173 HURT LUKE’S POV Under the star–studded night sky, the cool breeze rustled through the trees surrounding my’s mansion. Standing on the marble steps, I gazed out into the darkness, thoughts drifting back to memories of my late grandfather. The old mansion stood silent, a sentinel to the passage of time, with its grandeur steeped in mytory and memories of generations past. The moon cast a soft glow over the sprawling estate, illuminating the intricate details of the architecture. My grandfather, a towering figure in my life, had been a man of wisdom and kindness. my presence still lingered in every corner of the mansion, in the creak of the old floorboards and the musty scent of aged books. I closed my eyes, trying to summon my grandfather’s voice from the depths of my memory. I could almost hear the deep timbre of my laughter and the gentle words of advice that had guided me through my formative years, As I stood there, a wave of nostalgia washed over me, recalling the countless evenings spent by the fireplace, listening to my grandfather’s tales of adventure and wisdom. The lessons learned, the laughter shared, and the bond forged between them seemed to echo in the night air. My’s heart ached with a mixture of longing and gratitude for the time I had spent with my grandfather. The night seemed to embrace me, offering solace in the quietude of the moment. I whispered words into the darkness, as if my grandfather could hear me, sharing my hopes, fears, and the uncertainties that plagued my mind. The stars above twinkled like distant memories, each one a reminder of the fleeting nature of life and the enduring legacy of love and family. A shooting star streaked across the sky, and my breath caught in my throat. I closed my eyes and made a silent wish, a silent plea to my grandfather for guidance and strength. The night seemed to hold its breath, as if waiting for a response from the cosmos. In the stillness of the night, I felt a sense of peace settle over me, a reassurance that my grandfather’s spirit lived on in the memories we had created together. The bond between us transcended time and pace, a connection that not even death could sever. With a heavy heart yet a renewed sense of purpose, I turned to re–enter the mansion, carrying my grandfather’s legacy with mine like a beacon. of light in the darkness. space, Just as I was about to turn around, I spotted Ariel walking through gate. She halted and we both. gazed at each other for what felt like eternity. Ariel and I continued to gaze at each other, both of us not uttering a single word. I couldn’t tell what was going on here, but this was definitely not something right. With her eyes still fixed at me, Ariel stepped forward. Her face was not looking quite great, and I couldn’t tell if she had an argument with someone, or something. The moment we were adjacent to each other, she held my hand, still looking me in the eyes. I was still trying to figure out the scene taking place at the moment. 173 HURT 2/3 “Luke, we have to talk,” she spoke softly. “What’s going on?” I questioned her. “Can we please go inside?” “Why? What’s wrong if we have this discussion outside?” She closed her eyes, her cast clearly saying that she wasn’t settled at the moment. “I don’t even knew what to say right now? You know what? Let’s just pretend like I never said anything. She wanted to walk from me, but I grabbed her waist, both of us not glancing at each other. “Tell me Ariel, what’s the problem?” “It’s nothing.” “Don’t lie to me now,” I said, and looked at her, her eyes now fixed on me. “I can tell something’s bothering you. Please let me know what it is.” “There’s no need for you to worry, I’m fine.” “No you’re not,” I spoke firmly. “Please don’t lie to me.” “What’s your problem, huh?” She questioned immediately, her tone almost being cold. “I should be the one asking you that. Early this morning, we were both with smiling faces, but after your conversation with that friend of yours, your mood changed. And now you’re coming back with that face.” “What face?” She didn’t give me a friendly expression at all. “What’s with the long face?” “Don’t you have other things you should be doing right now?” Her tone wasn’t nice neither. “I’m just being concerned about you. You are…” “I’m your what?” She kept on with her cold mode. “Your wife? Your love? Luke, it seems like you’ve forgotten about what happened in the past.” “I haven’t forgotten. But I thought we were over that.” “Oh, so that’s what you were thinking, huh? You think we’re over that? All the terrible things you did to me all those years?” “Ariel, what’s going on?” “Nothing’s going on, okay?” “Then why are you saying all this? Why are you bringing this up?” “Because I can’t forget about one shit!” She snapped. “All these moments spent with you recently were nice, I’m not going to lie about that. But I had to take my mind back to how you treated me, it 173 HURT 3/3 wasn’t nice one bit.” “And you’re mad about that? I apologized, didn’t I?” “Apologies aren’t going to fix the pain.” “Please tell me you’re joking.” I told her. “Tell me this is all a dream.” “I’ll give you a hard slap in the face, and maybe you’ll get your answer.” “Why are you beg this rude now? If you want, I can apolo…” “I don’t need your apologies,” she cut me off. “Then what do you want? Tell me. Do you want me to get down on my knees?” “Still the same thing you’re talking here.” “I don’t get it. How did you change all of a sudden? How did you switch from the love to…” “To hate? Or what are you trying to ask me here?” I shook my head, suspiring, and then I let go of her. “This is.. unbelievable.” “No it isn’t. You want to know what’s unbelievable? The both of us falling in love after the whole thing that halo between us. Π “And you still have that in mind?” “What do you expect?” She asked, crossing her arms. “Just let me be.” I snaked her waist and pulled her body to mine. I wasn’t going to let this conversation end like that. Ariel, i know something’s not right around here. I can see the deceit in your eyes. H “Then you must be blind.” She struggled to get my hand off her, but my grip was really tight. “I’m not blind. I can see what’s happening here, and some part of me keep on telling me that you’re not saying the truth. That all these words are nothing but lies.” “Well rip that part off. Why would I be wasting my time lying to you?” “I don’t know. I can’t read what’s going on in your mind.” “Yes, that’s why I’m telling you right now, that these words I speak aren’t lies.” “So what are you trying to say now? That’s it over between us?” I asked, trying to get her point. Ariel just glared at me without a response. The way she shook her body, I had to let go of her. She walked away from me, while I just stood in silence.
