Clarriese Zyah's POV
My hands were trembling as I continued to check on the papers from the envelope I found in dad's things. I couldn't be more terrified. If I'm right with my thoughts then, who is this man? Is he really my dad? But he has the same appearance as my father!
I am confused. My mind went messy.
When I heard someone open the door, I immediately went down. I gathered myself together. I need to know the truth.
"Baby, we are home!" I heard my mom announce.
When I faced both of them, I couldn't search for a word to utter. I lost my speech. I have a lot of thoughts in my mind but when I opened my mouth, I didn't know what to say first. I felt like my head was going to explode anytime soon. I felt like something was fighting in my head that was getting more and more disturbing. It's a very difficult fight. It was terrible.
I felt like going crazy.
"Zy, are you okay?" My father asked and tried to touch my hand but intentionally avoided it.
"Papa?" I started with a broken voice. "Is that really you?" I cried. I just recited it and it seemed to break my heart. I was more nervous about what my question would be like because of the response it would be. I don't know if I could bear it once I heard the truth.
"Zy, what are you saying?" Mama nervously shouted. She looks pale now. Maybe, she couldn't understand a single thing about what I was saying.
I wiped away the tears on my cheek. "Tell me the truth. Are you really my dad?"
"Zy, you-"
"Should I call you dad or Uncle Harvey?" I asked sarcastically. I could feel something sharp was stabbed into my heart. I am feelin' weak, defeated by the pain inside my chest.
Both of them looked surprised. My mother averted her gaze away and my dad was not able to move. Their reaction put me in horror. They both looked guilty. They are really hiding something from me.
"What, pa? Who really are you?" I asked loudly as I burst into tears. I couldn't control my emotions. We are talking about my dad here. My dad.
"We have to tell her," My father said as he looked at my mother.
Mama nodded amidst crying. "Zy, baby. . . " she mumbled between her sobs.
Their actions were killing me. How could they do this to me?
"What do I need to know? Ma?! Pa?!"
"I am not your dad," he confessed straightforwardly.
My whole body went cold. I was struck by what I heard. I couldn't move, my world seemed to fall. A grain of tears fell from my eye.
"Are you not dad?" I asked. "Then, where's my dad?!" Mixed anger, shock and grief wrecked my voice.
"Baby, calm down," mama said.
"Ma? How I am supposed to calm down?!" I responded loudly. I was hurt by what I was doing to raise my voice but my anger and pain in my heart was more grueful. I'm too emotional. I couldn't think about how they felt. "Ma? Pa?" I paused and laughed gently. "Uncle Harvey."
"Where's my dad?!" I cried out again when they were both covered with silence. "Tell me what things I need to know. I felt like a fool here!"
"Y-your dad. . . " My mother began. " He died alongside Dale's dad in that accident."
Felt like cold water was splashed all over me. I couldn't believe what I had heard. What did my mom just say? He died in that accident?
I tightly grip my own hair. I couldn't catch a word. 
I found myself crying, my heart was aching. My mind couldn't process what I just heard. It was so heavy.
"I was driving the car of the day," Uncle Harvey confessed. "But the impact on Clavey has been serious, he hasn't survived, Zy," he continued.
"Then. . . . My-"
"Zy, I'm sorry," My mom cried with an apology. "Everything is my fault. Even your boyfriend's father died."
"Ma? Why haven't you told me before?" My heart was broken. How can I handle it? 
"We are afraid to hurt you!" She cried out. "You love your dad so much."
"Ma! It hurts more that you hid the truth from me. It hurts so bad! It's more painful than ever that I've never known that papa is gone!" I kept my eyes on  "How do you manage to keep it from me?"
There is nothing more  painful than what I felt today. Everything I saw was just pretentious actions. I thought the one who was around me during those days was dad but actually he was the twin of my father. I lived my life happily with the thought of having a perfect father but I never know that my real dad was gone, a long time ago.
"Zy, we are sorry."
"Papa has nothing to do with that accident. He was innocent because he lost his life that day!" I cried out.
"Zy-"
"Ma? I thought you loved papa so much? Did you ever lament his death?!"
I felt a sudden pain when my mother's palm hit my face. She slapped me, a quite hard one.
How could you say something like that, Zyah?" she uttered emotionally. I saw myself how tears fell from her eyes.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," she apologized. She looked at me with pain in her eyes. "Zy, you don't have any idea how much agony I suffered when I lost him. He was my husband and your father! I barely survive the pain, Zy! I couldn't bring myself to tell you because I know how it'll affect you! You were just a kid when that happened!"
"Ma, enough! It hurts so badly already!" After saying this, I gathered some strength and walked up the stairs. I went to my room and reached for my suitcase. I hurriedly packed all my important things and went down again.
"Zy, what are you doing?" my mom asked when she saw me pulling my suitcase through the stairs.
"I don't know if it's still the home I wanted to live in, ma. I'm leaving," I said bitterly, pulling my suitcase.
"And where do you think you are going! The night is getting deeper!" Worries could trace her voice.
I don't know where I am going. Anywhere is fine as long as it's not in this house.  The pain was gradually killing me. My previous pain isn't healed yet there comes another bolt of pain. And the worst thing is, the pain was greater and deeper this time. 
My tears kept falling as I stormed out of house. I was dragging my things as I cast my tears away. 
"Zy, just a moment!"
I stopped when Uncle Harvey held my hand. He faced me and reached out his hand to give me something. 
"Don't blame your mom for everything. Listen to that, ah? You need to hear that one."
He didn't gave me a choice to refuse him. I left home with that thing he gave me. I didn't even know whether I'll throw this one away or keep it.
Dale Daniel's POV
I am anxious, rubbing my hands while waiting for my grandma at her office. I need to ask her this. Why Zyah's name was on this contract?
"La! Why didn't you tell me?!" I raised a question as soon as she came in the door. 
"Tell you what?" She went straight to her seat and put down her bag on the table.
"That Zyah was the author of Drizzles of Yellow."
She was startled but not that much. "Oh? She told me so."
"That woman." I stroked my forehead with frustration."But how did that happen? Why is it her?" I faced my grandmother. "You asked her?"
"I did not! Zyah came here personally!" she replied. "I am surprised too. I wasn't expecting that she would be the one I'll meet."
"How did she know that we were looking for her? We haven't met in France."
"You, sure?"
"Oh."
"Trish is much more fortunate than you are, Dale."
"What?"
"It was Trish who met her there."
Trish? Then she was the lady that Trish have been talking about? He was right all along. 
"What? Are you going to terminate the contract?" she asked.
"La, we both know that it's her dream!"
"That! She knows that you won't accept the deal if it was her!"
I sat down on the couch."I'd rather give up mine than to take what's hers."
"Love her that much, huh?"
"La, you already have my answer, why ask," I said, facing down.
"Aren't you tired of running away, Dale?" She left her seat and took the one in front of me.
"Ah?"
"Can't you tell that you are both still holding on to the love you built together?"
"What if she doesn't love me anymore?"
My grandma shook her head. "Here we go again, Dale, dwelling with that "what ifs". If she didn't care for you,  then why did she fly here all the way from France to help the Inkwell?"
I froze. My grandma's words knock me hard. It made me wonder but I am not expecting. It's been a while since we parted our ways. If she chooses to continue her journey, I would be happy. Yes, I will be happy for her. 
"You still love her, don't you?"
I lifted up my head and met her gaze. "I do and I always will." 
The truth is I never left the line where I ended our relationship. I was still there. I am free to leave the place and look for another race but I didn't do it. I won't leave the line where we started our walk. She is the only woman my heart recognized. She's the only woman I ever loved. No one could take its place. 
"Then go! Tell her that personally!"
"Huh?"
"Didn't you hear me? She's at Dreem right now. Fix the life you wanted to build with her, Dale." She glanced at me and reached for my hand. "Chase your happiness. She's the first person who was able to melt the hate inside your heart. She's the only woman who can bring your smile back. What are you waiting for? Go now!"
"Grandma, thank you!" I rose up from my seat.
"Don't let me see you if she will not be your wife!" she added. 
I looked back through the opened door. "Roger that, madam!"
Maybe, grandma is right. I need to fix my life. If not now, then when? I have made up my decision. I won't run away anymore. I won't deny it anymore. If ever Zyah and I will meet again, I am unsure on how exactly she would feel. Maybe she will chase me away or get mad at me? Ah. I don't care about that. Whatever will happen, I am determined to see her again. 
I felt joyous when walked down the plane. I am now on my home country. It's been a long time and now I am back. I am hoping this time, I can make things right. If ever things gets worse today there's still tomorrow. 
"Woman, will you let me open our book again?"
I searched for my phone and called Ryle. I am about to tell them that I already arrived. They are not informed that I am coming back today. I am sure that it would be a big surprise to him if I'll him that I am back now.
"What, Cuego?" he answered the phone.
"What's with that tone? What's your problem?" I spoke while strolling.
"How to deal with a crying woman, Cuego?"
I cracked up with his query. "Aren't you a doctor?"
"What do you expect me to tell her? Medical terminologies? Are you crazy?" I heard his rough sigh from the other line.
"Aren't you a romantic person? Why ask me now?"
He fetched a long breath. "I am losing my mind. I already did."
"Who's crying?" I asked.
"My Dwight."
"What happened to her?"
"Don't know. She's already crying when I found her."
"Deal with her first," I said and then ended the call.
Ryle and Dwight become a couple after bickering a lot before. In fact, I also admire Ryle's love for Dwight. Ryle loves her more than his life. Ryle is ready to give her everything. What a man he is.
I dialed Johnny's number thereafter. After a moment of ringing, he finally picked up the phone.
"Cuego, what's up! I'm busy!" he said when he answered the phone.
"Girl problem too?"
"Oh. I am looking for Grace!" 
"What happened to her?"
"When she answered my call, she was crying. She didn't tell me where she was. The call already ended. I couldn't reach her again!" He said, worried. 
"What's with them? Dwight was crying too!"
"Dale. . . " he called seriously.
"I just found out what really happened. Wanna know why?" 
"Huh? What's that? What is happening there?"
"Are you sure you want to hear it?"
"Oh."
"Something bad happened to Zyah."