"Hya, you can't do this to yourself, all because of that damn person. At least talk to him... once..." Jubilee pleaded.
"I don't want to see his face, let alone talk to him," she started crying as all the talk reminded her of him even more.
"Hyacinth, please," Jubilee pleaded. When she called her "Hyacinth" instead of "Hya," she knew that she was genuinely worried.
"Okay, fine. I will go out tomorrow," Hyacinth finally agreed, her voice filled with a hint of hope.
...
Next morning, Hyacinth opened her eyes, feeling irritated by the rays of sun streaming in. She rolled over to the other side, but the sunlight continued to disturb her. Realizing it was late morning and Jubilee had probably already left for college, Hyacinth knew she had to get up. As usual, it seemed like she would be running late, as Jubilee often works after college and returns home late. Another empty day stretched out before her, and she still hadn't received a response to her resignation.
Sitting on her bed, Hyacinth couldn't help but think about her conversation with Jubilee the previous night. She knew Jubilee was right, and she was lost in her thoughts when her phone rang. She guessed the caller - it was Gabriel again, who had never lost contact with her.
"Hello, Hyacinth. What's up?" Gabriel asked enthusiastically.
"Everything is down, Gabby," Hyacinth replied gloomily.
"What happened? Why aren't you even coming to the office?"
"I resigned," Hyacinth confessed.
"What? But in that case, you're in danger because you can't leave the company until one year according to the policy. You signed the contract, right? Now you can't leave." Gabriel responded.
"I don't care about the damn contract, Gabriel," Hyacinth replied defiantly.
"But still, you have to collect the leaving certificate from Mr Schneider himself unless you don't want to get a job anywhere."
"Okay, I will see what I need to do. By the way, are you free tonight? I need a favor from you," Hyacinth asked, her voice slightly hopeful.
"Anything, sweetie. Tell me, I'm totally free," Gabriel replied.
"I want to hang out with you. I need company, you know, a fun night," Hyacinth requested.
"Done. There's a concert nearby tonight. We can meet there," Gabriel suggested.
"Okay, done. Thanks so much," Hyacinth said gratefully.
"You're welcome," Gabriel replied with a smile.
As they hung up, little did they know that Dominick had overheard their conversation and was furious. Who did she think she was, going out with some random guy when he loved her like crazy? He immediately left for his cabin and called his assistant.
"I need tickets for the concert tonight. Arrange them and inform me," Dominick instructed, his voice filled with anger and possessiveness.
Meanwhile, Hyacinth continued getting ready for the day. She noticed her disheveled appearance in the mirror, evident from the dark circles under her eyes. The sleepless nights and constant crying had taken a toll on her. Determined to put on a brave face, Hyacinth chose a knee-length black dress and a matching coat to combat the freezing weather outside. She took the time to curl her hair and apply a light layer of makeup to conceal the signs of exhaustion.
As she sang a song to herself during her makeover, Hyacinth intentionally took longer to get ready, using the extra time to ponder how she would approach Mr Schneider and retrieve her belongings from the office. Once she felt adequately prepared, Hyacinth locked her door and headed towards the metro station, unaware that someone was discreetly following her.
Ever since that incident, Hyacinth hadn't ventured out, so she hadn't given anyone the chance to catch a glimpse of her. However, this person seemed concerned for her well-being. Observing Hyacinth closely, he noticed her weakened and pale appearance, suggesting she hadn't been taking care of her health. He guessed she was skipping meals and suffering from lack of sleep due to her grief over losing her mother.
Suddenly, memories of a past conversation flashed in Hyacinth's mind.
"Hya, What a mess you're looking like. What have you done to yourself?" He asked.
"I don't want to eat anything." She responded.
"What else are you skipping?" He questioned.
"Night sleep. I really miss my mom a lot." She replied.
"I know, I can feel your pain. I lost my mother too." He replied.
"Really?" She asked curiously.
And Dominick proceeded to share his own story of how his mother had taken her own life.
"Please take care of yourself. If not for yourself, then for your mother. What will she think when she sees you in this condition?" He asked further.
"She cannot see me."
"Of course she can. Don't you see the stars at night? They are our loved ones." He explained.
In that moment, both Hyacinth and Dominick found solace in sharing their grief with each other. It brought them a sense of lightness, knowing that they weren't alone in their pain.
...
FLASHBACK ENDS
Hyacinth really needed him, but it was like her hands were tied. She reached the venue where Gabriel was waiting for her. They exchanged a warm hug, which was purely friendly, but enough to make Dominick furious. They entered the concert, and the crowd was buzzing with excitement. After a short wait, the band finally took the stage.
Hyacinth and Gabriel had a blast throughout the concert. They danced, screamed, and laughed together, completely immersed in the music and energy surrounding them. However, when the band played a sad song, it struck a chord with Hyacinth, reminding her of her pain. Overwhelmed, she spotted a bar nearby and made her way there. Gabriel, unaware of her intentions, searched for her amidst the crowd, but couldn't find her. He called her, but she informed him that she was leaving, not wanting to face him at the moment.
Inside the bar, Hyacinth ordered two shots of drinks, hoping they would help numb her pain. It was her first time trying such a method, but she felt desperate to escape her sorrow. As she consumed the drinks, the affects started to kick in, and she began to lose control of her senses. Unbeknownst to her, Dominick, seething with anger, had been watching everything unfold. He decided to wait for the perfect moment to intervene.
Intoxication filled the air around Hyacinth as she stumbled, her balance teetering on the brink. Just as she was about to fall to the floor, a strong pair of arms caught her in a tight grip, preventing her from hitting the ground.