SECRETS
by;michimichiro
Chapter 1
As Margot and I walked away from Eli's house, I thought about how long and hard the road had been that brought us here. My mind went back to the very start—when Margot was more than just my closest friend.
Margot and I fell in love back in our university days. Our friendship grew stronger from all the long nights we spent studying together. We shared a strong desire to help people as doctor and lawyer. Margot was brilliant, but also warm and caring. These qualities made me fall for her.
Before long, our connection became much deeper—something that set my soul on fire with love and want for her. We became inseparable lovers. Our lives were woven together with love, drive, and unconditional support for each other.
Those were some of the most magical years of my life. Margot meant everything to me—my lover, best friend, and the missing piece that completed me. We dreamed of conquering the world together, using our skills to heal and inspire others.
But as it often goes, life has other plans. The heavy demands of medical careers began to strain our relationship. The long hours at the hospital and our differing priorities slowly broke down the foundation of our once-rock-solid bond. What started as small disagreements exploded into huge arguments. Our perfect union crumbled under unmet expectations and unfulfilled dreams.
The final blow came when a prestigious research opportunity came up for Margot, but it required her to move across the country. Naively, I hoped she would turn it down and choose our life together. But Margot's ambition was tied to who she was, and she couldn't let such a big chance pass.
The night she told me, I remember feeling my heart break when I realised our paths were separating. Tears poured down my face as I begged her not to leave me. But Margot had made up her mind, and no amount of pleading could change it.
"Sarah, this is my dream—our dream," she said, with a resignation that cut me deeply. "I can't let this opportunity go. Not even for you."
Those words ignited a fury in me I'd never felt before. How could she so carelessly discard the life we built together for her selfish ambitions? At that moment, the love I had for her twisted into bitter resentment that poisoned every part of our relationship.
We tried to make it work, holding onto the remnants of what we once shared. But the damage was done. Our relationship crumbled under broken promises and shattered dreams. In the end, we went our separate ways, our lives diverging like two ships passing in the night—never to cross paths again.
Or so I thought.
Years passed, and I threw myself into my family-owned company to distract from the gaping hole Margot's absence left in my heart. I dated other women, but none could fill the void left by the one who was once my entire world.
Then, like a twist of fate, Eli stumbled into my life.
From the moment I met her, I knew there was something special about this mysterious, guarded woman. Her unwavering love for Zia was both admirable and heartbreaking, reminding me of the all-consuming love I once shared with Margot.
As Eli's condition worsened, I poured everything into ensuring she survived—not just for her sake but for Zia's too. I saw glimpses of their profound bond, and it reignited the part of me that still yearned for that kind of deep connection.
In my darkest moments, fearing I'd lose Eli, it was Margot's medical expertise and support that I desperately needed. Her presence soothed me but also tormented me, forcing me to face the ghosts of our past while relying on her steadfast competence.
As the months passed and Eli improved, an undeniable shift happened between Margot and me. The resentment that had poisoned our interactions melted away, replaced by newfound respect for the women we'd become.
We truly saw each other again—not as remnants of a failed relationship, but as individuals who persevered and grew. Margot's dedication to Eli reminded me of qualities that first drew me to her, reigniting embers of affection I thought were extinguished.
And now, as we walked away from that fateful night, our hands intertwined with newfound intimacy, I knew our relationship was forever altered—but in a hopeful way, not despairing.
"I never thought I'd see the day we could be like this again," I murmured, gently squeezing Margot's hand.
She turned to me, her eyes shimmering with nostalgia and possibility. "Neither did I," she admitted. "But I'm grateful we found our way back, even if the path was... unorthodox."
I chuckled softly, nodding in agreement. "Leave it to Eli to stubbornly force two ex-lovers back together."
Margot's melodic laughter filled the cool night air, transporting me back to happier times when such simple joys were our everyday.
"Eli certainly has a gift for bringing people together, doesn't she?" she mused, her eyes twinkling with mirth.
A comfortable silence fell between us as we strolled on, our footsteps in sync. It wasn't an awkward silence, but one of unspoken understanding that only souls once so intimately connected could comprehend.
As we neared the parking lot, Margot slowed, turning to me with a pensive look. "Sarah, I know we've been through hell, but I want you to know I never stopped caring for you—even at our worst."
Her words warmed my chest, and I instinctively moved closer until just inches separated us.
"I felt the same," I confessed in a whisper. "Part of me will always love you, Margot. You were—are—everything to me."
She reached out, tenderly tracing my face in an achingly familiar yet thrillingly new way. "Perhaps this is our second chance," she breathed, searching my eyes for permission, acceptance, and reciprocation.
I leant into her touch, my eyelids fluttering closed as her familiar perfume enveloped me. "Maybe it is," I murmured, my heart pounding.
Then, in a moment that suspended time itself, our lips met in a kiss that felt like coming home and embarking on a new adventure simultaneously. Gentle yet searing, familiar yet exhilaratingly new—the rekindling of a flame never truly extinguished.
When we finally broke apart, breathless, I let out a disbelieving laugh. "What are we doing, Margot?" I asked, my voice laced with wonder and trepidation.
She smiled that radiant smile that first captured my heart years ago, her eyes sparkling with hope and mischief. "Taking our second chance, I hope," she replied, lacing her fingers through mine.
I nodded, giddy excitement bubbling up. Whatever the future held, one thing was certain: our journey was far from over.
As we headed to Margot's car, I remembered the place. It's the hospital—the place where so much transpired, where lives were saved and hearts forever altered.
At that moment, a fleeting, tantalising thought crossed my mind, sending a delicious shiver down my spine.
What if Eli's miracle was just the beginning?
