Chapter 80 - Run Away With Me, Megan Hidalgo

As Javier entered the room where Marco was, he found Megan sitting by the edge of Marco's bed. He paused, struck by how tenderly Megan was caring for Marco.

He watched as she gently wiped Marco's face and arms, her movements delicate and cautious, as if afraid to make a mistake.

Javier allowed Megan to have her moment with Marco and stepped out briefly. He stood by the large window of the hospital, overlooking the sprawling city lights.

Suddenly, Javier's heart sank. He felt a pang of pain in his chest. He began to wonder what might happen if he allowed himself to love Megan.

Would she still be happy with him? Would she still accept him? If he let himself be happy and invited Megan to leave and go far away, would she still be with him?

Javier couldn't answer that for himself. He knew Megan's anger towards him was sky-high, and it seemed impossible for her to be happy with him anymore.

Furthermore, he knew he was nearing his end. He felt it within himself that his time was running out. He didn't want to hurt Megan again with that truth. All he wanted now was for her to be genuinely happy.

Because Megan deserved more happiness than anyone else in the world.

When he returned to the room, he found Megan asleep while still sitting up, her head resting on the bedside table. Quietly, he approached her and admired Megan's beauty.

He didn't know how long he would be able to gaze at her face. He didn't know how much longer he would be able to be with her, so while he was still here, he would make the most of it.

Javier took off his coat and carefully draped it over the sleeping Megan, then quietly left the room, still carrying the weight of his heavy heart.

Despite the pain, despite the heaviness and sadness, Javier would remain by Megan's side as long as he felt she still needed him.

***

Javier scanned the surroundings until his gaze settled on the gate of their former house. When he rang the doorbell, the double gate swung open immediately. He was surprised to see Ava standing there.

“Come in,” Ava greeted him with a smile.

“Where is the owner of the house?” Javier asked, puzzled.

“I’m the owner of this house. Come in.”

Taken aback, Javier couldn't utter a word and simply entered. He had received an early text from the number of the person who introduced themselves as the new owner of their former house. They wanted to speak with him.

How come Ava is the owner of this house?

“What happened?” Javier asked Ava as they entered the small garden of the house.

Ava paused in her steps and simply smiled at Javier.

“I bought this house.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to come back. I was planning to come back someday, but… I’m back, but you’re not here,” Ava said with a laugh as she sat down on the bench.

Javier looked at her until she handed him a cup of coffee. Javier accepted it and sat down beside her.

"I’ve come back like this,” Javier stated, holding the cup of tea, feeling its weight.

“Just the shell of you?” Ava asked him.

Javier smirked but didn't answer. Instead, he drank the coffee and stared into space.

“Were you with Megan?” Ava asked him again, to which he nodded.

“Yes.”

Ava didn't wait for more. Soon after, she took a brown envelope from beside her and handed it to Javier, who seemed unaware.

“What is it?”

“It’s what the late president was trying to leave for Megan. He took the money from the company. It’s a secret fund with an enormous amount of money involved. He wanted to pass on Hidalgo Empire to Megan. It’s proof of tax evasions he’s committed,” Ava explained to Javier very well with a hint of anger and disappointment.

“Plus, it shows his involvement with a lot of women, stock price manipulation, and accounting fraud. It also has all the evidence of his crimes while he was around.”

Javier couldn't quite grasp his emotions as he listened to Ava's words. He was about to react, but there was something new coming, so he held his tongue.

Until Ava looked at him again.

“This might kill Megan once more and send her away for good.”

Javier remained silent once again. He opened the envelope he was holding and looked at its contents one by one.

“Why are you showing this to me?”

“I want to make a deal with you,” Ava directly answered to Javier which made Javier look at her.

“On the day of the late president’s passing, bring me the file of the recorded conversation. I want the copy and the original. I’m never going to turn myself in.”

“Ava…” Javier was stunned by what he heard.

“If you don’t like it… If you have to make me pay for my crime… you should come to me as a whole. Your love, your feelings, I want them all. Then I will turn myself in to the police. I know that you will be waiting for me. I will come back to you after paying for my mistakes,” Ava declared as if she were unstoppable.

Javier couldn't find any words to say. It seemed like the winds of change had suddenly shifted once again. Javier had thought that Ava would agree to his proposal because he knew she only wanted him, not his love.

But why now, did it seem like Ava had changed her mind?

“You decide which one you’re going to choose,” echoed Ava's words in Javier's mind until he returned to the hospital. What Ava said seemed to have given him clarity on what decision he should make.

When he entered the room, he found Amy there, who was watching over Marco, which surprised him.

“Amy…” He uttered and approached the woman who immediately stood up and faced him. “Where is Megan?”

“She’s just stepped out to get some air.”

In those moments, it seemed like Javier finally received the signs for the decision he should have made long ago.

In fear, he quickly left the room to find Megan. He almost ran as he navigated through the entire hospital until he reached the lobby.

He stopped abruptly as he saw Megan sitting in the waiting area, deeply asleep.

Javier breathed a sigh of relief and quietly approached Megan, sitting beside her.

With a sad smile, Javier gazed at the sleeping Megan. He felt the strong and rapid pounding of his heart. He felt the mixture of emotions swiftly spreading through his heart.

He felt the peace, and the gradual healing of his fragmented heart and soul as he gazed at Megan's gentle and beautiful face.

After a while, Javier slowly leaned Megan's drooping head onto his shoulder to make her more comfortable in her sleep.

Javier slowed his breath and limited his movements, afraid that Megan might wake up. He remained in that position for a few minutes until Megan suddenly woke up, startled when she saw him.

“Hi,” he greeted Megan with a smile as she looked at him with confusion.

Megan didn't respond. Javier looked away for a moment and thought deeply.

Perhaps this was what he had wanted to do for a long time. Why was he holding back for someone else? He had been miserable and sad because of one person for a long time. He had been punishing himself for a long time. He had been depriving himself of happiness for a long time.

Javier had been so selfless to the point that he hurt Megan deeply.

He was tired of regretting it in the end. He was tired of sacrificing for others, only to end up losing. For once, he wanted to give in to himself. Even just this once.

Even just this once, with Megan by his side.

“Megan…” Javier muttered and heaved a sigh. Megan just stared at him.

“Let’s run away,” Javier declared and looked at Megan who was still dumbfounded.

Javier smiled and quickly took Megan's hand. He gently squeezed it and looked at their intertwined hands.

“I will go wherever you want…” Javier trailed off and tilted his head to look at Megan again. “To where no one can find us. Run away with me, Megan Hidalgo.”

They held each other's gaze for a long time. Megan's forehead remained furrowed, seemingly unable to believe Javier's words. After a while, Megan forcefully withdrew her hand from Javier's grasp.

“I don’t want to,” Megan said emotionlessly. “You must be seriously mistaken. It was over between us a long time ago. Right now, to me, Hidalgo Empire, my late father, Marco in a coma, and searching for the truth is more important than you.”

Javier blinked twice. Javier's heart seemed to die once again upon hearing those words. After all, what else could he expect? He shouldn't be surprised and hurt anymore.

Javier felt a pang of pain and resignation wash over him. He had hoped for a different response, perhaps a glimmer of acceptance or understanding. Yet, Megan's words felt like a final blow to his already wounded heart.

Their gaze broke as Megan's cell phone suddenly rang.

“Hello? I will be right in,” Megan said to the caller and quickly ended the call.

She stood up abruptly, casting a harsh gaze at Javier, her disappointment palpable.

“Something has come up. I will excuse myself,” Megan stated and was about to leave but Javier immediately grabbed her wrist and hugged her tightly.

Megan paused, feeling something peculiar in Javier's embrace. It seemed like he was bidding farewell or something.

Shortly after, Javier quickly let go, meeting her with a sad smile.

“Okay. Go ahead,” he muttered, but his grip on Megan's wrist remained, as if reluctant to let her go.

Javier was left in the hospital lobby as Megan headed to her office. There, she encountered Mr. Cruz, one of William's associates, who quickly stood up upon seeing her.

“Did you go over the documents I sent you? There were your bank account statements and… a picture of your car tailgating Marco’s car. What else was there?”

“I’m not sure what you are accusing me of, but… I didn’t have anything to do with Mr. Yboa. The fact that I was there that day was a coincidence. I was not following his car,” Mr. Cruz stated to Megan which made her laugh.

“Is that so?” The threat in her voice was clear.

“This is unfair. Why would I do such a thing?”

Megan nodded with a smile, feeling the blood rush to her head.

"In a way, it makes sense after hearing it from you. Why don’t you sit down first?" she said.

"Yes, Ma’am. Thank you."

But before Mr. Cruz could even sit down, Megan forcefully kicked the chair he was about to occupy, causing him to fall to the floor. She quickly approached him and grabbed his collar with aggression.

“So… Why would such small fish like you try to kill him? I didn’t even have to use all my resources to trace down someone like you. Who do you take orders from?” With intense fury, Megan demanded answers from Mr. Cruz, who immediately avoided her gaze. His eyes betrayed an overwhelming sense of anxiety and fear.

When he remained silent, Megan tightened her grip on his collar, almost choking him in the process.

“Just tell me a name. Tell me just one fucking name.”

“You got it all wrong, ma’am. It’s not like that!” Mr. Cruz hissed in fear.

Megan smiled devilishly.

“Fine. Continue to deny it. If you keep denying it, I’ll get so crazy that I will use inhumane methods as my last resort,” Megan declared and started choking Mr. Cruz.

“Continue to deny it.”

Unbeknownst to Megan, one of William's associates was discreetly observing from outside the door. Upon witnessing the situation unfolding with Megan and Mr. Cruz, the associate quickly departed to report back.