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"How come you haven't told me about this before?" Xhemin confronted her husband suspecting that Darryl had intentionally withheld this information from her.

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"I told you I forgot about her," Darryl reasoned while chiding himself for totally forgetting about that mysterious woman, "Well things went downhill between us after that incident and we barely talked in the camp. In the island well…."

"Well you had enough time to tell me about it in the island, and why didn't you?" Xhemin asked again and it was obvious in her eyes that she felt very upset with this sudden revelation.

"Oh God Xhemin, I told you with all honestly that I didn't remember it and if ever I did in the island I would never bother you with it knowing how much you cry over… over him," Darryl was true to his words. Back in the island, although they were happy, he had always felt the emptiness in her and had seen how much she cries whenever she remembers Huzey.

"Of course you do remember, it's just that you don't want to tell me," Xhemin's words sounded hurt and betrayed insisting Darryl's betrayal.

"And why would I ever do that when you know how much he meant to you?" Darryl defended himself as it was obvious that Xhemin was taking this thing against him.

"Because you are selfish and you all want me for yourself! You are so ever selfish!" Xhemin exclaimed as she lost it all. She had always been so sensitive about anything related to the prince as he still remained by far as one of the painful loss she had gone through. All these years, Huzey's memory lingered and haunted her like a ghost and it made her too emotionally vulnerable to be rational especially on conversations about her besfriend.

Darryl was surprise with her outburst as Xhemin had never accused him anything as outrageous as this and yet then he realized that his wife continued to mourn for the Diamond Prince even when long years had passed by. Seeing Xhemin's reaction and hurt, he doubt right then his own claim on her as it seemed like the memory of Huzey had taken a claim on the woman she loved even before he could. Although Darryl would not acknowledge it, it was obvious that Huzey had been and will always be his great rival even when he's already dead.

"I am not as what you say I am," Darryl didn't want to listen to her criticisms anymore as every word stung yet Xhemin continued as if he was someone not capable of hurting.

"Yes you are! Look at what you are doing to me right now? You dragged me up to your apartment knowing that I had no other choice but to let you," Xhemin continued to oppose him,"

"I am just fighting for my right and by far, as much as how you think this is wrong remember that I am a husband and it is my obligation to keep my family intact," Darryl's jaw was clenching hard as if there was something inside him that's about to burst.

"We can never be intact anymore!" Xhemin shouted out loud. She didn���t really know where all the anger within her was coming from but she can't control it anymore. She was too frustrated that she can't help but lashed on Darryl. "Our hope of being intact was already buried down the loch,"

"Just because our son is dead doesn't mean we have to give up with what's left of us," Darryl replied, trying to be calm as much as he could.

"There's nothing left of us can't you see?"

"I still have one left of me," Darryl answered, "You. You are what's left that's why no matter how hard and exhausting all these arguments are, I'm still here. Trying. I'm trying. Trying as hard as I could because I've promised you I'll be with you till death do us part,"

"I don't want any of that!" Xhemin's tension only intensified. "And you lying to me about anything related to Huzey make all of your silly and inconsiderate affection unappealing,"

"Silly and inconsiderate affection," Darryl mimicked as he looked at Xhemin thoroughly. With hard expression then and tension in his voice he replied with much animosity. "You lashed out on me as if everything was my fault including Huzey Montarini's death. Tell me Xhemin, how many misfortunes in you and your friend's life should I be held guilty off? Do you also blame me for your grandfather's death?"

Darryl's words seemed to have made into Xhemin's stem that her angry eyes softened into guilt as she immediately recognized her fault.

"I expect you to be at home before midnight," Darryl added when she was left with nothing to say. Looking through Darryl's eyes, only then did she noticed the hurt in Darryl's he felt which he immediately hid by turning his back against her. Darryl left walking across the busy streets even before Xhemin could utter more hurtful words and Xhemin could only watch him fade through the night.

Xhemin stood there for a while, closed her eyes and cursed herself. She knew she had gone too far with all her blaming and accusations but she thought all those were something she should do to push him out of her life. Their life.

***

Her and Darryl were already an impossible proposition as far as her conscience were concerned. She can't be with him anymore, nor can he continue to be a part of their life as Darryl wasn't only the fire that lit all those tragedies that she and her family had gone through but he was also her weakness. A weakness she didn't want everyone to know and the weakness she didn't want to linger on, no matter how much she wanted it.

However she would lie if she would say hurting him was easy because it wasn't. Most of the times, she had to hide her tears meant of him secretly and deny that she had shed them.