Into Her New Life Novels & Stories

But maybe she had without realizing it. Inside, she sat alone. A glass of water in front of her untouched. People around her moved in soft conversations. Laughter somewhere in the distance. Normal life continuing without friction. ⸻ And for the first time that day— Zia felt it clearly. ⸻ She didn’t belong to normal anymore. Not fully. Not cleanly. ⸻ Because once you’ve rewritten the structure of reality— even peace feels foreign. ⸻ Her phone vibrated again. This time—

bulong niya sa aking kanang tenga at hinalikan niya ulit ako sa huling pagkakataon sa aking labi. Nakangiti akong nakahiga sa kanyang ibabaw. Sa araw na ito ay sisimulan na namin ang panibagong yugto ng mga buhay namin. Panibagong buhay bilang mag-asawa, bilang Mrs. Jazul.

_ 1 month later After the accident happened, wala na akong bahay na matutuluyan. Last year, noong bibisita sana ang mga magulang ko sa amin, nahulog ang bus na sinasakyan nila. It was night time and may nakasalubong silang truck na nawalan ng preno at dahil doon ay nagpanic ang bus driver. Isa ang mga magulang ko sa nasawi sa aksidenteng 'yon. Doon din nagsimula na gumuho ang buhay ko. I poured my heart and soul to Dylan. I showered him with love and kindness, pero pananakit lang ang binalik niya sa akin. Siya nalang ang natitira sa akin kaya pinahahalagahan ko siya ng sobra.

How could everything fall apart this way? With nowhere else to go, I returned to the streets, rain pouring down heavily. Wala akong payong kaya basang-basa ang suot kong damit habang naglalakad ako sa kawalan. I held my belly, and for the first time, I whispered to the tiny life growing inside me, "Anak, I don’t know what to do. Wala na akong matatakbuhan. Hindi ka tatanggapin ng Lolo't Lola mo... Ayaw sayo, ayaw satin ng daddy mo..."

It was strange yet comforting at the same time, as if her presence alone made everything in my life more meaningful. The sun was beginning to set as I maneuvered through the city streets. The sky was awash with hues of orange and pink, creating a breathtaking backdrop against the towering buildings. For the first time in years, I allowed myself to slow down and take in the beauty of the moment. My life had always been a relentless pursuit of success and power, but now, it felt different. Things had changed ever since Aubrey became a part of it.