42 We may not know her.
Meanwhile, it took some time for Daniel to realize what had happened. Everything had occurred so quickly that even he couldn’t act fast. But he saw someone else had. And the way he did it, baffled him.
Staking oneself to protect another requires both for courage and reason. And that person seemed to carry both. The way he enveloped Arwen, putting himself as
shield evidenced his courage, while the fire in his eyes to burn the world for her, conveyed his strong
reason.
Yes, he had seen those eyes. Though the man’s face remained hidden, his eyes were on full display.
What surprised Daniel even more was Arwen’s reaction to his presence. Knowing her for almost a decade, he was very sure of one thing -she never let anyone cross a certain boundary. And if someone dared to, the discomfort was always evident in her stance and expression.
But earlier, she looked so relaxed that it almost
seemed like the proximity she shared with the man
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comforted her in a way no one else ever had. At that moment, Daniel was reminded of her declaration – her break up with Ryan.
Daniel didn’t want to think about it, but the scene he
witnessed sparked the possibilities that he couldn’t ignore.
After all, feelings never stay constant forever, especially those that aren’t reciprocated.
As her friend, Daniel would be happy if this new possibility were true. It meant Arwen had finally set
herself free from someone who didn’t value her. But
thinking about Ryan, he couldn’t help but lament the
loss of his best friend.
“Where is Arwen?” Ryan asked breathlessly as he appeared, running out of the elevator.
Daniel, not expecting him to show up suddenly, turned to look at him with a slight furrow in his brows. “Why are you looking for her now, Ryan?”
“Daniel, not now,” Ryan warned, his eyes scanning the area in desperation for someone. “I heard some people attacked someone here. Was it Arwen?” he asked with a voice laced with worry.
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42 We may not know her
“Do you mean to ask if Arwen attacked someone?” Daniel retorted sarcastically.
“Daniel!”
“What Ryan? I am just voicing your perception of her. Isn’t she the vicious one to you? How could anyone attack her? It should be her attacking Delyth’s fans out of jealousy, shouldn’t she?”
Daniel didn’t hold back. He wanted so badly for Ryan. to
regret everything that his words dripped with
sarcasm, mimicking the tone Ryan had used on Arwen
before.
Ryan, already losing patience, couldn’t contain his frustration any longer. “I am asking what happened to her, Daniel. Is she okay?”
Daniel could feel his desperation but couldn’t bring himself to sympathize. “Sorry to disappoint you, nothing happened to Arwen. She left, safe and sound, under the supervision of someone.”
“She left?” Ryan frowned. He hadn’t received any call from her, which was unusual. Normally, she would at least drop a text to let him know she was leaving so he wouldn’t worry. Why hadn’t she done so today? He felt
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his anger getting best of him, but right then he was snapped out of the moment.
Daniel gestured around them. “Yes, she left. That’s why
you can’t see her. Don’t tell me that you came down here to watch her get cursed, and now you are regretting missing the show.”
“I didn’t,” Ryan gritted out, his eyes darting to the entrance where a few men, dressed in uniform, were still handling the crowd. “How did Arwen leave? And who are these people?” he asked, eying the men outside. From what he has overheard from the nurse,
the situation downstairs had been severe, which was why he rushed down to see if Arwen was safe.
But not just Arwen has left, but there seemed people around to help her in the situation. He was curious to know who they were.
“If you don’t cherish someone, that doesn’t mean no one else will,” Daniel remarked, his words causing Ryan to turn back towards him, frowning.
“What do you mean?”
Daniel shook his head and then reached out to pat Ryan’s shoulders. “Nothing I am certain of. But anyway,
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you lost your chance to worry about her, brother. Did you forget Arwen broke up with you? You shouldn’t involve yourself in anything related to her now.”
“Daniel, do you believe that? Don’t you know her?” Ryan insisted, but Daniel merely shrugged.
“I thought I knew her, Ryan. But after seeing the change in her today, I think there’s a lot we don’t know about her. Like the intensity of her stubbornness and
her firmness over her decisions.”
“She is stubborn, which is why I know she will come back tomorrow,” Ryan repeated his old narrative like a broken recorder, unwilling to accept anything else.
At this moment, Daniel felt that even Ryan wasn’t entirely sure of it, but he was forcing himself to believe what he wanted to believe. “If that’s happening
tomorrow, let’s wait for tomorrow. As for today, I have got better plans for you?”
Seeing Ryan’s confusion, Daniel smiled and gestured towards the elevator to say, “How about going back to your precious Delyth to see if she needs your care and attention? I am sure she would be in dire need of it.
After all, it’s for your attention that she goes to such
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lengths.”
“What do you mean?” Ryan asked, his brows furrowed.
And Daniel raised his brows. “You still don’t get it? Ryan, everything is so obvious, but you keep
pretending to be blind? Is it fun? Or are you just used
to it?”
“Daniel, speak clearly.”
“What’s there to tell? If you haven’t figured it out by now, I doubt you ever will,” Daniel scoffed before pointing toward the dissipating mob. “The people who attacked Arwen earlier were Delyth’s fans. They have ‘been standing outside, waiting for her. Why do you think they suddenly decided to attack Arwen as if ready to take her life? I am sure Arwen didn’t provoke them or confess to sins she didn’t commit against
Delyth.”
“Delyth, wouldn’t do that,” Ryan said confidently, and Daniel couldn’t believe his friend.
“Really, Ryan? You trust her that much that now, even the clearest glass has become blurry for you.”
Ryan shook his head, firm in his belief. “Daniel, you know what the doctors have said about Delyth. She is
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suffering. There is no way she would do something like that to Arwen. She is too innocent for such a villainous
ploy”
“Innocent? Fine, I will believe it, but before that, you explain to me something. Why do you think Arwen broke up with you?” Daniel asked, determined to make Ryan face the truth he was so adamantly ignoring.