Regret

Kapitulo treinta y ocho

Irene's POV

"My gosh, ang daming tao," I muttered as Greggy and I stepped out of the car and made our way toward the entrance of the hospital. The chaos was overwhelming. Ang daming taong nagkakagulo, nagmamadaling malaman ang kalagayan ng mga mahal nila sa buhay. Parang war zone, if I'm being honest. Police cars lined the driveway, flashing lights blinding us, while reporters and media personnel scattered everywhere, buzzing like bees trying to get the latest scoop. Ang daming nagkakagulo, nagdudumog, and it was impossible to tell where we could even begin.

"It must have been a pile-up," I whispered, trying to keep my composure. "That's what I'm worried about, Greggy. What if... what if Ely—" My voice cracked before I could finish the sentence, my throat tightening at the thought.

Greggy squeezed my hand gently, trying to comfort me. "We'll get to the bottom of this. We just need to stay calm, Irene. Breathe."

I tried to follow his advice, but my mind was spiraling out of control. I couldn't stop thinking about Ely—my sweet, brave Ely. What if something horrible happened to her? She was just with us, laughing and teasing, living her life. And now, she's in a hospital bed because of some freak accident.

We approached a nurse rushing past us, her face stressed and overwhelmed. "Excuse me," Greggy called out, trying to get her attention. "Saan po naka-confine ang mga naaksidente? Gusto ko lang malaman kung—"

The nurse barely glanced our way. "Sorry po, sir. If you're here to ask about the accident, please talk to the police. Right now, we're too busy." Her words were hurried, almost apologetic, but it was clear she didn't have the time to help us right now.

Greggy sighed and turned toward the nearby police officers standing near the entrance. "This is so chaotic," he muttered under his breath, his frustration starting to show.

Ako naman, I felt like I was drowning in anxiety. Every second felt like a lifetime. Gusto kong humagulgol ng todo, but I needed to hold it together. I needed to be strong for Ely, but my heart was pounding so hard I could barely breathe.

Greggy approached a police officer who was speaking with a group of reporters. "Excuse me, officer," he said, catching the man's attention.

The officer nodded in acknowledgement. "Ano po ang kailangan niyo?"

Greggy's voice was firm. "We're here to find out what caused the accident. My daughter, si Katherine Elyse Araneta, she was involved in the crash."

The officer gave us a sympathetic look, but his face was serious. "There was a truck. It ran through an intersection and collided with several vehicles. Nag-pile up po ang mga kotse, kaya maraming nasaktan. We're still investigating the exact cause."

I barely registered the rest of what he was saying. The world felt like it was closing in on me. A truck? A pile-up? How could this have happened to Ely? Of all people, bakit siya pa?

"Saan po naka-confine si Katherine Elyse Araneta?" Greggy asked again, his voice tight with worry.

The officer gestured towards the hospital doors. "You should ask the nurses inside. They'll be able to tell you kung anong room siya."

We rushed inside, and my head was spinning. Ang dami ko nang iniisip—kung okay pa ba si Ely, kung ano na ba ang kalagayan niya, and then... the guilt. Sobrang sakit. Hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili kong isipin na kung mas naging mausisa pa ako kanina, kung kinausap ko siya ng maayos, maybe she wouldn't have left without telling me properly.

Maybe things would be different.

"Excuse me?" Greggy asked a nurse behind the counter. "Pwede po bang malaman kung saan naka-confine si Katherine Elyse Araneta?"