Whisper of the Heart (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER XXXIII

Ok bro. And Marco?

Yes?

I love you bro.

That sounds like bromance, bro! Hahaha! But I love you too anyways. Too the moon and back. Remember that. Always.

It was him and Marco. When they were younger.

He opens his eyes. His alarm clock rings. It's already 5am. He usually wakes up even before the alarm goes off. Like today. But he felt numb. He doesn't have even the strength to lift his arm and turn the alarm off. So it continues to ring, endlessly.

He stared at the ceiling.

It was still dark.

Memories from last night. It replayed on his mind, over and over, and over again. His fist on Marco's face, him thrown in the ground, his lips bleeding. Marco didn't even try to retaliate. That made him guilty all the more. Marco should have given him full punch in the face.

Because he was an idiot. An IDIOT.

Mali ang iniisip mo, Edward.

Now that he thinks of it, he realized how very wrong he was. He was quick to judge. And slow to listen. He let his jealous impulse took over him.

Marco has always been for him.

Marco has always been his bestfriend. Always. They are brothers, right? How could he gave in to doubt? He protected Maymay for him, when he couldn't. He should be thankful that Marco STAYED beside her through it all. Otherwise, who else would she have turned to? She, who has no family? No connection? Who?

No one.

But Marco stayed.

And Maymay. She suffered because of him. Did his father really have to do to that extent? Powerless, helpless, poor Maymay. What did she do to deserve all that? The house she worked so hard to build... And what's hurtful, he was the cause of it all. Jeff's angry face flashed back on his mind. His words echoing in his brain. He deserves Jeff's hate. He hated himself, too.

And Inah. She didn't say a word. But those hurtful eyes looking at him, they're like swords that pierced through him.

When he left last night, he couldn't stand how Maymay looked at him. It wasn't even reproachful. She just stand there looking at him with her sad tearful eyes.

Tears started to appear in the corners of his eyes. He never felt so helpless. Never before.

Arrgghhhh... How he wished this is just a bad dream!

How he wished someone would wake him up from this bad dream.

Everything's got mixed up in his head. And what's worse, he couldn't remember anything. He closed his eyes. He felt tired.

The alarm slowly faded in his dreams. And he fell asleep again.

The next time he woke up, the sun is already up.

Something's ringing. Its not the alarm. It was his phone. He stretched his arms to reach out for his phone on the side table.

It was his secretary. And she had missed calls 16 times already. He turned his cellphone off.

He needs to do something to bring back his memories.

He got up and took a shower. He contacted Marco. He used the landline. Marco agreed to meet up with him at lunchtime.

Then they're face to face at a resto.

He couldn't help but look at his bruised lips. Marco applied concealer, but, either the bruise was that bad enough to cover or Marco was a bad make up artist. Like him, Marco did not go to work today. (After his studies in London, Marco opened an Italian Resto. He is managing the business himself. )

But as he looks at his best friend's face, there's not even a trace of reproach. What he sees is genuine concern.

"I'm, sorry last night."

"Don't mention it. I understand you bro. Really, i do. I.. I honestly think it was my fault. I provoked you. I never thought you would react that way. I guess I was that happy to see you jealous. Because that meant you remembered Maymay. "

Edward sighed.

"The thing is I don't, though I knew a little bit of our story. Gwen told me. But it was like, you know, listening to OTHER's story. I don't remember a thing. All I have is the feeling. That was why i wasn't able to stop myself last night from hurting you..." After a long pause, he added. "So, how is she?"

"She's confused. And she's worried about you."

Edward's shoulders fell.

"Tell her I'm fine. Tell her don't worry about me."

"I did. But that can't be helped. I guess. You know her. Especially when she saw how you look. Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror? Bro. Seriously, you look like you've never slept for days."

He took a deep breath. That's true. And maybe Maymay has always this effect on him in the past. Because learning from Marco that she cares about him.. he felt his heart caressed.

"i'm sorry I've kept Maymay a secret all this time. It was Maymay's wish. But when I hinted that you were starting to remember her, I set both of you to meet up at the art exhibit."

And that was very helpful.

"So what happened? What did my father do? Do you know anything about it?"

"I honestly don't know. And we're not even sure if it was him behind this. Maymay just phoned me one time crying. She said she had no one to turn to. She couldn't tell you
that time. Rather, she was determined not to tell you. Two men came one time and showed them papers that the land they built their house in wasn't theirs. And that the rightful owner wants them out of that house, very soon."

"Determined not to tell me... So that means, it happened before i lost my memory?"

"Yes, Edward."

Edward felt weak. He rubbed his face with his hands.

" She never told you. She made me promise not to tell you. I contacted my family attorney. I was still in London then,
and tried to get all the help I can. It wasn't a good fight because Maymay didn't have the land title. In provinces, you know, landowners assumed, tax declarations were enough. I think it was the same for her. That's relatively true, just tax decs to support your ownership. Unless someone shows up with a land title to claim the land, you're no good. And surprisingly, after your accident, and you woke up not remembering Maymay, they, these people just.. Stopped. So I myself couldn't help but assume it was your father's doing. Remember what he did when we're in college?" Marco's pertaining to his college girlfriend.

And Edward agrees. He doesn't want to hate his father. But he is starting to. What? Was it just a game to him?

"I'm not surprised why Jeff hates me this much, Marco. How is he, by the way?"

"Give him sometime. He loves her ate so much. He hates seeing her suffering. They've had their fair share of suffering, you know. And they only have each other. " Marco sighed.

Edward felt another waves of guilt. He smiled bitterly. Because he was the cause of that suffering.

"How can I ever get back my memories... Marco. "

Edwards looks outside in a trance. His eyes sleepy. Everything's tangled in a dirty mess. He's tired. Worn out. His head full.

Marco leans forward. And speaks in a low voice.

"Have you heard about.. Hypnotherapy?"

"Hypnotherapy?" His eyes squinted in scrutiny.

"Yeah. They say everything.. Everything that we experienced in life were ALL STORED in our memory banks. That nobody ever forgets anything. So, you, not remembering something doesn't mean those memories are gone. It's still there, only you lost access to it. And that's where hypnosis can help you out. To help you access.. Your memories."

Edward leans back to his chair.

His heart pounding. Could this be the answer? Is he really going to get back what was lost?

But why, in the deepest corner of his heart, does he feel.. a little..

Afraid?