3 years ago

A woman is seen opening up a box that she had kept for three years. It's been a long time. The box contains all of her precious memories of him. She can't help but feel mixed emotions.

In most pictures, she could see the place where she and Craig frequently visited. The place was where they started and ended at the same time. She could still remember what happened the last time she was there. The sunset was slowly ending while the leaves were rustling. All the warmth that she experienced with the man she loved. The only man she ever loved. The only man she will love in this lifetime.

Looking back amidst all the problems we had faced, we were contented because we have each other, we planned out everything that we want to happen for our careers and our future together. Everything was smooth sailing.

What I like the most about him is his perseverance and dedication to his studies. I admire him for being brave even though he had lived a cold and lonely life.

He promised a lifetime of bliss and contentment for years to come for our relationship and while doing that he places a rose gold ring that has diamonds embedded in it on my finger. We sealed it with a slow yet passionate kiss.

I love him because he honored the promises that we made in this place. We promise that we will never leave each other and continue our love story. What I want to do is to continuously love him and create special memories that we will photograph using our eyes and our heart.

This place was our haven, the place that only the two of us know and no one else, our paradise, the place that could have been our future.

But, in all the rainbows and butterflies we didn't last.

I don't know what happened? What I remembered is that we were happy, until one night when everything change. When I had become the destruction in his life. Little by little, he was beginning to lose everything. He told me that everything is fine but I could feel that he is slowly distancing himself from everyone including me.

He doesn't want to give up on our relationship, because he doesn't want me to be unhappy and be left alone. After everything I've done to him, he still prioritized my happiness over his own.

I want to stay with him because I don't want him to experience what he felt before, about people betraying him, leaving him. About people giving him what-ifs. I don't want the scar that was left in his heart and mind to deepen.

But the day that I dreaded the most finally happened when he was on bended knees begging me not to leave him, not to give up on our relationship. I didn't want to do this but I had no choice because he was right about what he told me before, that women are just a liability. I was not his strength; I was his downfall.

"Craig I think we need to break-up, our relationship is not healthy anymore-

"Alicia please don't! Just stop! I am not going to give up on our relationship. I could still fix these, I could still get back everything I lost. Please! don't leave me, I'm tired of people living me.

"But Craig I can't bear to see you losing everything because of me and maybe you're right before; I am the hindrance to your successes. Without me, you will not suffer anymore.

"Is that really what you want? Tell me Alicia Is that what you want?

"Yes, it is what I want. It's for the better.

"Okay, I will do what you want. Maybe your right If I don't fix myself you will also lose yourself with me. I need to fix myself first so I can be successful and be worthy of you. But, can I ask for a favor? Can you still keep the ring, It's fine if you don't wear it anymore just don't throw it away. And before you leave, I just wanted to say that I love you, Alicia! I will continue to you love you for a lifetime!

"I love you too Craig. But just because I'm breaking up with you it doesn't mean you were never enough, that I never love you, that you were never worthy for me. Because your the only man who had accepted the real me. Even if we end now or tomorrow I will still love you because you are mine as I am yours.

He caresses my face as I look at him memorizing his features one last time before I leave. He kissed me lovingly and waves of tears flowed in my eyes and after that electrifying but painful kiss, He left.

I don't deserve him. If I stayed with him, I will be able to inflict him more pain and he will slowly lose himself at the expense of loving me. I didn't want to do that. He suffered long enough and I can't bear to see him falling. So, even if it hurts I let him go. I broke his trust, his heart, and our promise to each other.

Nothing lasts forever. We both left our paradise.

I reminisce all the moments that happened between the two of us 3 years ago. And as I ponder, I looked at the ring that is on my finger, and questions formed in my mind; What if I had stayed? What if I never left him? What if I never left you, Craig, would we be happy now? I guess we could have.

But it also means you would not reach where you are right now. You will not be known as the legend in the business field who have surpassed thousands of company and establish your own name. And I will continue being the only hindrance in your life.

If only I could stop the time, I wish that night never happened. I wish that I could be a lot more mature in my actions and words. If only before I started to take things seriously, we would have still been together by now. Because of me, we ended; We ended just like this sunset is going to end soon, our time flowed past like the sands in an hourglass.

And now that I'm back will you still accept me even after I left you? Is the promise that we made in this place still valid? Am I still yours as you were mine? Am I still the one that you love and the one who owns your heart?