The Lingering Past

Everything I felt and witnessed in that dream was surreal. Did that happen? It was too realistic to be a dream. The weirdest part is that I remember every detail of what happened.

When I dream, I usually forget about it after I wake up, but this one was so vivid that I thought I was kidnapped and brought to that prison. What was the latent content of that dream? Should I... be scared about it?

I checked the time, and only thirty minutes had passed. I took my time to calm down and sort out my thoughts.

I cringed when I heard my phone ring. "Gosh, that gave me a scare."

I looked at my phone, and it was the unknown caller. I didn't have a choice but to answer it.

"Hello? Who is this?" I asked in annoyance.

I only heard silence on the other line. Is this a prank call?

"Look, if you have nothing to say, don't waste my time." I was about to end the call when I heard a sigh.

"You didn't even bother saving my number after you changed your phone?"

When I heard the caller's voice, my heart immediately sank. Don't tell me...

"V-Vincent?"

Please, no—it can't be him.

I heard a chuckle from the other line. "I'm glad you still remember the voice of your fiancé. I'm in a café near your school. Can we talk?"

The shock and fear I felt as I confirmed his identity made me release my phone. If Vincent is here, then that means my family is also here. I closed my eyes to calm myself and hugged my knees—refraining from panicking.

How were they able to find me? Should I run away again?

I stood up upon hearing my phone ringing again. Even if I don't look who the caller is, I know Vincent is calling me again.

I angrily grabbed my phone and blustered, "Persistent bastard!"

I was about to block his number, but I got a text message from him.

—

From 09*********

Don't think about blocking this number. Aren't you tired of running away? Have you forgotten that my family owns the Rastro Establishments? Your new school looks shabby, by the way. Can't they afford to repaint the walls? It looks like an abandoned facility.

—

I squeezed my phone in frustration. That damn rascal! He always does what he wants and gets what he wants! Why do they bother looking for me? I'm not even relevant to the Manalo family!

They're uninvolved in my mother's abuses, so they called me the family's black sheep! So why are they so hung up on taking me back? I don't understand their intentions.

I sighed deeply. "Let's just hear what he says and bounce, Chesah. I'm sure Vincent isn't that stupid to inform my cold-blooded cousin of my whereabouts."

If he did, I wouldn't hesitate to run away. Just thinking about facing Ivan, my cousin, makes me remember how pathetic I was. I'm not scared of his presence, but his gaze toward me is something I detest. Not only that, he was the only person who witnessed the abuses I experienced as a child, but he did absolutely nothing. He looked the other way and let me face my mother's displaced aggression.

I racked my brain for how many years to think of why he didn't do anything, and the only reason I can come up with is the conferment of inheritance after my grandfather died.

I'm not a possible candidate for the company's successor, but I'm still a Manalo. Since I ran away, Ivan has become the CEO, and he'll soon become chairman after showing that he's befitting the position.

"It's conspicuous that I don't have any interest in that troublesome position. I even ran away from it, for Pete's sake!"

Why can't they leave me alone? Now that Vincent's here, I have no choice but to meet up with him.

*****

I entered the café and wasn't surprised that no one else was inside except this douchebag.

When our eyes met, he immediately stood up. He's still the same. He looks handsome with his new blond hair and captivating hazel eyes. All women loved his ripped body, sharp nose, and red lips, but that's all he is. He's a walking red flag that I regrettably waved in the past.

While Vincent was walking towards me, I remembered how my heart used to beat so fast when looking at him. He was dashing like a prince, and my stomach would be full of butterflies every time he complimented me.

The way he talked to me was comforting because I felt like I was a salient person in his life. I looked up to him since he was the only one by my side after all the sh*t I'd been through.

But now, he is just a rose with thorns. I changed, and so did my feelings for him.

"Dani, how are you?" He was about to hug me, but I walked past him.

"Let's cut to the chase, Vincent. I don't want people to see me talking with you," I said coldly without batting an eye.

I heard him sigh and sit before me. "We're on the first name basis now? You also used to call me by my second name—"

I cleared my throat. "I don't think you've chased me all the way here just to reminisce about our past, and we are way past the moment where we need to talk about it."

He looked at me with disbelief and asked, "Why are you so cold towards me? I should be the one getting angry! I haven't seen you since our senior year graduation, and I only discovered that you ran away when I asked my brother to find you!"

My eyebrows furrowed. "What is it to you, Vincent? I don't think we're in a kind of relationship where I need to tell you everything I plan to do—"

"Yes, we are! You're my goddamn fiancé, Dani!" He exclaimed.

I clenched my fist and said, "Correction, EX-fiancé. I already broke off our engagement before I left!"

He massaged his temples like he was calming himself down.

"But I never agreed to it, Dani! Our engagement was already planned when we were seven years old! From what I remember, you liked the idea of us getting married after graduating college. Why did you change your mind?"

Why is he saying these things with no remorse? It's like he's in pain over my decision! I'm so sick of his lies.

I sighed. "Yes, I liked it. I depended on you when there was no one else, and I cared for you."

I flinched when he slammed the table. "Then why?! Why do you want to break off the engagement?"

"Did you also like the idea of being engaged to me?" I asked softly.

He was taken aback. The anger on his face dissipated like he didn't expect my question. I realized a lot of things while running away. All of the things we did together and the feelings we shared when we were kids were only one-sided.

He never told me he liked my company and said nothing about our engagement. It's like he accepted it because it's his obligation, and I was dumb enough to fall for his pretense that he reciprocates my feelings.

"Even just for a little bit, have you enjoyed my company? Not because of your sh*tty obligation as the son of a successful businessman, but because you want to," I asked.

I'm not expecting a decent answer. Knowing Vincent, he would probably lie again to bring me back to Switzerland.

"Of course! I enjoyed every single bit of it."

I sneered, "Why did I even bother asking these stupid questions? Is it so hard to be honest for once?"

"Just what do you expect from me, Dani? You asked me questions, and I answered them. What more do I have to do so you can go back?" He asked desperately.

I want to slap him. I want to scream in his face and tell him what I've been shouldering for years. I think now is the time for me to finally end whatever we have between us.

"No one told you anything? Not even that woman who keeps clinging to you like a leech back in high school?"

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean? What does Charlotte have anything to do with this?"

"Listen here, Vincent." I sighed deeply before looking at him intently.

"You didn't know anything because they kept it that way. When we were in high school, your friends always bullied and harassed me whenever you weren't around. They called me a lot of names and said to my face about how useless I was. Charlotte even mentioned that I wasn't good enough to be your future partner since I was my family's black sheep. But despite all of that,"

I smiled and added, "I never blamed you for it. Even if you don't know anything about what has been happening to me behind your back, I endured all of it—just like how I endured everything."

I stood up. "Thank you a lot for the moments we spent together, Vincent. I'm sorry, but I won't be coming back to Switzerland. I hope this will be the last time that we see each other. I'm already happy with my new friends and life here, so please don't hurt me again."

I was about to leave when he held my hand.

"No, I won't let you run away again." He gripped my hand tightly. "I already informed Ivan that you're here."

I yanked my hand away, and I hurriedly ran away from him. What did I expect? Even if I beg him, he still does what he wants. Ultimately, I'm the stupid one for hoping that he can understand what I truly feel. He's an inconsiderate and apathetic bastard.

"Dani! Stop! It's raining outside!"

I should've just ended my life when I had so many chances.

"CHESAH!"

As I heard his voice echo, a flash of light rushed toward me, and my body fell onto the cold ground as the pain slowly crept all over my body.

Am I... going to die? I thought my life was already miserable as it was.

I faintly smiled. Now that I'm slowly dying, everything I experienced in this life is flashing before my eyes.

"No, no!" I can hear Vincent shouting at the top of his lungs.

As his voice starts to get weaker… I gently closed my eyes.

*****

My ears perked upon hearing the birds chirping, and I moved my fingers as the gusty wind touched my skin.

I'm… alive? I slowly opened my eyes. The blazing sun's light blinded me, making me cover my eyes as a reflex.

I adjusted my vision to the light, and my jaw dropped in awe upon seeing my environment. I can hear the burbles of a waterfall, and I can see the tall grass following the wind's direction as it blows.

Where am I? This is such a lovely and comforting place.

It's like I'm in paradise.