Unbroken Vows

Chapter 9

Mew had been relentless in his search, piecing together fragments of the past like a puzzle. He learned bits and pieces—how Tul had been abandoned by his family, left to suffer in the hands of Max. But the accident and Tul’s memory loss still remained hidden, shrouded in mystery. Every step forward in his investigation brought more pain, more guilt. Yet, he pushed through it. He had to find Tul. He had to bring him back, no matter what it took.

But something else was happening—something Mew hadn’t yet realized. As he dug deeper, someone else was breaking apart under the weight of a new truth.

---

Tul sat on the cold hospital bed, staring blankly at the ultrasound image in his hands. He couldn’t move, couldn’t think. All he could feel was the numbness spreading through his body. The doctor’s words still echoed in his head.

“You’re pregnant.”

Pregnant. The word felt like a curse, a sentence for crimes he didn’t commit. And it wasn’t Mew’s child. It was Max’s.

He closed his eyes, trying to escape the horror of it all. Max—the man who had destroyed his body, his soul, his life—was the father of this baby. He could already imagine the hell that awaited this innocent child, the same hell he had lived through. How could he bring another life into a world of pain and cruelty?

“I can’t... I can’t let this happen.”

Tul gripped the edges of the bed, trying to fight back the wave of nausea. His mind scrambled for some kind of escape, and that’s when another memory surfaced, faint but enough to make him gasp. It was him and Mew, laughing in their cozy apartment, planning for the future. They had been dreaming of this—*their* baby. The talks of having a family, raising a child in love, in warmth. Mew had held him so gently that night, whispering, “We’ll give our child everything we never had... a home full of love.”

But those dreams were gone now. Replaced with a nightmare.

Tul could barely breathe.

Without thinking, he left the hospital. He didn’t know where he was going, only that he needed to get away. His feet moved on their own, leading him through the bustling streets of Bangkok, past memories and places that felt both foreign and familiar. He wandered aimlessly until, somehow, he found himself standing in front of a small, cozy apartment.

*Our apartment.*

The building wasn’t luxurious by any means, but it had been their home. Tul’s chest tightened as he stepped inside. The air smelled faintly of Mew’s cologne, mixed with the comforting scent of home-cooked meals. He walked slowly through the space, feeling the walls close in on him as memories flooded back.

In the kitchen, he could see Mew teaching him how to make a simple stir-fry, both of them laughing as Tul burned the rice.

“Just like that,” Mew had said, guiding Tul’s hands with his own. “See? You’re doing great. I love watching you learn.”

Their movie nights played in his mind as he wandered into the living room, where they would curl up on the couch, blankets tangled around them, popcorn scattered across the cushions.

“You always pick the sad ones,” Mew would tease, though he’d end up wiping his eyes before the movie was over.

And then, the bedroom—where their most intimate moments had been shared. Tul’s heart clenched as the memories rushed in. Their first night after the wedding, Mew’s hands so gentle, his touch so full of love and care.

“I love you,” Mew had whispered against his skin, as if those words were a sacred promise, “I’ll always love you, no matter what.”

---

Tul stood in the middle of the room, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions. Tears streamed down his face as he sank to his knees, unable to handle the weight of everything at once. How had they gone from this—this beautiful love—to the brokenness he now lived?

And then, he heard it. A voice, soft and full of longing.

“Tul, my love.”

Tul spun around, his breath catching in his throat. Mew stood there, his eyes wide with shock and something deeper—recognition, maybe? Tul didn’t think. He couldn’t think. Without a word, he closed the distance between them and kissed Mew with all the desperation, the fear, and the love he’d held back for too long.

The kiss was hard, frantic, as if trying to erase the years of pain, as if trying to bring back what was lost. Tul clung to him, holding him tight, feeling the warmth of Mew’s body and the way their hearts beat together, just like they used to. He kissed him like he was drowning and Mew was the air he needed to survive.

Mew responded just as fiercely, his arms wrapping around Tul, pulling him close. “Tul... I’ve missed you... I’ve been searching for you, my love.”

But Tul’s mind was a whirlwind, memories and emotions crashing over him like a wave. He could hear Mew’s voice from their past—the promises they’d made, the love they’d shared—and now, in this moment, everything was coming back to him.

“I’m sorry,” Tul whispered against Mew’s lips, tears mingling with the kiss. “I’m so sorry... I didn’t... I couldn’t...”

Before he could say more, the world around him blurred, and the last thing he felt was Mew’s arms holding him tight before he slipped into darkness.

To Be Continued