At seven in the morning, the house was still quiet. Qiara peeked out from behind her bedroom door, making sure none of the servants or her parents were passing by. Once she felt it was safe, she slipped downstairs via the back staircase and managed to sneak out through the side door unnoticed.
Qiara jogged toward the gate of the residential complex, hiding behind the trees at the end of the street as they had agreed. Cold sweat dampened her palms.
She pulled out her phone and immediately dialed Dewa's number.
It rang... then disconnected.
Qiara frowned. She tried calling again.
The number you are trying to reach is unable to receive calls at this time.
"Ugh, Dewa... where are you? Why is your phone impossible to reach again this early?" Qiara muttered in a panic.
She kept glancing at the watch on her wrist. Minute after minute passed, and anxiety began eating away at her chest. What if Dad realized she was no longer in her room?
After nearly half an hour of waiting in fear, the phone in Qiara's hand finally vibrated. Dewa's name appeared on the screen.
Qiara quickly swiped the green answer button.
"Hello! Dewa! Where are you?! I've been waiting at the end of the alley this whole time! I'm scared Dad will find out!" Qiara demanded, scolding Dewa without knowing what had happened to her boyfriend.
"Q-Qiara... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Sweetheart..." Dewa's voice on the other end sounded panicked and breathless.
Qiara's heart seemed to stop.
"What do you mean, Dew? Where are you now? Why haven't you come to pick me up?" Qiara pressed impatiently, eager to run away with Dewa.
"I can't leave, Qia... I can't take you and run away today," Dewa interrupted quickly.
"What?! Why?!" Qiara cried out, her eyes widening again in disbelief.
"But we promised last night, Dew! I brought clothes, and I already left the house!" Qiara looked disappointed by Dewa's answer.
"Mom, Qia! Mom suddenly collapsed in the bathroom this morning!" Dewa cut in, his voice filled with regret.
"She's in critical condition. I'm at Medika Hospital right now. I can't leave Mom like this, Qia. Please understand what I'm going through!"
Qiara's anger instantly evaporated when she heard Dewa mention his mother. Dewa's mother was a very kind middle-aged woman who had always treated her well. Panic and guilt immediately surged through Qiara's chest.
"Oh my God... Auntie fell?" Qiara whispered, her voice suddenly softening.
"How is Auntie now, Dew?"
"She's still in the ER. The doctor's examining her. I'm really panicking right now, Qia. I'm sorry, but we'll have to postpone our plan for now."
As a kindhearted girlfriend who loved Dewa deeply, Qiara couldn't be selfish. She put her own problems aside so she could support the man she loved during his difficult time.
"It's okay, Dew. You don't have to apologize," Qiara said considerately.
"You're at Medika Hospital, right? I'm coming there now. I want to stay with you."
"Huh? N-No, you don't have to, Qia! You should just go home. What if your dad comes looking for you—"
"No, I'm still going," Qiara cut in firmly.
"I want to see how Auntie is, and I want to be by your side. Wait for me, okay?"
Without waiting for Dewa's reply, Qiara hung up. She flagged down a taxi that happened to be passing on the main road and immediately gave the driver Medika Hospital as her destination.
Qiara also stopped by a fruit shop to buy a gift for her future mother-in-law. She loved Dewa so much that she was willing to make sacrifices like that.
Even though there was no guarantee that Dewa's mother liked her, too.
When she arrived at the hospital building, Qiara hurried out of the taxi. Unbeknownst to her, someone was watching her.