That night, I didn’t sleep.I sat on the edge of Eli’s bed and listened to his breathing. Shallow. Uneven. Like his body couldn’t decide if it wanted to keep fighting.At 2:17 AM, Eli opened his eyes.“Sister,” she said, voice rough. “Did you… fix it?”I forced a smile and brushed her hair back.“Not yet,” I said. “But I will.”She stared at the ceiling for a long time.“Do you think,” she said quietly, “if I wasn’t sick… you’d be happy?”The question hit me hard because it wasn’t fair.“You’re not a punishment,” I whispered. “You’re my reason.”She made a weak sound that might’ve been a laugh.“Liar,” she murmured, and went back to sleep.I moved to the small table by the window. The city noise drifted up—jeepneys, karaoke, someone arguing like the night owed them answers.Adrian’s contract folder sat on the table. I hadn’t opened it fully in his office. I carried it home like it could explode.My phone was beside it, screen down.At 3:04 AM, I flipped it over.Jared’s messages waite
Last Updated : 2026-04-26 Read more