Chapter 5
685 Words
Choosing Peace
Miguel Navariz
Loraine dismissed the case.
I should have felt relieved.
And I did.
For the first time in months, I could breathe without feeling like the world was crushing me.
But the relief didn't erase the loneliness.
Because with the dismissal came another condition.
"Stop bothering me, Attorney Navariz."
Her words echoed in my mind.
"And stop asking me to marry you. I don't want to marry you."
I had agreed.
What right did I have to insist?
After all, she was the one carrying the burden.
Not me.
Not the sleepless nights.
Not the anxiety.
Not the changes in her body.
And maybe…
Not my child either.
But if the baby truly was mine, I wanted to be there.
Not as a husband she didn't want.
Not as someone forcing his way into her life.
Just…
As a father.
Yet she wanted distance.
And I respected that.
Still, every time I passed by Mortis Flower Haven, I couldn't stop myself from looking at the shop from afar.
Wondering how she was.
Wondering if she had eaten.
Wondering if she still hated me.
And wondering if she ever remembered the young man she once laughed with seven years ago.
---
Loraine Mortis
That's why he looked familiar.
While arranging old things inside my room, I found a dusty box containing photographs from years ago.
And there he was.
Miguel Navariz.
Standing beside me.
Smiling.
And I was smiling too.
I touched the picture.
"Who were you to me?"
I couldn't remember.
Not a single memory.
Only the photograph.
Only the smiles frozen in time.
I leaned back against my bed and closed my eyes.
Lately, I had been feeling exhausted.
The flower shops were busier than ever.
Four branches.
Hundreds of customers.
Employees constantly calling me.
Suppliers.
Meetings.
And on top of all that…
I was pregnant.
Stress and anxiety were slowly draining me.
That's why I decided to take a vacation in Japan.
Maybe I needed peace.
Maybe I needed time away from everything.
Away from the whispers.
Away from the memories I couldn't understand.
And away from Miguel Navariz.
Because whenever I saw him, my heart became confused.
At first…
I hated him.
I hated the thought of carrying the child of the man I accused.
I hated waking up every day with unanswered questions.
And yes…
I even thought about not continuing the pregnancy.
But my employees stood beside me.
Especially Aling Rosa.
"Ma'am, don't decide while you're angry," she told me one day.
"The child is innocent."
And she was right.
Little by little, I learned to calm down.
To accept.
To breathe.
To let go.
Not because I had all the answers.
But because hatred was consuming me.
Sometimes, I wondered.
What if Miguel really knew me before?
What if he intentionally took me to that hotel?
What if he took advantage of me?
Or…
What if there was something I couldn't remember?
Questions.
Questions that no one could answer.
In the end, I chose peace.
That's why I dismissed the case.
The money I spent on lawyers and hearings…
I'd rather save it for my baby's future.
And whatever happened that night…
I wanted to move forward.
But one thing remained clear.
I didn't want to marry Miguel.
Not because I wanted revenge.
Not because I hated him.
But because I didn't know him.
And I couldn't give my heart to someone I couldn't trust.
---
A week later, while preparing for my trip to Japan, Aling Rosa entered my office.
"Ma'am?"
"What is it?"
"Attorney Miguel came earlier."
I sighed.
"I told him to stop bothering me."
"He didn't bother you."
"What?"
"He only brought vitamins and fruits."
I frowned.
"And?"
"He didn't even come inside."
"He just told us…"
Aling Rosa smiled.
"'Tell Loraine to take care of herself. And tell my baby that Daddy will wait.'"
Daddy?
I unconsciously touched my stomach.
Then I shook my head.
"Crazy man."
But strangely…
For the first time in years…
I found myself smiling.
And deep inside my heart…
A familiar warmth slowly began to bloom.
- Writer
