Chapter 27

Quen found Edward standing outside the women's restroom as if in a trance.

He was looking into the distance.

Quen approached him and tapped him in the shoulder.

"Bro!"

But Edward didn't move or say anything.

He stood in front of Edward but still his brother seems not to see him.

He shook Edward's shoulders to break him out of his trance.

"Edward!"

That's when Edward looked at him and he could see the sorrow in his brother's eyes.

"Quen? She said no...she doesn't want to wait for me...." and that's when his tears started to fall.

Quen shushed him like a kid.

"Pull yourself together Edward! Of course she'll say no! What the hell did you expect?"

He dragged his brother to the men's restroom.

He pushed him towards the lavatory.

"Now clean yourself up before we go back to the party!"

Which Edward silently followed.

He opened the faucet and washed his face.

"I told you not to approach her until after the wedding!"

"I had to! I was so worried after what Markus did to her!"

"I understand your angry with Markus but approaching Dale might ruin our plans!"

"F*ck our plans! We're too late! I'm too late!" he suddenly punched the mirror.

"Stop it Edward! We've talked about this already! You will be free after the wedding... until then we have to stick to our plan!"

He held his brother's bloody hand and turned on the faucet to wash it.

Edward is oblivious to the pain on his fist.

Nothing is more painful than Mary Dale leaving him.

Quen wrapped his hand with a handkerchief.

"Go home and get some rest! I'll take care of everything here!"

He silently nodded.

They parted ways.

Edward drove off to Mary Dale's condo.

He has been staying there since the night he learned that Mary Dale left it.

There's no traffic so it didn't take him long to get there.

He feels so weary from everything that happened.

The elevator ride seems to take forever that Edward felt suffocated.

He unbuttoned two buttons of his polo.

When the elevator door finally opened he got out immediately and inhaled deeply.

He was walking aimlessly towards the condo unit.

He suddenly felt that it was a mistake to come here.

He would only be reminded of what he lost when he let go of Mary Dale.

He opened the door and went straight to the bedroom.

He didn't bother turning on the lights.

He lay on the bed fully clothed.

He reached for the blanket when he suddenly felt something move.

He got up and turned on the bedside lamp.

He waited for his eyes to adjust to the light before looking at whatever it is that is in bed with him.

He couldn't believe what he is seeing.

"Mary Dale?" he whispered to himself.

Afraid that she might disappear if she said her name out loud.