The next five weeks that followed were what everyone around Neriah called a miracle because there were unexpected.

Contrary to the one week given by the doctors and expected of her to live, Neriah spent four more weeks living, loving, working, and learning.

After surviving through the first week, Cainan asked her to marry him and when she said yes, they organised a small wedding in the ward for the both of them to be joined as man and wife and Cainan was the happiest.

They released many more sketches and designs as Riá-no Neriah's clothing brand launched into the world a week after, ranging from children's wear to adult wear of all sizes. It paved more way after Cainan announced that 50% of the funding would be given to the fight against cancer campaign to help families and those affected by it.

Her unexplainable time extension, her marriage and work brought the attention of not just the media, but the world to her and even though Cainan kept them from getting anywhere in or near her, they kept on reporting on every day Neriah lived, counting it as one of the longest runs against cancer experience by anyone.

Riá-no trended on every social network every day that Neriah lived and every new sketch and design was welcomed into the world with open arms. Her creations were always out of stock within one hour of release, breaking records every day in the fashion world.

The #runagainstcancer campaign began with families who had lost their loved ones coming out to show support and applauding Neriah for holding on and working at her most difficult times. She became a role model for young girls and people fighting cancer everywhere, as her work showed her bravery, even at the most painful and weakest of times.

Cainan noticed the smile on her face each time he brought her a card from a fan or supporter of her and her work, and it was like no other. She felt joy, fulfilment and gratitude for every day she saw, every work she did, every creation she brought out and every life she touched. It was beyond her wildest expectation, but she accepted the privilege of having to be a part of it, even if it was for a moment.

Cainan remembers Neriah, his wife's last smile. Her last words are in his memory and will forever remain there as a reminder of the presence of an angel in his life.

Cainan had stayed with Neriah until her last day, making sure friends, and family surrounded her and those she loved. He also got the chance to introduce some of his friends to her, his best friends Laré and Rogue who were later present at his wedding, Neriah told them she'd heard a few things about them and she conversed with them as though she had all the time in the world.

He tried to make her smile and laugh the best way he could. Neriah's happiness was his happiness, and he made sure she was happy to the last day.

Shawn began a relationship with a new colleague at work a week after their wedding and had a lot of duties at work since Cainan had taken months off to be fully dedicated to his wife. Shawn still made time to be around Neriah the best way he could and to show his support.

Neriah's last day felt as though it happened yesterday to Cainan, even though it's been a week.

Cainan had sat beside her the whole day, watching her sketch as if knowing it was her last and he watched her, secretly aware they were her last moments with him. He'd stored up every moment in his memories where they'll be safe forever.

Her eyes fixed on him and he remembers the smile she had on her face right before her eyes close and she took her last breath.

She loved him until the end, and he loved her even after her end. He knew he couldn't have asked for more, but he missed her with every passing day.

"It's time," Ada tells him as she enters his room and finds him in bed, coiled into a ball with his back to her.

"Oh, not again." He whines like a little child and cuddles the pillow closer to himself.

"The service is almost beginning," she informs him, "you've got to get ready, and don't forget that fixing the funeral service to today was your idea."

"I remember, but I'm not ready to say goodbye. You can go on without me." He replies, not bothering to turn and look at her.

"You can't be absent; if not anything, she was your wife, and this isn't what she would have wanted-"

He springs up instantly at her words and turns to her, eyes red from much sobbing and filled with pain, frustration and anger as they stare at her, "'If I die today, I want you to live the life I never could and be happy for us. Don't forget to remember me and I'll always love you' Those were her last words to me, but how would she know how hard it is to live without her? She isn't here! She's gone and I can't say goodbye when I'm not ready to let her go. And don't tell me it isn't what she would have wanted because there are lots of things she wanted too, like going on a honeymoon, having children and getting old, but she couldn't have that."

Not willing to argue anymore Ada says, "Fine, I can't make you do what you're not ready to do son, but you have to pay your last respect so she can be laid to rest this is the last time you'll get to do this."

He doesn't want to; it hurts to do anything, but he knows she's right; this is something he knows he owes her and it's her last respect. "Give me five minutes to change." He replies and Ada nods and steps out of his room.

Thirty minutes later,

The funeral is being held at the Calvary faith church in a small and private service. A private funeral would keep the noises out, especially the reporters who have no respect for mourners and are only making the news this way. Only family and very close friends would be present.

A few people are present, Neriah's family members and some come over from Jos, her place of birth. Shawn and his girlfriend Vera, a few of Neriah's family friends and extended families.

The service had already begun when Cainan arrives as he notices the priest reading the bible and giving a little exultation from it.

Cainan fits himself into one of the back seats quietly as he arrives, not wanting to make a scene that would bring disorientation to the small service.

After the priest ends his exaltation, he steps down, and it's time for the families and friends to say their last words to the dead.

A few unknown faces say a few things about Neriah and as Cainan stares at them, he wonders if they even knew Neriah or if they were only around because Neriah was no longer a poor nobody when she died and are now hoping to get something from the grieving family.

Neriah told him a few things about her family when she yet lived and never for once mentioned the distant family members. If they'd been around all this while, why did they not help? Why didn't they come to help? Why now? Fucking why now?!

Cainan feels Ada's hands on his' and he looks down to see his hands have now balled into a hard fist, but at her touch, he releases it.

The next people saying their goodbyes were Neriah's family and Cainan can still see the pain on their faces even as they all try to mask it up.

"Aren't you going to say your goodbyes?" Ada asks, turning to look at Cainan, whose eyes are still glued to the floor of the church.

"Even if I don't want to?"

"You have to. You owe it to her to say goodbye."

Shawn turns to look at Cainan and nudges his head towards the stand, hinting it's his turn to say goodbye as Gina climbs down the stage close to the altar.

"I don't want to!" He snaps, slamming his hand on his legs.

"Cainan-"

"I'm sorry, mom," he shakes his head.

Ada nods for the service to continue, even without Cainan's last words.

And they do nothing more before moving to the cemetery to lay Neriah to rest.

Fifty-eight days later...

Cainan's car parked in front of the cemetery for a while now, but he doesn't dare to go out of his car just like every day for the past fifty-eight days. He'd come to the cemetery with flowers in his hands, but not having enough guts to step out of his car and go over to her grave and drop the flower. Instead, he'd call the grave watcher, handing him the flower and telling him the name of the gravestone and a few cash.

He stares ahead of him at the cemetery, looking past the many tombstones to the one that belongs to Neriah, but hasn't found a reason to leave his car yet.

Andrew, the grave keeper, approaches him as he has done in the past fifty-eight days, but unlike the other days, he shakes his head with a small smile on his face, "I've got it today, thank you."

He nods and walks away from the car.

Another hour passes by as Cainan sits in his car, thinking of the best way he can use to step out of his car and approach Neriah's grave for the first time.

He knows this has to be done one way or another and sitting in his car will not help, so he takes a deep breath and opens the door of his car and steps out with the red roses in his hand.

With boldness, he makes his way over to the grave of Neriah and when he finally gets there; he drops the rose in his hand on top of the tombstone where other dried and withered roses are.

He stares at the engravings boldly written on the tombstone.

Neriah Faith Gomez Inferno

December 25th, 1994 - April 12th, 2018

Wife, Daughter, Sister, Friend.

May her soul rest in perfect peace.

And holds his breath and bites down on his lips to stop his glassy eyes from releasing the tears they are failing so miserably to hold.

Damn! He thought he could handle it, he thought he'd be able to let the thought of her being gone sit now, but it's just too hard to.

"Neriah, I'm sorry, I'm still a mess." He says, smiling painfully and wiping the tears rolling down his face away. "I need you here. I miss you and every day is harder than the last, but I feel it's my fault for not listening to you and letting go just like you told me to."

His heart is squeezing in his chest, threatening to stop responding at any moment because of the pain thereof.

"I need to sit, love." He says weakly and sits down beside her tombstone. "I hope you're not mad that it's taken me so long to talk to you, but knowing you, you probably are. It's been so hard to accept the fact that you are gone. But I feel the need to do this now."

"I didn't give any last words at your funeral service and I'm sorry, I was still grieving and I would have messed up bad if I had tried to. Also, I wanted you to be the only one to hear it, no one else. I wrote my last words the other night, but I tore it up and threw it away because I know no words can come close to explaining how it feels to lose you."

The cloud above him rumbles and Cainan looks up to see it forming above them and looking like it's about to rain. And he looks down at the tombstone with a raised brow. And a small chuckle escapes his mouth.

"You're still mad at me, eh?" He sighs and nods his head, "well that makes the two of us because I am mad at me too, but I'm not leaving until I man up and say goodbye even if it means getting soaked in the rain."

He stays quiet for a while, then speaks. "Funny what life does to people like us and how people tell us what to do and how to live life. They say we can't change our fate or our destiny, as we are going to be who or what we are in the end, but I was privileged to have known someone who defiled fate, who changed her fate, life and time, I had the privileged to know you. You stood against all odds just to live longer with those you loved."

He stays silent for another long while before he speaks again.

"I remember vowing once to be your worst nightmare, but you were my worst nightmare. You called me an idiotic billionaire, something no one had ever said to me before and that was an eye-opener. I chased you down, but ended up falling for you instead." He smiles and shakes his head, "I do not regret that our path crossed, I do not regret that I fell for you even though all odds and senses told me not to and I'm grateful for the time you had to live and I feel lucky you were beside me. And I don't regret marrying you and calling you mine even though it was for a short time because it was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I wish you would have lived though, I wish you'd lived and made my life miserable, to torture me and make me feel horrible, and I'd gladly pick you and every pain you would have caused me over not having you at all."

Drops of rain touch Cainan's red shirt and he looks down at his shirt before looking up as though nothing happened.

"Someday I hope to take your advice and move on, but that day isn't today."

"Well unto some other important matters, Riá-no has been a success and I'm glad you could start something for yourself and your family before leaving. Your family is here now. I didn't see the need for them to go back to Jos after your funeral, so I told them the penthouse was yours and they could stay if they wanted to. They have been there ever since."

"Onü will take the position as the manager at Riá-no once he turns eighteen, and that's a few months from now. I think he'll do great. He's smart, young and committed. Your sister, Kamsi, would join in a year and your mom tries to be the tough one for them like always, but she's still grieving. As I promised, I'll be there to help and assist them the best way I can and I'm not giving up on that promise." By the time he finishes talking, he is already soaked in the dripping rainwater.

"You're probably having fun soaking me up with the rain. This has your signature written all over it, but it makes me happy to know you're in a better place. I'll always love you, Ria and you are still being missed."

With that, he gets up and makes his way out of the cemetery.

The End

A.N it's hard to say goodbye, but in the end, we all must say goodbye to what we love someday.

Thanks for staying by this book to the end. Please leave feedback and reviews so others can feel encouraged to read it. Thank you, much love ❤️❤️