Chapter I

"Do you really have to leave?" 

"I'll be back before you know it." Lucas cupped Jane's face and stared into her eyes lovingly. "Besides, I will call you everyday."

"I will miss you, Lucas." Jane was teary-eyed. "I'm sorry, I just-" her tears fell as she started to sob. "I just don't feel good about this." 

Lucas pulled his fiancee into a hug. He didn't want to leave either especially that their wedding was just around the corner. But it's necessary that he flies to New York to attend a very important matter. The success of the trip would make him more confident in being able to provide for Jane and their future family together. 

"Don't cry. I'll be back safe, alright?" he kissed her forehead. "I'm still marrying you, and I can't wait to make you my wife."

Jane nodded as she pulled away. She forced a smile. 

"Promise?"

"Promise. I love you, future Mrs. Del Fierro." He took her hands and planted them a kiss.

"Then be back safe. I love you, too..." 

"Wait for me. Once we're married, I'll take you with me where ever I go."

"You're my world, Lucas. I'll wait for you." 

Lucas couldn't remember how many times he looked back at Jane that time. It was never like her to cry whenever he needed to be away for business trips. He's a businessman and he works hard for the future with the love of his life. Everything that he does, he does for Jane. And he knew that Jane's supporting her. So her sudden sadness had got him thinking and unsettled during the entire time that he was away. But a video call with Jane from time to time helped ease his worries.

Days passed by so quickly and it's almost time to come home. He was excited because it's going to be the last time that he had to travel alone. On his next trip, his wife would be tagging along and would never ever leave his side.

Lucas was very happy with Jane. They had known each other since they were kids. She's a beautiful woman inside and out. And he knew she would make a good wife and a mother to their future kids. They have their life planned out and upon his return, it would only be a matter of days before they would start their happily ever after.

Never in a million years would have Lucas thought that one call from his father was all it would take to shatter his world into pieces.

"Lucas, you have to come home, now." Marcus Del Fierro's voice betrayed him and Lucas would've never believed his words had he not heard the man who was his pillar of strength, cry for the first time in forever. 

The next thing Lucas knew, he did the impossible just to fly back that very moment. 

"God, this is not happening! Wait for me, Jane!" Visions blurred with tears, Lucas didn't know what to do. He felt helpless thinking he never should have left Jane in the first place.

--

"Lucas, what are you doing?! Calm down!" 

"No!!! She should die! I will kill her! She must never wake up again!" 

"It was an accident. Lucas, listen to me..."

"What will I do now, dad? Tell me! Jane's gone... My Jane's gone. It's that woman's fault! Let me kill her, let me avenge Jane!"

Danielle could hear everything and a pair of tears proved she was aware of those painful words from a crying and angry man named Lucas.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. No. It couldn't be!

She wanted to wake up, ask him, find out if he was telling the truth. And if it was true, tell him she didn't mean it. But Danie couldn't summon her strength to even open her eyes. 

Where's she anyway? Why couldn't she move? What happened after they crashed with another car? What happened to the good ladies who helped her? Did they not make it?

"Sir, please leave. The patient's condition is not good." She heard a female voice. 

"Not good?! I hope she gets worse!" Lucas cursed. "I hope she dies!" He added, each word laced with venom that it could kill. "She's a killer! Why are you letting her live?"

'I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Did they die because of me?  Please, forgive me!' Tears continued to flow from her eyes. It's the only thing she could do.  He was right. She didn't deserve to be the one alive! She never should have accepted their help. God, she caused the death of them! 

"Please don't say that. Sir, I beg you, this could worsen her condition." The female voice, probably a nurse, said again. 

"Lucas, let's leave. Instead of being here, why don't you go and see your sister? Ruth's been waiting for you," the older man's voice was shaky but it somehow made Lucas to come back to his senses. 

"Yes, Ruth-"

"Lucas! Stop! What are you doing?!!" 

Danie suddenly felt that she was short of air. She heard a buzzing sound and a commotion. And then rushing footsteps. 

'What's happening?'

 Then she saw Jane and Ruth. They were smiling at her.

Memories of the moments they helped her flashed before her eyes.

'Hey, what's your name?'

'Danielle... Danielle Williams!'

--

When Danielle opened her eyes, the light above hurt her eyes. It was like waking up from a deep slumber for the first time. She looked around the white color dominated room. There's a two-seater sofa, a bedside table and a  wall mounted tv. Just above her head were drips connected to her left arm.

Hospital. She was in a hospital!

Shock enveloped her and was about to pull herself up when she realized that she couldn't feel half of her body.

Tears immediately welled her eyes. What happened?

All she could remember was she was running for her life. Men, whose orders were to kill her, followed her wherever she went. She remembered how she boarded a bus and was forced to alight in a place that she wasn't familiar.

However, she did not successfully lost the determined men. She was running, pushing people off her way, she was desperate. Why did they want to kill her?

Rather, why did the very man who raised her, suddenly wanted to kill her? A bitter smile made its way to her lips. She couldn't understand. She loved him like he was her own father. Though he probably didn't love her as much, Danie knew that their relationship as a family was genuine.

So, why the sudden change? Why?

When it was already a dead end for her a pink car pulled in front of her.

'Get in! Quick!'

As if waking up from a trance, Danielle jolted back to her senses when she remembered them - Jane and Ruth!

The two brave ladies who didn't mind the dangerous situation when they decided to help her. Where are they? Did they make it too?

She searched her mind for the things that transpired after she lost consciousness. But all she could remember was their car colliding head on with another vehicle on a sharp blind curve.

After that was a haze of memory.

Danielle was still disoriented and didn't exactly know why she couldn't move. All she knew was, she was feeling scared. Scared that she had no home to return to. Scared that behind the walls of her room were men waiting to kill her.

Tears streaming down her face, the door suddenly opened to reveal a nurse coming in.

"Hi! You're awake!" The female nurse who was just about to do a routine check on her was surprised and immediately sprung into action. She called her doctor and began checking her vitals.

"How are you feeling? You've been in coma for three weeks." The nurse asked her.

Three weeks? Danielle was shocked. She was unconscious for that long? But before she could utter anything, her attending doctor came and immediately started a series of tests.

Giving her almost no opportunity to think things through, an unfamiliar elderly couple came to visit her later that day.

Still shocked, she had to face the parents of Ruth Del Fierro.

"How are you feeling?" Mirriam Del Fierro gently asked, taking her one hand to hold. She had just finished introducing themselves.

She didn't managed a single word as the gentleness on the woman's voice overwhelmed her. Why weren't they mad at her? She caused harm to their daughter.

Danielle wanted to ask about Ruth but was afraid they might blame her. She was afraid that the gentleness in the woman's voice would be replaced with hatred. She didn't want another person hating her.

"You've been in a coma for three weeks," Marcus Del Fierro told her, he had just replaced the flowers on the vase. "We didn't know who you are and didn't find any IDs with you. We're sorry if we weren't able to inform your family."

Family. The word was like a bomb. It exploded and alerted every fiber of her body. No. They shouldn't find out that she's alive!

Suddenly, a great deal of fear overtook her being.

"Are you okay?" Mirriam asked, worry was written all over her face. "Dad, call the nurse."

It was just then that Danielle realized that she was shaking.

'No! Please, don't tell them that I am alive!'