Chapter 15 – Too Late opens with the jungle closing in, its dense greenery whispering secrets and danger with every step. Bulan leads Virginia carefully through tangled paths, ever watchful, not just for predators, but for the moment when truth can no longer be postponed. Though he appears strong and resolute, his mind churns with uncertainty. The man Virginia sees as her savior is haunted by the fear that her gratitude may wither once she knows his origin. Still, she places her trust in him, sensing in his actions something purer than appearances or reputation could reveal. Bulan, fearing her rejection, withholds his story and chooses only to offer his name. In her heart, Virginia wrestles with her own doubts, torn between fear of the jungle and admiration for the brave, quiet man guiding her through it. Their silence, though brief, deepens their connection more than words could.

In the quiet aftermath of danger, Virginia learns of the fate of those who defended her—beings labeled monsters by others but remembered by Bulan as companions who acted out of loyalty. This revelation softens her view even more, not only toward Bulan, but toward what others might call unnatural. To her, their deaths are not the end of monsters, but the noble acts of beings with hearts capable of sacrifice. Bulan listens as she mourns them, deeply moved but unable to speak his truth. His dilemma grows—if she can see goodness in them, might she see the same in him? Yet fear roots him in silence. He considers stealing away with her into the wilderness, far from judgment, far from civilization. But a man who loves with purity does not steal freedom from another.

The moral burden weighs heavily on Bulan. More than the mystery of his origin, it is the question of whether he deserves love and dignity that consumes him. He fears he is a construct, a thing shaped in a laboratory, not born of nature or soul. But Virginia’s presence calms the storm, her acceptance providing what he never knew he needed—hope. Still, he cannot allow himself to act on his desire. Not while the truth remains unspoken. The measure of love, he realizes, is not in possession, but in the act of putting the other first. His decision to protect her happiness over his own becomes his first true act as a man, not a creation.

As they press deeper into the unknown, their bond is tested by every sound, every rustling leaf, and every moment of doubt. Virginia, though afraid, does not complain. She clings to Bulan’s strength, unaware of the war he fights within. Bulan remains silent, his eyes scanning the shadows, his heart aching with each step that leads her further from home, and possibly from the truth. The jungle is merciless, but it is also alive with lessons. For every threat it holds, it also offers clarity. And Bulan begins to see that the measure of his identity lies not in blood or biology, but in his choices.

Eventually, he resolves to tell her everything once they reach safety. This promise to himself brings a fragile peace to his heart. He may not be ready to explain what he is, but he knows who he is becoming. That distinction matters more. The man walking beside Virginia is not the one born in a lab—he is the one who stood against monsters, who guided her through the dark, and who chose love above self. This quiet victory, born in the shadow of doubt, is the first step toward the redemption he never thought he needed.

Their journey is far from over. But in this chapter, both hearts grow braver. Virginia, in placing her trust where there is no certainty. Bulan, in offering his actions where he cannot yet give his truth. It is in these unspoken gifts—courage, restraint, and selflessness—that the roots of something enduring take hold. While danger still lurks and truth remains veiled, the path ahead promises not only peril, but the possibility of understanding, forgiveness, and love that sees beyond what the world deems possible.