|Destined With You|

Chapter 22.

Catalina

My heart thudded loud into my chest as I took in the situation in front of me. Boy, were things about to go down. Hannah's reply had made everyone speechless, a silence hung around the room as we again waited for someone to break it. Running a hand through his hair for what seemed like the hundredth time, Alexander sighed audibly. Tilting his head towards her, he spoke up.

"What do you mean to say?"

"What do you want to listen?" For a second, I sensed something not...her in that voice, as if something broke her, her voice weaker, meek.

"Hannah can you please-"

"Can I?" She dramatically raised her arms up in defeat, her eyes welling up. "Can I what? Stop loving you?
Stop caring about you? Stop trying to fight the world for a little bit space in that heart of yours? Can I what, Alexander?"

"If you want us to leave you alone-" Alexander's mother suggested.

"Stay." Hannah gulped. "It is important that everyone knows what's been happening."

Oh God. Does she know?

"Yes, Catalina." Just as the thought crossed my mind, she mocked. "I know exactly what you're thinking and yes, I do know."

Turning back to Alexander, she chuckled ironically at him, as we noticed his expressions matching so much as mine. If she really knew, we were getting into some serious trouble. Everyone looked between us in confusion, the suspense getting unbearable.

"What happened, Alex?" She mused. "You don't seem as confident as earlier. 'Please be clear.' Want me to be clear now?"

"Dear," Alexander's father muttered in a deep, low voice. "Just say it, stop beating around the bush."

Oh no. Oh no no. What does she know? How much does she know? Had she heard something from someone or is she assuming some thing? I hope the latter part is true. My mind bubbled up with all sorts of questions.

"In the clearest of all manners, Sir," She cleared her throat. "Your son is a fucking-pardon my language-liar."

"What do you mean-" It was his mother's turn to snap. She was, however cut off by Hannah.

"Will you please let me complete, Mrs. Wilson?"

Were they always on a last name basis?

"I mean exactly what I said. Alexander Wilson is a liar. He's been lying about his relationships, his feelings. Or should I say he's been playing with mine?"

"H-Hannah please let me-" He tried to mutter up an answer, but to no avail.

"No." She refused, her face contorted into a stern manner, the one emotion I have never seen her display towards him. "You had your chance, Alexander. It's too late now, way too late."

"But-"

"Alexander has and will never want me." She cleared her throat again, just as I noticed a crack in her voice.  "He wants-He needs Catalina, and I'm not-I'm not her."

"How could you assume that?" He furrowed his brows and walked a step ahead while I stood there numb, confused.

"Assume? You have done something you do not regret, something terrible. I have heard you accept it, Alex. Is there any way out of it?"

Just as I had feared, she was there. She heard the entire conversation in the store room. A knowing look passed between the three of us. I couldn't help but drop my gaze to my toes, feeling embarrassed, guilty.

"I do not have anything to say." She whispered. "If you want any answers, ask all you want from your son."

Without any explanations or accusations, she rushed upstairs, towards her room obviously. Nobody knew what to say or do. His mother flopped onto the couch, Isabella followed, trying to calm her down while the others stood in an uncomfortable silence. I knew what I had to do, I owed Hannah one last conversation, an apology. Not wasting any more time, I ran to join her into her room, my heart beating loud in my chest.

Entering her room, I noticed how empty it looked now, she walked out of the closet with two suitcases wiping tears falling off her cheeks. I felt my heart clench knowing I was the reason behind her heartbreak.

"Hey..." I mumbled, standing at the doorway, unsure whether to go inside or not.

"About the media." She gulped. "He brought all of this open himself, tell him to handle it on his own. I am going to my parents."

"I don't care about all that, Hannah." I took a step closer. Noticing no change of emotions in her, I went inside to stand right in front of her. "I'm here to apologise. I'm sorry, I really am."

"Don't be. It's not your fault." She waved a hand, chuckling sadly. "Perhaps this is just how it was supposed to be. You two are just," She shrugged. "destined with each other. Maybe I'm destined with someone else. That's not something I could take back from him. I would ruin not just his, but your life, and Adelaide's. She's a child for heaven's sake."

Never had I ever expected Hannah to be generous. Within a minute, I felt so much more respect amd gratitude towards her. And with that came just as equal guilt.

"Why-why did you not tell them? You could expose him to everyone." The question would bug me forever, I could not help but ask.

"Ah, I get it." She nodded, raising her arms. "I had always been the villain in your story, hadn't I? You see, not all villains are completely evil, just as heroes-" She chuckled. "heroes have flaws too. None of us wholly exist as one. Consider this the hero part to my villain or the earlier me the villain part to my hero." The smile she passed me left a deep impact on my heart, something I could not explain in words. That might have been the first time she passed me that kind of smile.

"I-I don't even know how to-I'm just so-I'm sorry." My words came out as stammers, not knowing how to put the apology into a sentence.

"I already told you that you don't have to apologise." She shrugged it off. "I never expected anything from your side. It's him-I just trusted him and a part of me expected things to go back to normal. But again, destiny wanted you together, that's how it goes."

Leaving me alone and thinking in her room, she carried her suitcases out, no final words to anyone, no explanations. I had never felt more respect for her than today, she had every chance to expose what a wrong deed we had done and yet she took the other path, she saved three lives from getting ruined by sacrificing her love.

And now that I finally have what I have been looking for, I am never letting it go.

~

Author's Note : Sooo did it go like you had expected it to go?
Again, sorry for the late updates, not feeling the push over my health issues. I love all of you <3 Have a nice day!