CHAPTER 1

YEAR 2014

ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL (9:XX PM)

“Doctor, how is my mother? Is there still no improvement?” Rhea asked quietly, her voice filled with exhaustion and hope as she sat inside Doctor Mike’s office. He was the physician who had tirelessly cared for her mother since the beginning.

She waited patiently, clinging to a fragile hope that this time, perhaps, there might be some good news. Two years had already passed since her mother fell into a coma, yet despite the heartache and growing hopelessness, Rhea remained deeply grateful to Doctor Mike. He was the only doctor who never gave up on her mother’s treatment.

“It’s still the same, Rhea,” Doctor Mike said gently, his tone heavy with regret. “There has been no response. She is still under medication, Mrs. Benitez.”

His words made her lower her head in quiet defeat. She heard the same painful news every time she visited, the same outcome, no changes, and no progress. It was emotionally draining. There were days when she asked herself if her mother would ever wake up or if she was simply waiting for something that would never come.

“But Doctor, it’s been almost two years,” she said, her voice trembling as her eyes filled with tears. “Why hasn’t she woken up yet? How many more years do I have to wait?” She tried to steady herself, but the weight of her struggles was becoming unbearable. Each day brought new problems and heavier burdens, and she no longer knew how much longer she could endure.

“Patients in a comatose state sometimes wake up after five years or even ten,” Doctor Mike explained gently. “All you can do now is wait and keep praying for your mother’s recovery. Please, don’t lose hope.”

“But, Doctor—” Rhea tried to speak again, but his phone suddenly rang, interrupting her. She remained silent as he excused himself to take the call, understanding that he was a busy man with many patients to attend to. She did not want to waste his time with her emotions. In the end, all she could do was wait, hoping for a miracle, praying that her mother would open her eyes again.

Rhea Benitez was a twenty-five-year-old woman who had once lived a quiet and ordinary life. She believed her world was stable and secure until the accident that shattered everything and turned her life upside down.

Almost two years had passed since the tragic car accident that took the lives of her father and older brother. Her mother was the only survivor, but had been in a coma ever since. With no family left to lean on, Rhea was forced to face life alone, struggling to survive while clinging to the hope that her mother would one day wake up.

Since her father’s death, the family’s beloved restaurant—his pride and joy—had begun to decline. Rhea did her best to keep it running despite her lack of culinary skills, but her efforts proved futile. Her father had been the heart of the business, the main chef, and her brother Rhed had inherited his passion for cooking. Without them, everything began to fall apart. Customers stopped coming, and she eventually had to let go of the remaining staff because she could no longer afford their salaries.

Eventually, Rhea was forced to sell their family home, the place where she had grown up, just to pay for her mother’s mounting medical expenses. It broke her heart to do so, but she had no other choice.

She had endured so much, yet her mother still hadn’t woken up. Whether she admitted it or not, Rhea was slowly losing hope. She had no one to rely on but herself, and she was nearing her limit. Tomorrow, she planned to officially close the restaurant her father had built with so much love and effort. After that, she would search for any job she could find to survive and perhaps save a little money.

“Ms. Benitez?” Doctor Mike’s gentle tap on her shoulder pulled her back to reality. “Are you alright? I’ve been calling you for a while. You seemed lost.”

She forced a weary smile. “I’m just tired, Doc. I’m sorry,” she murmured as she gathered her things. She had already taken up too much of his time.

“I’m sorry too, Rhea, but I need to go. There’s an emergency,” he said as he put on his coat.

“It’s alright, Doc. Thank you,” she replied softly, smiling faintly despite the sorrow pressing heavily on her heart. She needed to stay strong for herself and for her mother. Deep inside, she still believed her mother would wake up one day. For that, she was deeply grateful to Doctor Mike, who had never given up on her mother’s recovery.

“It’s my duty, Ms. Benitez. I truly hope your mother recovers soon,” he said kindly, patting her shoulder before leaving the room.

Rhea quietly left the hospital. Night had already fallen, and she needed to rest. Tomorrow, she would begin again.

When she arrived at her rented apartment, she froze at the sight before her. All her belongings were piled outside the door. From the doorway emerged Aling Mercy, the landlady, fanning herself while a man who seemed to be her helper carried Rhea’s bamboo chair.

“Leave that there,” the landlady instructed curtly.

“Aling Mercy, why are my things outside?” Rhea asked in shock.

The old woman narrowed her eyes. “Good thing you came back, girl! Do you really need to ask? I’m evicting you! You’re four months behind on rent! What do you think this is, a charity? I’m running a business here, not a shelter!” she scolded loudly.

Rhea wanted to ask her to lower her voice since the neighbors might hear, but she no longer had the strength to argue. She was in no position to defend herself.

“Please, Aling Mercy. I promise I’ll pay you. I’m just really struggling right now,” Rhea pleaded, her voice breaking.

“No! I’ve been patient enough. I won’t let you take advantage of my kindness. Pack your things and leave! I won’t house people who can’t pay. Do you want me to go bankrupt?” the landlady snapped before turning away.

Left with no choice, Rhea gathered her things and walked away from the building, not knowing where to go. She had no one left to turn to. The friends who once surrounded her had long abandoned her when she became poor.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Dad, Kuya... why did you leave me? What am I supposed to do now? You were my only strength. Mama, please wake up. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to live,” she sobbed, crying out into the empty night. Why hadn’t she just died with them? At least then, she wouldn’t be suffering like this.

She wandered through the streets, carrying all her belongings, when suddenly rain began to pour without warning. It came down hard, drenching her completely within moments. She looked around for shelter but found none. Shivering, she sank by the roadside, hugging herself to keep warm. It was past midnight, and the streets were deserted, cloaked in darkness. She felt utterly abandoned by the world.

A car appeared in the distance, its headlights cutting through the rain. A bitter thought crossed her mind. How ironic, she used to judge people who thought of ending their lives, believing their reasons were shallow. Yet now, here she was, contemplating the same thing.

“I’m sorry, God. I can’t do this anymore,” she whispered to the heavens. “Maybe it’s better this way. I can’t keep suffering like this,” she said softly as she stood up and stepped onto the road.

She saw the headlights speeding toward her. She knew this would be the end, but she no longer cared. All she wanted was to escape this cruel and merciless reality.

“You’ve had enough, Rhea,” she whispered to herself before surrendering to the darkness that swallowed her whole.