Chapter 190 - The Islet Mystery 6

She lay down on the bed and listened to the music. It seemed like she was listening to a hundred musicians playing their different musical instruments. The slow tempo at the beginning of the piece tickled her heart, gripping it slowly as the music rose to a crescendo. For a moment, she forgot about her heartaches as the music wrapped her heart into a beautiful feeling, allowing it to sway according to its rhythm. However, she cried for more as she felt it was about to end as it reached its loudest and fastest point, fading slowly into the background in the next moment. She swore she would feel in love with the musician if she'd watch him in actual performance.

Then, the music changed into a soft, slow, and swaying rhythm. No matter how Shiela interpreted it, somehow, it strongly implied to her a sense of loneliness, of failure, heartache and despair. The beautiful feeling a while ago, which lifted her to the ninth cloud dropped her to an abyss of pain and miseries. She did not realize that she was already sobbing her heart out until she got so exhausted and felt sleepy.

The bed on the other side dropped, and she didn't dare to turn to him. She didn't want him to see her crying because she didn't like him to see her hurting because of Jullien. It only reminded her of the things in life she could never have, and that was the fulfillment of her love. Ryan's parents made it clear to her; she could never be with the man she loved.

Ryan wrapped her in his arms and pulled her tighter into himself. Neither of them said a word, and only their warmth communicated. With the top of her head nestled under her chin and his body close to her, she felt secure, even though it was only for a borrowed time. She held Ryan's hand in her chest and drifted off to sleep.

Ryan sat up and stared at her for a long while before pulling the sheets upward to cover her up to the neck. He drew in a deep breath, and expelled it into a sigh before striding towards the door. He must be seeing his guests; he invited them, after all.

"Ryan, you're here!" Cherry greeted him first, and he responded with a broad smile, warming everyone's hearts.

"I hope everyone is enjoying it here."

"We are," all of them replied, almost in a chorus.

"Ryan, can we go island hopping the next day? I love to spend more time here," Jane said with a begging, beautiful eyes.

"That's if it's alright with everyone. I don't want to spoil one's excitement."

"We talked about it, dear. We also don't want to go without Shiela," said Mrs. Lopez.

"Care to join us, Ry?" Ajie offered, and Ryan broke into a smile before he replied, "Sure, I'll get some food first."

"Ryan, where's Jullien? I wonder if she likes to join us also," Allie hollered as she was in the farthest end of the so-called mini-Dead Sea.

"She may be doing something else, but she sure likes to join. I'll ask her."

Ryan left again and instructed the kitchen staff to bring food to the guests. Then, he picked up his phone and called Jullien. "Won't you like to join the guests on Chara?"

"Sure, if you want me there."

"You know what to do, Jullien."

"As you wish, my dear."

Ryan went back to his room and found Shiela sobbing in her sleep. He frowned as he sat down beside her. He touched her shoulders and shook her gently, thinking that she's having a nightmare.

"No! My baby can't be dead. I just heard him cry. Please give him to me. Don't take him away from me. I will hide the baby from him. Please..."

Ryan froze, and he dropped his hand unconsciously. The hospital record and that signature of that agreement for several million might not be true...He knew all too well that nightmares could be a fragment of a real event appearing in one's memory through dreams. And these nightmares reappear whenever that poignant memories return.

When Shiela's sobbing seemed to choke her out of breath, Ryan scooped her up into his arms. Shiela got startled for a moment, and when she looked up and saw Ryan's face, she calmed down.

"Shiela, what makes you cry always? It's no longer healthy. Why don't you speak up to me? I'm willing to listen."

"I'm not crying," she replied with a faint smile, staring into the hand she placed in his chest rather than in his eyes.

"I watched you before I sat down beside you here."

"While I'm asleep?" she confirmed, hoping she was right.

'No. Before you slept in my arms."

That was one of the sweetest words she heard from him, and even after this borrowed time, she would treasure this forever. "Right. I was listening to the music you played, and it made me cry."

"Why does it make you cry?" Ryan tried hard to be gentle, and a little piece of truth he got one at a time would be enough.

"The music was so beautiful, Neil, and I swear this. If I see the pianist one day, I'll fall in love with him."

Ryan chuckled and bent down to kiss her forehead. "You make me jealous of him."

"But you can't be mine, Neil. I'm here on a borrowed time."

"What makes you say that?" Ryan held his breath, and his mind urged him to dig deeper.  "Just say it's them, sweetheart, and everything will be over, he thought."

Shiela's heart screamed to tell him the truth. That his parents didn't like her for him; she was only a son of a laborer who worked to feed their mouth each day. And she understood that Ryan deserved someone better than her.

"You already have Jullien, and who am I to compete against her status?"

"What status do you exactly mean?" 

"Her status as your fiancee."

"We're not married yet, and I could marry you instead."

"No. I don't deserve you, Neil. Go ahead with Jullien, and I wish you lifetime happiness."

"That's foolishness, Shiela. How can you allow me to make love with you if you only consider this as a momentary happiness?"

"You're parents even ordered to kill me, Neil, through Myrtle Shade," Shiela's thoughts urged her to answer him this, but she held herself for their own good.

"Because I love you, Neil, and as I said, I am here on a borrowed time, and when you're gone forever in my life, these moments I have with you will be my best memories."