Chereads / IT'S FATE, AFTER ALL / Chapter 15 - VOLUME 15: MEMORIES DON’T SAY GOODBYE

Chapter 15 - VOLUME 15: MEMORIES DON’T SAY GOODBYE

After 1 year, she went home to supervise the businesses of the Montejo's in the country. But her return was really not for the better since Amanda is plotting something terrible to get revenge on Gab—because according to her, it was Gab's fault that Luke was devastated after they broke up.

Since the day Gab visited Luke's condo, everything was so hard for Luke. He never go to work. He never accepts any call from anyone. He's drinking every night at the bar with his friends. Before the company will be totally goes bankrupt, PGC decided to take over the business. Luke was fired on his own company. And Amanda saw all these things. She comforted Luke and gives him some advices but Luke just pushes her away. Sometimes, giving her insults that were heart-pinching.

Meanwhile, Gab very excited to went home. A surprise welcome party was organized by Chad and his family. When Gab opens the door, she was surprised to see everyone—Chad and his family and Pat. Everyone was very glad. Laughing. Eating. Smiling. Chit-chats.

In the midnight, Gab left the house to buy some toiletries at a nearby grocery store. She left a note in the living area so that Chad won't worry about her. While driving, she was in awe seeing the buildings around, few people walking, and few cars. This little things make her smile. She just missed her home so much. When she was about to left the store, she unexpectedly meet Luke. Looking eye to eye. No words came out of their mouth. Their hearts skip a bit. But Gab immediately dodge and rush outside. Luke run after her. Luckily, he caught her hands. He hug her from the back. Tears flowing on his eyes. But after a minute, Gab pushed him. She ran into her car and drives swiftly.

On the other part, far from a far, a mysterious car was seem to be spying and was taking pictures. "Yes, Sir." The mysterious man nods. "Bye."

Meanwhile, Gab was catching her breath slowly as she hides on a dark corner. She was stunned with Luke's back-hugged. She feels his body' warmth. She smells his natural fragrance. She feels…

"Hey!" Gab trembles as she realize her thoughts were so weird. "You're such a crazy." She said as he punch her head. "Why? I just missed him a lot." She sweetly uttered acting like a coy. "No. Not. Hey! Gab. Get back to your senses, okay. You should not get swayed by his schemes, okay?" as she pat her shoulders sounding like praises to herself. "Good girl."

"Are you okay?" Chad opens the door.

"Oh! Yes. Of course." She quickly responded. "I just bought some stuff in the grocery store."

"Okay." Chad tries to sound like he agrees but on his mind he feels like Gab has keeping something.

While Gab was lying on her bed, she was still thinking about their sudden meet up with Luke. It feels quite strange for her though. But was caught her attention was the black car outside the store. When Luke suddenly hug her, she unexpectedly saw a man with a black cap taking pictures but it stopped when it notice that she was curiously looking at him. At first, she don't mind it. May be she was just mistaken by her instincts. But she feels really strange since when she look back from where she was secretly hiding after Luke fails to caught her the second time around, she saw the car left as soon as Luke left.

But since she feels like someone crazy if she takes this seriously, she just ignore it and fall into sleep.

In the morning, she wakes up as soon as she smells something delicious. She followed the smell and she was surprised to see Chad preparing for breakfast.

"Hey!" She said in awe. "Since when did you?"

"Why?" Chad interrupts her. "Is there any problem?"

Gab smiled. "None. It just feels so odd seeing you around in the kitchen—cooking and wearing that apron. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha…" She was laughing her hearts out as she tasted the food.

She feels satisfied and makes a thumps up. "Mmmm… Delicious." "You're really weird these past few days. Well, weird on the good note though. Looks like you're going somewhere. Are you getting married?" She teased him.

"Yes. I'm coming." Gab answered her phone while driving her car for work. She enjoyed the view from her car while the traffic light signalled green. She just miss everything. Not far, she saw an old woman who was having a hard time crossing the street. She was about to get out her car and help the woman but a generous guy helped her instead and it was Luke. She suddenly smiles thinking that Luke as still some goodness in his heart after all. She feels proud since she's the one who taught him when they were still younger. But all of a sudden, she stopped when she notice a black car was tailing him. It was the black car she saw the other night. It feels bizarre for her just she just thought maybe it was just coincidence.

Meanwhile, Luke was very busy starting his own business with his friend Matt, a restaurant—"Ilestwald Fine Dining". Since his friend was a chef by profession and loves to serve delicious food to people, he started a restaurant business. He invited Luke to invest since he wanted to help Luke start a new life—a change of life. After Luke decided to join his friend with his new restaurant, he became busy again and preoccupied himself with more important things rather than always drinking in the bar until dawn. Since Luke was really a born businessman, the restaurant has a good start. A lot of people came to eat and dine every night. They became popular. At least, Luke was starting his life again.

One night, Gab's client decided to have a meeting at "Mi Amore Fine Dining, Luke's new restaurant. Since Gab doesn't know the owner of the said restaurant, she happily agrees to meet her client on that restaurant. Well, she love the place. The ambiance was great. The receptionist was very customer friendly as well as the waiter. While waiting she ordered some appetizer. And she really loves the food. She take gazes on the paintings on the wall on every corner. She was amazed by how every paintings was carefully chosen since it suits the ambiance of the restaurant. But what caught her attention was the man standing on the counter area talking to the receptionist. Of all the people, it was Luke. She smirk by how fate tries to provoke her. Then she saw Matt, Luke's closest friend who happens to be the chef as he approach one of their customer. Then he walked towards Luke. Now she was even more surprised that Luke was a business partner and part owner of this restaurant. She tried to hide herself and moves to another table far from the pathway area. When she was already seated, she feels relieved.

While she was busy hiding through the plants inside the restaurant, she accidentally saw a mysterious man dressed in all black with a black cap who is talking someone on the phone. At first, she don't mind it but what makes her curious is that it's the same man she saw when she bought some toiletries the other night. She happens to see this man since when Luke was running towards her and fails to talk to her and eventually leaves, she saw a car tailing on him. Apparently, she saw a man dressed in all black—though not totally his face since it was just too far but her instinct tells her that the man was a bit suspicious at all. But she just ignore it. Maybe she was just too nosy if she made it a big deal. But this time around, she got goose bumps especially when the man said that he will do it tonight without any error and was looking suspiciously at Luke everywhere he goes.

When her client arrives, she can't focus to the meeting since she's been thinking with what was the real meaning of the words she heard a while ago, "I will do it tonight, Sir without any error." She frequently apologizes to the client for the inconvenience but her client just recommended her to reschedule their meeting since Gab's wasn't feeling okay. In reality, she was really bothered by what she saw and heard. She was grateful for her client's consideration and thoughtfulness that she haven't finished to say thank you—she leaves immediately as soon as the man sitting across her, stands up and follows Luke behind. She tails him this time. And now, she's the real nosy one. She was really curious with what was happening right now but she can't go directly to Luke and ask him since that would be so awkward for her and she can't just turn a blind eye on situation where her guts telling her something is wrong. She tails the man secretly. When they reached a national highway, the car of the man suddenly disappears.

"What?" She blames herself for being careless. "So damn crazy." She continues to look for him when she saw Luke's car from afar parked on a hazard mode. She tries to draw near but not too much—just a distance where Luke won't recognize her. She saw Luke buying something on the pastry shop. When Luke was about to get in his car, he saw at the right corner, someone started its car engine. Bingo! It was the man she was tailing with. But the sound of his engine was beyond ordinary it was like someone who joins a car racing. Then, all the puzzle pieces on her mind was form into a bigger picture—someone's going to hurt Luke this time and not just a simple one but it could mean taking away his life for real.

When Gab left that day, it was also tough for her. Yes, she was hurt by Luke but when Luke said sorry she felt he was sincere enough to admit he was wrong. The moment Luke run after her, how she prayed hardly not to look back. How hard she hold back her tears. She knew she loves him so much even though it was just a lie, but what she felt when they were still together was real and so as, Luke's feeling. She understands Luke because she loves him when they were still young. Back then, when Luke went into their house after her grandfather died and asked her to come with him in the States, she wanted to go but pretends she don't want to. On the day of Luke's travel into the States, she quickly changes her decision and runs immediately into the mansion. But sad to say, she was just a minute late—Luke already left. Since that day, she's been praying and hoping one day they will meet again. And when they meet after 15 years, she was really glad to see Luke. But because of the long gap of not seeing each other, she don't know how to approach Luke. She don't know what to say. And more than anything else, she feels sorry for not keeping her promise to him. When they have a huge fight, she did not keep any hatred nor anger towards Luke even though she cries a lot. She understands him that's why when Luke offers her a deal to work for him again, she never hesitated and quickly accepted his offer. She wanted to see him every day. Though she doesn't show it in words, but she cares for him secretly. She makes sure she can be of help to him even if he won't recognized her efforts. When she was in the States she asked Pat to look after him at a distance, that's why she knew what was happening to Luke over the year that she was away. Blake was so nice to her that he even court her but Gab rejects him for the reason that she was already thankful for his help and she don't want to take it advantageously. But actually, the real reason was, she knew she's still loved Luke so much.

Meanwhile, Luke's car was not on good condition because when they reached a quite road, it abruptly stopped. Then Luke tries to start the car but it was like moving then stop, move then stop. A car from behind temporarily stop then starts its engine quickly. "Bang!" A car collision happens. But it wasn't Luke's car, it was Gab. Her car rolled into the ground. The man who hits her droves his car swiftly and left the scene. Luke went out his car. He immediately calls for rescue. He walks slowly towards the wrecked car and when he was drawing near, his tears keep flowing as he saw it was Gab. He instantly run towards her.

"No. No. No. Gab? Gab wake up." He cried desperately.

He moves Gab's body out of the car since there was a leakage of gasoline. When he already moves her body out, the car immediately exploded. He place Gab's body on the ground, hugging her and talking to her while crying.

"Gab wake up. Please." He added as he cries.

At the ambulance, he holds her hands so tight and was crying a lot. He was full of blood. He tries to talk to her but Gab was unconscious. He ordered the driver to drive faster. He was even shouting and yelling.

"Emergency." Emergency…" shouts the paramedics as they rushed the victim to a nearby hospital. "It was a car accident. The patient is in critical situation. She losses her consciousness right after the collision and that's approximately 30 minutes before arrival. She lose a lot of blood." "Okay, transfer her to the ER immediately." Gab was rushed to the ER and was given immediate medical treatment but no one is sure if she can survive. While, Luke was still in shocked, waiting outside the operating room. He even don't care if his shirt is full of blood. He feels numb—as if his brain were still processing everything. Even his tears won't stop flowing.

The doctors as well as the nurses were very busy in the operating room while Luke just stood outside, standing and just looking blankly on the wall. His tears keep flowing. The scenario keeps repeating on his mind. He tries to understand what was happening but he feels numb. He don't care about anything that he haven't responded the nurse staff who was talking to him and asking for contact information about Gab. He just handed down his phone to the nurse and dialled Chad's number.

After hearing what happen to Gab, Chad and his family rushed to the hospital. His parents were very worried and was crying outside the operating room. Chad notice Luke sitting on the chair, crying and staring emptily on the wall.

The operation lasted for 3 hours. Luckily, Gab survived the operation. But she's still in critical condition according to her operating surgeon. "She's okay. There is no critical damage on her spine as well as on her internal organs. And we've already stop the bleeding. The blood transfusion really help a lot since when she arrived here, she lose a huge amount of blood." The doctor looked at Luke. "But we need to monitor her carefully. We will transfer her in the ICU. She has minor damages on some area of her brain that's why she will be unconscious even for weeks."

Chad send his family to go home especially his grandmother since it's already late in the evening. When they left, Chad seated two seats far from Luke. He just stay there sitting beside him silently. Days passed by and many came to pay visit for Gab. However, Luke never leave the hospital. He was with the same position since the day Gab was brought to the hospital. He never went home. He never eats. He never drinks even just water. He never take a bath and change his polo shirt with a dried up blood. Even if some who notice him, urged him to go home and get change at least, he won't move an inch.

Chad was a bit worried on Luke. Seeing him sitting on that chair for almost a week now, he started a conversation with him.

"Thank you." He said. "I heard you donated blood for Gab. Thank you. You saved her. You were really her knight." Chad smilingly added.

But Luke remained silent.

Chad continues. "You know what 15 years ago, every time we got a chance to talk, she was too proud having a friend like you—having someone she can depend on. She always tells me that she got a knight-in-shining armour in you. Even after 15 years had passed, I knew by the looks of her eyes, she loved you. That's why even if you're apart from each other, I cannot butt-in. Every time that she feels sad and lonely and I made her happy, it still not enough to set in between. No matter what I do, I cannot replaced you in her heart 'because you've always been there from the start. Even if you hurt her a lot of times, she never gets tired loving you. Even if she cries every night, you're still irreplaceable. After knowing what your family did to her father and mother, she didn't hate you for that. She always believe that you are different from them and the two of you weren't part of your family's misfortune in the past. Yes, she left but she didn't went to the States to get away from you. She went to visit her dying grandfather who wishes to spend her remaining days with her. After a year, she went home and I know it's not because of work or her dad's businesses, but because she wanted to see you even if without you knowing it. She just want to love you even if you could not love her back. She was like that all these years. She's too selfless."

After hearing everything, Luke was crying even more. Chad comforted Luke until he stops crying. He told Luke to go home first and get changed. At first, Luke won't go, but Chad insisted that he should go while Gab was still unconscious. He guaranteed him that he will inform him immediately as soon as she wakes up. Luke eventually leave the hospital. He went home and get change. But while he was away, Gab started to move her finger. She was finally conscious. She finally survived death. Chad immediately called Luke. After hearing the good news, Luke hurriedly rushed to the hospital. Being caught up in the traffic, he left his car and run instead despite the heavy rain. He don't mind getting wet. The only thing that was on his mind was to see Gab alive. No matter how many times he stumble on the ground due to slippery road, he always get up and continue running. When he reached the entrance, he run towards the elevator but since all of them were full, he took the stairs. Despite how high Gab's room was, he never hesitate to take two steps upward. No matter how many missteps he take, he continued. When he finally reaches the room, he momentarily stop at the door, catching his breath for a while. Then after, he opens the door, he slowly walks towards her. Crying. When he saw Gab alive and was smiling, he immediately hug her. Chad and his family went outside to give them privacy to talk.

"Hey! Why did you do that? Huh? Going in between on situation like that was so dangerous. Aren't you scared? Is that what you got while you're in the States? Would that make you more beautiful and dashing? What if you really died? Have you ever thought how can I forgive myself by letting you go the second time around and never fought for what we have? How can I live life then? If you died, how am I supposed to live without you? That was just so selfish on yours." Luke angrily uttered while crying too.

"Hey! You talked too much." Gab was a bit annoyed. "If you just went here to scold me, just leave, okay? I'm tired. I'm not totally healthy yet, okay. Plus, the doctor advise me to avoid any form of stress." She added while pushing Luke away. "Leave."

"Really?" Luke acted like a coy.

"Yes. Leave. Now." Gab strongly uttered.

But when he was about to go out and opens the door, he quickly rush to Gab and hug her. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I was just scared. I' sorry."

"Really?" Gab mischievously asked him as she hugged him back. "What about you? I heard you donated your blood to me so that I could live. Aren't you scared? What if you fainted during the process? I remember back then when we were still younger, you always cry when you saw an injection."

"I was scared a bit." He proudly responded. "But I have to be brave for you."

"Really? How nice of you. You were really a brave person." Gab added as she stroked Luke's head.

After getting better, Gab decided to go home and continue her medication at their house. She was welcomed by her family—Chad, Chad's parents and grandmother, Pat, Blake and her grandfather's assistant. A simple welcomed party was organized by Chad and his family. Gas was so happy. Seeing everyone around. A simple video presentation was prepared by her dearest friend, Pat. After the party everyone left except Luke who help Gab as she get in her room. He help her taking her medicines and even lying into the bed. While she was lying in the bed, she invited Luke to lay beside her. At first Luke won't move, he was surprised. He even makes a joke on how bluntly Gab was. But Gab instantly stopped him from thinking weird thoughts. Well, he was just joking though. While lying beside each other, they talked about life and love. Gab started to talk.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Luke asked.

"For everything." Gab responded while looking at him. "Thank you for coming into my life. Thank you for not giving up on me—on us. Thank you for saving me again."

"Huh?" Luke smilingly asked while looking at her. Then hug her tightly.

Gab suddenly kiss him. Luke was surprised. He take a sweet revenge by kissing her as well. They shared a sweet, deep kiss. THE END.

Gab's POV:

Life is not merely about coincidence. Everything that happens in our lives and every person we meet along the way has a unique purpose and reason. At first, we couldn't understand its significance. We are blinded with the humps and bumps of life. We are hurt with the unfairness of it. But at the end of the day, life will always make its own way of teaching us to believe on what seems to be unbelievable. Because what has destined to happen will surely happen. If it's meant to be, it will be. Truly, it's fate after all.