Somewhere in another city,
Stan stood by the window, in a dimly lit room, staring out into the night. The room was enveloped with thick silence. Kelad, his friend stood aside, staring deeply at him. After a long stretch of silence, he walked over to Stan.
"Ava ran away from the wedding," Kelad said, his words breaking the silence.
Stan's breath caught, his body stiffened. He turned toward his friend, eyes wide with disbelief. "What?"
Kelad stepped forward, his eyes searching Stan's face. "You should be relieved, Stan. She's escaped from a lifetime commitment. When this is all over, you can return to her."
Stan's gaze hardened, a pained look flashed across his face before he quickly concealed it. "No, Kel. I can't go back to her." He shook his head.
Kelad stared fixedly at him, his brows furrowed in confusion. "But you still love her, don't you? You spent five years with her before everything fell apart. How can you just turn that off? How can you walk away so easily?"
Stan exhaled sharply. "I didn't intend to leave her, Kel. You know that. I didn't intend to disappear. I didn't intend to make think I was dead! But I had no choice. The murder accusation… it was all too much. They were going to bury me in that mess. I had to go. I had to vanish." His voice was thick, a mixture of guilt and desperation gripped him.
Kelad watched him. Pain from his word struck him deeply . "I understand Zane. I only think you can easily rekindle your love as long as Ava isn't tied legally to any man, rather than dumping her like she never meant a thing to you, for your presumed lover, Vera."
"I never said I'd walk away from Ava forever," Stan said, his voice quiet, but firm."And Vera isn't just a passerby in my life. She's here, right in my heart." He tapped his chest, his voice heavy with unspoken emotion.
Stan exhaled sharply, his mind returned the memories of the woman he had once loved, the woman he had left behind in because of his own choices. Choices he was forced to make.
"Ava… she couldn't even handle the thought of me being gone. It broke her, Kel. And I—" His voice faltered, but he regained control quickly.
"I thought I wouldn't stay away for long. But it's four years."
Kelad's gaze on him softened slightly, "Things aren't as bad as you think, Zane. I believe your love for her is still buried deep inside you. It hasn't vanished. When the right moment comes, it'll rise up, stronger than any lust you feel for Vera."
Stan looked away, shaking his head in disagreement. "It's no lust. I love Vera. I do. She's the one who pulled me out of that darkness."
Kelad stared at him in pity. It seemed his friend was loosing his sense of reasoning. "Not lust? You really love her? Yet you wouldn't let her bear your child. Who are you deceiving?"
Stan shot Kelad a stare of disbelief. "Are you really asking me that? Like you don't know that I can't have a child when I'm still running from destruction."
Stan began to strode slowly towards Kelad, his gaze piercing. "Kel, you perfectly know that I can't give my Vera a future when I know the past will come crashing down on us. Vera deserves more than that. She deserves someone who isn't so tied up in lies and guilt. And I'll become that person for her."
Kelad gazed at him in pity. "Do you really trust Vera that much? Have you ever stopped to consider how she'd react if she knew the truth? I'm certain she's only after the luxury you give her. The moment she finds out, she'll walk away without a second thought." His voice was firm, as if he hoped his friend would reconsider.
Stan's heart clenched at the thought of Kelad's words. Could Vera really love him enough to stand by him if she ever learned the truth? He was certain Ava would, but Vera... that, he wasn't so sure about.
The room fell quiet, as he fought with his wild thoughts. He turned away from Kelad, his eyes staring blankly at the wall, his voice barely audible. "How are my family?" he asked, changing the subject, needing to distract himself from the chaos brewing in his mind.
Kelad sighed softly. "They're... terrible. Your father's a shell of his former self. Your mother's been in a state of depression, and your sisters won't even talk to anyone nor appear in public."
Stan closed his eyes for a brief moment, his heart clenched on hearing about his family's condition. He had abandoned them, left them as a result of his own choices, and now they were paying the price for it.
"I know," he whispered.
"They'll get over it, eventually. They have to." He said, though deep inside, he knew his family were not close to forgetting.
Kelad's eyes shifted to him. "They won't ever forget it."
"Did he call in recent?" Kelad, changed to topic of discussion.
Stan nodded. "Yeah, said he sent someone to the prison.
"Prison?" Kelad's brows furrowed in confusion.
"There might be a lead from there. So he said," Stan shrugged helplessly.
"I pray so. This is stretching for too long." Kelad muttered.
Stan sighed deeply, his expression twisted in gloom. "I wish so too. I'm tired. I want my life back."
There was a long silence, before Stan spoke again, his voice steady and eased."The bidding coming up next month. Who's representing us?"
"I'll go," Kelad replied, his voice calm. His eyes softened slightly. "I'll handle it."
Stan nodded, grateful for the support. "Thanks, Kel. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Kelad let out a soft, weary sigh. "What else can I do but stand by you, fighting through this until we make it out alive, until we win?"
"I'm... I'm even talking to a ghost right now," Kelad whispered, his voice filled with pain.
"Yeah. ironically, I'm a ghost," Stan mumbled.