CHAPTER 1

YEAR 2014

ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL (9:30 PM)

“Doctor, how is my mother? Is there still no improvement?” Rhea asked quietly, her voice laced 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, holding on to a fragile hope that this time, perhaps, there might be some good news. Two years had passed since her mother fell into a coma, yet despite the heartache and mounting hopelessness, Rhea remained deeply grateful to Doctor Mike. He was the only doctor who had never given 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, 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. Every day brought new problems, more burdens, and she didn’t know 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, Do—” Rhea tried to speak again, but his phone 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 didn’t want to waste his time with her emotional outbursts. In the end, all she could do was wait and wait for a miracle, for her mother to open her eyes again.

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

It had been almost two years 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 left to face life alone, struggling to survive while clinging to the hope that her mother would wake up.

Since her father’s death, the family’s beloved restaurant, his pride and joy, had begun to decline. Rhea tried her best to keep it running despite her lack of culinary skills, but the effort was futile. Her father had been the heart of the business, the main chef, and her brother Rhed had inherited his passion for cooking. But now that both of them were gone, everything fell apart. Customers stopped coming, and the remaining staff had to be let go when she could no longer pay their wages. Eventually, Rhea was forced to sell their family home, the house where she grew up, just to afford her mother’s mounting medical expenses. It broke her heart, but she had no choice.

She had endured so much, yet her mother still hadn’t woken up. Whether she admitted it aloud or not, Rhea was slowly losing hope. She only had herself to rely on, and frankly, she was nearing her limit. Tomorrow, she planned to officially close the restaurant her father had built with such passion. Then, she would search for a job. Any job to survive and maybe save a little.

“Ms. Benitez?” Doctor Mike’s gentle tap on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts. “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, gathering her things. She had taken up too much of his time already.

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

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

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

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

When she arrived at her rented apartment, she was stunned to see all her belongings piled outside. From the doorway emerged Aling Mercy, the landlady, fanning herself, with a man who looked like her helper carrying Rhea’s bamboo chair.

“Leave that there,” the landlady instructed.

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

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, not a shelter,” she scolded loudly.

Rhea wanted to ask her to lower her voice as the neighbors might hear, but she didn’t have the strength to argue. She wasn’t in any 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 retorted 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. Friends who once surrounded her had long abandoned her the moment 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 to the empty night. Why hadn’t she just died with them? At least then, she wouldn’t be suffering like this.

She wandered the streets, carrying her belongings, when suddenly the rain poured without warning. It came down hard, soaking her completely in moments. She looked for shelter but found none. Shivering, she sank on the roadside, hugging herself to keep warm. It was past midnight, and the streets were deserted, enveloped in darkness. She felt abandoned by the world.

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

“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, standing up and stepping 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, merciless reality.

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