Lahat ng Kabanata ng Seduced by My Childhood Sweetheart’s Brother : Kabanata 281 - Kabanata 290

Felix was hospitalized two weeks ago. Colin had lost a lot of weight from taking care of him, but he had to forge on. His parents were also quite old, so he had to be the pillar of the household.However, his eyes still sparkled with life when he was with me. He'd grin seductively at me. Like opium poppy, it was beautiful, lethal, and addictive.He'd coo and ask if I had eaten or why I looked under the weather. Then, he'd feed me the chicken soup Mom brewed personally.He'd also apologized for not spending more time with me and promised that once Felix felt better, he'd travel with me and bring me to a beautiful place.I smirked and nodded my head.Unbeknownst to Colin, he was the most beautiful thing in my world. I didn't need to see any other tourist sights.For his stellar performance, I added even more flowers next to his name in my mental note. He was closer to becoming my official boyfriend!One day, Mom told me during dinner that she had visited Felix in the afternoon. Sh

It took Felix more than 20 minutes to finish the bowl of chicken soup. During the feeding, Melinda cried several times out of joy.After the bowl became empty, I was relieved that the whole ordeal was over. I wanted to go home, but Felix called out my name. "Lulu, will you come back again tomorrow? I want to see you."His voice was meek and faint. A strong gust of wind could have overpowered it easily.It was a simple request, yet it filled me with disgust.I had already cut ties with him that day and told him my love for Colin. To my dismay, he still wanted me to stay in my life. It annoyed me, truth be told.Colin was mad. He hollered loudly, "Felix, you're testing my limit here!"Felix did not react or look at Colin. In fact, he looked at no one except for me.It made me think that he was living inside his shell, oblivious to his surroundings.The annoyance I felt earlier deepened.What was happening? Why was he bothering me after Lilac broke his heart? If what he said was

Colin was silent when we made our way back to the ward. I was feeling anxious as well.I had heard about depression. It was a mental illness, triggered by a traumatizing event. In some serious cases, the patients might turn violent or take their own lives.When I was studying at university, the sister of one of my coursemates had postpartum depression and jumped off a building, leaving behind a one-month-old baby.If Felix took his life too, I…I was too afraid to imagine further."Calm down, Colin. Maybe the diagnosis is wrong. The doctor only suspects it, doesn't he? Perhaps Felix will return to normal tomorrow morning."Colin patted my head and pulled me into his embrace. He leaned in and whispered into my ear, "Yes… Thank you, Lulu."…The next afternoon, I came to the ward with the dinner Mom had prepared.The ward door was ajar. I heard movement from the bed. Felix was sitting against the pillow with a stoic face.Colin sat on a stool in front of him. They were having a

My sensitive heart, the time we spent growing up together, my elders' tears and pleadings, Colin's sorrowful back—they controlled me like chains, with no way out.When I entered the ward on the fifth day, Aunt Mel hurried over to me with reddened eyes. She grabbed my hand and began crying."Lulu, please save Felix. I know he's done ridiculous things to you, but he still likes you. Can you forgive him? Please be with Felix. Only you can help him!"Everything I had feared was now coming true.However, I didn't want to. Why should I bear the consequences of Felix's own choices? Why should I live a life dominated by others?I had Colin. I only wanted to be with him.What about Colin and me? What would happen to the love we'd just started? I couldn't bear to part with him."Aunt Mel, there is nothing between me and Felix at all. Colin is the one I love. Even without Colin, I won't be with Felix. You're aware of what occurred back then. I'm also my mom's precious daughter. Why should

Indeed, they were right. I understood it better than them, but things were not that simple.If it were that easy, Felix wouldn't make himself so miserable.After seven days, on a Saturday, my parents were resting at home in the morning when the phone rang.Aunt Mel was unexpectedly calling Mom. She cried and stated that Felix had respiratory failure. He had been brought to the emergency room again.Even though I was unwilling to think that way, I guessed he did it purposefully to force me to be with him. His life was at stake, and we had no choice but to go to the hospital.It took three hours for Felix to leave the emergency room, and we felt horrible the entire time.Colin leaned against the wall. He took a cigarette from his pocket, but his hands were shaking so badly he couldn't light it for a long time.I held his hand and helped him steady the lighter's flame beneath the cigarette.Colin took a drag, leaving only half the cigarette. He then puffed smoke into the air, foll