SECOND CHANCES BEHIND THE WINDOW PANE

Froilan's hand waved from outside, and Amelia's heart shattered with both excitement and trepidation. "Can you see me?" she called out, yearning for their eyes to meet once more.

"No, I can't see you from down here," Froilan replied, his voice tinged with a mix of longing and hope. "But just knowing that you are there in one of the rooms on that third-floor building, and knowing that you can see me down here, makes all the difference."

There he is, the enigmatic Froilan Uy. A millionaire with a Midas touch, he ruled over a vast empire of hardware stores and beach resorts, amassing wealth and success effortlessly. Yet, among his many ventures, he held a special place in the world of healthcare, being one of the crucial stakeholders of the very hospital Amelia found herself in.

Amelia's heart skipped a beat as she caught a glimpse of him outside the hospital window. Her mind briefly wandered back to what happened earlier before Froilan arrived.

Amelia found herself trapped in her hospital room, unable to receive visitors due to the strict COVID restrictions. The pandemic had brought unprecedented challenges, and now, it was keeping her from facing the man she had both loved and despised for almost two decades – Froilan. Fate seemed to revel in its own wicked game, reuniting them at the most unexpected of times.

Amelia had been deep in thought, grappling with her emotions as she stood by the window. The hospital room felt suffocating, and she longed for a moment of fresh air. She had gazed out at the world beyond, seeking answers from the universe itself, when her phone chimed with a text message from a familiar number. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was from Froilan. "I will visit you today. I have something that I think you'd really like," the message read.

As she stood by the window on the third floor, her heart heavy with emotions, Amelia couldn't help but wonder about the cruel twists of fate. "Why now?" she whispered, frustration and longing evident in her voice. "Why bring him back into my life when I'm at my most vulnerable?"

Their encounter was not what she had anticipated. Amelia had longed to see him again, but not like this, not under the restrictions of the pandemic that kept them apart. She yearned for closure, for the chance to confront Froilan and demand the answers to questions that had haunted her for years.

"Fate really has its playful twist," she muttered to herself, frustration and longing evident in her voice. Her heart felt heavy, burdened by the weight of the past and the uncertainty of the present.

Her mind wandered back to all the phases of her life, and she couldn't help but question the timing of their reunion.

"Why, of all the moments, did we only meet again when I was at my most vulnerable, looking ugly with my diseases?" she wondered aloud. "And why, during a time when I was in such a good situation, enjoying what should have been my greatest day, did our paths not cross? It was the perfect opportunity to execute the revenge I had meticulously planned for so many years in my life."

Amelia had spent years hating Froilan, holding onto the pain and betrayal he had caused her during their college days. Their past was filled with memories of attachment turned sour, and she had waited for the day when she could finally confront him, to let him know how deeply he had wounded her heart. But now, with the pandemic raging outside, it seemed as if fate had chosen an entirely unexpected moment for their paths to cross again.

With her phone still in hand, she took a deep breath and replied to Froilan's message, "I'll be waiting." The words were simple, yet they carried the weight of two decades' worth of emotions.

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The hospital room felt suffocating, yet she couldn't tear herself away from the window. Amelia leaned her forehead against the cool glass, trying to control the storm of emotions raging inside her. She despised how Froilan's presence, even from afar, stirred up memories she had tried so hard to bury. As she continued to gaze out of the window, the world outside seemed distant and disconnected from the turmoil inside her. She grappled with her emotions, her heart torn between vulnerability and the desire to take control of her life once more.

The door to her hospital room creaked open, and a nurse came in to check on her. "How are you feeling, Ms. Sinclair?" the nurse asked, her voice gentle and caring.

Amelia turned away from the window, forcing a weak smile. "I'm hanging in there, thank you," she replied, not wanting to burden the nurse with her emotional turmoil.

As the nurse left, Amelia's eyes were drawn back to the window. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw a familiar figure wearing denim shorts, a polo shirt, and holding a cup. It was Froilan. A tear formed in her eyes as she watched him waving from a distance. She knew he couldn't see her through the tinted window, yet he waved as if he could.

As she looked back at the moment Froilan arrived, Amelia's heart swelled with emotions. The weight of their shared history, the bitter memories, and the hope for a new beginning were all tangled together in her mind.

Now, with Froilan outside, she felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. She knew that facing him would not be easy, but fate had a way of bringing them together, and she couldn't ignore the sense of connection that still lingered between them.

Her phone rang, and Amelia's heart raced. She knew it was Froilan; he must be calling her from outside the building. The hospital's strict COVID protocols prohibited face-to-face visits, leaving them with no choice but to communicate through their phones.

With trembling hands, she answered the call, and his voice came through the line. "Amelia? Can you hear me?" His voice sounded a mix of uncertainty and concern.

"Yes, Froilan, I can hear you," she replied, trying to steady her voice.

"I just wanted to check on you. I know we can't see each other in person, but I wanted to let you know that I'm here, and I care about you," he said earnestly.

"Why did you come here?" Amelia asked, her voice tinged with vulnerability. "Why are you doing this, Froilan?"

There was a moment of hesitation before he spoke again. "I needed to see you. I just want to make it up to you. This is my way to apologize for everything I did in the past. I know I hurt you deeply, and I regret it every day."

Froilan waved his hand from outside, and Amelia asked if he could see her. "No, I can't see you from down here," he replied. "But just knowing that you are there in one of the rooms on that third-floor building, and knowing that you can see me down here, makes all the difference."

As Froilan looked up at the tinted windows and the imposing building before him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of connection with Amelia despite the physical distance between them. Fate seemed to have a way of bringing them together, even under the most unexpected circumstances.

Amelia's tears flowed freely now, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. "It's been so long, Froilan. It hurts so much," she said, the weight of their complicated history heavy on her heart.

Amelia was taken aback by Froilan's unexpected gesture of care and celebration. Amidst the bitterness of their past, she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for healing.

Tears welled up in Amelia's eyes as she felt the deep pain in Froilan's words. The weight of their complicated history was heavy on her heart, and she couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the emotions of their reunion.

Then, Froilan held up the cake he had brought. "Let your watcher go down here so she could pick up the cake, and I bought you a coffee too."

Amelia nodded and motioned for her watcher to go and get the cake and coffee. As her watcher left the room, Amelia looked back at Froilan through the window. "Thank you for the cake and coffee," she said, her voice filled with sincerity.

Froilan smiled warmly, and his eyes softened as he replied, "I wanted to do something to bring a smile to your face amidst all this. I may not be able to see you, but just being near you, even from a distance, means a lot to me."

Amelia's heart fluttered at his words, unsure of how to process this mixture of emotions. It had been so long since she had seen him, and now, in this unexpected reunion, she was confronted with the complexity of her feelings.

"I never thought I'd see you again," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Our past... it was so painful, Froilan."

He nodded, his expression somber. "I know. I wish I could change what happened, but all I can do now is try to make amends."

As Amelia's watcher returned with the cake and coffee, Froilan's eyes brightened. "Here's the cake, specially made for you," he said, a touch of excitement in his voice.

Amelia managed a small smile, touched by his efforts. "Thank you, Froilan. This means a lot."

He hesitated for a moment before speaking again, "Amelia, I don't expect you to forgive me right away, but I hope we can find a way to move past our pain. Maybe, in time, we can find healing and understanding."

Amelia felt a glimmer of hope, a possibility of closure and a new beginning. "I don't know how this will all unfold, Froilan, but I'm willing to try," she said, her voice tinged with vulnerability.

Froilan nodded, and there was a sense of determination in his eyes. "That's all I can ask for," he replied softly.

As they sat in separate spaces, enjoying the cake and coffee together through their screens, Amelia realized that this reunion might just be the beginning of a journey towards healing and forgiveness. Fate had its way of bringing them back together, and now, it was up to them to decide where this unexpected twist would lead them.