Mending Heart's Affliction [Phoenix Countesses: ETHEREAL MAIDENS SERIES I]

Chapter 42

Almost

I was convinced I died that day. I gave up. I stopped fighting because it was so exhausting—it's the most draining thing to do, to survive.

But I was wrong.

I could feel a chilling mixture, as if my entire body was being beaten because of the intense pain. I couldn't even speak. I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn't. I am conscious! I could hear voices. I wanted to know who those voices belonged to, but I didn't have the strength to even open my eyes.

What the hell happened?

Suddenly, I coughed. Repeatedly. Nonstop. Until a liquid came out of my mouth. I could hear voices again. For the nth time, I tried to open my eyes, and I succeeded.

But it felt like I immediately regretted it as I saw who was in front of me, trying to pull me back to reality while they seemed to be slowly consumed by darkness.

"C-Celeste!"

Mahigpit akong niyakap ni Arik habang humahangos siya. Basang-basa siya. His clothes were a mix of blood and seawater.

Did he save me? How did he get here so quickly? The last time I checked, he was in San Rafael. Why is he here?

"Get her in the ambulance now!" He shouted, and the medical rescue team quickly helped him get me into the ambulance.

Blood continued to pour from my mouth. My back was in intense pain. It was from the impact of hitting the rocks before I fell into the water.

Nang tingnan ko si Arik ay nanatili siya sa labas ng ambulance habang ako ay naisakay na sa loob. I tried to lift my hand to reach out to him, but I couldn't. I tried to speak, to tell him to stay with me, but I couldn't.

Stay with me, Arik, please. Don't leave me. Hindi ko kaya to. I feel like I'm dying from the pain. Just stay here...

But he couldn't hear my plea. Until the ambulance door closed, and I lost consciousness.

Arik saved me that day. I found out he followed me. Benj called him, and he immediately returned to the city with Sarah and Ariah. He rushed straight to me.

He was there all along. He heard everything Victoria said. He witnessed how I fell from the cliff. He witnessed me giving up on survival. He witnessed me stopping the fight.

He witnessed how I let go of that branch.

And without hesitation, he jumped off that cliff just to save me. How could he do that? I don't know.
All I know is he saved me that day.

And now I'm here... I don't know how to save him now.

"Celeste, dear, get some rest. Kanina ka pa nagbabantay rito. You're still not in good shape, you might forget that."

"I'm fine, Uncle. I'll stay here with him. He's alone. I don't want him to feel so lonely," I said with bitterness, not taking my eyes off him.

How did this happen? I thought everything was fine. I waited for a long time. Ilang araw din ang lumipas bago ako nagising dahil sa insidenteng nangyari sakin, at pagkagising ko, ito ang bumungad sa akin.

Arik got into an accident. It's serious. While I was being transported in the ambulance that day, he lost control and his car fell off the skyway.

And here he is now. He's fighting for his life inside this damn ICU! Comatose, with no certainty whether he'll wake up or not! The doctor even said it was a miracle that he survived. It means he's really putting up a fight.

"Is he going to be okay? It's been over a week, but he still hasn't woken up. Gigising pa ba siya?" I whispered.

I took Arik's hand, kissed it, and tears immediately streamed down my face. I can't bear to look at him. I can't bear to see the tubes attached to him and the machines surrounding him. Hindi ako makahinga habang pinapanood ko siyang ganito na nahihirapan.