OneShot Compilation

(5) Little Temptress: Part 3 (ENGLISH)

"I-I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He whispered, fixing his slightly disaligned tie.

I couldn't help but look down the white tile of the room as my mind's slowly processing the information I just got. After discovering who I was, he escorted me inside the room to where Paige is.

She's lying unconscious with lots of apparatus connected to her body.

"You see... I know everything about you and my wife." He started with a blast which took me aback.

He even looked at me goddamnit!

"Don't worry. I won't do anything as it is part of the deal we had."

My brows met in confusion. I wanted to ask but I couldn't wrap my head around the right words to say.

"Paige and I, despite being married, is in an open relationship--for her, at least. She has only been forced to marry me in order to save her family's reputation and because of that, she hated me so bad that she wanted to just die than be with me, so I let her do whatever she wants."

I could see his lips trembe, pale from visible frustration.

"A-And you're fine with that?" I finally asked my first question.

"No, of course not. But this is the only way I know to lengthen her life, by letting her do whatever she wants and find someone to love, in this case, with you." Mr. Beihn looked at me and smiled.

"She was talking about you everytime we meet and whenever she mentions your name, I see the happiness she'd never had with me."

He sucked his lips and looked at her. "Unfortunately, that won't last for long as she only have a month to live."

I froze. "A-A month?" I stuttered.

"Why do you think she's here?" He asked and looked at me. "Stage three brain tumor and she refused surgery."

I felt my heart sank; legs trembling.

How is this happening?!

I took a step back and almost fell to the ground, good thing a metal chair's sitting behind me, so I was able to hold myself up.

"C-Can't you decide for her?" I muttered. "I-I mean, you have the rights. You are the husband. Can't you do something about the surgery?"

He slowly shook his head. "There's no guarantee that she'll survive after the surgery. She might even die during the process."

"So, what?! You'll just gonna let her die without doing anything?!" I couldn't hide the pain in my voice that I had to shout.

He paused for a few seconds and looked at me directly in the eyes.

"She's gone through a lot, I've seen her suffer in pain. I could only wish I could take it away from her and be the one to endure everything but I couldn't." I could see tears misting his eyes as his voice broke into soft sobs.

"It's her wish not to suffer anymore and it's my job to respect, honor and fulfill what she wants as her husband."

"T-That's bullshit." I snorted. "If you really love her, you'd help her!"

"The urge of wanting her live because I don't want her gone even if she's suffering a lot is pure selfishness. I love her so much that I had to set her free even if it shatters me into pieces."

My lips parted as I watch Mr. Beighn's tears roll down his cheeks. He close his eyes and softly wiped them away.

"I can't force you to understand and I won't ask for too much."

I swilled when he moved closer.

"Just please stay with her until the end."

• • •

After Mr. Beighn and I talked, he immediately left, leaving me a lot of confusions which were constantly running to and fro inside my mind.

Since then, I've never seen him again. I, indeed, took care of Paige together with the two maids Mr. Beighn sent.

I took a month leave, so I would never have to leave her side for work. Finally, after a week, she woke up but it didn't last for long.

She only opened her eyes for a few seconds and then went to sleep for all eternity. I never even had the chance to hear her voice again--she left--gone--to where I could never reach her.

It has been a year since Paige died, but I could still feel her warm hugs across my body. I could still clearly remember her sweet smiles, her angelic voice and how the way she took care of me even though everything about us was wrong from the very beginning.

I placed a bouquet of flowers on top of her grave and fell down the ground to which I see nothing but pure white.

After a year of enduring, finally, we'll meet each other again.