Ash’s POV
When Crio proposed to me, my mind spiraled back through the years, a decade of memories like pages turning in a well-worn journal.
Ten years ago, we were just two exhausted med students, cramming for exams in cold library corners, surviving on instant coffee and restless determination.
I remembered those sleepless nights na parang hindi natatapos — the quiet moments when we'd sit side by side, whispering words of encouragement.
How we’d push each other forward when self-doubt crept in, reminding ourselves that every hour spent memorizing endless medical terms would be worth it someday. Na lahat ng ginagawa namin eh may papatunguhan.
And it was.
Now here we are — both successful doctors, thriving in our careers, healing people, and chasing our dreams.
We had grown together, laughed together, and overcome struggles that tested our strength.
Through it all, Crio had been my anchor — my safe place in the chaos of the medical world.
Yet, when she knelt before me, holding that engagement ring, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I wasn’t sad — no, far from it — but the weight of everything we had built together overwhelmed me.
The sacrifices, the late nights, the moments of self-doubt, and the unwavering support we gave each other — it all came rushing back at once.
I didn’t speak. Words refused to come out. Instead, I cried — big, uncontrollable tears. Crio, patient as always, simply smiled.
I fell to my knees too, meeting her at eye level. I threw my arms around her, held her close, and kissed her deeply. The warmth of her lips steadied my heart. It’s crazy to think that after all these years si Crio parin talaga yung naging constant ko.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she whispered. Then she slid the ring onto my finger — her hands trembling slightly, yet her smile never faltered. I looked down at the simple yet beautiful ring, a symbol of everything we had endured and achieved together.
"Yes," I finally managed to whisper back, my voice barely audible but filled with certainty. "A thousand times, yes."
But even as I embraced her, a question lingered in my mind — Why now? Why did Crio wait ten years to propose? The thought clung to me, stubborn and persistent, even as I smiled through my tears.
The proposal had been everything I dreamed of — heartfelt, beautiful, and unforgettable. Three months. That’s how long we gave ourselves to plan the wedding. It felt right at the time, but now, as I lay in bed the night after Crio slipped that ring on my finger, doubts began to creep in.
I couldn’t understand why. I loved Crio — always had, always would. If I had to marry her a thousand times over, I’d do it without hesitation. But this... this unsettling feeling wouldn’t leave me alone.
My mind kept spinning. What happens after the wedding? What changes? We've been together for ten years — eight of those spent living under the same roof. We've faced every storm and celebrated every joy side by side. So why was I suddenly questioning everything?
The thought gnawed at me, relentless and persistent. Was this just wedding jitters... or was it something more?
"Why now?" The thought returned, louder this time.
Crio wasn’t the type to rush things, pinag iisipan niya mabuti lahat ng desisyon niya, but she also wasn’t the type to wait longer than she had to. She was confident — decisive. So why did she wait ten years to propose? Was she uncertain before? Did something finally push her to this decision?
I knew I could ask her — Crio had always been honest with me — but I was scared of the answer. What if she had doubts too? What if this was her way of holding onto something she wasn’t sure about anymore?
I shook my head, frustrated with myself. Stop overthinking, I told myself. Crio loves me. We've made it this far — surely that meant something.
Still, as I sat in the quiet room, I couldn't silence the thought that maybe love wasn’t the only reason Crio had asked me to marry her.
--
Three months later.
The big day had arrived.
The suite buzzed with excitement as Ash sat before the mirror, her face half-done in bridal makeup. Her friends laughed and chatted around her, filling the room with energy — but Ash barely heard them. She wasn’t herself.
This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life — marrying Crio, the love of her life. But the joy she expected wasn’t there. Instead, her heart felt heavy, like she was carrying something she couldn’t explain.
“You okay, Ash?” one of her friends asked, noticing her silence.
Ash forced a smile. “Yeah... just need some air,” she said, standing up abruptly.
No one thought much of it at first. Brides get overwhelmed sometimes — nerves, stress, pressure, emotions — it’s normal.
But as minutes turned into an hour, concern began to set in. They searched the suite, then the hallways, then the entire hotel.
Ash was nowhere to be found.
Panic spread. Her friends, now desperate, decided to tell Crio.
The news hit her like a punch to the chest. Crio clutched her dress tightly, her knuckles turning white. She tried to stay calm, kasi alam niyang hindi magagawa ni Ash ‘to sa kanya, to believe Ash would walk through the door any second now, laughing and apologizing for the scare.
But the hours dragged on, and reality began to sink in.
Ash wasn’t coming back…
The wedding — their wedding — wasn’t happening…
Crio’s heart shattered. The guests were sent home, and Crio was left alone holding a bottle of whisky.
No one knew why Ash left. Only that she was gone... and Crio was devastated.
--
Crio’s POV
I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to go.
I had called Ash over a thousand times now — texted her a million more.
I couldn’t help but wonder what went wrong.
Was she scared? Was she... having second thoughts?
I swallowed the lump in my throat and glanced across the room. Ash's wedding gown hung by the window, soft white fabric — delicate, beautiful... untouched. I walked over to it, tracing my fingers along the lace. She had been so excited when she found it — twirling in front of the mirror.
I should’ve been there with her now — helping her fix her hair, calming her nerves, holding her hand before we walked down the aisle. But instead... here I was, drowning myself in alcohol. The half-empty bottle of whiskey on the table mocked me. I took another swig, hoping it would numb the ache. It didn’t. No amount of alcohol would fix this.
I kept asking myself — Did I wait too long?
I always thought we had time. I figured that someday, when our careers were stable, when we had enough savings, when life felt steady... kapag okay na ang lahat… then I’d propose.
I wanted everything to be perfect for Ash — to make sure I could give her the life she deserved.
But maybe that was the problem — maybe I had waited too long for things to be perfect when all she ever wanted was me.
My phone buzzed.
But it wasn’t Ash. Just another missed call notification — one of the dozens I had ignored.
I clenched my jaw and grabbed my keys. I couldn’t just sit here and hope she’d come back. I needed to find her. I needed to fix this.
Because if I lost Ash... I didn’t know who I’d be without her.
--
Crio’s POV
A week. Seven days. One hundred and sixty-eight hours.
That’s how long I’d been searching for her.
I had gone to every place that meant something to us — every spot where memories clung like shadows I couldn’t escape.
I went to the old library at our med school — the place where we first met. I sat at the same corner table where Ash had nervously asked if she could borrow my textbook. I remember how her glasses kept sliding down her nose, and how she kept pushing them back, pretending she wasn’t flustered. I waited there for hours, hoping she’d walk in. She didn’t.
Next, I went to the park where we had our first kiss. I could still hear her laughter from that night — how she teased me for being too nervous to make a move, only to grab my face and kiss me first. I sat on that same bench, tracing the carved initials we made on the wooden seat. C + A — a promise we thought would last forever.
But she wasn’t there either.
I tried her favorite café — the one where she spent hours studying with her headphones on, mouthing medical terms like she was reciting poetry. The barista knew me by now — said she hadn’t seen Ash in days.
I even went to the beach where we once camped under the stars — the night we promised we’d take on the world together. The waves crashed against the shore, loud and relentless, drowning out the sound of my own heart breaking.
Everywhere I went, I found nothing but memories — memories that felt too heavy to carry on my own.
I was running out of places to search... and worse, I was starting to run out of hope.
By the time I stumbled back into our apartment, I felt like a ghost — hollow, empty. The wedding gown still hung by the window.
I sat on the floor, clutching Ash's favorite sweater — the one she always wore when she was stressed. It still smelled like her — faint traces of vanilla and lavender clinging to the fabric.
"Where are you?" I whispered into the silence, my voice breaking.
And for the first time in a long time... I cried.
Few hours after.
I heard the door unlocking. My heart stuttered in my chest.
It had to be her. It had to be Ash.
And it was.
She stood in the doorway, looking exhausted — her eyes puffy.
“Ash…” I breathed, barely able to believe she was really there.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry about what happened.”
I wanted to run to her — to pull her into my arms and never let her go — but something in her face stopped me. She looked... distant. Like she wasn’t really here.
“I just... I needed time,” she said, looking down at her feet. “Time to reflect on myself.”
“Reflect?” My voice cracked. “Why? Why did you leave me like that?”
Ash’s eyes finally met mine — and that’s when I knew something was wrong. Something worse than I had prepared myself for.
Then she said the most unbearably painful words I’d ever heard:
"I don't see myself in the future with you."
It felt like the air had been punched out of my lungs.
“What?” I whispered, barely able to speak.
“I love you,” she continued, her voice shaking. “I love you so much... but I feel like love isn’t enough anymore. Not enough to be with you. Not enough to build a future with you. I’m so sorry.”
“No…” I shook my head. “No, Ash... Why?” My voice broke, and I barely managed to get the words out. “Is it because I waited too long? Because I didn’t propose sooner?”
I stepped closer to her, desperate to hold onto something — anything. “I wanted to settle things first... to give you the future you deserve. That’s all I wanted.”
Ash shook her head, her tears falling freely now. “No… Hindi… It’s just.. wala na talaga... ayaw ko na.”
Those words cut deeper than I thought possible.
I felt like I was standing on a collapsing bridge, watching everything I had built with her — every memory, every promise — crumble into nothing.
“But I love you,” I whispered, my voice breaking.
“I know,” she said softly. “I love you too.”
“I came here para makapag-usap tayo,” Ash said, her voice calm but firm. “Para manghingi ng sorry… but that’s it.”
My chest tightened.
“I know you can’t forgive me now,” she continued, “but I’m really closing the door for us. I also came para kunin yung mga gamit ko.”
My legs felt weak, my mind racing — like I was desperately grasping at something slipping through my fingers.
“No… no, Ash,” I whispered. My voice broke, but I didn’t care. I stepped closer to her, tears blurring my vision. “Please… don’t do this.”
“I have to,” she said quietly.
And then something in me snapped.
I fell to my knees right there in front of her, sobbing so hard my whole body shook.
“Please,” I begged, my voice cracking. “Please, Ash... I forgive you. Whatever it is — whatever you think you’ve done — it’s okay. Just... just stay. We can fix this.”
I reached for her hand, but she pulled it away like my touch hurt her.
“Crio…” Her voice wavered, but she didn’t budge. “Hindi na talaga…”
“You don’t have to fix anything,” I pleaded. “We can start over — forget all of this. I’ll make it right. I’ll do anything. Just... just please don’t leave me.”
But she only shook her head.
“I can’t,” she whispered. “I hurt you. I hurt our friends... our families. It’s too horrible to go back to how we were.”
“But I don’t care!” I cried. “I don’t care about any of that. I just... I just need you.”
I was still on my knees, still crying, still begging — but none of it mattered. Ash’s face crumpled as she turned away from me.
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “But... this is goodbye.”
And with that, she walked out the door, leaving me on the floor — broken, shattered, and holding onto a love that no longer existed.
--
A month had passed since that day — the day Ash walked away.
The text she finally sent to Crio felt cold and formal, but it was the only way she knew how to reach out.
"I’ll drop by the apartment to grab my things. I’ll return the ring too."
Crio’s reply came quickly.
"It’s okay, I’m not there. I’ve been staying with Steph now."
Ash stared at her phone, confused.
"Who’s Steph?" she asked.
This time, Crio took longer to respond.
"The girl I’m dating now. Is it okay if I date someone now?"
Ash’s breath hitched. Dating? Already?
Her fingers hovered over the screen. She wanted to say so many things — ask why, how, if Crio even cared about what they’d shared. Instead, she typed the words she thought Crio needed to hear.
"After all I did, I think you deserve someone. Who am I to judge if that will make you happy?"
But Crio didn’t reply.
--
Ash’s POV
I told her she deserved someone — that I had no right to judge. And I meant it… but why did it hurt so much to say it?
I sat there, phone still in my hand, feeling like the air had been knocked out of me. It all happened so fast — too fast. One month ago, Crio was on her knees begging me to stay... and now she was already with someone new?
Steph….
Who was Steph? Was she someone Crio knew for a while? Or was she just... a way for Crio to forget me?
I wanted to believe Crio was just using her as a rebound. I wanted to convince myself that this wasn’t real — that Crio was still hurting as much as I was. But the thought of her moving on so quickly... that stung more than I expected.
Does she really love her? The question clawed at my mind. Was I that easy to forget?
I knew I had no right to feel this way — after all, I was the one who ended things. I was the one who walked away. I told Crio that love wasn’t enough, that I couldn’t see a future with her. I said those words knowing they would break her... but I never thought they’d break me too.
I placed my phone face down on the table.
“Maybe she’s just trying to heal,” I whispered to myself. “Maybe Steph is just... helping her forget.”
But deep down, I knew that wasn’t true.
Because Crio doesn’t just date people — she gives her heart fully, without hesitation. If Steph was in her life now, then Crio was trying. Really trying.
And somehow, that hurt even more than losing her.
--
After a few hours of stalking Crio on her social media.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
Every time I opened my phone, there she was — Crio and her. Smiling, laughing, holding hands like they’d been together for years. It was everywhere — Instagram stories, Facebook posts, even random tags from mutual friends.
Crio, the woman I spent ten years of my life with, was now proudly showing off someone new. And I couldn’t escape it.
So I blocked her. On everything.
I didn’t want to know anymore — didn’t want to see her posts, hear her name, or accidentally stumble upon a photo of her and Steph looking like they had the perfect love story.
I told myself it was the right thing to do — that it was for my own peace. But honestly? It wasn’t just about moving on.
It was about protecting myself from the ache in my chest that twisted every time I saw her smile in a picture that wasn’t taken with me.
I kept telling myself that I did the right thing — that I was the one who walked away first. But if I was so sure about my decision...
Why did blocking her feel less like moving forward — and more like running away?
--
Six months had passed since Ash walked away — six months of silence, unanswered questions, and endless thoughts she tried to push aside. But all of it came crashing back the moment her phone rang.
“Girl, alam mo bang ikakasal na si Crio and Steph?”
Jade’s voice was sharp and direct, but Ash barely heard the words.
“Wait... what?” Ash whispered, gripping her phone tightly.
“Yeah,” Jade said. “I thought you should know.”
Ash couldn’t answer. Her mind spun, the room around her blurring.
Marrying?
For months, she believed Steph was just a rebound — someone Crio clung to out of heartbreak or anger. A way to fill the space Ash had left behind. She convinced herself Crio was only trying to move on too fast, maybe even to punish her.
But now... Crio was serious. Serious enough to say I do to someone else.
I don’t know what I was thinking when I dialed her number. Maybe I wanted answers. Maybe I just wanted to hear her voice again. Or maybe... I was hoping for something else — something impossible.
To my surprise, Crio agreed to meet.
Now I’m here, sitting in a corner booth at the coffee shop where we used to hang out after our long shifts at the hospital. The memories felt so heavy in this place.
And then the door opened.
Crio walked in, looking... different. Happier. Lighter. Her hair was shorter now. She looked good — too good.
“Hey,” Crio said softly as she took a seat.
“Hey,” Ash replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence felt heavier than the words Ash was trying to find. Finally, she took a shaky breath.
“Why?” she asked, her voice breaking. “Why is this all happening so fast?”
Crio’s eyes softened — not with anger, not with regret — just with a quiet understanding.
“Because,” Crio began, “the day you left... the day you didn’t choose me... I realized I had to choose myself.”
Ash’s breath caught.
“Meeting Steph wasn’t part of the plan,” Crio continued. “It just... happened. But she’s the biggest blessing in my life. I didn’t go looking for her, but somehow, she showed up — right when I felt like I had nothing left. I was so lost, Ash. I felt like I’d hit rock bottom... like I didn’t know who I was without you.”
Crio’s voice trembled slightly, but she held her gaze steady.
“But Steph?” She smiled, almost in disbelief. “She lifted me up. She helped me see that when you hit rock bottom, there’s no other way but up. She picked me... she chose me. And I love her so much for that. That’s when I knew — I knew I wanted to marry her.”
Ash felt the tears before she could stop them. They slid down her cheeks, warm and unrelenting.
“I’m happy for you,” she managed to say, even though her heart ached.
Because deep down, she knew Crio wasn’t punishing her. Crio wasn’t rushing into something reckless.
She was just moving forward — with someone who chose to stay when Ash chose to leave.
And as painful as it was... Ash knew Crio deserved that kind of love.
The kind that didn’t hesitate.
The kind that stayed.