2.Best friend confession

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:

The first place I went was Alya’s apartment. Isabella’s best friend had always been fiercely protective of her, but I hoped and prayed that she might know something. I knocked on the door, my heart beating in my chest.

Alya opened the door, her eyes narrowing the moment she saw me.

"What do you want, Xavier?" She snapped.

"Is Isabella here? Do you know where she is?" I asked, my voice cracking slightly.

Her expression darkened. Without warning, she slapped me across the face.

"How dare you?" Alya hissed. "How dare you come here, looking for her, after what you did?"

"Alya, please." I said, my voice pleading. "I need to find her. I need to make this right."

She crossed her arms, glaring at me.

"You think you can just fix this? After she saw you with that woman? Do you have any idea how much that broke her?"Alya said.

"It was a mistake." I said." I wasn’t thinking-"

"You weren’t thinking?" Alya interrupted, her voice rising. "Isabella loved you, Xavier. She had a crush on you long before your parents arranged this marriage. She thought maybe, just maybe, you’d come to love her too. And you threw it all away for what? A moment with your ex?"Alya said.

Her words hit me like a hammer, each one driving the weight of my guilt deeper.

"I didn’t know." I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"Of course you didn’t," Alya spat. "Because you never paid attention. She gave everything to this marriage, and you couldn’t even see her."

I ran a hand through my hair, frustration and regret boiling inside me.

"Alya, I… I know I messed up. But please, do you know where she is? Is she safe?"I asked.

Alya’s glare softened slightly, but her expression remained guarded.

"I don’t know where she is. She hasn’t contacted me. And honestly, I don’t blame her. If she’s smart, she’ll never come back."She said.

"If you hear from her… please, let me know."I said.

Alya didn’t respond, just closed the door in my face. I stood there for a moment, the cold seeping into my skin. She was right to do that. I decided to go home.

I kept looking for her and in a week, when I was walking aimlessly down the street, my mind was a blur of guilt and regret, and my phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket. I fumbled to pull it out, hoping for a message from Isabella, but instead, it was Martha.

I pressed the phone to my ear, trying to steady my breath.

"Martha," I said, my voice shaky with worry. "Do you know where she is? Have you heard anything?"

There was a pause on the other end, then Martha’s voice came through, low and hesitant.

"Xavier, I’ve tried... I’ve asked around. Nobody at work knows where she’s gone. I checked with her colleagues, her friends. No one’s heard from her."

My heart sank, the emptiness in her words echoing the void inside me.

"Work?" I asked, confusion creeping into my voice. "What do you mean? Isabella doesn’t work. She’s been focused on the marriage, the events, all the things I’ve been dragging her into. She doesn’t have a job."

Martha sighed, a faint sound of frustration in her voice.

"Xavier... Isabella has been working as a nurse. She’s been doing shifts at the local hospital for months. She didn’t tell you, did she?"She said.

I felt a sharp pang of disbelief. A nurse? Isabella had been working all this time, keeping it hidden from me? The realization hit me hard, and for a moment, I stood frozen in the middle of the street, the weight of my ignorance crashing down on me.

"No... no, she didn’t." I whispered. "She never said anything about it. I never knew."

"She’s talented, Xavier. You have no idea. She’s been helping people, working long shifts, staying late. She’s good at what she does. But she kept it from you. She didn’t want you to think she was being distant or selfish."Martha said.

I swallowed hard, trying to push back the lump in my throat. I made a mistake that I wasn't sure how I am going to fix it now.

"Where... where is she now? The hospital, you said?"I asked.

"Yes," Martha replied. "I don’t know if she’s still there, but that’s the last place I know she was. You might want to check there."

I didn’t waste another second. Without thinking, I turned and headed toward the nearest hospital as soon as I got the address. My mind raced with thoughts of Isabella her hidden strength, her quiet dedication. The hospital loomed ahead, a cold, sterile building, but it was my only hope now. As I stepped inside, I could almost feel the weight of the situation pressing down on me. I wasn’t just looking for Isabella anymore I was looking for the woman I had failed to understand, the woman who had kept so much from me.

"Excuse me." I said, my voice tight. "I’m looking for Isabella. She’s a nurse here. Do you know where she is?"

The receptionist typed something into her computer, her fingers moving quickly over the keys.

"Isabella?" She repeated, scanning the screen. "I’m sorry, but I don’t have her listed as being on shift today. She’s not here right now."

I felt a sinking sensation in my chest. Not here? I wondered where she could be, why she wasn’t at work. "Do you know when she’ll be back?" I asked, trying to keep the desperation out of my voice.

The receptionist glanced up at me with a faint frown.

"I’m not sure, sir. She’s been off for a few days, actually. I think she’s been taking some time for herself. She’s been working a lot lately."She said.

"Time for herself?" I repeated, my voice low. I hadn’t known she was even taking time off. Had something happened? Was she really avoiding me?

Before the receptionist could respond, a voice called out from behind me. I turned to see a tall doctor walking toward the desk, his white coat swaying as he approached. He looked like one of the senior doctors from the ICU, I realized it quickly.

"Isabella?" He asked, overhearing our conversation. "You’re looking for her?"

I nodded quickly, hoping he could tell me something more.

"Yes. I’ve been trying to reach her, but I haven’t been able to get in touch. Do you know where she is? I’m... I’m really worried about her."I said.

The doctor hesitated for a moment, his expression thoughtful.

"I’m afraid I can’t give out personal information, but I can tell you this Isabella’s been under a lot of stress lately. She’s been working double shifts in the ICU for the past few weeks, helping with critical patients. She’s one of the best nurses we have, but she’s been pushing herself too hard."He said.

"Is she okay?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The doctor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"She’s tough. She always is. But I’ve noticed she’s been withdrawing a bit. She’s not the type to talk about her personal life, but I know she’s been going through something. She’s been distant with a lot of us, even the other staff."He said.

Another voice spoke up from behind the doctor, a younger man in scrubs who had been walking by. He stopped when he heard us talking about Isabella.

"You’re looking for Isabella?" He asked, his tone a bit more casual. "I don’t know where she is right now, but I’ve worked with her a lot. She’s a great nurse. Really passionate about her work. But lately, she’s been... different."

"Different how?" I asked, a knot forming in my stomach.

The younger doctor scratched his head.

"She’s been quieter. More reserved. Not as quick to jump in with the team. And she’s been staying late after her shifts. I don’t know what’s going on with her, but I think something’s bothering her. You know, it’s not like her to hide things, but I’ve noticed she’s been... keeping to herself."He said.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. She’s keeping to herself? The realization hit me hard. Isabella, the woman I thought I knew, had been living a completely different life, one that I hadn’t even been aware of. She had been struggling, carrying a burden that I hadn’t seen, and I hadn’t been there for her.

"Do you think she’s okay?" I asked my voice tight with concern.

The doctor shrugged slightly, a look of uncertainty on his face.

"I hope so. But she’s been under a lot of pressure lately. I’m not sure what’s going on with her personally, but I know she’s been working through it. She’s a fighter, though. She always has been."He said.

The receptionist, who had been listening quietly, spoke up again.

"She’s a private person. Doesn’t like to share much about her personal life. But if you’re looking for her, you might want to try reaching out to her apartment. She’s been staying there when she’s not working."She said.

"Her apartment?" I repeated, feeling a flicker of hope. "Do you know where it is?"

The receptionist nodded.

"Yes, she lives just a few blocks from here. I don’t have the exact address, but I know she’s been there recently."She said.

I thanked them both, my mind racing with new information. Isabella had been struggling, hiding something from me, and I hadn’t even noticed. But now, I had a place to go. I had to find her. I had to fix this, somehow. I turned and walked quickly toward the door, my heart heavy with guilt but also with a new sense of urgency. I had to find Isabella. I had to apologize for everything I had failed to see.