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I break the silence with genuine concern. "What's going on in your mind, John?" I ask gently.
A heavy sigh escapes from John, his hand instinctively covering his face. "I'm sorry," he says, his voice filled with remorse. "I'm sorry for everything, Michael."
I feel the heaviness in his words as he admits his guilt and acknowledges the pain he has caused both Serena and me.
His voice cracks, and tears well up in his eyes. "After Serena's parents died, I took her in and raised her as my own. I dedicated my entire life to protecting her, and I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping her away from you."
John's words hang heavily in the air, reflecting the sacrifices he made to raise Serena by himself. I reach out and place my hand on his shoulder, offering him comfort.
"John, I understand," I assure him with empathy, "You have always been the one who takes care of her, and I know you want the best for her. I want you to know that I love Serena with all my heart, and I am committed to making her happy."
Tears stream down John's face as he lowers his head, overcome by his emotions. "I didn't realize the depth of my actions until now," he confesses. "I took the responsibility of protecting her so seriously that I lost sight of what truly mattered – Her happiness.”
John continues, "I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to her."
I embrace John tightly. "John, you have done everything out of love for Serena," I tell him, "I understand your sacrifices, and I want you to know that I bear no ill will towards you. We are both here for Serena, and that is what truly matters."
We stand there holding each other tight, embracing the strength of our bond and our mutual love for Serena.
As we slowly release each other, words are no longer necessary.
Amidst our reconciliation, our eyes turn toward Serena as her eyelids flutter open, her consciousness coming back. John and I share a look before rushing to her, feeling elated.
She's waking up.
Chapter 23
Waking Up
Serena
I’m coming out of unconsciousness, where all I can hear is silence, all I can see is darkness, and numbness envelopes me.
I am trying to move, but it's as if something's holding me back. And then, I realize that I am the one who is holding myself back because it terrifies me to go back to reality, where everything has gone into shambles.
I try to remain unconscious, but the more I try, the harder it is.
My eyelids slowly flutter open, but it grows heavier again, snapping shut. My body is trying to tell me I’m not ready to handle a truckload of physical and emotional pains waiting for me in reality.
Every inch of my body feels so heavy. I cannot move it.
"...give her some space…"
"She's…"
"...let her breathe…."
The voices that filter into my ears feel like screeching and constant ringing. They sound distorted, and I can barely tell who is speaking.
I slowly open my eyes with renewed energy that came out of nowhere. This time, my vision is so blurry, and surges of bright lights are directed into my eyes simultaneously. It's overwhelming and causes me to blink rapidly.
I try to use my voice, but my words only come out in a whisper. Realizing that nothing is working out, I stop struggling. The blurry figures above me become clearer bit by bit. It’s like a thick fog is clearing off.
My hand is being held by someone.
"Serena? Baby? Can you hear me?" The soft voice reaches out to me.
"Oh, for the love of God, Michael, let her breathe!" The other masculine voice chides the first person who spoke to me.
