Chapter 28

It had been several days since Rosa began visiting Malaya every evening.
She always arrived with a basket of food, her warm smile cutting through the silence of the small apartment. She wanted to make sure Malaya was taking care of herself, that loneliness wasn’t quietly swallowing her whole.

Thanks to Rosa’s persistence, Malaya had finally started attending therapy sessions. At first, she hated the idea — sitting there, exposing her wounds to a stranger. But little by little, she learned how to combat her fears. She, who had long believed the world was indifferent to her trauma, was slowly realizing that “the world” was not the crushing mass of humanity, but the precious few who genuinely cared.

Still, her absence at Niran Kai was starting to show. Her empty desk, her quiet voice missing from the corridors, even the elevator seemed to sigh differently without her presence. The question lingered like an echo:

Would Malaya return to Niran Kai, or end that chapter for good?

Rosa, for her part, refused to pressure her friend. Yet, every morning, she faced Dr. Williams’ persistent, clinical gaze, dreading the moment the doctor would lose patience and order her to find a new secretary. It was already a small miracle that Williams had been so patient.

That evening, Rosa found Malaya sitting by her window, wrapped in a loose cardigan, the golden light of dusk painting soft shadows on her face.

“Malaya, tell me… how do you feel?” she asked gently, watching her eat the small meal she had brought.

Malaya shrugged. “Well enough.”

Rosa raised an eyebrow. “Hmm.”

The silence settled, comfortable rather than tense. Rosa finally spoke, leaning forward.
“You know, tomorrow the hospital will finally conclude the problem you told me about.”

Malaya looked up, puzzled. “Problem?”

“The IVF,” Rosa clarified. “The parents and the lady have finally reached common ground. I overheard Dr. Williams and Mr. Polo talking.”

“Oh really?” Malaya replied, her tone flat but her eyes betraying a faint spark of irony. “That’s good news. I suppose Emilio must be thrilled. Finally, he won’t have to explain to Williams about his misconduct.”

Rosa’s lips pressed together, unsure what to say. She hesitated, then added softly:

“And so, finally… will you come back to us?”

Malaya struggled visibly with the question. The thought of stepping back into the sleek, marble halls where her demons and Emilio’s reflection still resided caused a physical tightening in her chest.

“Don’t worry,” Rosa offered quickly, sensing the internal strain. “You don’t have to answer, Malaya. Whatever your decision, I will understand.” She smiled warmly. “Well, I have to go home. It’s getting late.”

Malaya walked Rosa to the apartment door. Before Rosa could leave, Malaya extended her hand — a rare, deliberate gesture — and thanked her from the bottom of her heart. Rosa squeezed her hand firmly in response, her expression both proud and sad.
“You’re stronger than you think, Malaya.”

When she was gone, the apartment felt quieter than before. The city outside hummed — faint traffic, a dog barking somewhere, the low buzz of a neon sign. Malaya began to process. On the table, her letter of resignation lay beside her untouched cup of tea.

Since therapy began, her thoughts had shifted. Rosa’s words replayed in her mind:
The parents and the lady have found common ground.

If that was true, then there wasn’t just one Emilio — there were many Emilios. A ubiquitous class of men who could charm, manipulate, exploit, and walk away untouched, using the same corrosive tactics that had derailed her own life.

She understood Williams’ desperate struggle to shut down the IVF case. It wasn’t entirely the doctor’s fault; Williams and her mother had worked tirelessly to establish a legacy of excellence. If that entire structure were to be destroyed because of the perversion of one or two doctors, it would be an intolerable injustice.

But then came the crushing realization:

If she remained silent about the wider abuse she had heard about — the abuse she now recognized as systemic — if she chose to cover it up under the guise of “friends should stick together” or professional loyalty, then she would be as morally wicked as the people who had destroyed her own life.

That thought was unbearable.

Now, she had to choose between silence and salvation.

The warm, fleeting feeling she had once held for Dr. Emilio had now curdled into deep, unwavering scorn.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, Evelyn was consumed by her obligations. Her schedule was so tight that she had been postponing the hospital’s invitation, a final settling-in, as Mr. polo had insisted. “You must save spare time,” he’d said, but spare time was a luxury she didn’t have.

At the orphanage, it was the week of visits, a crucial time when parents needy of a child would present themselves to find their match. The administration mobilized all available staff to assist every prospective family, and there was no way Evelyn would miss such an important moment.

Finally, though, she had agreed: the next day, she would present herself with her lawyer, with whom she had previously discussed the issue.

As for Kannika, her friend, she was so busy they hadn’t seen each other in a while. Now, as Evelyn quickly checked on the children one last time before the presentation, she recalled their most recent discussion.

Flashback:

Evelyn and Kannika had shared dinner at Evelyn’s small kitchen table. A soft wind caressed the window; the bare light bulb above them flickered slightly, giving the scene a quiet, melancholic tone.

“You know,” Evelyn said between bites, “I’m not sure how Jack will take it. He was really distressed the day we broke up.”

Kannika smiled faintly, stirring her tea. “Ah, he’ll recover. Don’t worry too much about him; he’s an adult. He’ll be fine.” She paused, her smile becoming a fraction too wide. “But tell me, Evelyn, are you truly planning to leave?”

“Yes,” Evelyn replied, her voice low but firm. “It’s time. But we’ll still see each other. I promise.”

Kannika grinned, though her eyes softened. “Oh yes, of course. I’ll hold you to that.”

Evelyn wished the situation could be smooth. She wondered how Jack was feeling; he had just gone silent after the breakup, all of it hard to swallow. She hated that she had even given him a try, but he had been so desperate, and she was terrified of hurting one more person because of her. Finally, she did.

What she equally failed to notice that night, having dinner with Kannika, was how, when Evelyn wasn’t looking, Kannika’s smile fell.

The thought of losing Evelyn’s proximity, especially now, with her own life mired in deep-cover secrecy, was a hollow ache. Kannika knew how to live with danger, but she was realizing she didn’t know how to live without Evelyn.

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