Carlos' POV
I woke up inside a house I didn't recognize.
It was enormous—far too big—and filled with the sounds of children. I sat up, disoriented, then stepped out of the room.
Where am I? I wondered.
A strange sensation crept up my spine—the feeling of being watched.
When I turned around, I saw a little girl standing behind me. She was holding two teddy bears in her left hand, staring at me as if she were studying my face.
"Are you Kuya Leo's twin?" she asked suddenly.
I frowned. "Leo?" I repeated.
She nodded. "You look just like him… but I know you're not Kuya Leo," she said confidently.
I didn't know how to respond.
"Why are you here?" she asked again.
I glanced down at myself, confused. Why am I here? What was this place? How did I even get here?
"What is this place?" I asked her.
"My dad's house," she replied.
Their house?
"Do you want to see Ate Elena?" she asked next.
The moment I heard that name, something stirred inside me—sharp, sudden excitement.
"You know her?" I asked quickly.
She nodded again, and my heart beat faster at the sound of Elena's name.
"Come with me," she said, already turning away.
"Wait—" I called after her, hurrying to follow.
She slipped through a white door. I slowed down, suddenly cautious, then gently pushed it open.
And froze.
Elena was there—sitting on a couch, laughing.
Alive. Radiant. Real.
She was wearing a long white dress, and the sound of her laughter filled the room like music. A smile spread across my lips without me realizing it. I had never seen her laugh like that before—so carefree, so genuinely happy. She seemed more beautiful with every breath.
I stepped closer, wanting to see who she was with.
Then my chest tightened.
Leo.
He looked exactly like me.
He was smiling widely as he talked to Elena, his expression soft, warm—and then he reached for her hand.
Something twisted inside me. A sharp irritation I couldn't explain burned through my chest.
I wanted to step inside, to interrupt them—but something held me back. All I could do was stand there, watching them from the doorway as they laughed together.
Reality snapped back when the little girl tugged at me again. She grinned—wide and mischievous—then suddenly shoved me.
I wasn't prepared.
As I fell, the world shifted.
I was no longer inside the house.
I was outside now, standing among towering trees. But only one thing caught my attention—
Elena and Leo were sitting together on a wooden bench beneath a tree.
My chest constricted when I saw her leaning against his shoulder.
They were talking.
I ran toward them—but something grabbed my legs, holding me in place. I couldn't move.
I looked back at them just as Leo raised his hand.
My eyes widened.
He was holding a ring.
The same ring.
The exact same one Elena and I shared.
I watched helplessly as he slipped it onto her finger, then kissed her forehead.
Rage surged through me.
What is this?
If this is a dream, I hate it.
Why do I have to see this?
I clenched my fists. I'm leaving.
I turned around—
And stopped cold.
A gun was aimed directly at my head.
My breath caught when I saw who was holding it.
Eron Madrigal.
He smirked.
"Nice to finally meet you, Carlos," he said calmly.
Then the gun fired.
Pain exploded through my skull.
I felt myself collapse, the world darkening as I hit the ground.
---
I stirred weakly.
My vision was blurred. My head throbbed, my side burned with pain.
Where am I?
Am I awake… or still dreaming?
"Sir… he's awake," a voice said.
---
Someone Else's POV
I stared down at the card in my hand and shook my head.
Death.
"Did I make the wrong decision?" I murmured, frowning at it. This was the second card already—and both had spoken of death.
"Was it wrong to bring them together?" I asked myself quietly. "Or was it a mistake to give him the ring?"
For the first time, I hesitated to turn over the final card.
"Grandma Rosa!"
I looked up as my grandchild rushed into the room, smiling brightly. He ran toward me and climbed onto the chair beside the table where I was reading the cards.
"You're up early today," I said with a chuckle.
"I'm excited for the next part of your story!" he said eagerly.
I pinched his cheek and smiled.
"But Grandma," he asked suddenly, puzzled, "what happened to the hero? Why do those two look exactly alike if they're not related?"
I took his small hand in mine.
"You see, Kiel," I said gently, "among the millions of people living in this world, there are souls that are connected—souls that share a single life."
His brows furrowed deeper. "H-how is that possible? Sharing one life?"
"Life is short," I said softly. "And it becomes even shorter when it must be shared. The hero in Grandma's story shares his life with another. But do you remember what I told you before?"
He shook his head.
"Only one soul is allowed to remain in the world of the living."
His eyes widened. "What does that mean?"
"For one to live… the other must die."
He hesitated. "But Grandma… can't they both live? The girl loves them both, right?"
I smiled sadly.
"We don't control the future," I said. "When fate decides, there's nothing we can do to stop it. Whether they want it or not, only one of them will survive this time. Their futures are bound to a single woman—and she alone will decide who remains."
He looked at me carefully.
"Then why did you let them meet at all," he asked softly, "if one of them would disappear anyway?"
I smiled.
"Because fate whispered it to me," I replied. "And you, my child… one day, your fate will be tested as well."
"Grandma?" he asked, confused.
I shook my head gently and took his hand.
"Go on," I said. "You turn over the last card. See for yourself what awaits the hero."
He reached for the card and slowly revealed it.
I smiled when I saw it.
Perhaps… I hadn't made the wrong choice after all.
"What does it mean?" he asked.
"A second chance," I answered softly, smiling.