Part 09

Thania's POV

This morning, I didn't bother cooking. Instead, I just reheated the leftovers from yesterday. Besides, I had a feeling Gibran wouldn't be eating with me anyway.

"Gibran!" I called out as soon as I saw him stepping out of his room.

"Gibran, wait!" I jogged toward him.

"Gibran, you should have breakfast first. You still have thirty minutes before you need to leave," I said, glancing at my wristwatch.

"I already made plans to eat out with my friends," he replied flatly.

"But Gibran—" Instinctively, I reached for his arm. "Then let me pack you a lunch instead. You can eat it later."

"You don't have to go through the trouble of cooking for me anymore. It just makes things harder for you, and you know this marriage—"

"I know, Gibran," I cut him off before he could finish. "I'm sorry for everything."

He gave me a brief nod before turning away, leaving me standing there. But he didn't understand. Nothing I did for him ever felt like a burden. I did it wholeheartedly. I just wanted to be a good wife to him.

09:00 AM

"Thania, thank you for all your help while I was here," Mr. Andre said with a warm smile.

"It's no problem at all, sir. I'm happy I could help. I hope we can work together again in the future."

He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Thania."

"Yes, sir? Is there something else?"

"Even though I won't be working here anymore, I'd still like to meet you outside the office. Would that be alright?"

I blinked, caught off guard by his words.

"I mean," he quickly clarified, "not as your superior, but as a friend."

I exhaled in relief. "Of course, sir. That would be fine."

"Then, let me walk you out," I offered.

He nodded. "Alright."

I followed behind him as he bid farewell to the rest of the office. Once he was done, I walked him to his car.

"Thania, if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me."

"Thank you, sir. And please drive safely." I returned his smile before stepping back.

10:00 PM

It was getting late, and Gibran still hadn't come home. Worry gnawed at me. I had tried calling him several times, and he had only picked up once.

Gibran's POV

I didn't want to see Thania today. I knew she would be looking for me at home, but I didn't care. I wanted to be anywhere but there. I wanted to leave her, but I had no reason to abandon her. Like it or not, I still had responsibilities to her.

"Gibran, did you really call us out here just to drink with you?" Kevin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah."

"Dude, that's enough. Stop drinking so much," Jo, always the responsible one, tried to intervene.

But I ignored him, pouring myself another glass.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Without checking, I answered the call.

"Hello, Gibran—"

The voice on the other end was drowned out by the loud music blaring through the bar. Annoyed, I ended the call. A few seconds later, it rang again, but I didn't bother picking up. It must've been at least the tenth time.

I kept drinking until my vision blurred and the room spun around me.

"Gibran, stop! You need to stop!"

The voice was distant, muffled. I could barely make out what they were saying.

Someone suddenly snatched the glass from my hand before I could take another sip.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I snapped.

"That's enough, Gibran! You're way too drunk. You need to go home."

"Yeah, Jo's right. Your wife is probably worried sick about you," Kevin added.

"Vin, let's just take him home," Jo sighed, already trying to hoist me up.

"Yeah, I'll get the car. You take care of him."

Author's POV

"Come on, Gibran, walk properly," Jo muttered as he struggled to support his weight.

"Where the hell is Kevin? How long does it take to get the car?"

"Damn, Gibran, you're heavy! What sins have you been carrying?"

A white car finally pulled up in front of them. Kevin jumped out, hurrying to help.

"Took you long enough!" Jo scowled.

"Sorry, man. Parking was a nightmare."

"Just help me get this idiot into the car."

"Alright, alright, relax!"

"Gibran, can you stand up straight?" Jo asked, trying to steady him.

"Of course not, dumbass."

With effort, they managed to get him into the car and sped off toward his house.

Back at Gibran's House

Knock, knock, knock.

No answer.

They knocked again, louder this time, even calling out Thania's name. Inside, Thania stirred awake at the sound. She realized she had dozed off at the dining table while waiting for Gibran.

The knocking continued.

Rubbing her eyes, she got up and walked to the door.

As soon as she opened it, her eyes widened in shock. "Oh my God, Gibran!"

Kevin and Jo stood at the doorstep, holding up Gibran, who looked barely conscious.

"What happened?! What's wrong with him?" she asked frantically.

"He drank too much and passed out. Can we bring him inside?" Jo explained.

"Yes, of course. His room is upstairs. Be careful," she urged, following them as they carried Gibran inside.

Jo and Kevin carefully laid him on his bed before sighing in relief.

"Thank you so much for bringing him home," Thania said sincerely.

"No problem."

"Oh, by the way, who are you guys?"

"I'm Jo, and this is Kevin. We're Gibran's friends."

"Do you know why he's been drinking so much lately?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"We're not sure," Kevin admitted. "But he's been going out to drink a lot these days."

"I see… Well, thank you again."

"Yeah. We'll get going now," Jo said before they left.

Once they were gone, Thania turned back to Gibran, her heart aching. She gently unbuttoned his shirt, cleaning his face with a damp cloth before making him drink some water.

Sitting beside him, she let out a soft sigh.

"What's wrong with you, Gibran?" she whispered, brushing his hair from his forehead.

Even though he had shut her out, she couldn't help but care for him. Because no matter how distant he was, deep down, she still loved him.