Chapter 38: Chapter 38

"I'm coming with you," I insisted even though I am very weak.

"No, Aliyah. You should stay here with Cristel," he said.

I don't want to stay here while he's dealing with big things. I need to be with him, he will go to do me a big favor.

"Please, it is time to come back. We cannot hide forever. Cristel and I must face who killed her parents. They should pay for what they did." I tried to stand but my legs are weakling.

"Aliyah, it is better for you to not meddle with this mess. You are weak and you can't be in trouble," he said then carried.

"Please, let me come with you. If you convince Sonia to marry you this day, I can't guarantee that you will see me again after that." I am crying now.

I heard him sighed. "Alright, besides, I want to spend more time with you."

"Nothing will happen to me as long as you are here beside me. You will protect, right?" I caressed his face.

"I will protect you with all of my life." He kissed the back of my hand.

I smiled at him and looked at Cristel. "We are about to come back, are you ready?"

She nodded. "I am ready, I just want to make them why they need to do that? I am not planning to get revenge. The last thing I want to happen is to create a messy world for my child."

I reached her; Henry let me do that. I hugged her. "You will become a great mother. I know that."

Alfredo was a bit worried about Cristel and their baby's welfare. Although his parents are willing to accommodate us when we get there, still it is very dangerous considering Cristel's condition. I, too, am very worried because she's carrying my father, and if something happened to the both of them, I will never be alive.

"When we get there, stay on Alfredo's home. Don't think about going anywhere. It is too dangerous," I said to her while we are on our way.

"I am planning to visit my parents' grave; I never had a chance to visit them. Is that okay? I promise that I won't go anywhere after that," she said.

I smiled then nodded. "Of course, I want to visit them too."

"I already talked to Alfredo about that. We will go there before we go straight to their parents' mansion," she said.

Alfredo is driving the car; Henry is in the passenger seat while Cristel and I are in the backseat. When I coughed blood last night, Henry decided to rush things. He doesn't want to see me again in that kind of situation. He even cried in front of me, and it broke my heart.

"Can I go alone?" Cristel when we got to her parents' grave?

We all agreed to her, she needs alone time with them. I sighed, Henry me his water. "Are you tired already?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "I'm fine."

"You are going to stay with Cristel and Alfredo. I am going with my parents; they are about to faced Sonia's parents. I will talk to Sonia, I-I..." He paused then looked at me. "I will court her again and ask immediately if she can marry me tomorrow, maybe." He smiled but his eyes are hurting.

"You can do it, she loves you. And you should love her too. Even we are not destined to be together, I am very grateful that I met you and I fell in love with a man that brought joy and color to my life. I will remember you always," I said then leaned on his chest.

"I love you, Aliyah. I hope I can meet you again in some time." He kissed my forehead.

Alfredo went to Cristel when we noticed that she was full of tears. She can't even walk properly.

"She was really broken, she saw how her parents' killed by those ruthless people," I said while watching her crying in Alfredo's arms. Granpa, please take care of grandma very well. Protect her and make her live longer than her parents.

"I started this mess, if only I tell you the truth in the first place, we will never be like this. But will you believe in me? I captured your eyes the first time you saw me." I laughed.

Henry chuckled. "You are so beautiful even you are filled with dirt and dust. I can help it, sorry."

"When I am already gone, be happy with Sonia. Make her feel special, don't make her feel that she is just an option. Every girl deserves to be loved," I said then looked at him.

He kissed the back of my hand. "I will try, but no one can replace you on my heart. I might love her but not as intense as my love for you."

I was about to talk again when we saw a group of people walking towards us. Alfredo and Cristel came near to us.

"It was Sonia and her parents. What should we do?" Alfredo asked Henry.

"Drive them home, I am going to talk with them," Henry answered.

"No! I want to talk with them now. I just want to ask them," Cristel, who is still crying, said.

"Love, it is not the right time." Alfredo tried to calm her down.

"Then when is it? I will do anything that could harm me. I will only ask them why they envy my father so much that they came to point of killing them. I am sure this is only about Aliyah, Henry, and Sonia, there's something more." She was very frustrated.

When they finally reached us, Sonia looked surprised. Her face softened when her eyes drifted to Henry.

"Henry," she uttered.

"I am very glad you already showed yourself, Criselda Dela Fuente also known as Caridad. And you too, Miss Aliyah," Sonia's father said, his eyes looked at Cristel's baby bump.

"I am here to ask you a question," Cristel bravely said.

He smirked. "It is true that a pregnant woman is scary. What is it?"

"Why your daughter killed my parents?" Crystal asked without hesitating.

Sonia gasped. She is shaking now.

"So, you were really there that night. Sonia killed your parents, not me. So, why are you angry at me?" He even laughed.

"Papa!" Sonia looked at her father.

"Because you told her to do that! I can't believe that you raised your daughter to be a criminal!" Crystal shouted while pointing to Sonia.

"I am not a criminal!" Sonia was crying.

"You are Sonia, but you know what I will not make you suffer on what you did because you will play an important role. Don't worry I will spare you. But I cannot promise that you will not suffer until you are still living in this world," Cristel said.

Then, I realized something. Did Cristel ask Henry to make Sonia suffered in their marriage? Did Grandma Cristel use the infant me to make Sonia and her children be an outcast in their own father's eyes?

"Cristel, calm down." I reached her.

"Mr. Marquez, let's not make the situation worst. To make things right, I am here to ask your daughter's hand. I..." Henry paused then let out a deep breath. "I want to marry her."

Sonia was surprised then smiled. "Henry, why?" she asked but she cannot hide her happiness.

Her father laughed. "What is it again, Henry? Is that your peace offering? Do your parents know what you are doing? Do you think I didn't know what they are planning to do? They are a part of a terrorist group and they are planning to attack the town and kill me. Tell them, they will not win against me. I will kill just like what I did to that Dela Fuente who humilate me when we are in college. He made me looked like a trash, and now who's buried in the ground?" He even smirked.

"You are a devil!" Cristel shouted.

I held my chest when I felt the pain again.

"Please, I want to make peace as a part of the military. As much as possible, I don't want any war because that is nonsense," Henry said.

"Yeah, tell that to your parents. After you chose that girl over my daughter, do you think I will let you marry her that instant?" Mr. Marquez smirked then shook his head. "You have to kill me first, Dizon!" he said before he turned his back to us then pulled his daughter.

"Henry!" Sonia said before her father pulled her away from us.