Chapter 76 - End in Everything

Failed and conscious of Aaron's exit from the bathroom, unable to do what he had to do with Javier, he stumbled upon Yvo, who was standing in the corner as if he had been waiting.

"What’s up? Are you back already?" Aaron asked.

Instead of answering, Yvo swiftly grabbed Aaron by the collar and dragged him out of the house.

"What are you doing? Hey! What the hell!"

As soon as they were outside, Yvo greeted Aaron with a punch to the face, causing him to fall to the ground.

"What the fuck! How dare you?" Aaron yelled, quickly getting up and about to throw a punch, but he spoke up hastily.

“He is dying,” Yvo stated firmly.

There, Aaron halted.

"You don’t have to kill him. I’m saying he could die! You don’t have to help him die…" Yvo said in a trembling voice. He felt overwhelming pity for his friend.

When Aaron released his collar, he immediately dropped to his knees.

"Don’t do that, man. Aaron, I know you are crazy when it comes to money, but you shouldn’t do that to Javier," Yvo continued to plead with Aaron.

Aaron just looked at him, seeming to regret his earlier intentions even more.

"He’s one of the very few people who treats you like a human being. If you have a conscience, you shouldn’t do that to Javier."

"Is he sick?"

Yvo couldn't help but cry again as he remembered Javier's dire condition. And until now, he still couldn't do anything to help him.

“Yes.”

“Is he so sick that he might die?”

“Yes,” he answered directly to Aaron.

Moments later, Aaron suddenly smacked him on the head.

“Why are you crying though? It’s not you who is dying. So why are you crying?” Aaron questioned, looking puzzled.

Confused, Yvo looked up at Aaron. "What?"

Aaron cursed under his breath, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Man… you are one of a kind," he said, tousling his hair before heading back inside, leaving Yvo kneeling there.

Meanwhile, Megan couldn't shake off the events she witnessed the previous night. She couldn't get out of her mind how Ava cried and how Javier quickly embraced her as if to calm her down.

She started to wonder if that's what she would do if she could embrace Javier again. What did they talk about? Was it about their relationship? Are they getting back together again?

Has Javier chosen Ava over fixing what they hadnow? Didn't Javier really love her?

Those were just a few of the questions swirling in Megan's mind, uncertain when they'd find answers.

And she was not sure if there would even be answers. All she knew now was that she was hurting too much, yet she also knew that if Javier came back to her, she'd still accept him and love him wholeheartedly.

Even Ava is troubled by Javier's words. She's been contemplating them since last night. Wondering if it's true that Javier will come back to her or if he just said it to placate her.

However, if it was really true, Ava knew she could no longer love Javier as she did before. She knew Megan now held Javier's heart, and that couldn't be changed.

She knew she was too late. In this game she started, from the beginning, she knew she would never win.

Moments later, while lost in thought in her room, Megan received a call from Javier about Marco, which surprised them both.

"What? What did you just say?"

"Marco was in a car accident last night. He was severely injured and is in a coma now."

Javier's mind immediately went back to what Marco had said to him yesterday.

“First, I am going to convince him to turn himself in. There were times when he and I would play soccer and talk about girls. He and I shared ordinary dreams. If I fail… If something happens to me… I want you to release that file.”

The thought didn't escape Javier's mind as he made his way to the hospital where Marco was. He knew it was possible that Marco's accident wasn't just an accident. He knew William was involved and made sure Marco would be killed.

Why did everything have to come to this?

When Javier arrived at the hospital, he immediately sought out Marco's room. When the nurse informed him of Marco's location, he hurried there.

Upon opening the door, Javier was greeted by Megan sitting beside Marco, unconscious. Javier saw the tubes attached to Marco and the wounds on his face.

“Marco, wake up. Open your eyes. You can’t be here like this. You can’t do this. We still have a lot to talk about. Open your eyes, will you?” Megan pleaded.

Javier approached Megan quietly and swiftly took her hand, which was trembling as she held onto Marco, then without hesitation guided her out of the room.

"Someone tried to kill him," Megan said firmly, her intense anger palpable.

"Megan…"

"I know that. I know who it might have been. I called him last night. I was investigating my father’s death. I found something that doesn’t add up," Megan told him, causing Javier to remain silent, his gaze fixed on her.

It seemed like she was absolutely certain about what she had discovered. Although Javier wanted to immediately tell Megan what he knew, he couldn't bring himself to do so. He knew she might act impulsively, and it could make her William's next target.

“I checked my father’s call history. Around the time of my father’s death. The record shows that they were on the phone for one hour.”

However, what can Javier do? Megan is smart. She knows there's a plan, but he still wants to ensure she's not in danger.

He's sure Megan is referring to the voice conversation he possesses.

But for now, Javier is stuck in a lack of options. Even though Megan is intelligent and has a plan, he knows he wants to make sure she's not endangered.

He's sure Megan is referring to the voice conversation he holds. However, before he tells her, he needs to make sure Megan is ready for the potential effects of the information he's about to share.

“I asked him what happened. I asked him what he was keeping from me. I asked if he was working with Ava Choi and William Almario. I asked if he was involved in my father’s death. He cried over the phone. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t explain anything, but just cried. Ava Choi and William Almario—”

"Lower your voice," he gently urged Megan, as she was practically yelling.

Javier quickly glanced around, wary that someone might be eavesdropping on their conversation.

But Megan didn't even flinch.

"Ava Choi and William Almario killed my father! My father was murdered!"

"Do you have proof? Can you prove it to everyone? On what basis can you label someone a murderer? What if they're not? Can you take responsibility for it?" Javier couldn't help but shout back at the emotional Megan.

Javier wanted to take charge of everything. He wanted Megan to stop getting involved and let him seek justice for Megan's father on his own terms.

But how could he do this without hurting the woman he dearly loves?

A mixture of anger and pain was evident in Megan's eyes.

“If they knew what you’ve been up to, do you think they’ll leave you alone?” Javier halted and calmed himself down.

“Fine. If someone did that to Marco, like you said, that means you could be next at any moment. Is that all you can come up with? If you don’t have anything solid… If you don’t have any crucial evidence… keep your mouth shut, please,” pagmamakaawa niya kay Megan.

Megan's expression hardened as she continued to gaze at him. Javier knew convincing Megan wouldn't be easy, but he still wanted to try.

He wouldn't forgive himself if something bad happened as a result of this.

“If you were me, would you do that? If your father passed away while you were crazy over something and everything is pointing to Ava Choi and William Almario, would you keep your mouth shut?”

Javier's conscience was immediately struck upon hearing that, especially when he saw the blazing pain in her eyes.

"Megan..."

"Marco is the proof. When he gets up, everything will be resolved," Megan said firmly and full of anger, then turned away.

But before she could fully enter Marco's room again, she glanced back at Javier once more.

“You go your way.”

Javier approached Megan slowly. He could see every kind of pain reflected in her eyes.

“Protect Ava Choi. Protect the woman you can’t get over. From now on, I will do everything to take her down. I will definitely get to her on my own. If you don’t want me to get to her, you’d better protect her well,” Megan firmly declared to him and finally entered the room.

Javier was left there, perplexed. He couldn't understand why Megan was thinking this way. Did she still believe that Ava was the one she loved?

No, you're wrong in everything, Megan Hidalgo. Because every piece of my heart belongs to you and not Ava.

~~

Ava came into her son's room, Lance, at just the right time. She found him there, writing at his small study table. His shoulders slumped as he quickly lowered his head to the table the moment he saw her.

Ava kneeled in front of Lance.

“Are you still mad at me?” Ava asked her son, but the child didn’t answer her.

“I came to ask you something. Can you answer me? If I tell you… I want to buy you the most expensive, shiny toy. When you get it, nobody will look down on you. Everybody would look up to you. Everybody will respect you. No matter what you do, everybody will compliment you. It’s a toy that will do all that for you. Don’t you want it?”

Ava waited for her son's response, but he remained quiet, still bowed down at the table. She forced a bitter smile and nodded.

"Doesn’t it sound 1000 times better than Megan? You want it, don’t you?"

For the second time, Lance didn't answer her. She felt a pang in her heart.

"I’m asking this for the last time. Don’t you want that toy?"

"No, I don’t," Lance replied softly.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Lance answered her in a certain and innocent way.

“You can’t change your mind later.”

A little later, Lance finally turned to face her.

“Mommy…”

“Yes?”

“Toys are for babies. I’m not a baby,” Lance innocently answered her.

Ava smiled sadly and nodded at her son.

"Yes, you’re right. You are not a baby anymore," she said, even though she knew she wasn't referring to a toy.

He didn't respond, and she hugged him tightly.

"Okay, I get it. Now Mommy understands what you mean."

After that, Ava quickly left. As she descended the stairs toward the grand living room of the mansion, she looked around tenderly. The expensive furniture, the large and fragrant house that she couldn't have, no matter what she did.

Was she ready to leave all this behind? Was she ready to surrender it? Was she ready to return it to its rightful owner?

Next, she headed to her room, to her large walk-in closet where her expensive clothes, bags, shoes, and jewelry were kept.

Back then, she couldn't afford these things. She never imagined she would have this kind of jewelry because of the life she used to have.

She removed her diamond ring and replaced it with a simple one. No gemstones.

“This is quite pretty. It’s fascinating,” she said, admiring the ring on her finger.

Shortly after, she grabbed her phone and dialed a number.

“Attorney Galvez, this is Ava Choi. I have something to tell you. Where are you now?”

Ava knew there was an end to everything. This was the end of her delusions.