Chapter XLVIII: Reality
Liz sleeps soundly, but her mind drifts into a dream—one that feels unsettlingly real.
She wakes up in her bedroom, but something feels wrong. The air is thick, heavy with an eerie stillness. The walls, once painted in soft pastel hues, appear cracked and aged. The furniture, though familiar, looks as if it has been sitting untouched for years, gathering dust. She rubs her eyes, trying to shake off the odd sensation creeping up her spine.
Confused, she steps out of her room and heads downstairs. The house is eerily quiet. She flips the light switch—nothing. No electricity. She turns the faucet—no water. A cold chill spreads through her chest. What is happening?
She calls out, "Tia Dolores? Tia Dominga?"
Footsteps echo from the kitchen. Her aunts appear, but their faces are hard, their eyes filled with something Liz has never seen before—disappointment, even anger.
"Tia?" she asks cautiously, but they don't answer.
Instead, Dolores crosses her arms, sighing deeply. "So, you finally decided to wake up?"
Liz blinks, confused. "What do you mean?"
Dominga shakes her head, her tone cold. "You've ruined everything, Eliza. Look at what you've done."
Liz's stomach knots. "What? What did I do?"
Dolores scoffs, waving a hand around. "No electricity. No water. You spent everything."
Liz stares at them in shock. That doesn't make sense. She hasn't done anything like that—has she?
She rushes back to her room, grabbing her phone. As soon as she unlocks it, countless notifications flood her screen. Shopping sites. Messages. Warnings. One phrase repeats itself over and over: Bogus Buyer.
Her fingers tremble as she opens the messages. She scans through them, her breath catching in her throat. In this world—wherever she is—she has spent recklessly, drowning herself and her family in debt. She sees angry messages from sellers demanding payments she can't make, threats of legal action.
Tears sting her eyes. This isn't her. This can't be her. What happened?
Then, another notification catches her attention. A voice message from an unknown number. She hesitates before pressing play.
A familiar voice echoes in her ears.
"Hey, I just wanted you to know… your family is suffering from your carelessness."
Liz's breath catches in her throat. That voice—
"Being in debt… I helped you guys so much, yet you looked at me like I'm the bad guy. Why are you like this? What made you this way?"
Liz grips the phone tighter. Tears well up as she listens.
"If the answer is how me and your family cared, it's because we only wanted what was good for you. You are our love, Eliza! It would be wise to conserve money and not waste it. Bring balance to yourself and your family! Not leave it in darkness!"
Liz's shoulders shake as sobs rack through her body.
"You may not think I care, but I do. You were like my sister, Eliza! I loved you! But I never wanted to hurt you. Everything we did… it was for you. You're not in Grade 7 anymore. You're a Grade 8 student now. Don't call yourself 'The Queen of Grade 7' because you are no longer that child."
Liz chokes on a sob. The voice continues, softer now, almost pleading.
"You need to be more responsible. Conserve, develop your understanding. I love you, Eliza. Please, come back to us."
As the message ends, she sees the sender's name.
Bennett.
Liz's breath stops. Her heart pounds. No. That's impossible. Bennett… He's already dead in this world.
A strangled cry escapes her lips. She clutches her chest, struggling to breathe. The walls around her dissolve into darkness. A void swallows her whole. She falls, weightless, consumed by sorrow and regret.
Through her tears, she whispers, "If I hadn't changed… if I had continued down the wrong path… is this what I would've become?"
The emptiness doesn't answer. But deep down, she already knows.
She could have ended up like this.
Liz drifts through the void, the sorrow from her dream still fresh in her heart. Darkness surrounds her, yet she feels an inexplicable pull, guiding her to a familiar place. As the void dissipates, she finds herself standing in Bennett's room. The warm glow of the bedside lamp casts soft shadows across the walls. It feels real, tangible, yet surreal at the same time.
Bennett stands before her, his expression gentle yet filled with concern. "Liz? Why are you crying?"
She wipes her tears but finds herself unable to stop sobbing. "I… I saw something horrible. I saw a world where I never changed for the better. I saw what happened to my family… to you."
Bennett's face darkens, and without hesitation, he steps forward and pulls her into an embrace. "I'm sorry you had to see that." His voice is soothing, but Liz can feel the weight of sadness behind his words.
After a moment, he pulls away and looks at her seriously. "Do you want to know what happened to the Bennett of that world?"
Liz hesitates. A part of her wants to say no, to avoid reliving the pain, but another part of her knows she has to face the truth. She nods slowly.
Bennett turns to his desk, where a laptop sits open. The screen flickers before displaying a series of events from the alternate dimension. Liz watches in horror as the truth unravels before her.
In that world, Bennett was always by her side, trying to help her, warning her of the reckless path she was taking. He stood by her even as she berated him, ignored his advice, and refused to change. Her insatiable greed had driven her family into crippling debt. Her mother, who worked tirelessly abroad, had given up on her. Her grandmother, the pillar of their home, had fallen sick. And Bennett…
Liz's breath catches in her throat as she sees the final event—Bennett suffering a heart attack. His body collapses, and no one is there to help him in time. He dies, alone and unappreciated.
But what shocks her most is the expression of the Liz from that world. A cruel smirk spreads across her face, as if she desires more destruction, more chaos.
Liz can't watch anymore. She covers her eyes with trembling hands. "Please, stop. I don't want to see more."
Bennett immediately turns off the laptop and looks at her with deep compassion. "Liz, listen to me," he says, his voice firm yet warm. "That is not who you are anymore. You have changed. You have grown."
Tears fall freely down her cheeks. "But what if… what if I had never changed? What if I still became that version of myself?"
Bennett places both hands on her shoulders and looks directly into her eyes. "Liz, the change you made wasn't just about learning responsibility. It was about something much deeper. You found faith. Back when I was still around, you barely went to church, remember? Sundays were just another ordinary day for you. But now… now you stand at the altar as a server. You listen, you pray, you believe. That faith has grounded you. It has given you purpose. It has strengthened your heart against the temptations that once controlled you."
Liz sobs softly, nodding. "I remember. Before, I thought faith was just something people did out of obligation. But now, I feel it. I know God is with me. I know that my actions matter."
Bennett smiles, proud of her realization. "That faith has protected you, Liz. It has blessed you in ways you don't even realize. You are no longer that reckless girl who only thought of herself. You have people who love you, and you have learned to love them back with all your heart."
Liz looks at him, gratitude shining in her tear-filled eyes. "Bennett… In all my heart, you are my biggest idol and my greatest inspiration. You've transformed me into a better person. I'm so lucky to have you as my boyfriend. No one could ever replace you. You are everything to me."
Bennett chuckles softly, shaking his head. "Liz, you don't owe me anything. I only ever wanted the best for you."
She doesn't hesitate as she throws her arms around him again. "I love you, Bennett," she whispers.
Bennett holds her tightly, resting his chin atop her head. "I love you too, Liz. And I need you to remember something."
She pulls away slightly and looks up at him.
"In that world, I may be dead," he says, "but in our real world, I'm still alive. You have to find me."
Liz's breath catches. "Find you…?"
Bennett nods. "Your faith in God has guided you, and together with what I have taught you, you will know the path to take. Trust in that, Liz."
She swallows hard and nods, determination replacing the fear in her heart.
Bennett smiles. "Now, there is one last thing. You need to carry out the mission. Arrange and organize the items you have already gathered. Everything will make sense in time."
Liz takes a deep breath, absorbing his words. "I will," she promises. "I won't fail."
Bennett places a gentle kiss on her forehead before leaning in closer. "Then wake up, Liz."
She feels his lips against hers, soft and warm, sealing a promise between them. The world around her begins to fade, dissolving into a warm, radiant light.
When she wakes up, tears are still rolling down her face, but her heart is filled with renewed strength. The mission is not over yet. And she will see him again.
She must.