didn’t know what to answer. I wanted to go home because I was sure she was already waiting for me. I also don’t know if I will be able to face this man now. But everyone seemed to agree with him when I just looked after them until they disappeared from my sight.

I sighed violently and stood up.

"I-I need to go home—"

"You're not going home tonight not until you talk to me," he interrupted me in his baritone voice.

My muscles trembled. The strong wind blew again. It was getting dark and only the full moon was giving light to where we were. When I glanced at him again, he was still sitting with his back to me. I saw, even more, the big tattoo on his back and the dragon on his arm. I feel like his body has grown even bigger than before. Its hair is no longer long.

"W-we don't have anything to talk about…" I almost whispered to myself but I'm sure he heard it because he suddenly stood up and faced me.

I was automatically amazed at how tall he was. There was a hint of anger in his eyes as he stared at me.

“After you left me with no other choices, is that what you will tell me? Are you even sure about that?” He said in his baritone voice which gives a shiver to my spine. His eyes were full of agony. I averted my eyes from him immediately because I couldn’t bear to face his gaze.

"Don't you think I deserve an explanation, Ana?" He asked and suddenly approached me, so I was alarmed. But before I could react, he quickly wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly. I felt his face sink into my neck. I could feel his hot and heavy breathing. At the same time, my heart was pounding.

“H-Hector…” I immediately bit my tongue when I said that unintentionally. I heard his grin as he still hugged me.

"You're still calling me by that name… It's been five years since I last heard that from you, yet it's still soothing," he softly whispered. “I fucking missed you, Solei.”

FLASHBACK

EARLIER IN 5 YEARS…

"Sir is calling you to his office," Nikki told me coldly, so I just nodded. I thought she was leaving but I could still see her looking at me with mixed judgment.

“The courage to reject an Aragon, huh? You're so full of yourself,” she whispered before finally leaving. I just followed her with my gaze and tiredly sigh.

It all happened only yesterday and I have prepared myself for the words I will receive from many especially here in the office. I'm immune because I've heard too much from my family already. But what I wasn’t prepared for was facing Ares. When I left that church, my mind was filled with nothing but fear and remorse. Especially when I found out who Hector really was. He's Ares' half-brother, Hector Apollo Aragon. I didn’t expect everything. It didn't come to my mind that he’s the brother of Ares that everyone says. Of all people, why him?

“Hey, are you okay? I saw Nikki here. What was told to you?” Elena woke me up when she arrived.

I looked at her tiredly. I feel like I'm going to cry again because of my conscience. It was eating me up little by little and I no longer knew what to do.

“A-Ares is calling me…” I almost whispered to myself and closed my eyes firmly. I felt her hold on my shoulder.

“You should have expected this. Don't worry, I'm here, I'll wait for you." She comforted me.

I heaved a deep sigh and looked at Ares' office. Before I finally went there, I took the white envelope from my bag. It was my resignation letter. My heart almost came out of my chest because of the intense pain I felt when I entered his office. Deafening silence greeted me so I heard the pounding of my chest even more. I feel like I would faint anytime.

“Just fucking bring everything here! Even if you take him with you, I don't fucking care!”

I almost jumped when I heard that shout of Ares. When I looked at him, he was standing while facing the whole city. His cell phone was in his ear as he repeatedly cussed. Sometime later, he suddenly turned in my direction so I stiffened in my stance. His eyes were sharp but there was a trace of pain. He put the cell phone down on the table and sat down on the swivel chair, slightly shaking his head.

I feel even heavier because of what I see. He's too stressed and… and I even ran away from him. How could I do this to him?

"Seat, Ana," he coldly uttered and didn't even bother to look at me. I bit my lower lip and followed what he said. I can’t even look at him because of the fear I feel. I closed my eyes tightly before finally looking at him.

“I-I’m so sorry, Ares…” I almost whispered to myself. I saw how his expression changed suddenly. It suddenly softened and there I saw so much pain in his eyes. He tilted his head and looked at me.

"Instead of saying sorry, why don't you tell me what I should do to make it up to you?"

I was stunned by what he said. His eyes widened and he quickly stood up. In an instant, he was in front of me on bended knees, so I completely melted.

“P-please, Anastacia, don’t do this. What's wrong? Is it because of what Dad and Mom said? Is it because of that? Please, tell me… talk to me…” He said full of pleading.

It's because of your brother, Ares. I accidentally married your brother…

I didn’t know what to say as I saw him on his knees and begging me. I feel like I am being crushed little by little, especially every time I remember the infidelity I did to him. That even if it happened all unintentionally. That even I didn’t accidentally make it all happen. That if I only had enough money, I would file an annulment right away, but I also knew it wasn't that easy. Life doesn't work like that, Ana. Stop fooling yourself.

"I-it's not… please… I can't…" I whispered to myself and kept crying in front of him.

"P-I'm sorry… I'm sorry, Ares, but I can't… I'm so sorry…" That was all that came out of my mouth over and over until I felt his tight hug on me.

“I-I didn’t mean to. Sorry… I can't, Ares. I-I didn’t mean to. I-I'm so sorry…” I said to him between my sobs.

Two years since I answered him and we became officials, this is exactly the scenario that happened. But he was the one who cried the most that time. From then on, I promised he was the only one I would love forever. It never occurred to me that we would part like this. I am the one to blame. It's all my fault, yet I still don't have the courage to admit to him what was happening to me. I couldn't face what I had done for fear that I might lose him forever. But here I am now, I'm the one who finished it. Fuck you for being so fucked up, Ana. Everything in you is so disgusting!

I cried on his shoulder for hours. And as I slowly broke down, he still held me — which further made me realize that I was not deserving of him. That I was so ambitious and I thought I could reach him that easily. By the way. Absolutely not.

But all my outlook on life changed again when I saw him at night. In a restaurant and he is not alone. He was with Agatha, my sister. I just stared at them from the outside. Ares' smile is genuine so are his eyes. He was so happy as if nothing had happened to him yesterday and this morning. When I looked at my sister, it was the same. I sighed when Ares suddenly took Agatha's hand and gently kissed her. My forehead furrowed because I didn’t seem to understand anything at those times. What's happening?

“Are you sure that was Agatha with Ares? Maybe you were just hallucinating,” Elena then withdrew a bottle of beer in front of me. I looked at her and frowned.

"What is this?"

“Drink, fool. I know you need that,” she replied and drank her as well.

I didn't hesitate any longer and looked at the beer she gave me then lazily sighed. I don’t know why I don’t feel anything. I wasn't even able to face the two of them before and just went straight to Elena who was right in a bar.

"I hope she isn't," I whispered to myself.

Elena and I drank for a few hours at that bar. I thought I would cry incessantly at her but I was even more surprised when I didn’t. I feel like I’m exhausted and there’s nothing left to release.

“Come with me. Just a moment, promise. I'm not drunk yet,” I told her again and pulled her upright.

“Stop it, Ana! You will only hurt yourself more, e!” She shouted at me, so I laughed.

"I have no right to be hurt because it was all my fault!" I told her back and marched out of that bar. I went straight to her car and soon she would follow me, so I just smiled.

"Pray that we won't see anything because otherwise, I will be the one to hit them both." Elena even threatened me that I just nodded.

But everything we said was wrong. When we got home, we were exposed to Ares and Agatha who was shocked to see us. I looked down at the hand they were holding.

“Ana…” Ares whispered. Agatha's gaze was sharp. I expected him to let go of my sister’s hand but he didn’t.

“W-what's happening here…” My voice trembled and I turned to them and then laughed. "So, you're the one I saw earlier at the restaurant…" I added.

My heart sank when I saw Ares avert his gaze from me. It was only then that I understood everything. I was even holding Elena when I felt the weakness in my knee.

“What are you doing here? The audacity to come back here after what you did to mama and Matthew.” I heard Agatha say, so I focused my gaze on her.

"What did I do to them?"

She laughed sarcastically and moved the body closer to Ares silently. “Really? After you disrespect— ”

“D-disrespect? Should I apologize to them then because I disrespected them? How about me? You should've apologized to me either for insulting and hurting me,” I told her bitterly. I felt the pain in my heart as I remembered everything they had done to me. I can't even forget that and it's haunting me.

“What’s going on here? Ana? What are you doing here?”

Everyone turned to mama when she suddenly came. I immediately noticed its sharp look at me so I felt even more shaken. I laughed sarcastically, trying to hide this fucking pain.

"The last thing I remember is that it's still, my house but you mortgaged it because my older brother needs money," I said bitterly and glanced at Ares who was staring blankly at me.

“How dare you say that to me! After all, this family has done for you!” Mama shouted angrily, so I laughed and turned to her again.

“You didn't do anything for me but hurt me and blame me for my dad's death. Always wished I had just died and not him. How I wish it was true. After all, all I wanted you to be happy…” I said and continued to cry quietly. I feel like my heart is going to explode in extreme pain. I feel like I can hurt them now because of what I’m witnessing.

“Stop with your drama, Ana. Just leave— ”

“Tell me, ma. Do you know about the two of them?” I boldly asked her who was referring to Ares and Agatha.

She looked at me even more. I didn't even see any softening in its expression and seemed even angrier.

“Or what now? Didn't you run away? You thought you were too important. They've been seeing each other for a long time before you even met!”

I felt my heartbeat slow when I heard that. In an instant, my accumulated courage suddenly melted away. I couldn't even feel my knees and hands. I feel like I'm dead. I averted my eyes from them all and firmly wiped away my tears. I can already taste the blood on my lower lip because of my repeated bites there. I didn't know what to say, so I just turned around and walked away from them. I even heard Elena calling me.

As soon as I got away, I was completely sitting on the ground. I also felt the pain explode all over my being, so I started to cry. I don't even know how to describe the pain I feel. It is so heavy and disturbing. With so much weight, I feel like I want to remove my heart just to stop feeling.

“Why is it that every time I see you here, you were always crying on the ground?” I heard someone say to me. I didn't even understand that. The next thing I felt was him carrying me and forcing me to put my hand on his neck. When I looked at him, I smiled bitterly.

“Y-you… you’re the reason why everything becomes so fucked up. Hector Apollo Aragon, huh…” I whispered before the darkness took me.