CHAPTER 6: LETTING IT OUT

ETHAN

My parents pushed back their seats and quickly approached.

My mother's face turned red, and tears dropped freely from her eyes. "It's okay, son. It's really okay." She hugged me tightly. "Mum and Dad are always here for you."

"Yes, son. You can always come back to us." My father's voice was heavy with emotion.

Hearing their comforting words and feeling the deep emotions they felt for their only child, my heart felt even heavier, and my emotions became even more distorted.

My mind flashed back to the things that happened after my death in my last life. Everything I witnessed___

From Nick's subtle manipulations to Vesper's belated regret and to Leander's silent support.

But in the end, how could anything ever fill the void of losing one's child?

My parents were never able to recover. My mother lost her mind, and my father barely survived a severe heart attack.

Even though Leander helped keep the company afloat, what could bring back the happiness that had been lost?

I could only keep existing, seeing everything while not being seen.

Witnessing the hurt, the midnight tears, the breakdown, and the shock that came with my death even from people I didn't dare believe would care for me.

Coming back in time to see these people again... how great a chance was it?

But my heart ached. It ached terribly, and it was even hard to breathe.

I gripped my mother's arm with strength enough to hurt, but she didn't flinch. My mouth parted as I cried loudly.

It had been scary. Dying, especially when I had to watch my child leave me without being able to do anything, was a very despairing occurrence.

I had been so scared that I didn't know what to think or imagine.

My life had flashed across my eyes. The mistakes, the happiness I had lost, and the people I would leave behind. Everything had replayed before my eyes like they were making a report.

But I was too powerless to hold on to anything.

It had been painful. It had felt like I was in an abyss. Neither peaceful nor loud. It had been unbearable.

"He never loved me, mum." I cried out.

If his regret after my death had been his way of showing his love... then, to hell with him. He could give that affection to whoever wanted it.

"He played me. He wanted my properties. Dad, he was only after your wealth." I raised my head to look at my father.

"He is a liar."

They hadn't asked. But I needed to let it out. "He killed our child. He killed me, too." It sounded weird.

"I was in the pool of my blood. I was struggling in the hospital, unable to hold on to life nor let go, but he was dragged away by his lover."

"Dad, he didn't return. Even when he needed to sign the agreement for the surgery, he was nowhere to be found."

I hiccuped. My voice grew lower and lower until I could no longer let out a single word.

"Only Leander came." My voice had become a whisper.

My mum tightened her hold, and her tears stained my collar.

I cried in my parents' arms for a really long time.

They didn't ask me what I meant by my last words, and neither did they try to find out more.

Silently, they comforted me and assured me of their presence. They made me realize they would always be there for me.

Listening to their silent comfort and their assuring faces, my heart slowly grew calm, and the turbulent emotions gradually calmed.

I wiped my face as my father led me to my room to rest. "When I wake up tomorrow, I promise I won't be sad anymore." I made a promise to them.

My mother smiled gently. She patted my arm as she covered me up. "Hm." She sat at the edge of my bed. "My son is the strongest."

I closed my eyes.

My mother's soft melody entered my ears as she sang me the lullaby she used to sing to me when I was younger.

Whenever I'd get too scared after watching a scary drama, she'd sit beside me, luring me to sleep with her sweet lullabies.

It had always worked, and this time, it wasn't any different.

Her voice washed away the weariness in my heart. I slowly drifted off to sleep.

"Why did you choose him, Ethan?"

"Why did you fall for him?"

Leander's desperate voice rang as he stared at my cold body on the hospital bed.

"I was wrong, Ethan. I shouldn't have left you with him."

"I should have stayed even when you chose him. I should have protected you more."

I watched as he crumbled to the ground. Pulling on his hair as he screamed to the heavens.

His mature, handsome face showed weariness I'd never seen before, and the sadness in his eyes was overwhelming.

Leander knelt beside my bed, holding my hand tightly as he looked at my serene face. "I was wrong. I was really wrong. Can you come back, please?"

"I promise to protect you this time. I won't let you go anymore. Please..." His voice cracked. "Come back."

My chest suddenly felt constricted. The pain was sudden and harsh.

A groan escaped my lips, and I gasped for air as I forced my eyes open.

I sat up in bed abruptly.

My chest palpitated as I looked around the room with blurred eyes.

Touching my face, I realized I had been dreaming. The murky smell of death had disappeared and in its place was the refreshing scent of my room.

That dream...

I didn't remember Leander crying that way after my death. No, I hadn't been there right then. Instead, I had followed Vesper to see what he was up to and why he hadn't visited even till the last moment.

Did Leander really cry that way?

Was the dream real?

The tears dropped on my wrist___, and for a second, I could swear I saw the countdown stop.