Heartstrings and Heartbreaks

"Oscar, I had my reasons for leaving back then. I can explain everything to you," Maya pleaded, swallowing the lump in her throat as she tried to suppress the flood of emotion rising in her chest. "Can you just come with me, please?"

She was trying—desperately—not to let it all end like this. Not after all these years. Not after growing up together, not after over a decade of feelings that had matured from innocent childhood affection into something deep, unwavering, and impossible to shake.

Oscar had long become the one constant in her heart—the man she could never forget, no matter how hard she tried.

She held on to one last flicker of hope, the faint idea that maybe—just maybe—Oscar would believe her. Just like he used to. But this time, his voice carried a trace of something new. Something cold. Something impatient.

"I'm not here to argue about the past," he said flatly. "And I'm not blaming you. But Diana is your sister. She's so weak now—couldn't you show just a little compassion for her?"

Maya stared at him in disbelief. Oscar, who had once stood firmly on her side, was now chastising her? Her eyes widened as the tears spilled freely.

Compassion?

She and Diana had never been close. In fact, they had been locked in silent warfare for most of their lives.

She still remembered it clearly: the day Diana's mother had strutted into their home like a queen, fully aware she was the other woman. The insults. The provocation. The smugness.

Her mother, already weakened by illness, collapsed from the shock. Even the doctors couldn't save her.

Maya had only been eight years old when she lost the only person in the world who loved her unconditionally.

Oscar had known all of this. Back then, he had sworn he would stand with her—that they would face the world together and avenge her mother's pain.

But as they grew older, Maya had learned to swallow her grief and buried her resentment deep within herself, trying to maintain the illusion of peace.

But now? Now, Oscar wanted her to accept the daughter of the woman who destroyed her family as his bride. And he wanted her to be understanding?

That one sentence broke something inside her.

She thought of her mother, gasping for breath on a hospital bed. And she remembered the vow she had made at that very moment: she would never repeat the same tragedy. She would never let another person trample her heart like that.

Let alone compete endlessly with Diana for the same man.

"Fine," she said. "Then I won't bother you two anymore."

She gave him a faint smile and turned to leave.

Oscar's expression faltered. He stared at her back like he wanted to stop her, but he didn't move.

"Wait!" It was Diana who spoke first, her voice honeyed with cruelty. She wore a thin smile, the kind that never reached the eyes. "Maya, it's my wedding day. It wouldn't be complete without your blessing. Why don't you attend the wedding? It'll mean so much to me."

Maya's hands curled into fists at her sides, her fingernails digging into her palms until they drew blood. The pain was sharp—but not as sharp as the nausea roiling in her gut.

"I'm not feeling well," she said stiffly. "I'm sorry."

She thought Oscar would step in. He had to. But he just stood there, arms crossed, saying nothing—as if sulking, or worse, silently agreeing with Diana.

Diana, emboldened by his silence, smiled even more sweetly. "It's okay. I brought my private physician just in case. You have nothing to worry about. And if you still refuse to attend the wedding… well, I'll have to assume you don't really wish us well. That you don't want to help me fulfill my final wish."

Maya let out a soft laugh.

So many years had passed, but Diana's manipulative games were just as childish—and just as pathetic—as ever.

"Fine then," she said, tilting her head toward Oscar. "Why don't you decide? Do you want me to witness your wedding or not?"

It was one last chance. A final lifeline she was willing to offer him.

But Oscar didn't look at her. He was too busy letting Diana cling to his arm. Diana tilted her pale face up to him. And in the end, his heart softened.

"If that's what Diana wants, then… you should come. After all, it's just for show," he said blandly. "I owe her too much. So please, be the bigger person. Alright?"

Whatever last shred of hope Maya had held onto disintegrated in that moment. She stared at him, silent for several seconds, then nodded slowly.

"Alright," she said. "I'll attend the wedding."

'Let this be my punishment, for the way I had once disappeared without a word,' Maya thought. 'After today, I'll return overseas. And I'll never see Oscar again.'