Yesterday's Future 2✔️

35. The worst has already happened.

12:57am,
Ada & Simi's room,
D'Hôtel Royale.

Ada watched as Simi, still dressed in her casual outfit, sat slouched on one of the sofas, her gaze fixed on some distant point in their hotel room, one hand cradling her chin. She looked tired, her eyes heavy as if the weight of the world had come crashing down on her.

As if on cue, Ada rose from the bed and walked over to the fridge. She knew that Simi needed something to calm her nerves after all the shocking truths that had come to light that night. She handed a chilled bottle of water to Simi, who accepted it with a faint smile of gratitude.

"So you lied to him?" Ada finally broached the subject, her voice cutting through the uneasy silence as she cracked open her chilled can of Budweiser.

Simi sighed, taking a sip of water before replying.  "I didn't lie," her voice was barely more than a whisper. "I just didn't tell him the whole truth. It was all too sudden to process, and I didn't know what to say,"

Ada remained silent, absorbing Simi's words. "You weren't there, Ada," Simi continued, her voice tinged with regret. "He was bombarding me with questions, and there's no way I'd have looked him in the face and told him the truth—that I am the real reason his twin brother, Sam is dead. That it's all my fault."

Ada shook her head slightly, her mind struggling to grasp the complexity of the situation. "You're right. This is twisted, and beyond me. But it's not your fault. I still don't get it though. The fact that the old and current true loves of your life are twins—one died, the other is here—it's such a troubling coincidence, and you're only discovering this now?"

Simi's lips pressed into a thin line as she contemplated the surreal turn of events. She took another sip, the bottle trembling slightly in her hand.

"Simi," Ada continued, her voice gentle but firm. "You've been keeping this secret for years. Don't you think it's time to get it off your chest? Besides, Adam deserves to know the truth about what happened to his twin brother. Look at the toll it took on his family—his mother's heart problems, triggering Adam's bipolar,"

Simi nodded, her grip on the water bottle tightening as Ada's words washed over her. "It's been ten years and none of them have fully recovered from it, not even Tiara. She may appear fine, but it took her a while to recover her old self. We met years after Sam passed, she never talked about him and never once mentioned Adam. That guy deserves to know the whole story Simi, no matter how painful. I mean, the worst has already happened."

"I know, okay?" Simi replied with a heavy sigh. "But you can't possibly understand, Ada. Adam is Stone's brother, and accepting that fact is not easy for me. You have no idea how hard I've tried to bury the pain and guilt I've carried all these years. And now, it's all come crashing back, haunting me. Of all people, it had to be Adam! You know how deeply I care for him, if he finds out, it's all over. I... I need some time to process all of this."

Ada settled onto the king sized bed across from Simi, her gaze never leaving the troubled expression on her friend's face. A heavy sigh escaped her lips, reflecting her genuine concern. "Simi, I won't sugarcoat it; this whole thing is crazy. But the truth is, no matter how crazy it seems, you can't keep hiding from it. If you genuinely care about him, continuing to lie will only cause more pain when he eventually discovers the truth."

Simi's eyes bore into Ada's, searching for understanding. "And what about me?"

Ada leaned in, her voice soft. "Girl, you too, deserve to free yourself from this burden and move forward with your life, whatever the consequences may be. It's a harsh reality, but the only way for both of you to find some kind of closure," Ada paused, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I can't make this decision for you, Simi, but remember, this is no longer just about you, and it's no longer just about..."