Aurora stared sharply at Rafael, her gaze impossible to conceal. Displeasure was written all over her face. Rafael's possessive remark, made without the slightest regard for her feelings, ignited a fire in her chest.
"I don't belong to anyone," Aurora said flatly, but with heavy emphasis.Rafael looked at her, seemingly in disbelief at the rejection. But before he could say anything, Aurora had already pulled her hand from his grip. She then turned and, without hesitation, accepted Kevin's still-outstretched and respectful hand.Without a word, Aurora walked with Kevin toward the dance floor. Her elegant gown swayed gently with her steps, and for a moment, silence enveloped Rafael, who remained frozen in place.The music began to play softly, and Aurora started dancing with Kevin. Their movements were natural and well-coordinated, and now and then, light laughter escaped Aurora's lips, enlivening the atmosphere around them.Rafael watched them from a distance, hiRafael sat behind his desk, head slightly bowed. The mountain of documents stacked high before him seemed to mock him. Reports, proposals, and files he had ignored for days now waited to be handled. But his heart wasn’t there. Every sheet of paper was just a reminder of how scattered his focus had been since Aurora left.He let out a long sigh, fingers pressing against his temples. He hadn’t truly slept all night; Aurora’s face kept haunting him, dancing through his mind, tangled with anger, disappointment, and a tormenting longing.The sudden ringing of the phone on his desk shattered the silence. Rafael lazily reached for the receiver, but the voice on the other end made his body tense instantly.“Sir, it’s me, Haris. We… found Aurora’s phone signal.”Rafael looked up, eyes lighting up. A smile spread across his face for the first time in days. “Are you sure?” he asked quickly, his voice thick with hope.“Yes, sir. I’m sure,” Haris repl
Aurora closed the taxi door with a heart still weighed down by anxiety. Her breath was heavy as she helped Marissa get out while supporting Reynaldo, who was still weak. Their steps staggered toward the modest inn on a small roadside. Her only hope was simple: to return to the room, let the boy rest, and calm her mind.But the moment they reached the door to their room, Aurora froze. Their belongings had been dumped in the hallway, scattered without care. Her eyes widened in disbelief.“What is this?” she exclaimed.The innkeeper appeared with a blank face. “Oh, so you finally came back.”Aurora quickly approached him, holding back her emotions. “Why did you throw out our belongings? We’re still renting this room. I already paid for a full week. It’s only been three days!”“I thought you ran away. No word, the room left empty for so long, while other guests needed it. So I rented it out again. That’s it.”Aurora clenched her fists. “B
Aurora returned to the waiting room in a rush, clutching several sheets from administration. As soon as she saw Marissa sitting on the green plastic chair, she quickened her pace. Marissa looked exhausted, her eyes swollen from crying all this time. Beside her, the gurney where Reynaldo lay had been parked. The boy was now lying still, his face pale but his breathing more stable. An IV tube dangled from his hand, while a nurse stood nearby keeping watch.Aurora approached, her voice soft. “How is he?”Marissa turned, her eyes still filled with worry but slightly relieved. “The doctor said his fever has gone down after the medication. They’re still waiting for a room to be available, so for now Reynaldo has to stay here.” She touched Reynaldo’s forehead, making sure the cold sweat had begun to fade.Aurora nodded slowly. The heavy weight pressing against her chest eased a little.“Thank God…” she whispered.But seeing Marissa’s weary face remin
The damp morning air filled the small inn room. Aurora walked slowly, carrying a basin of warm water she had just fetched from the bathroom, along with a small towel rolled neatly. Her breath came slightly ragged, not from exhaustion, but from the heaviness in her heart as she looked at the little boy on the rickety bed.Renaldo lay weak, his small body wrapped in a thin blanket, his face pale with sweat soaking his forehead. His fever hadn’t gone down despite Aurora and Marissa taking turns through the night pressing wet cloths to his head. Aurora crouched at the bedside, dipping the towel into the basin, wringing it out, and placing it gently on Renaldo’s forehead.But only a moment later, Renaldo’s body began to shake. His lips trembled, his eyes half-closing as his body convulsed uncontrollably. Aurora gasped in shock, while Marissa, who had been sitting nearby, immediately screamed in panic.“Reynaldo! Oh God, he’s having a seizure!” Marissa cried, he
Rafael paced back and forth in his dark living room. The lights were off, only the moonlight streaming through the large window, casting long shadows across the marble floor. His hand still clutched his phone, the screen repeatedly flashing Aurora’s name with failed call status. Her number was dead. Completely unreachable.“Why are you doing this to me, Aurora?” he hissed, his hoarse voice scraping from his throat. His breathing was ragged, his chest thundering with anger he tried to suppress, but failed.Rafael tried dialing the number once more. Silence. Then the dead tone. His eyes narrowed, his jaw tightened. He had never felt this betrayed before. Everything he had done wasn’t enough to keep Aurora by his side.Harshly, he threw his phone onto the sofa, then stepped to the table, grabbing an empty glass and smashing it to the floor. The shards scattered, reflecting the pale glow. His hand reached for a picture frame on the shelf, a portrait of him wit
Aurora and Marissa stopped in front of the wooden door of the modest inn. Their hearts were both pounding; their weary bodies and worn-out faces made every step feel heavy. Reynaldo was already asleep in Marissa’s arms, his breathing labored and his skin burning with fever. Aurora knocked on the door hesitantly, hoping for a bit of luck on that exhausting morning.Not long after, the door creaked open. A middle-aged woman appeared, wearing a shabby house dress with her hair tied carelessly. Her gaze immediately scanned Aurora and Marissa from head to toe.“Who are you looking for?” she asked curtly, her eyes narrowing as if she had already judged them to be unwelcome guests.Aurora tried to smile politely. “We… would like to rent a room, ma’am. If there’s one available.”The woman snorted, folding her arms across her chest. “This inn is not a shelter for vagrants. Have you seen yourselves? Dirty, shabby. The villagers will be suspicious if I let you stay here.”Marissa stayed silent,