Peachy stirred, her fingers brushing the empty side of the bed.
Walang Charlie.
She blinked, once, twice. The fairy lights from last night's celebration had been unplugged, leaving shadows in their place. Her pink cardigan, the one she always wore when she felt safe, lay crumpled on the chair. Still warm. But not from him.
The air was quiet.
Not peaceful.
Just... quiet.
She sat up slowly, the silk of the hotel robe sliding off her shoulder. Sa gilid ng kama, may papel. Hindi sticky note—just plain white hotel stationery. Empty.
Not even a goodbye.
Not even "thank you."
Peachy tried to smile at herself in the mirror. "It's okay. Maybe may emergency meeting. Maybe... he needed space."
But the ache in her stomach wasn't just from hunger.
Charlie gripped the edge of his steering wheel as he drove aimlessly through the still-sleepy city.
What did I do?
He remembered her laughter from last night—how it sounded like wind chimes, soft and reckless.
He remembered the kiss.
He remembered saying he wanted to try.
And now? He felt everything. And nothing.
That scared him.
Because Peachy was too good. Too kind. Too trusting. Too... pink.
And he wasn't ready to bleed all over her optimism.
Peachy returned home around noon, still in yesterday's dress hidden beneath a hoodie. Her mother, Rose, was on the couch watching an old drama rerun.
"Late ka na naman. Diyan ka na ba natulog?" Rose asked without looking up.
"Mm," Peachy replied, removing her shoes.
"Sa hotel?"
She didn't answer.
"Kailangan ka ni Patty bukas. May function. Ayusin mo sarili mo. Huwag ka nang pa-fairy fairy diyan."
Peachy nodded. Same old tone. Same old script.
She went to her room, closed the door, and sat quietly.
Then she took out the tiny pregnancy test from her bag. It was still wrapped in tissue. The faint double line hadn't changed.
Positive.
Her hand trembled.
Charlie...
But she didn't call him.
Because how do you tell someone who ran away from your presence that you're carrying a piece of them?
The next day, Charlie didn't show up at the hotel.
Neither did Peachy.
Patty frowned when she found out. "Anong dahilan?"
"Sick leave," sabi ng HR. "May lagnat daw."
Patty scoffed. "Lagnat, o broken heart?"
She didn't like rumors. But she heard enough whispers between staff to know something happened between her baby sister and the emotionally constipated Mo heir.
And judging from Peachy's absence, it didn't end in a fairytale.
"Ma, anong lasa ng sinigang?" Peachy asked as she stood in the kitchen that night, trying to cook—something she rarely did.
"Wala sa alat. Wala sa asim. Wala sa puso," Rose said without looking up from her phone.
Peachy bit her lip.
She didn't expect her mother to hold her.
She just wanted someone to notice.
Even the pot on the stove seemed to simmer louder than her family ever did.
Three days passed.
Then four.
On the fifth day, she found herself back in the garden behind the hotel—sitting quietly, writing a sticky note without any plans of posting it.
"Maybe it meant more to me than it ever could to you."
She folded it twice and tucked it inside her pocket.
Then she placed a hand on her still-flat belly.
"Don't worry, baby," she whispered. "You have me."
That night, Charlie sat across from his grandmother, Linsay, at her bedside.
He hadn't spoken much in days.
"So, did you break her heart or just forget to hold it?" Linsay asked bluntly, sipping her tea.
Charlie looked down.
"I thought I could handle it," he said finally. "I thought it was just... comfort. Then it felt like more, and I panicked."
"You kissed a girl and ghosted her, darling. That's not panic. That's cowardice."
"I'm not ready for—"
"Neither is she. But she showed up anyway."
Linsay placed her frail hand over his.
"You're allowed to be afraid, Charlie. But don't punish someone for giving you light."
He didn't sleep much that night.
And for the first time, he reached for his phone... but didn't hit call.
End of Chapter 11.
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