Your Lucky One

Prologue

"I don't want this anymore... us. I never did."

It was raining hard, and yet I didn't care after what I heard. Her voice was sharp, cutting through the already unbearable tension in the middle of the road. I stood frozen, and my heart was pounding painfully in my chest. This wasn't the person I love, the woman who pushed me to succeed, challenged me every step, and always saw through my stubborn pride.

"I don't love you," she added, her gaze cold and distant. Each word felt like a stab to my soul. The one person I thought would never betray me, was doing just that.

"Stop," I whispered, trying to steady my voice. "I don't believe you."

"You should," she snapped, turning her back to me. "You should believe me, and just leave. Leave with Quatro. Get away from here, from your family, from me. It's for your good." Her voice cracked ever so slightly, a tremor of emotions escaping despite her best efforts to mask it.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. "My family? You're pushing me away because of my family? Or is this about Uno? Because if this is about him—"

"It's always been about Uno!" She whipped around, eyes blazing. "He ruined everything. Every plan we made, everything we dreamed of—it's over because of your brother."

I stepped back as if her words were a physical blow. "So... that's it? You're giving up on us? Just like that?" My voice was barely a whisper.

"You don't get it, do you?" Her tone softened, but the words still stung. "This isn't about giving up. This is about protecting you. Protecting us—" She caught herself, then forced her emotions back into place. "No, not us. There's no more 'us.' You need to leave before it's too late."

"Too late for what?" My voice broke. "You don't get to push me away like this. I can handle Uno. I can handle my family's mess. But I can't... I won't leave you."

She took a deep breath, her gaze hardening again. "You don't have a choice. Your sister, Deuce, is barely alive because of your brother. Do you think you can stay here without being dragged down by all of it? Uno will destroy you too. You need to go. With Quatro, far away."

"But I can't!" I pleaded, tears welling up in my eyes, but she did not know it because it was raining. "Deuce... she needs me. My family needs me." I paused, my voice trembling as I added, "And I need you."

Her face tightened, her hands trembling ever so slightly at her sides. She could barely keep up the facade. "No. You don't need me. You'll survive without me. But you won't survive if you stay here. You'll lose everything. You'll lose yourself. Yung pinaghirapan mo."

"I don't care," I shot back, I won't do such things kung hindi naman dahil sa kanya in the first place, by leaving her, that will make me lose my mind, lahat lahat. "I don't care if I lose everything as long as I have you."

I know deep down, my words shattered at those words. But she couldn't show it. Not now.

"You're just a child, wala kang alam sa mga nangyayari. You don't understand. Leave. Before I hate you too."

I stared at her, disbelief and devastation flooding her features. She turned away, her own heartbreaking with every second. It took everything in her not to scream, not to take back every harsh word.

Naiintindihan ko lahat ng nangyayari, I'm not a child. Alam ko lahat, and it's hurting me see her like this. Bago pa man siya tuluyang mawala sa mga mata ko. After what felt like an eternity, I shouted, "If this is what you want..." I swallowed back my tears. "Then fine. I'll go."

Without another word, I got into my car, her footsteps echoing in the silence that followed. She stood there, her facade finally crumbling the moment I drove away until she was out of my sight.

And as for me, I feltevery word, every wound that she inflicted on me. Yet despite the pain, a partof me still refused to believe it. Because how could I leave, kung ang tangingtao na gusto kong maging kasama sa lahat ng bagay at desisyon sa buhay ay yung taong pilit akong pinapaalis?