Chapter 1 The Beginning

• “Why?” her wife’s affectionate question came from the other line.
• “Nothing. I just missed you.” Skyler smiled, glancing at the glass window of his office. Different buildings stood still as if competing for height, including his own.
• He owned that twenty-floor building he was in. He’s a landscape architect and the owner of dela Merced Landscaping Company. The company is leading in designing large and renowned subdivisions inside and outside Metro Manila, as well as hotels, resorts, and big companies in the country. At thirty-three, he had already established his name in the business world.
• “Gosh, Skyler! We’ve just separated a while ago,” his wife teased from the other line.
• He chuckled. He had just dropped her off at the mall to meet her friends. Her friends didn’t know they were married yet. It was a whirlwind romance. They met last month at a resort in Bali, Indonesia when he was at a conference. His wife, Adreianne, was there for a vacation.
• Like any other love story, they fell in love with each other at first sight. He didn’t let that opportunity pass. He’s not the type of man who wastes time. When he likes a woman, he tells her immediately. He’s a man of both action and words.
• Adreianne didn’t refuse him either. Before they returned to the Philippines, they were already a couple. And just yesterday, he asked her to marry him. When she agreed, he didn’t hesitate to go to his lawyer friend. He reasoned that they were going to marry anyway, so why waste time? Besides, he didn’t want to be away from her. He’s head over heels in love with her, something that hadn’t happened to him before. It was like magic. He just promised her that they would have the church wedding she wanted next month.
• “Well, get used to it from now on. Because I won’t let a second pass without missing you, Mrs. dela Merced.” He stood up and stretched, then walked towards the glass window. He looked at the bustling streets below. Just like before, people were busy with their jobs and cars were still bumper-to-bumper.
• “Oh, Skyler! You’re so clingy. And, oh, maybe the next day, you’ll follow me even when I go to the bathroom,” she joked.
• He burst out laughing. “We can’t be sure of that,” he replied, shrugging his shoulders. It was undeniable that his world now revolves around his wife.
• He had nothing bad to say about his wife. Even though they’ve only known each other for a month, for him, it’s like they’ve been together for ten years.
• Adreianne is kind, caring, and loving. She has a good heart for those in need. That’s what he liked about her. Aside from being a passionate writer, she also loves nature. She even has an organization that educates the younger generation about the importance of nature in the world. His wife has many advocacies— which he learned all about within a month, and further impressed him.
• “Hey, stop bothering me, Mr. dela Merced. If one day I’m gone, I don’t want you to linger your feelings towards me for long,” she said.
• “Don’t say that. That’s not a good joke,” he said seriously.
• Adreianne has a habit of talking about her passing away. And he’s either annoyed or got angry whenever she mentioned it. They’ve just gotten married, and they haven’t even started anything yet.
• “I told you; anything can happen— so you should always be ready. You should find someone that—”
• “Oh, Adreianne, please stop. We will not talk about this anymore, undersatnd?” he quickly interrupted.
• She sighed on the other line. “I was just telling the fact here. Anything can happen anytime, Skyler. And if that happens, I want you to open your heart again.”
• He rubbed his temples. His wife wouldn’t back down when it came to this topic. And they’ve been talking about it since the very beginning. He almost knew everything she was saying by heart.
• “Skyler . . . ?” she called from the other line.
• “My answer is still no. You won’t leave me early. I won’t let that happen.”
• She chuckled. “You don’t control the time, or anyone else’s. When my time comes— it comes. You can’t stop that.”
• “But I know that this is not your time yet. We’ll be together for a long time. We’ll have children and grandchildren. We will live longer than you expected,” he insisted.
• “I hope you’re right. I hope we stay together for a long time,” she said sadly.
• He frowned. Why did he feel different at that moment? Why was he so nervous?
• “Is there something you’re not telling me?” he asked.
• “Nothing. I just want you to be prepared for any possible things that will happen in the future,” she replied.
• “That’s not gonna happen, okay? So, please . . . stop telling me you’ll gonna die. Because I don’t know what I’ll do if that happens.”
• “I told yo—”
• “Adreianne!” the women on the other line screamed. He was sure her friends were already there.
• “Okay, Skyler. They’re here. Let’s talk later,” she bid goodbye.
• “Yeah. I’ll te—”
• “Ahh . . . !” There was a loud scream on the other line that shocked him. Following, there were successive gunshots.
• “Adreianne! What was happening there?” he asked in fear. He quickly returned to his chair and grabbed the keys of his car. He took big steps towards his private elevator.
• “There’s a mass sho—” His wife didn’t finish her sentence. Next thing he heard was a loud explosion on the other line. Then, his wife was gone.
• “Adreianne!” he shouted loudly, filling the entire twentieth floor where he was.