Victor's Forbidden Desire

Chapter3

Victor gradually opened his eyes. He felt his head was in pain. His eyebrows knitted together when he saw the white ceiling above him and the smell of medicine.

He turned his head on his right side and the first person he saw was his cousin, Edlyn and then next to her was the doctor and his parents.

He could see the worry that was all over their faces and he was wondering why they have that kind of look.

And that was the only time that everything had sunk in his mind. He was lying down in a hospital bed. What happened? That was the first thing that came inside his mind. He wanted to speak but he felt like he had no strength to even open his mouth.

Silence filled the place for a couple of seconds until his mother who was sitting next to his bed spoke.

There was sadness in his eyes. He was so confused. He tried to close his eyes again as he tried to recall what happened and why he was there.

He recalled that he dropped Cynthia in her place.

His heartbeat so fast as he slowly opened his eyes again.

“We are glad that you are finally awake,” his mother finally said, and he could see the tears in both corners of her eyes.

The woman wanted to cry but she was just holding back herself. It seemed that his mother was trying to look strong, but she couldn’t hide from him those emotions in her eyes.

He was waiting for the next thing that she was going to say until he noticed that something was wrapped in his head.

And that made his heart pound even more.

“Mom,” he called his mother. He felt like his throat dried up and he couldn’t tell why he was feeling that way. “Why am I here?” He asked as he couldn’t remember a thing.

He saw his mother as she looked at the doctor.

The doctor cleared his throat and then he looked at him. It was the longest stare he had with someone.

He walked near him. Victor couldn’t understand but suddenly, he felt his heart pounding so fast. The heart rate even doubled because of the look on their faces.

“Mr. Neri, it was an unfortunate thing to say that your legs may not work again like you have them before. Your legs got paralysed because of the accident that happened. There was an injury found in your spinal cord that was causing the numbness that you could feel in your body. Here’s the good news though, we can treat this within six months or longer depending on how your body responds to the therapy during your sessions. Depending on your cooperation," the doctor said, looking at him. "Well, I know a great doctor who specialises in this kind of case. I will gladly recommend you to him,” the doctor added, and he could see in his eyes that there was hope.

But what was that hope for? He just looked at the doctor. He couldn’t believe what he just said.

He felt like his whole world had crashed right in front of him. He was just very happy last night and why was it being taken away from him that quick?

Was it just for him to taste it? And then took it away from here like a child given a candy?

Frustration was inside his chest.

He wouldn’t be able to walk because of the accident. But what would happen to his career? His graduation day was just a few months away. He was also going to participate in the Olympic games so what would he be doing now? He felt like he was worthless all of a sudden.

Hopeless.

Victor suddenly remembered Cynthia. He remembered his fiancée whom he had promised forever just yesterday.

What would happen to the promise that he made with her? He told Cynthia that he was going to marry her after his graduation day.

He was like a beautiful glass that suddenly got broken.

Last night he felt like he was a hero of their country but now he felt like he was a nobody whose dreams were all taken away from him.

Victor felt his life was stolen from him because of the accident.

“Tell me, you are just joking. Is this a prank, couz?” He said and then turned to Edlyn. “This is all a joke, right?” He asked again when his cousin was just staring at him and not talking.

Edlyn’s eyes were full of pity towards her cousin. She admitted that most of the time, she was pissed off with him but she knew how much Victor wanted to join the Olympics. So, why did that have to happen?

“Tell me, couz, that’s not true right? I can move?” He pulled out his blanket and tried to move his legs but reality hit him. He couldn’t feel his legs. Both of them felt numb. He tried to move them but there was no reaction at all.

He couldn’t even feel them.

It was only his mind that was strong but not his body. He couldn’t even lift his legs and that just proved that he was no longer the Victor who bagged the golden medal for the country.

He felt the arms of his mother hugging him and sobbing on his shoulders. He knew that his mother was hurt for him because he was almost so close to his dreams and this had to happen.

He could never understand it. Fate had played on him. Fate throwed a sick joke on him.

“Vic, please don’t force yourself. Just be positive and stay strong. You will get better. Just be patient and you will be walking again,” his mother consoled him in between her tears.

“Mom, my dreams? What will happen to me? They wouldn’t be coming true anymore. I couldn’t join the Olympic games in this kind of condition,” he said, crying. In his heart, there was no longer hope while inside his mind were lots of questions.

“That’s not true, son. If you can’t do it this year then next year. There would be more Olympic games that would happen so don’t think too much. Just be positive that you are still going to join the competition,” his mother exclaimed.

He clenched his fist and his jaws were tense. He felt like he was about to explode because of anger.

Victor knew that he couldn't do anything but cry in depression and disappointment.

He had been in the hospital for almost a week but he had never seen his girlfriend. He messaged her a lot of times and tried to call her but Cynthia’s phone was just ringing. The woman never picked up his call or even bothered to send a message to him.

Everybody else went and paid him a visit but not Cynthia. His classmates, friends, fellow athletes and coaches visited him. Even some of his fans but the most important person he expected to support him, and give him strength was nowhere to be found.

That morning, Victor was watching the television inside the ward when the news surprised him. It was Cynthia. She was having an interview with Ms. Gretchen, the host of the morning show.

He missed his fiancee very much. He couldn’t help but wonder what the woman was doing there on the live show with Ms. Gretchen. Why was she even there?

Victor couldn’t let go of his eyes on the television screen. He was thinking that Cynthia would say sorry to him because the woman was not responding to her messages and that she would say that she missed him too. He was hoping that Cynthia was there to express how she felt towards him and that she loved him so much.

“Good morning, Ms. Cynthia Cruz. We are here on our good morning show. This is a live show and we are going to ask you what exactly happened that night before our athlete Victor Neri got into an accident. Do you have any update on that? What really happened that night?” the TV show host asked without hesitation to Cynthia.

Cynthia suddenly looked different. She was sad and there was something in her eyes that he couldn’t explain.

Suddenly, he felt his heart pounding so fast while he was waiting for Cyntha’s answer. Victor didn’t notice that he already held his breath. His mind couldn’t accept everything that the doctor said.

He felt his heart skip a beat, like a whole world fell down on him.

“What was she talking about?” Victor asked himself while his eyebrows were knitted together.

Has she gone insane?

He couldn’t imagine that Cynthia was there for an interview and she didn’t even tell him about it.

The program was a live telecast so whatever she would be saying would be viewed by the whole nation. It could go viral in just an instant if it was recorded then it would surely be available on social media as well.

Victor couldn’t explain what he was feeling but the interview for him was not a good idea at all, especially the effect of it in his career.

“Good morning, Ms. Gretchen. Thank you for having me here," Cynthia said while she was smiling. "And to answer your question. Yes, I think this is the perfect place where I can say everything that I wanted to say,” her voice seemed to be cracked.

Victor’s eyes were just on the TV screen. For some reasons, he felt that Cynthia was up to something which he couldn’t tell what.

Cynthia took a deep breath before she continued speaking as if she needed to calm herself down.

“T— that night when Victor got into an accident was also the day that he proposed to me but that night,” she paused and it was as if she was having difficulty narrating everything that happened which made Victor’s heart pound so fast while he was watching. “I don’t know how to say it but it was different. Victor was different,” she continued as she shook her head.

She swallowed a lump on her throat and then spoke again.

“It was as if the man that was with me that time wasn’t the man who proposed to me in front of the crowd. I am thinking probably because he always wins in whatever contest he joins.

He felt nervous because something was weird and he knew that his career might get ruined the next moment.

Victor was still wondering why Cynthia was there and why she couldn’t even pay him a visit.

"What do you mean? Can you explain further? How would you say that his real colour came out that night? What happened?" The host suddenly said while her eyes were fixed on Cynthia.

Curiosity was written all over the host’s face, but Cynthia was emotional. It took a couple of seconds before she continued telling her story.

“Well, that night, he came to our place to drop me off after I went to his party at their house. But, I felt a bit concerned because his phone kept on ringing and he didn’t even know who was calling. He didn’t even bother to check who’s calling him, he just kept on ignoring it. I asked why he wouldn’t answer but instead of answering me, he yelled at me and told me that it’s none of my business. I was so shocked. I didn’t expect him to do that. So, right there and then, I asked him, why couldn’t he answer the phone. Is he hiding something from me? But what hurt me most was, he just ignored me. He acted like he didn’t care at all. He just went in silent as if saying that there was no sense for us to have that conversation,” she said as she was trying to hold the tears

that were already in the corner of her eyes.