Chapter 1

• The path which strays you from your heart is the mark of your journey to someone else's heart.
• Ester, My heart never desired to be bestowed with love. It always hurts, that's why I want nothing but one thing from you. Call me, even as a stranger... so that your voice can give me consolation.
• "Dude, did you saw the leaked pictures of SG?" Henry asked, leaning on my shoulder.
• "I am not interested in seeing someone's flawed body." I replied monotonously, closing my silver eyes while running my hands in my raven hairs. I then looked at Emily from the corner of my eye and smirked, "But I am surely interested in seeing someone else." I said in a low yet deep voice. She slyly put her hand over my arm and sat beside me, smirking.
• "Wicked Girl." I sneered at her. She just laughed and shook her head.
• "She was naive, she thought that I am actually her friend." she said scornfully, making me chuckle, thinking how pathetic the girl she is talking about would be.
• "She dropped out because of this." Henry continued with a frown.
• "I don't care." I said lowering my head. When I raised my head again, I saw no one beside me, everyone was gone and the hallway of the high school was empty. I looked around and saw no one. Perplexed, I stood up and called,
• "Henry! Emily! Giselle! Leo!" No voice came. I sighed and began to walk around, I opened the door of a random classroom, my eyes widened in horror upon seeing those unnatural yet exquisite bi-colored eyes before me. Her captivating left for brown and right for green eyes. Her eyes bore into mine as she walked toward me with her long hazel hairs flowing along the wind. Her charm never fails to blind me as I found myself losing in her.
• "Grace... " I called her, her name suited her appearance as well; graceful.
• "You always get what you want. Just throw some tantrums and there you go, you have her." She said, an atrocious smirk plastered on her lips while pointing in the left direction. I stilled when I saw the images of Ester consoling me when I was drunk and tried to commit suicide.
• "I get what I want.. You truly comply on that." She laughed and then turned to me. I gave her a pleading look to stop this but then she took a step toward me as I took a step back in terror.
• "But that's who you are Desmond." She mocked, holding my collar, pulling my face close to hers. My heart felt heavy, guilt ate me up from inside, dreading to hear her next words.
• "Insensible." She snarled pushing me away and taking a round around me.
• "I was never yours." I manage to reply quickly, still feeling those unnerving tribulations.
• "You should have waited for me, the time was wrong, not me." She said direly.
• "Desmond La Corte."
• "Desmond!" My eyes flutter opened along with a loud gasp. A heavy breath escaped my lips, stirring my mind in strange yet apprehensive thoughts. My distress gaze met an azure one, looking at me with a frown. I groggily turned my head away and covered myself with the blanket, wanting to forget what I just saw which affect my mind drastically.
• "Desmond. Wake up!" Once again my name has been called by a soft low voice which is truly melodious. Unwillingly, I groaned and sat up with my eyes narrowed.
• "You are late for work." She said, putting her hand over her waist with her long raven hairs swaying along with wind, entering through the window as sunlight greeted her face making it shine. I shook my head and got out and freshened up.
• I walked out and saw Ester, my sweet wife looking out of the window with a smile. I hugged her from behind and nuzzled to her neck. She gasped and turned away.
• "Desmond! You scared me!" She exhaled. I just hummed not letting her go.
• "You are late. " she giggled, letting out of my grasp. I held her wrist and pulled her back. She shyly lift her gaze and met mine. I smirked and moved close. Her eyes bore into mine as a wave of serenity washed over me.
• "Close the buttons." I said, staring intensely at her. Her lips curved downwards but not in a frown. She looked at her shirt and realized I meant mine. Her face turned crimson when she saw that I haven't closed the buttons of my shirt, revealing my toned chest. She looked away but I held her chin and spoke huskily.
• "I am all yours, Ester. Don't hesitate." She looked at me innocently and gave me a hesitant nod. There was a slight distress in her eyes but it was concealed by her exhilaration of starting our lives anew. I can understand that consternation, after what happened in the past year, letting her all feelings out might be difficult for her but I want to reassure her that I will never hurt ever again.
• She was closing the buttons as I spoke up, "It's nostalgic, isn't it?"
• "No, it's not." She said with a hint of sadness and anger. I raised an eyebrow at her. She closed the last button and looked at me.
• "Desmond. Our life starts today. I don't want to recall anything from the past." She said firmly. I looked at her , feeling guilty that I made her remember things she doesn't want to.
• "Ester, I am sorry." I said, sincerely, lowering my gaze.
• "It's okay." She flashed me a smile. She held my hands and I felt at serene to have her beside me. "Breakfast?" She asked. I nodded and went to have breakfast. After breakfast, when I was about to leave, I held Ester's hand and brushed my thumb against her skin as a sad smile crept upon my lips.
• "Ester... We are starting our lives starting today. What's done is done but from now on, I promise to not hide anything from you. I promise to hold you close to me. I'll spend the rest of my life repenting for my deeds. I will love you till my last breath and I swear, I will never hurt you ever again. I am so glad to have you back, I am willing to do anything for you. I love you more that you can believe and imagine." A tear pricked in the corner of her eyes as I engulfed her in a hug.
• "I love you too Desmond. We will start everything over, filled with good memories, no bad ones. Don't worry, I have forgiven you Desmond. Please don't punish yourself, it will hurt me." She said. I kissed her forehead and smiled, "Permission to leave?" She chuckled and said 'yes' as I went to work.
• I was working, not thinking about anything, focusing on my work but then the door of my cabin knocked. Before I could answer, the door opened and the least person I want to see came; Henry Joseph. I narrowed my eyes at him as my heart began to burst in rage as the urge to kill him aroused in me but I know I have to refrain myself. I glared at him as he walked toward me. A smirk plastered on his lips, his emerald eyes glistening in malevolence for me while running his hand in is hazel hair. He took a seat, I leaned back on my seat as we both had a staring competition.
• "Congratulations on your wedding, Desmond La Core." He said mockingly.
• "What do you want?" I asked rudely.
• "Well, I never thought she would be that stubborn... or perhaps I should say pathetic, right?" I grit my teeth when he emphasized on 'pathetic', talking about old times.
• "Why are you here?" I asked again.
• "How desperate! She came to you even after you hit her." He erunciate, he then looked at me with intense loathe and continued, "Reminds you of a certain someone?" My heart skipped a beat when he said that. I tried to remain unaffected by the threat hidden in his voice but it was so hard.
• "You asked me why I am here? Well, I am here to tell you; I will not let you destroy another life." he said standing up.
• "Ester will never leave me." I said firmly with proud.
• "You never know Desmond."
• "I have hurt her a lot and I have no intentions of doing it again." I said as my heart clenched remembering how much I have hurt her.
• "So you have decided not to run away, huh?" He asked, amused.
• "Yes." I said.
• "And she? Is she ready to face the reason of her despair?" He said putting his hand on the table, leaning in.
• "I have hit her that day because of you." I said, trying to keep my calm.
• "You have to push her and violence was the best way to do it but that SG, she is just damn delusional." He finished his sentence with a glint of fury.
• "Leave Henry before I lose my cool."
• "You better stop this fake show of yours before I lose my cool." He said, direly.
• "I truly love-"
• "Don't try to fool me with your words." He said angrily.
• "I will take Ester away from you. You have hurt her enough. I will not let Ester to have the same fate as Grace." Somehow the mention of Grace's name made my heart to be torn. My chest tightened, feeling sorrowful.
• "What happened to her wasn't my fault." I tried to say sternly but my heart is not convinced by my words because I know it was my fault.
• "Just you watch." He sneered and pulled away. "I will take her away from you." Upon hearing it, I stood up from my seat and walked to him, my lips curved in a faint smirk.
• "Nothing in this world can take her away from me." I said, challenging him.
• "I know you for too good, my dearest friend. How your wife would react to see you with your mistress?"
• "I have none."
• "Or perhaps your past relationships?"
• "She knows already."
• "Then.. How she will react to know her beloved took a human life?"
• "She trusts me. " I said, my breath slightly getting heavy because I can feel the upcoming storm is gonna be fierce and what he know is truly terminal for me. My heart rate increased in dread as he continued,
• "And I will make all of it true... even lies." he said and left waving.
• After he left I cursed loudly, kicking the table present in the middle of my cabin breaking the glass vase. I ran my hands in my hair, feeling frustrated that I provoked chaos. Just thinking what he will do send shivers down my spine. I still remember how he gave the idea to my father to arrange me in a marriage and when I thought I have found my redemption, he broke it leaving me with no choice but to hit the last person I want to.
• Enraged, I paced around my office, thinking of a way to get out of this upheaval. I exhaled and decided to go home, I came back home around five and saw Ester talking.
• "I will talk to you later. Bye mother." She chirped. When she saw me she quickly cut the call and rushed to me.
• "Welcome home, you are early." When I saw her smile, my heart felt calm as a smile also crept upon my lips. I leaned in and curved my lips upward from one side.
• "Don't you want me to come?" I teased. She quickly took a step back and tugged her hairs behind her ears.
• "No! Why would I... I mean I.." She trailed off. I chuckled and pinched her cheeks. "You know, you are too cute." I said, she blushed and smiled. Her flushed reactions never fails to entice me, she is so beautiful, the way her glimmering blue eyes shine, they made want to drown myself in them. I felt deeply content that finally we are together and there are no obstacles between us anymore.
• I went to our room and saw a bouquet of red Roses on the dressing table.
• "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Ester said from behind, leaning on the door frame.
• "Less, compared to you." I complimented. She chuckled and replied, "Human beauty is temporary Desmond, it will fade away someday but nature's beauty is eternal."
• "Yes, Ma'am." I joked. She laughed and shook her head.
• "By the way, who sent it?" I asked looking at them. She shrugged her shoulders and replied,
• "For congratulations."
• "But from whom."
• "I couldn't find any note, if you did, tell me too." She said walking out of the room. I also shrugged my shoulders and was about to leave to freshen myself up but my eyes fell upon something glittering in the corner of the bouquet. There was a note, it was almost hidden like the one who sent it, doesn't want us to see. I opened the note as my eyes widened in terror when I read it,
• 'Congratulations on your wedding, Mr and Mrs La Corte.
• -Grace Joseph.'