STRENGTH

CHAPTER ONE

Throughout the day, she had been receiving the same condolences, "Sorry for your loss; accept my condolences," repeatedly.

However, she found herself unable to respond to any of them. The shock of her loss weighed heavily on her, and although some of the condolences seemed heartfelt, others came across as insincere.

She refused to accept the fact that this was happening

Her dad had just been buried, and even though he had passed away two months ago, it still shocked her to think about it. She wasn't extremely close to her dad, but she still loved him regardless and couldn't believe how cruel death could be. She looked up and saw her devastated siblings surrounding their grieving mother, drawing strength from one another. Despite needing to join them, she didn't have the strength to comfort anyone. Since the incident, she hadn't spoken to anyone and had locked herself in her room, isolating herself from everyone as she tried to come to terms with it. She still vividly remembers how she received the news.

She had just come back from the outpatient care and was extremely tired. She just sat down on the sofa when she got a call from one of her sisters

"Madam," she greeted her sister Sharon tiredly. Sobbing, Sharon called out to her sister, "Stephanie..."

The tone of her sister's voice dragged her upright in a panic. "What happened? Where are you? Why are you crying?" Her questions spilled out in a frantic rush, her heart pounding against her ribs.

"It's Dad," she continued sobbing.

"Yes, what happened to him? Is he back from his trip?" she asked, her words filled with desperate impatience

"He had an accident," she cried loudly.

"WHAT!!! Where is he? Are you with him now? Which hospital?" She asked her sister hysterically, picking up her car keys.

"He is at Star Hospital.

"On my way."

She didn't know it then, but that night, her life would forever split into "before" and "after". When she got to the hospital, she asked where her family was, and the nurse kindly showed her the way, and she quickly ran towards her mother, who was staring into space and mumbling - no doubt praying.

"Mom, what are the doctors saying? How bad is it? Sharon, say something! Why is nobody saying anything?" she asked hysterically, holding her mother's hand, who gripped it tightly

Just then, a doctor walked towards them, his face solemn like he had practiced the words he was about to say to them. She hurriedly stood up and introduced herself, and he told them that her dad was in a critical state and that they were doing all they could to help him. He also informed them that her dad had requested to meet her. She quickly followed the doctor to see her dad

There he was, her hero, a man who always seemed invincible, who had stood tall through every storm, an embodiment of strength, just lying there hopelessly. She choked back a sob and ran towards him.

"Dad," she whispered, gripping his hand as if her touch could anchor him to life. His voice, once strong, was soft now, a mere shadow of the man he had been.

"Stephanie," her dad called to her softly. "I want you to know that I am proud of you. Take care of your sisters and your mom. Always know that I love you all," he rasped out.

"Don't talk like that. It's breaking my heart. All you should do now is try and focus on getting better," she said with teary eyes. Before she could finish, her dad went into shock.

A cold, hollow ache settled in her chest as her mind returned to the present. Her cousin Sally's voice pulled her from the trance, making her look at her with concern. She pulled her into a hug and pleaded with her to let it all out.

"Please, let it all out. You need to let it go."

She sniffled, "I can't, I just can't. I need to be strong." She muttered over and over again, shaking her head

"For whom? You have to think of yourself and stop keeping your emotions inside. I hate seeing you like this," Sally said, her voice soft but firm, rubbing her back in a soothing manner

Stephanie nodded and looked over, just in time to see her Uncle Stan looking sad but she knew that was a façade, he was happy that her father was dead. He always criticized everything she did and wanted the company all to himself. She scowled at him angrily. She loathed him so much that she wished he were the one who was dead and not her father

Finally, the day had ended, the mourners trickled away, and she could breathe, though the air felt heavy and suffocating. She embraced her mother and siblings, offering them what little comfort she could muster. But inside, she felt hollow. The real weight of it all was too much to bear.

She stared at the mirror, her reflection barely recognizable. The glow that once lit up her face had faded into a dull sheen, her skin pale and tired. Her body, leaner than before, seemed to carry the weight of something far heavier than just physical exhaustion. The person staring back at her looked drained, hollow even. Deciding she needed to return to reality, she sighed deeply and made the decision to step out; she couldn't afford to get sick, not with patients depending on her. Pulling herself together, she dressed in a big shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers. She tied her hair up with a scarf and slipped on dark shades to hide the exhaustion behind her eyes.

Humming while searching the menu on what to eat, she felt the back of her hair rise not in a threatening but magnetic way, which made her curious to find out what it was.

She looked up just in time to lock eyes with a man staring in her direction. A soft gasp escaped her lips

He was... a strikingly handsome man. His imploring gaze seemed to press into her soul as if it could see through her defenses. His face, achingly handsome, looked sculpted to perfection, as though someone had handpicked the most captivating features. Dimples adorned his cheeks, a feature that happened to be her weakness. His well-kept, charmingly tousled hair framed his face, perfectly complementing his non-brooding, well-built physique. His rich, dark chocolate-colored skin added to his allure. He, he was simply perfect.

She snapped back to reality by her food being served by the waitress, a small curse slipping under her breath for staring too long, deciding to focus on her meal and not being aware of the stranger's presence.

The scraping of the chair opposite her made her look up from her meal. Dropping the cutlery gently, she leaned back in her chair, arching an eyebrow, silently questioning him

"Hi," he smiled lightly, the kind of smile that could make a woman's heart flutter. "Is this seat taken?"

She stared passively at him, her head tilted slightly. He fumbled for a second under her scrutiny, then quickly added, "Oh, I am sorry to invade your privacy. But I couldn't help but wonder why such a beautiful woman was sitting all alone," he said, smiling warmly, making her insides flutter

She smirked lightly. "Hmm," she picked up her cutlery and went back to eating. "And what is a handsome man like yourself doing alone without a date?" she implored, taking a bite of her food, her voice teasing but guarded

He smirked, waving over a waiter. "Feisty, I like," he leaned back, the arrogance in his tone matching the glint in his eyes. "Since you acknowledged that I am handsome, I came here to eat."

She rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by his arrogance. Standing up, she threw a wad of cash onto the table and grabbed her things. "Well then, enjoy your food," she remarked, coolly walking away

But before she could take one step, he gently grabbed her hand, bringing a rush to her already racing heart. She slowly turned to him, her gaze locking with his

"I didn't catch your name," he said smoothly, his eyes drawing her into his pull, making her shiver, daring her to respond

She pulled her wrist from his grasp with a cold, steely look. "Because I didn't throw it," she retorted, her voice dripping with defiance as she walked away.

But she could feel his eyes on her as she left.