Lahat ng Kabanata ng Betrayed on the wedding day : Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

That night was utterly quiet. Only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard in Adrian’s study. He sat in his chair, staring at the laptop screen that hadn’t changed for a long while. His fingers rested stiffly on the keyboard, yet his mind drifted somewhere far away.Suddenly, the shrill ring of his phone shattered the silence. Adrian exhaled a long, weary sigh before reaching for it with little enthusiasm. But the moment his eyes caught the sender’s name, his entire body stiffened. Leviana.His hands trembled as he opened the long message.> “Adrian, I hope you read this until the end. The doctor said I might not have much time left. The cancer has spread. I’m too weak, even getting out of bed is a struggle. I don’t want to beg for anyone’s pity, but I have one last request before death comes for me. I want to get married. I want to feel what it’s like to be a wife, even if only for a little while. I want to bind myself to you, even though the world knows my time is short. Please

The faint scent of disinfectant lingered in the hospital corridor. White walls, sterile air, and the soft hum of medical machines filled the space. Yet within one particular room, a fragile dream was being stitched together.Leviana sat propped up against the pillows, her skin pale but her eyes glowing with a strange mix of weakness and joy. In her lap lay a sketch of a simple wedding dress. Adrian stood nearby, adjusting the blanket around her shoulders.“Is this really what you want?” His voice was low, almost hesitant.Leviana’s lips curved into a faint smile. “I don’t have the strength for anything grand, Adrian. Just… something small. Here. With flowers, a dress, and you by my side.”Adrian’s chest tightened. He ran a hand through his hair, torn between guilt and compassion. “Leviana…”“Please.” Her hand reached out, frail and trembling, clutching his fingers. “I want to feel like a bride before I go. Even if it’s just once. Even if it’s only for a day.”He closed his eyes briefl

That night, Adrian came home with heavy steps. After everything that had happened at the hospital, he longed to find comfort in his own house. A home that was supposed to be warm, a place where Deviana always waited for him patiently.But when the door opened, what welcomed him was silence. The living room light glowed dimly, the faint scent of dinner still lingered in the air, yet the warm greeting he always longed for was nowhere to be found.“Deviana?” Adrian called softly.From the kitchen, Deviana appeared with calm steps. Her face was bare, her hair tied simply. A faint smile curved her lips, but something about it felt unfamiliar. It wasn’t warmth that greeted him—it was a cold stillness that pierced deep.“You came home,” she murmured, setting a teacup on the table. “How was your day?”The simple question made Adrian’s chest tighten. He studied her face, the expression he once knew so well. But tonight, Deviana was like an unshakable wall, unreachable.“I… I’m fine,” Adrian re

That night, the house felt unbearably silent. Deviana stood in the living room, her gaze empty as it swept across the space. Every corner of the house had once been a witness to her love with Adrian—also to the wounds that cut deeper each passing day. In her hand was a black suitcase, already packed since the afternoon.No tears fell this time. Only a cold stillness wrapped around her, like a frozen ocean swallowing every storm inside her heart.On Adrian’s desk, she placed a letter. Her handwriting was neat, yet sharp and piercing."I choose to leave before I am completely destroyed. Don’t look for me."After writing the final word, Deviana took a long breath. She looked once more at the house that now felt foreign to her. This is not my home anymore. This is just the place where I was taught the meaning of betrayal.Without a word of farewell, she stepped outside. The door closed with a soft click, as if locking away an old chapter of her life.---The next morning, Adrian woke with

The loud horn of the cruise ship echoed, breaking the late afternoon air at the harbor. Seagulls scattered into the sky, as if welcoming the journey about to begin.Adrian stood beside Leviana, guiding her up the gangway. Her hand was cold, fragile, yet it clutched his tightly as though afraid to let go.“Look, Adrian…” Leviana’s lips curved into a faint smile, her pale face glowing with a spark of wonder. “The ship is so big. I never thought I’d ever set foot on one.”Adrian turned his head, forcing a smile that felt unfamiliar on his lips. “Yes. Beautiful, isn’t it?” His voice was soft, almost tender.But inside, another voice roared.I should be here with Deviana… watching her smile, listening to her laughter, not… like this.He lowered his gaze, hiding the fracture in his expression, while Leviana’s hopeful eyes lingered on the endless horizon.---The ship’s main deck was bustling. Lights flickered on as the sun sank, painting the sky orange and scattering its reflection across t