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Chapter 4

Author: Keto Peach
Oscar was practically seething with rage. But with so many guests watching, it would be catastrophic to cause a scene. He swallowed it all down, barely.

And right on cue, like a well-rehearsed drama, Diana played her part to perfection. "Maya, don't argue with Oscar anymore, okay? He's really been torn up about all this. While you were gone… he couldn't even sleep some nights because he missed you so much—"

"Enough," Oscar cut in sharply. He reached out to take her hand with a show of sudden tenderness, subtly signaling the emcee to continue the ceremony. "Let's just move on."

Maya, standing a few feet away, saw right through him. She had known Oscar too long, too well—his tells were etched in her memory like lines in stone. He was angry. But unlike the past, she had no energy left to soothe him.

Without another glance, she turned and walked out of the venue.

Back at what used to be their shared residence, Maya sighed. Her father's health had been declining over the past few years, and the household had effectively been taken over by her overly ambitious stepmother. So when she returned to Elminas, she never once considered going back to the Beckham family home.

She had rented a modest place on her own, something quiet and tucked away. But Oscar had insisted—dragged her, really—into staying at his place.

Now, standing amidst half-packed boxes, she began methodically folding her things. The irony wasn't lost on her. Had she known this return would turn into such chaos, she'd have declined Oscar from the start. It had been over a month since she moved in, and she had made this place feel like a home.

It took her a full three hours to sort everything out before moving out.

By the time she lay down on the bed in her new apartment, her body was aching and her mind was drained. Sleep swallowed her whole almost instantly.

In her dreams, she was back in university again.

She remembered those days so clearly—the thrill of youth, the giddy rush of love. They had gone to different universities, but every weekend, Oscar would take the metro all the way to see her, no matter how far. By graduation, the stack of tickets he had collected could rival the thickness of a novel.

She used to crave the sound of his voice teasing her, lifting her out of her studies or her melancholy. Later, when she was ill and alone overseas, it was these memories that kept her afloat. They were her anchor in the storm.

Eventually, she'd met someone new—Charles Barrett. A chance encounter turned ally, turned perhaps something more. With his connections and quiet influence, he helped her find treatment and recover.

And yet… every day, her thoughts drifted back to Oscar.

Charles had always been attentive, always there with the perfect gesture at the perfect moment. She felt flustered by his care, often unsure of how to respond.

For the sake of that bright, youthful love she once had, she had turned him down. Not once. Not twice. But six times.

And after the sixth, she'd made her decision.

"I'll wait for you one last time," Charles had told her, his voice unusually fragile. "If he treats you badly… or if he's already chosen someone else, then come back to me. Try being with me, just once."

Charles had no shortage of admirers. He was handsome and rich. He didn't need to chase anyone. But he chased her.

And maybe that's why she sighed then—because in that moment, she realized they were the same kind of people. Stubborn. Hopelessly so.

She woke with her cheeks damp, the residue of her dreams clinging to her skin. She had cried in her sleep.

Quietly, Maya wiped her tears away and swung her legs off the bed. She thought about making something to eat.

But just as she stepped into the hallway, a strange sound from outside the door made her freeze.

Her stomach dropped.

She had picked this apartment in a rush. The building wasn't exactly top-tier, and the security? Questionable, at best.

Could it be a burglar?

Instinctively, she reached for her phone and typed out a message to Oscar for help.

A moment later, his reply came: [You're really using something like this just to trick me now? I'm with Diana. Stop making a fuss, okay?]

The words hit her like a slap.

She stared at the screen. Since when did she ever joke about something like this?

Maybe he just didn't want to come. Maybe that was all.

She muted his messages and was about to call the police when—

A lazy, familiar voice drifted through the door.

"Maya… you awake?"
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  • Heartstrings and Heartbreaks   Chapter 23

    Oscar turned himself in.He sat quietly in the interrogation room of the police station, his gaze vacant, as if the soul had long since departed his body."I killed Diana Beckham," he confessed in a hoarse, flat tone. "I'm willing to accept whatever punishment the law sees fit."The police moved swiftly. The evidence was overwhelming and irrefutable. Oscar was formally arrested within hours.In court, he made no effort to defend himself. "I admit that I killed her," he said. "And no—I don't regret it. If I had to choose again, I'd still do the same."In the gallery, Mary nearly collapsed in tears. Her only daughter—her one and only child, cruel as she may have been—was gone. She had lost everything. A mother burying her child—there was no pain more piercing.In the end, Oscar was sentenced to death.He was placed in solitary confinement, awaiting the day when the sentence would be carried out.'Maya,' he whispered silently in the darkness, 'I'm sorry. I failed you. I was the

  • Heartstrings and Heartbreaks   Chapter 22

    Oscar stumbled out of the hospital like a man possessed, as if his soul had been sucked out of him. The midday sun blazed down in ruthless brilliance, so piercing that it forced his eyes shut.He walked aimlessly, with no destination, no purpose, a hollow shell adrift on a sea of despair.Suddenly, his phone rang.Glancing down, he saw Diana's name flashing on the screen. His brows knotted in instinctive irritation. He hesitated—everything in him screamed to ignore it—but after a beat, he pressed answer."I heard everything!" Diana's shrill voice came barreling down the line. "Maya's lost her memory. She's never going to remember you again!"A flash of fury shot straight to Oscar's head. His grip tightened around the phone as he struggled to contain himself."You have the nerve to say that?" he snapped coldly. "This is all your fault!""My fault?" Diana let out a mirthless laugh, thick with scorn. "Don't play the victim now, Oscar. Don't forget—you chose me. You abandoned Maya f

  • Heartstrings and Heartbreaks   Chapter 21

    Caught completely off guard, Oscar stumbled backward, landing hard on the cold hospital floor. A sharp, searing pain shot across his cheek where the punch had landed, but there wasn't a trace of resentment in his heart.He knew he deserved it."That punch was for Maya," Charles said icily, his tone as cutting as the blow itself. "You don't deserve to stand anywhere near her."Slowly, Oscar pushed himself up from the floor. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth without a word.Just then, the door to the ICU creaked open, and a doctor stepped out."How is she?" Oscar and Charles asked in unison, both voices laced with tension."She's awake," the doctor replied. "But… her condition is a little unusual.""Unusual?" Oscar's voice rose, taut with anxiety. "What do you mean?""She's lost her memory," the doctor explained calmly. "She only recalls recent events. Everything prior has been completely wiped."A deafening hum echoed through Oscar's head, and for a moment, the wo

  • Heartstrings and Heartbreaks   Chapter 20

    The moment Oscar received Diana's call, he was gripped with panic. Without a second thought, he jumped into his car and sped toward her place, his chest heavy with turmoil.His thoughts churned as the night sped past his windows. He knew—deep down, achingly—that he had ruined Maya's birthday. And guilt gnawed at him mercilessly."Maya, I'm sorry," he muttered silently, gripping the wheel. "As soon as I take care of Diana's situation, I'll make it up to you. I promise."But when he arrived at Diana's apartment, what greeted him wasn't a damsel in distress—but a woman lounging lazily on the sofa, sipping tea like she had the whole world on a string. A smug little smile curled at the corners of her mouth.Oscar's face darkened with fury."What the hell is wrong with you? Are you seriously insane?" His voice erupted, sharp and unforgiving. "Do you have any idea what day it is today? It's your sister's birthday!"Diana blinked at him innocently, her voice trembling with just the right

  • Heartstrings and Heartbreaks   Chapter 19

    Maya let out a bitter laugh, tears welling up in her eyes—yet not a single drop dared to fall. That familiar pride, that unyielding dignity, wouldn't let her break."Maya," she muttered to herself, a tight whisper lost in the night, "what are you still hoping for? He never had you in his heart."Just then, her phone buzzed.It was a message from Diana."Maya, now you finally see it, don't you? Oscar's heart was never with you. If I wanted, he'd toss you aside in a second."Maya stared at the screen. Her lips pressed into a pale, trembling line, and the ache in her chest dug deeper.Every word was a knife.And the worst part?Diana wasn't wrong. Oscar had never truly chosen her. Not once.'Diana, you win.' The words echoed silently in her heart. 'I give up.'She inhaled slowly, deeply—then slid her phone back into her bag with a composure that took everything she had. Rising to her feet, she turned and walked out of the restaurant.By now, night had settled across the city, t

  • Heartstrings and Heartbreaks   Chapter 18

    A few days later, it was Maya's birthday.She opened her eyes that morning and stared blankly at the ceiling above, a strange emptiness settling in her chest. Birthdays were supposed to feel special, weren't they? Yet all she felt was a quiet, echoing loneliness.Just then, the doorbell rang.Her heart gave a little leap—could it be?She hurried out of bed, flung the door open, only to be met by a deliveryman standing crisply in his uniform, a beautifully wrapped gift box in his hands."Your package," he said politely, holding it out.Maya took it, her initial joy dimming into something like disappointment. Still, she managed a smile and thanked him before closing the door.Back inside, she unwrapped the parcel slowly. Inside was a delicate necklace—exquisite and tasteful—and a small card with familiar handwriting.Maya, happy birthday. I'm sorry I can't be with you today, but know that my heart is always with you. —Charles.A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips as s

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