𝗠𝘆 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗕𝗼𝘆

Chapter 30

DEAN's POV

The morning came with a strange calmness, the kind that follows chaos.

The hearing for the case finally ended. It had been weeks of preparation, and endless paperwork, and questions that seemed to never stop.

Ricci Rivero and Richard Galvez, the men who tried to sabotage the construction finally faced the consequences.

They'd hired fake workers, pretending to be part pf the crew, to mess with the site's safety and delay progress. All because of something as shallow as jealousy, both of them liked Jema, and when they couldn't get her attention, they went after something she cared about.

The company's name, my name—it all got dragged through the mud for a while. But I didn't care about the reputation as much as I cared about one thing. That Jema wouldn't lose faith in me.

And today, when the verdict was read, when the hearing ended in our favor, it felt like a weight I didn't know I'd been carrying finally lifted.

The company's name was cleared. The truth was out.
And justice was done.

Still, I didn't feel like celebrating. I just sat there in my car after the hearing, staring blankly at the steering wheel.

Ben called me. "Bro, congrats. You did it. You can finally rest."

"Yeah," I said softly. "Finally."

But deep down, it wasn't about me. It was never.

That afternoon, I went to the site again. Workers were back to their rhythm, the clatter of steel and cement echoing like a heartbeat. The sun was high, the wind steady.

Everything looked normal again. And maybe that's what peace really is—when things finally start feeling ordinary after being broken for so long.

As I stood there, watching the site move forward, I couldn't help but think of her.

How she still believed in the project even after everything that happened. How she looked at ne during those difficult days—never doubting, never accusing, just quiet understanding. Maybe that was what kept me going.

I checked my phone. No new messages, except one from her.

Jema:
Heard about the hearing. Congrats, Dean. You deserve the win.

See you later at the hospital. ☕️

For a second, I just stared at her message, smiling faintly. Then I typed back.

Dean:
Thanks. Coffee's on me this time.

I locked my phone and took one last look at the site before leaving.

After everything, maybe things were finally starting to fall into place. Not perfectly, not easily, but honestly. And for now, that was enough.

The smell of coffee filled the hospital cafeteria that night. Tahimik lang, halos wala nang tao. Just a few nurses on break and the soft hum of the vending machine.

I was sitting by the corner table, starting at the steam rising from my cup, when I saw her walking in. Still in her white coat, may hawak na tablet at may ngiti sa labi.

Ang ganda pa rin.

Parang kahit pagod, she still carried that same calm energy that made everything feel lighter.

"Busy?" tanong niya, approaching my table.

I shook my head. "Not anymore. Hearing's done."