CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 28
"How many weeks have I been here?" Jia asked herself while peeling an orange brought by Rik Sandoval.

Chief Gary told her she had been there for a week when she woke up, and it had been another week since he told her that, so she had been stuck in the hospital for two weeks now. And for the first time, she didn't worry about the bill because Rik Sandoval had already talked to her about it, and since he volunteered, what right did she have to refuse such a blessing?

Earlier, she had visited her brother. He was doing fine, and when she asked if they remembered anything, they said yes. However, what they didn't know was how they escaped the evil-souled people who hurt them, especially since her brother was the first to lose consciousness.

"What really happened—ouch!" she groaned as she closed her eyes and remembered something.

What was that?

"Am I going crazy?" She gently tapped her head to make sure that what flashed before her eyes wasn't real. How could it be...

How could she have seen her brother shot in the head and die right in front of her, when they were alive and well?

If she hadn't talked to her brother earlier, she might have believed what she saw.

"I think I'm going crazy, and that's the result of the trauma I experienced." Jia sighed again before looking at the door that opened. It revealed Rik Sandoval, who, as usual, was wearing expensive clothes.

"Hi," he greeted her with a faint smile.

Jia smiled awkwardly, almost choking on the fruit she had just eaten. Rik immediately approached her as if she were a damsel in distress and he was her prince charming.

To her surprise, he suddenly stroked her back, causing goosebumps to rise all over her body. She couldn't react immediately because of the sensation she felt at that moment.

Jia did not expect her body to act like this because it was very unusual for her. No one else had this effect on her except Michael.

When she remembered Michael, she immediately moved away from Rik, almost falling again if not for the man's help. He held her hand, and his other hand supported her stomach. Even though their skin contact felt burning, she didn't panic anymore. She didn't want the situation to worsen and possibly get injured, or else he might think she looked stupid.

When she moved to fix herself, he just assisted her. Even though she felt awkward, she let him help her until she was comfortably settled.

"T-thank you," she said, still catching her breath. Her heart was still beating fast, so she couldn't explain what she was feeling.

That's just because of your near-accident, Jia, and nothing else, she told herself.

Who are you fooling? Why won't you admit that your heart beats the same for Michael and Rik?

She shook her head to dismiss the strange argument in her mind before facing the man to talk.

"You're here again. Don't you have work?" What was that? What did I just say?

Whenever she was with him, she lost her composure. Her rude side just came out as if she was avoiding him.

Rik Sandoval didn't answer her question immediately. He just looked at her with a playful smile on his lips.

Now this is great! Tsk!

"Hey, Mr. Sandoval, are you making fun of me?" Not content with her sassy remark, she even poked his arm as if they were too close from the very start.

Rik shook his head at her, but she raised an eyebrow at him, especially since that small, playful smile wouldn't leave his lips.

"Pssh! I don't know about you, you look like Michael, but your personalities are different," she grumbled, then paused. She remembered something to ask. "Wait, who are you really? What's your relation to Michael? Why do you look so much alike? You're more like two peas in a pod. Only your eyes are different. Michael never told us about you, just so you know."

Now this is great. At least, she had a reason to talk to him in a low tone and find out what his relationship with Michael really was.

"I am his twin brother."

She was no longer surprised by his answer. That was the only valid reason for him and Michael to look so much alike.

"Oh, is that so? My brother and I, were his friends." She just blurted it out. She didn't hear a single word from the man. Since he was standing beside her bed, she looked up at him. "Your twin brother was the kindest person I have known. That's why I can't accept that he suddenly disappeared. I hate your brother, you know that. Because he didn't even say goodbye to us. He doesn't know how much it hurts me that he just left suddenly without even..." Jia stopped talking and wiped the tears that streamed from her eyes.

I hate you, Michael, for leaving me behind. I didn't even get to make you feel that I love you... She said those words to herself. She didn't have the courage to admit her true feelings to his brother.

"I want to get stronger so I can face the people who did that to him."

"Isn't what you're going to do dangerous?"

"Maybe? But I still want to do it, because I know that if one of us, my sibling or me, was harmed and died, I know Michael wouldn't stop until he found out the truth." Jia looked out the window. Light and darkness were mixing because it was getting dark. Since Michael died, she felt sad whenever she saw the orange sky. "I miss him... so much that I want to rip my heart because I know, no matter what I do, I will never see him again."

"A-are you in love with him?"

She looked into Rik Sandoval's eyes. In his eyes, it was as if he was telling her to tell the truth.