RAVENS #1: THE DARKNESS

Chapter 44 - Better

Liam Hastington

It's been two days since I found her almost threw herself out of the balcony, and Alyssa still not waking up. We put her to sleep, but she should have woken up this morning. She didn't even show signs of movement, which is alarming.

I never left her side since I found her.

I was a wreck. My head kept rewinding the scene of her on the edge of the balcony.

The fear, the horror, and the thought of her gone consumed me to the point of madness. I blamed myself for it. I should have been there. I should have not let her go. I should not have signed the divorce paper.

I almost lost her.

"I don't understand why you're here, Liam." I turned to Yugo, who stood beside me, looking at Alyssa through the glass window.

"You got what you've wanted. What else do you want from my daughter?" Yugo let out a long sigh, and I turned my attention back to Alyssa.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully.

"I still remember her smile and her excitement when I told her that she'll be marrying you. That's the first time I saw her smile again after what happened in Paris." I could feel my chest hurting hearing it, "I thought I could make her happy by asking you to marry her because she's in love with you, but it turns out her condition got worse over time."

"So I'm here to beg you to leave her alone, Liam. I want her to be happy, and you can't give her that. I know you don't love her as much as she loves you, and I should have not let her marry you." I could feel the pain in his voice, and I can't blame him for telling me this. I would do the same if I were him.

"I have so many regrets, Yugo." I cut him before he can continue. "Not being able to slaughter her demons was one of them." My eyes were glued to her.

"She deserves better. She deserves someone who can love her, protect her, and be there for her, but somehow, I don't trust anyone to be able to give that to her." The thought of someone else other than me taking that role made me want to kill them and kill myself after that. I don't trust them, but I know I'm wrong for her.

"I want her to be happy, Liam. You know how traumatized she was after what happened. I wanted her to forget everything and start fresh, so please... let her go." Yugo's voice cracked, and I closed my eyes before turning to him.

"I don't think I can." My words came out as whispers, "I won't be able to let her go. I don't care if she hates or ignores me for the rest of her life, but I want to keep her close. I want to make sure that she won't be having nightmares and more panic attack episodes."

"You're selfish then..." He raised his voice. "You don't love her, yet you want to keep her close. You don't want her, yet you don't want others to have her. You're being fucking selfish!" Suddenly, I saw Alyssa move her hand, and I quickly called the doctors to check on her. My heart was racing when we all entered the room and found her slowly opening her eyes.

Yugo called her name and started to speak in Japanese. Alyssa nodded, and Yugo cried. The doctor said that Alyssa needs a lot of rest, and he told us not to stress her out, or she won't be able to recover quickly.

I showed myself before her, and she looked at me blankly.

"Do you want him to leave?" Yugo asked in English, and Alyssa nodded.

"Alyssa, I..."

"Leave, Liam." She said weakly. Yugo turned to me and gestured for me to get out. I made my way out and watched her from the glass window. She turned to her dad and started crying. Yugo comforted her and said things to her that made her nod.

Alyssa Takada

I stayed in the hospital for four days, and I never saw Liam leave. He stood outside my hospital room, watching me intensely. I told my parents to drag him out, but he won't leave.

I'm sick of seeing him there.

I'm tired already, and having him around won't make me feel better.

After breakfast, I woke up and walked out to get some fresh air. Liam immediately held my arm and told the nurse that he'd take me out to the garden. He held me tightly as if he was afraid that I might fall.

I let him.

It'll be the last time.

We walked out to the garden silently, and he helped me sit on one of the benches. I looked at the sky and smiled when I saw birds flying around.

"Why are you here, Liam?" I asked him softly without looking at him.

"I wanted to see you."

"To see my downfall?" I asked as I held my breath. My heart was beating fast, but it made my chest ache.

"No. I'm not here to see your downfall, Alyssa." He said with a sad tone.

"I signed the divorce paper, and I gave you one hundred million dollars. What do you want more from me? I have nothing left to give, Liam."

Silence.

"I don't want to see you anymore. I'm tired and hurt. I want to be happy—"

"No."

"No?" I turned to him in disbelief, and I gasped when I saw him crying beside me. Tears fell from his eyes as he looked down to the ground.

"I understand why you don't want to see me anymore, but I can't. From now on, I don't think I'll be able to take my eyes off you." His voice cracked, and he tried hard not to look at me.

"I moved on. I had enough of this. I had enough of you." I let out a sigh before looking up to the sky.

"I loved you, Liam. I did love you... with all my heart and soul, but this won't work. You and me are not meant to be together." I wish I could rip my heart out from my body because it's aching so much.

"I told my mom to arrange me with one of her friends. She'll introduce me to him next week." I turned to him, and he wiped his tears. "I'm moving on, Liam. You should be happy for me."

"Not everything is about love, Alyssa!" He turned to me, and I gave him a small smile.

"It's everything to me, Liam. I'm not going to beg anymore, and I'm going to find someone better than you. Someone who can love and protect me like I'm his lifeline." Tears filled my eyes, and I closed my eyes, feeling the pain in my chest.

"I can protect you better than anyone else. I—"

"I know, but you won't be able to love me. You said it yourself, and I had enough waiting. Eleven years was enough for me. You're a good man, Liam. I'm not denying that you are, but I need someone better."