Chapter 11: Back Where It All Began
Three days later, a hooded man walked quietly through Baguio's streets, heart pounding with every step. He saw her—under a familiar pine tree, typing on her laptop.
Lili looked up, not surprised. "You really came," she said softly.
"I owed you that," he whispered.
She nodded, her walls still up. "Did you come here to clear your name?"
"No," he said. "I came to ask for your forgiveness."
She stood in silence.
"You wrote your pain for the world to see… and I realized I've been hiding in my fame, too scared to face the people I hurt."
Lili finally spoke, her voice cracking. "You left me with silence. And in that silence, I lost everything."
He stepped closer. "Then let me stay in your world this time."