Past Island: Regrets and Guilt (Past Series #1) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 6: Ashton's Burning Heart

// Present //

Ashton Valera sat at his cluttered desk, the dim light from his laptop casting shadows around his small apartment. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, but his mind was elsewhere. The screen displayed the latest draft of his resignation letter. He was tired-tired of the monotonous routine, the constant pressure, and the unresolved guilt that gnawed at him daily.

"P*tang in* naman," he muttered, rubbing his temples. He glanced at the framed photograph on his desk. It was a picture of him and his younger sister, Maya, smiling brightly during happier times. "I hope this trip helps," he whispered to himself.

Ashton had always been the reliable one, the person everyone turned to for support. But lately, the weight of his responsibilities and his unresolved past had become too much to bear. He needed a way out, a break from the relentless cycle.

"Is this really going to help?" Ashton muttered to himself, glancing at the message from Remy on his phone. Remy had always been the optimist, the one who believed in the stories of Past Island and its power to heal. Ashton wasn't so sure, but he was desperate enough to try anything.

His eyes landed on the framed photograph of his younger sister, Maya, smiling brightly. The sight of her innocent face brought a lump to his throat, and he felt the familiar sting of tears. He had carried the trauma of that night with him for years, and it had shaped every aspect of his life.

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// Flashback: The Fire //

Ashton was just a teenager when it happened. It was a hot summer night, and he had been messing around with matches and candles in the living room near the kitchen. He didn't mean to start the fire; it was just supposed to be a harmless game. But a candle fell onto the floor near the kitchen stove, and within seconds, the LPG exploded on the entire kitchen and the flames began to spread.

"Maya! Maya, where are you?" Ashton screamed, his heart pounding in his chest. The smoke was thick, making it hard to see or breathe. He could hear his sister's terrified cries from somewhere in the house.