’Berry.’

’Not too long ago, I was told by someone I had only one year left. ’

The main doors of the general hospital flew open as three individuals rushed down the stairs and raced towards the parking lot of the building as rain beat mercilessly against their bodies.

’I didn’t think too much of it until the day you found out about it and asked if I was okay.’

*

*

’’Boss, and,’’ Berry paused as she was about to leave through the door. There was something about it that was unsettling, it threatened never to leave her until she was sure. ’’You should be a lot more gentle when brushing your hair.’’

*

*

Lin tried to keep up as he ran on his barefeet, blood trailing down the length of his arms from forcing the IV drip out of his body in a hurry. His breathing laboured as Berry ran the fastest towards her car. Suddenly, it felt like they had been running forever and the car they brought to this place this morning was harder to reach.

Corrine took in a deep breath as if she had been crying for ages with no one by her side to comfort her.

’I thought I would be able to survive when Henry betrayed me and called me so many hurtful things...that I hated myself as I only loved him more and wished I hadn’t found out about who he truly was that day.’

There was a slight pause in the message before she said the next thing.

’It’s so hard pretending to be strong when you’re breaking inside and the people who bring you down don’t care.’

Stylie was shedding a river of tears as rainwater washed over her cheeks as Berry’s blue car finally appeared from wherever it seemed to have disappeared to and...Berry stopped...running as the last words of the voice message played in her head one last time.

Even the sky above rumbled down on her in annoyance as she paused, not still able to believe it.

’I even murdered someone and for some reasons I can’t remember clearly how it happened. But if there is anything I’d wish for you three to do for me is to never cry for me as I go to a place they will never find me and rest.’

’’Berry!!’’ Stylie cried out when Berry was yet to keep moving.

Berry turned to her junior worker and gave her her handbag the moment she removed her car keys. Stylie blinked, not getting what she was trying to do.

’’Take this and use whatever money you can find there and go and find Grim wherever he’s at.’’

’’What...?’’ Stylie stuttered out as she held on to the handbag, her heart beating hard against her chest as she stared about fearfully.

Berry just pulled her close and gave her a tight hug.

Lin just watched them both, suffering as well as he held on to his abdomen, trying to remain strong.

’’You can do it. Go!’’ Berry dismissed before turning away to race towards her car. Stylie stared at them both and wished she wasn’t left alone to do this. But from the message, it felt like they would never see their Boss again, so she had to toughen up and do whatever she can to stop whatever this was from happening.

She moved in the opposite direction with Berry’s handbag clutched tight against her chest.

’’What are you doing?’’ Berry asked immediately as Lin appeared behind her to lean against her car. She stared with her eyes wide at the impossible creature who was crazy enough to run after them in his condition.

’’I am coming with you to the office.’’

Berry thought it was absurd that she was driving madly all over LA to the office with an Ulcer patient who still needed much rest and yet to recover from the last two attacks that occurred just today alone.

’’No, I am not taking you with me—-Lin!’’

She screamed when Lin moved around the car to stand before the door of the passenger’s seat, waiting for her to unlock the car.

Berry stared at him, looking so heartbroken at what he was doing.

No, he shouldn’t be doing this.

She shouldn’t allow him to do this.

She can’t afford to lose two of her favourite people in one night!

She will die as well if anything terrible happened—-

’’Are you going to start the car or we should keep standing here and wait for something terrible to happen to our boss?’’

’’Lin,’’ Berry tried pleading with him but she realized it was no use. It’s either she drives him there or he finds another way to be there.

After biting down painfully on her trembling lips, she unlocked the car and they both entered. Three seconds later, Berry was already driving out of the hospital’s parking lot.

☆☆☆

’’Wow! Ana! It’s so high up! It feels like I could raise my hand and touch the sky.’’

Corrine smiled at that sweet memory when she and Ruby finally got to explore the highest point of that hotel in Hong Kong eighteen years ago.

’’Do you want to touch the sky, Ruby?’’

Ruby turned to her and nodded her head.

’’Cool!’’ She watched as her adorable little sister turned her back to her before saying, ’’Climb on my back and I will fly you there.’’

Soon after, she remembered how Ruby eased herself on her back, her arms wrapping around her neck, the feel of it warm as well as cold. They were laughing and filled with untainted joy as she raced from one end to another, giving her sister a happy and fun piggyride to the sky.

Tears rained down her cheeks.

How could anyone tell her none of those moments were real?

Her bare feet moved closer to the edge as she balanced her whole weight on the silver railings. It queaked and groaned under her weight as the night wind blew and her feet felt slippery against the railings as rain poured down on her.

As if punishing her for even thinking to take her life after everything she has gone through.

All throughout her life, she had always hoped things will change. That if she kept trying and showing up looking strong and in control of everything, that it wouldn’t take long for the rainy days to stop and the sun would finally shine its light on her.

Corrine needed to stop deceiving herself.

She was already tired and weak.

Everywhere she turned to show her hell beyond her limits.

And now she has just arrived at her breaking point.

But death didn’t scare her more than living.

What’s the point of fighting consistently for a life that has given her nothing but pain and hard tribulations?

She closed her eyes, a tear sliding down her face as the sky rumbled again as if trying to remind her what she was leaving behind.

Her father? Or was it her mother?

The uncle that told her she was dying soon with a straight face or the dream that promises forever to come true.

Somewhere in the distance, she thought she heard something.

It was Ruby calling out to her.

Corrine’s lips eased into a comforting smile.

She was making the best choice now.

She would rather sleep forever with Ruby close than to return home and live the rest of her life as a puppet with many villains pulling the string.

That’s right.

She will never make him win.

As she prepared to take her final fall, a hand moved from the shadows and gave her a light push.

Corrine lost her grip and fell against gravity. It happened so fast she couldn’t see who had pushed her.

BANG!

Corrine crashed hard against the roof of a car that had been parked beneath. All four windows, including the windshield of the car exploded with a terrifying force. One enough to alert several guards out of the building.

There was a loud deafening ringing in her ears as tiny shards of glass pierced every inch of her body as she tried to move. Blood that flowed like tears trailed down the corner of her lips, eyes and ears.

She moved enough to fall from the car into a sea of broken glass and laid there, staring at the deep, dark sky above, drowning slowly in her own blood as she smiled at the heavens.

’’Whenever you reach the sky Ruby, just look down and you will see me flying towards you as well.’’

Her smile grew as she could no longer see anything again. Even the pain behind her head was slowly drifting away as she took in her last breath.

Finally....there was no more pain.

Corrine’s eyes dulled before falling close.

A security guard then picked his phone and nervously began to dial 911.