Love and Resilience

Fragments of Us

Serena's POV

I sat in my room, sketching the outline of a wedding dress. The soft hum of my pencil against the paper brought me peace, a small distraction from the whirlwind of emotions I'd been battling these past few weeks. The intricate details of lace and satin took shape beneath my fingertips, and for a moment, I was lost in the delicate world of design.

The door creaked open, interrupting my thoughts. Expecting to see my mother or maybe Jovana, I looked up with a smile. But standing before me, eyes sharp with fury, was Dr. Cassandra.

"Dr. Cassandra?" I blinked, confused, not prepared for the storm that had clearly followed her into my room.

She didn't waste a second. "Are you and Jovana back together?" Her voice was hard, laced with accusation.

Caught off guard, I nodded. "Yes... we're--"

Her words sliced through my response before I could finish. "You don't deserve her, Serena."

My heart clenched. "Excuse me?"

"Wala kang karapatan na bigla nalang bumalik sa buhay ni Jovana na parang walang nangyari," she spat, stepping closer. "Matapos ng ginawa mo sa kanya? You left her shattered, broken, and now you expect everything to just go back to the way it was?"

"I never meant to hurt her-" I began, my voice trembling as I met her glare. But she was relentless.

"Meaning doesn't change the damage done," Cassandra cut me off. "Sinaktan mo sya, Serena. She's still dealing with the scars of what you did."

Her words stabbed at me. I had carried my own guilt for months, knowing the pain I had caused Jovana when I walked away. But hearing it from someone else someone who clearly cared for her made it all so much worse. It wasn't just my guilt anymore; it was her anger too.

"Ikaw yung dahilan kung bakit hindi ako magawang mahalin pabalik ni Jovana." Cassandra continued, her words venomous. "Do you even understand that? You hurt her so deeply, to the point that she's afraid to let herself feel anything for others again. And now you walk back in, pretending like none of it ever happened? Na parang hindi mo dinurog ang puso nya?"

I swallowed, trying to find my voice, but the lump in my throat only grew heavier. "We're trying to make things right. Jovana and I... we've talked. We're ready to face this together. Besides, hindi ko naman kasalanan kung hindi ka magawang mahalin pabalik ni Jovana, kahit gaano pa kasakit ang ginawa ko sa kanya kung mahal ka nya mamahalin ka nya pabalik."

Cassandra's laugh was bitter. "Face it together? Don't kid yourself, Serena. You think you can just fix this? That you can erase the pain with promises of a future? You're selfish. Coming back into her life now, after everything, like nothing ever happened."

Her words hung in the air like an unshakable weight, pressing down on me. I had been selfish, hadn't I? Thinking that just because I loved Jovana, that love would be enough to heal the hurt I caused.

"What makes you think she's better off with you now?" Cassandra's voice softened, but the intensity in her eyes didn't waver. "Do you even know what you're asking of her?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but at that moment, the door opened again. My mother stepped in, her eyes darting between me and Cassandra. She could feel the tension that filled the room.

"What's going on here?" she asked, walking toward me, her protective instincts immediately flaring up.

Dr. Cassandra, without another word, stepped back. Her eyes still locked on mine, full of anger and something else I couldn't place disappointment, maybe? She glanced once more at my mother, then turned on her heel and left without another word.