Chapter 1
"Edward, have you ever imagined that our love story would end like this? We can never be together ever again! The pain, the love, the guilt, and the shame are killing me," says Samantha with a heart full of pain and tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Sam. I mean, Samantha. This is not in our hands. It's like a tornado that destroys all of our hopes and dreams.I don't think we'll be able to look at our eyes ever again," says Edward with glistening tears in his eyes. He is trying hard not to let his tears stream down in front of Samantha.
"Is this the ending?" Samantha sobs, wracking her body.
They both remain silent for a while, looking at the ground; maybe it was a few minutes, but it feels like an eternity. Edward gathers all his strength in his feet and starts to walk, leaving Samantha behind. It's not easy for him to leave her. She was the one who comforted him in every situation, whether it was ups or downs. Today he lost her forever. His feet are moving, walking along the narrow road. His eyes are blood red, and tears are flowing down to his cheeks. He doesn't know where life is taking him.
Guilt consumes Samantha over their current situation. Her eyes follow Edward's retreating figure, filled with desperation and longing. Desperately, she hopes that this is just a nightmare and that when she wakes up, everything will be back to normal. She longs to be in Edward's arms once again. She opens her eyes, only to find that nothing has changed. The reality of their situation hits her like a ton of bricks. She did it again, praying to God, "Please, please, please, God. Turn this reality into a dream. Please," tears spill from her eyes, her heart aching with each sob. She keeps praying. As she prays, she realizes the harsh truth that reality cannot be altered. Reality is cruel and unchangeable. Tears cascade down her cheeks, her heart heavy with the realization that their love is now impossible. She knows that Edward must be feeling the same way. As she watches him leaving, she feels aches in her chest. She clutches her chest, her legs giving out beneath her as she collapses to the ground.
25 December morning,
Edward stands nervously on the dimly lit street, his eyes fixed on Samantha's apartment door. He has been trying to reach her since the morning, but she hasn't responded. "Is she okay?" Edward wonders to himself. He knocks on her door and calls her phone, but there is no answer. He tries to call Samantha again, but there's still no answer. "I dropped her off last night, and she was fine. What could have happened now?"Edward whispers to himself, his voice trembling with worry. After half an hour of trying to reach her, he starts to get scared. He paces back and forth, his mind racing with worry. Samantha is usually very responsive, but this behavior is out of character for her. His thoughts turn to the worst-case scenario. "Maybe I should call the police," he thinks. Suddenly, he hears a noise coming from inside Samantha's apartment. He calls out her name, hoping for a response. Placing his ear against the door, he hears nothing but silence. Worried, he dials the emergency number. As the phone rings, he hears a sound from inside of the apartment, like breaking glass. Edward starts to panic and bang on the door, calling out Samantha by name. No one answered. Yet he felt someone's presence inside. A heavy footstep thuds towards the door and stops right on the opposite side of the door, sending a chill down his spine. He searches for something to use as protection but finds nothing. He searches for anything for protection but finds nothing. "Ok, I can defeat you with bare hands, you punk. Come out," he says, holding a boxing pose. He saw the doorknob twisting and the door starting to open. Edward stepped aside to avoid any potential attack. Finally, the door opened, and it was Samantha herself.
Her disheveled appearance, with wrinkled clothes and tangled hair, gave the impression that she had just rolled out of bed. Edward breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her. He took her hand and asked, "Are you okay? Why didn't you answer your phone? Do you know how many times I called you?" Samantha rubbed her left eye with the back of her index finger and let out a small yawn, as if she had just woken up. She replied in a sleepy voice, "Really?" "I'm sorry, I must have fallen asleep with it on silent. I didn't mean to worry you." She stretched her arms above her head, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. Edward couldn't help but smile at her, relieved that she was safe but still a bit annoyed at her oversight. She shakes off her sleepiness and rushes to her room to grab her phone. As she opens it, she is stunned to see 109 missed calls and 43 messages from Edward. "Oh my God! 109 missed calls!" she exclaimed. "Yes, Miss Samantha," Edward replied, his voice filled with concern. "How could you not hear me knocking on the door? I was banging so hard. You have no idea what was going through my mind. Samantha looks at him sheepishly. "I was sleeping like a panda." "Yes, you were," Edward said, pulling her into a tight hug. "But what was that sound then? Was it you or...?" "I woke up to that sound too," she interrupts. "When I went to the dining room, I saw that our photo frame was broken and Peggy was there."
Edward took her arms close to him, saying,Thank God you are okay." He holds his love in his arms for a while.
"Do you remember what day it is?", he asks.
"Of course I do," she takes his hand into her hand and says," Last night I took sleeping pills. I was so excited about today and could not sleep, and she shrugged her shoulders.
Edward shows his disappointment by saying, "How many times have I told you not to take sleeping pills? You know it's harmful. Now go and get washed up. We are getting late", Edward hurries her up".
Today is 25th December, Christmas Day, but it is a more special day for Samantha and Edward; today they are going to meet each other's family for the first time. So it's a big day. They want to make sure that everything goes as they want. Both of them are so excited. Edward comes from a non-Catholic Christian family, and Samantha is a Catholic. Her parents are so strict. Moreover, her family is much more unusual than other usual ones. So, it's so important to make sure that both families like each other and that there are no misunderstandings. They have planned a casual dinner at Edward's home to ease the tension, hoping that the relaxed atmosphere will help bridge any differences between their families.