The moment Adrian ended the call with Angelo, unease crept into his chest. Rainan not answering his phone didn’t feel right—he usually responded even with just a short text. Trying again, Adrian dialed Rainan’s number, but the result was the same: out of reach.
He sighed heavily, anxiety slowly growing in his gut. Then he remembered someone—Dr. Elias.
Without hesitation, Adrian opened his contacts and hit “Call” on Elias’ name. After a few rings, the doctor finally picked up.
“Hello?” Elias’ voice came through the line, slightly groggy as if pulled from paperwork or rest.
“Doc, sorry to bother you,” Adrian said quickly. “Do you happen to know where Rainan is? He’s not picking up and no one knows where he went. Did he… did he go to you for a check-up?”
There was a pause on the other end. Too long.
“Doc?”
Elias finally spoke, his tone measured and grave.
“Yes… Rainan is here.”
Adrian straightened. “There? You mean… at the hospital?”
“Yes,” Elias said softly. “He’s staying here.”
Adrian blinked, confused. “Staying? Why? Is he okay?”
Silence.
“Doc, what’s going on?”
“I… I can’t give details. But he’s here. That’s all I can say.”
The tone in Elias’ voice was enough to shoot dread into Adrian’s veins—low, somber, heavy with unspoken weight. He knew that tone. He’d heard it before in business… in loss.
The call ended, but the tension didn’t.
Adrian stared at his phone for a few seconds before whispering to himself, “Why would he stay in the hospital if it’s nothing serious?”
He shook his head and grabbed his coat.
He needed to go. Now.
-----------
The silence in the hospital room was heavy.
Adrian pushed the door open gently, not expecting what he was about to see. The sterile air, the soft beeping of machines, the dimmed lights—all of it screamed something he didn’t want to accept.
And there, sitting by Rainan’s side, were Leticia and Eduardo, his parents.
His heart dropped.
Leticia turned first, her face pale and tired, eyes swollen from crying. Eduardo simply nodded, but his expression was etched with silent grief.
“Adrian…” Leticia stood slowly.
Adrian took a step forward, glancing past them to the bed where Rainan lay unconscious, looking fragile and heartbreakingly thin. It was a painful contrast to the vibrant man he’d worked beside for years.
“I… I didn’t know,” Adrian said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Leticia gently shook her head, wiping her eyes. “We didn’t know either. Not until the doctor told us. He kept it from us… all this time.”
Adrian lowered his gaze, unable to speak.
Eduardo finally broke the silence. “He didn’t want us to worry. He said he just needed to rest… we thought he was just tired from work, from adjusting in San Felino. We had no idea…”
Adrian swallowed hard, pain tightening in his chest. “He told me he was going back to help in the town… he gave me all his plans, his files, his designs. I thought—” he choked, voice trembling, “—I thought it was just him starting a new chapter. Not preparing for his end.”
Leticia sat down beside her son, brushing Rainan’s hair from his forehead. “I keep asking myself if I missed something… a sign, a word, a look. But Rainan was always so strong. So composed.”
Eduardo looked at Adrian. “He loves this company… and he loved working with you. You were like a brother to him.”
Adrian had to turn away, eyes burning.
“I need to talk to the doctor,” he murmured.
Leticia nodded, and Adrian quietly slipped out of the room, his legs barely carrying the weight of the pain pressing on him.
---
Scene: Dr. Elias’ Office
A few minutes later, Adrian stood across from Dr. Elias in his office.
“Tell me everything,” he demanded, his voice tight.
Dr. Elias exhaled, sitting back in his chair. “Rainan came to me for a full check-up a few months ago. He already had suspicions about his health before then, but he didn’t want to believe it. By the time we confirmed it… the cancer was already in its advanced stage.”
Adrian sat down slowly, disbelief clouding his features. “You’re saying… there’s no way to cure him?”
“I’m sorry, Adrian. It’s pancreatic cancer. Aggressive. Progressive. We’ve already passed the window for surgery or chemotherapy to do anything significant.”
“But… he’s still young. He’s strong. There must be something,” Adrian pleaded. “Experimental therapy, another hospital, abroad—something.”
Dr. Elias looked at him with sorrow in his eyes.
“We’ve tried to manage the pain. That’s all we can do now. We can slow the suffering, but we can’t stop what’s happening inside him. His organs are already deteriorating. He’s running on borrowed time.”
Adrian leaned forward, hands shaking. “How long?”
“A month. Maybe less.”
The words gutted him.
Adrian covered his face with his hands, trying to breathe, but the tears came. He hadn’t cried like this in years.
“I should’ve known… I should’ve seen it. He told me to take over San Felino like it was nothing. He handed me everything like he was just taking a break. I thought it was a vacation… not a goodbye.”
Dr. Elias didn’t speak—he didn’t need to. Adrian’s cries filled the space, raw and broken.
“I feel so useless,” Adrian whispered. “He was always the strongest one. The one who carried us through every crisis. And now… I can’t do anything for him.”
“You’re here,” Dr. Elias said softly. “That’s something. Be here for him now. That’s what he needs most.”
---
Scene: Back at the Hospital Room
Rainan stirred under the sheets, eyes fluttering open slowly.
He blinked against the soft light of the room. His breath was shallow, but steady. He turned his head slightly, expecting to see his parents still sitting nearby.
But instead, someone else was beside him.
Adrian.
The man had his head bowed, resting on the edge of the bed, one hand wrapped gently around Rainan’s frail fingers. Silent tears slipped from Adrian’s eyes.
Rainan smiled faintly, the corners of his lips barely lifting. He reached out with effort and brushed Adrian’s hand weakly.
“You’re crying,” he said in a whisper.
Adrian lifted his head, face streaked with tears. “Rainan…”
Rainan gave him a weak smile. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not,” Adrian said hoarsely, gripping his hand tighter. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you say anything?”
Rainan looked away, eyes glassy. “Because I didn’t want you to see me like this. I didn’t want anyone to see me fading.”
Adrian shook his head. “Is that why you gave me the San Felino project? Told me to take over?”
“I’m sorry,” Rainan whispered. “I thought I had more time. I just… I didn’t want to burden you.”
“You idiot,” Adrian choked. “You’re my best friend. My partner. The company, our dreams—it’s always been the two of us. There’s no burden in loving and caring for you.”
Rainan’s eyes welled with tears. “I’m grateful, Adrian. For everything. You helped me build a life I was proud of. You believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself.”
Adrian bowed his head, lips trembling. “You built half of the company with your blood, sweat, and sleepless nights. I watched you chase perfection. I watched you turn blueprints into reality.”
He looked into Rainan’s fading eyes.
“I don’t want to do this without you.”
Rainan smiled gently. “You have to.”
They sat there in silence, Adrian still holding his hand as if afraid letting go would make it all real.
And somewhere in that stillness, in the soft hum of machines, in the weight of all they couldn’t change, something tender lingered—a friendship so deep it ached, built on years of battles, triumphs, and trust.
Rainan closed his eyes again, and Adrian stayed.
Because even when there was nothing left to say, presence was everything.