My Life without You

CHAPTER 16

George Ashley PoV

I WAS AT THE CAMPUS building looking for something, and I got the chance to see the full view of McKnight University.

I don't know what is the right to feel after hearing those from him. I want to forget and live on what I have right now, but why did he need to open it that I already chose to forget?

"I am right that I can find you here, woman." I look at my back, looking for the owner of that baritone voice that wakes me while thinking, "You take my place again."

I laugh weakly. He sat with me and joined me in viewing our surroundings. I spend too much time that I forget that I have different subjects to attend to.

"I heard the news on what happened in the park. Are you okay?"

I look beneath and there are a lot of students who enter their room. They are noisy and maybe, they are talking about what happened earlier.

"It is difficult to love him, David, and he makes it more difficult this time." I closed my eyes and reminisced about the scenes of us before. "If he confesses it more early. Maybe I have the guts to disregard everything, but things are different now. He already ruined me and my family. I already started a new life that I want without him."

"Love me instead, George." He joked around, but I felt like he was struggling with our situation. He loved me, but I loved him as a friend only, "But if you loved someone, you would ignore everyone's words towards you. Focus on what your heart says."

I laugh again because his lines are like what I heard in TV lines, "I already done that, David but it hurt me instead. It slapped me hard after giving my everything to fight for my feelings to him and what is the purpose of that 'love' if the only thing I saw through him is his wrath towards my family."

I felt his warm palm on mine. I looked at him, "It is part of loving someone, George. You're lucky enough to give you another chance to change everything. To love the person you treasure. Yes, I loved you, but don't waste my sacrifice for you to choose to hurt yourself instead."

***

WE ARE IN THE middle of our class when all of a sudden. I received a phone call. I want to reject that call, but it already called me multiple times.

"Excuse me, Miss. I need to take this important call." I excuse myself.

I left the room and answered the phone call from an unknown number.

"Hello. Who is this?"

"Good afternoon! Is this George Ashley Mendoza?"

From the tone of the caller and the sound in the background, I'm panicking and fear of what news they have for me.

"Y-Yes."

"This is from Saint Luke Hospital. Mister Mendoza was shot by an anonymous man. He needs-"

I dropped my phone because of that news. My father is in the hospital. Shot.

I kneeled and my tears suddenly burst.

But I need to gather all my strength. My father needs me this time.

I stood and supported myself using the wall. I came back, looking lifeless. I grabbed my bag and left no words to leave the room. Nothing is more important this time, than my father's status.

I heard the scream of my teacher while calling my name.

My hands were trembling while calling our family driver, but someone grabbed my hand and snatched my phone. I ti s Lance while doing what I want to do.

"I'll go wherever you go, Ash. I will never let you handle this alone."

When our car arrived, he opened it to me. He waited for me to enter, then turned around to sit on the other side.

We are quiet while we are on our way to the hospital of Saint Luke. When we arrived, I was nearly in falling when I reached the information desk. "Lauro Steve Mendoza. Where he is? I am his daughter."

"Follow me."

They brought us outside the operating room. "He is still inside, Ma'am. Mister Mendoza is in critical condition because the bullet nearly touched his heart. Our doctor trying everything they can to save your father."

I lost my balance, but Lance caught me. He takes me to the nearest chair. He hugged me and let me cry on his chest. "Why do they need to do that to my father?!"

"Shhh, Ash. I know that you can survive this. I know you can."

He tried to calm me down, but when my father was still inside that room. My heart will continue to crumble.

***

HOURS PASSED inside the operating room before the doctors came out. It is successful, but Dad loses so much blood. He is in a critical state and he needs to have life support to breathe, and to live.

I embraced Lance even more when I saw my Dad's body. They transferred him to his private room.

There are too many pipes inside him and I can't recognize him anymore because of a lot of bruises and wounds he got from the anonymous man.

It ended up that this was not just a f*cking accident. Someone planned to kill my Dad. They want my father to be lifeless.

My Mom came immediately and screamed when she saw my Dad in his critical state.

"Auntie Karen, calm down." But whatever Lance says, my Mom can't hear it. "This will not help Uncle when he finds out that something bad happened to you too."

"This is all Jullius's son's fault! I know he has something to do with this! He is behind Lauro's situation! I will sue him. He will rooted in jail!" She screamed and before we knew it. She fainted.

If Jeric is behind all of this. I will kill him. I will curse him until my last breath! Forgiveness is the last thing I will give to him.