THE LONG-AWAITED REPLY
Kael had almost given up. It had been three days since Elara disappeared, and his messages had gone unanswered. When his phone finally vibrated in the middle of the night, with the specific tone he had set for Elara, his heart raced.
From Elara:
"Sorry for the late reply.You're right. I need someone who understands. Can we meet? Our usual old spot. Tomorrow afternoon."
"Our usual old spot." Those four words brought a flood of memories. A small café hidden behind a row of old bookstores, where they often spent time back in college. A place where they shared dreams, laughed at bad jokes, and talked about a future that seemed limitless.
Kael replied immediately, not wanting to lose the moment.
To Elara:
"I'll be there.Whatever time you want."
A MEETING AMONG MEMORIES
The "Reading Nook" café had hardly changed. The smell of traditional coffee and old paper still lingered. The dusty bookshelves were still in the corner, and the small wooden table by the window where they always sat was still there.
Kael arrived early. He ordered two black coffees—the way Elara used to drink it. When Elara appeared at the door, his breath caught slightly. She looked smaller, fragile, like a bird with a broken wing. No makeup, her hair tied back casually, wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans—like the long-forgotten, younger version of Elara.
"Kael," her voice was soft, almost a whisper.
"El." Kael stood up, wanting to hug her, but held back. He just pulled out a chair for her. "I ordered your coffee."
"You still remember." Elara offered a faint smile, but her eyes were glistening.
"Some things aren't easy to forget," Kael replied, trying to keep the tone of the conversation light.
They sat in silence for a moment, the only sounds being the hiss of the coffee machine and soft jazz music from an old speaker.
"David is looking for me," Elara finally spoke, staring into her coffee. "He's mobilized his team. But I used a pseudonym."
"Kartika?" Kael guessed.
Elara looked at him, surprised. "How did you—"
"You once said, if you ever wanted to disappear, you'd use that name. I remember." Kael smiled. "And you always said that name represented freedom."
Tears finally fell. Elara wiped them away quickly, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I... I don't know where to start."
"From the beginning," Kael whispered. "Or the middle. Or the end. Just talk."
THE BURDEN UNLEASHED
And like a dam breaking, the words flowed. Elara talked about the loneliness amidst luxury, about a marriage that felt like a performance, about David growing distant and busy, about her own fear that she had lost herself.
"Back then, when I was with you," Elara said, looking at her hands gripping the cup, "life felt simpler. I knew who I was. I knew what I wanted. Now... now I don't even know what makes me happy anymore."
Kael listened without interrupting. But in his heart, a battle raged between sympathy and a selfish hope. Was this his chance? Had Elara finally realized she had chosen the wrong path?
"And David?" Kael asked carefully. "Do you still love him?"
The question hung in the air. Elara closed her eyes.
"That's the most painful part, Kael. Yes, I still love him. Very much. But that love is like a plant that never gets watered—wilted, dying, and painful to look at." She took a breath. "And then there's Kael from the past. David can never accept that. Every time your name comes up, he changes. I feel like I'm constantly guilty for something that should be over."
"Because he knows," Kael said softly. "He knows that once, you loved me. And he knows that a part of your heart might always hold a place for me."
Elara lifted her face. "But that's not fair! Everyone has a past. I accepted his. Why can't he accept mine?"
"Because I'm not just a past, El," Kael spoke gently. "I'm the choice he didn't make. I'm the man who almost became your husband. That's different."
THE PALPABLE TENSION
The air between them shifted. Something unspoken, a possibility that suddenly felt real.
"You know," Kael said, looking at her deeply, "if you gave me a chance, I would do it differently this time. I wouldn't make you feel like you had to choose between being yourself and being a good partner."
"Don't, Kael," Elara turned her face away. "Don't say that now. I'm fragile. I might make a mistake."
"Or maybe you'd finally make the right choice."
"That's not fair to David.It's not fair to our marriage."
"But is it fair to you?" Kael's voice was louder than he intended. "Being trapped in a life that makes you miserable? Being a fake version of yourself?"
Elara stood up, her hands trembling. "I have to go."
"Elara, wait—"
"Thank you for listening,Kael. But this... this is too much. I need time alone. Truly alone."
She turned and walked out of the café, leaving Kael sitting there with two cups of cold coffee.
AFTERMATH
Elara walked quickly without direction, her tears flowing freely. The meeting revealed two painful truths:
First, she still loved David deeply.
Second,their marriage might be too damaged to fix.
And Kael... Kael was a safe harbor in the storm. But was she docking there out of love, or just out of exhaustion?
Meanwhile, in the café, Kael remained seated. He watched Elara leave, and for the first time in years, he felt a sense of certainty. Elara was unhappy. Her marriage was failing. And he, Kael, still loved her.
He picked up his phone, looking at David's last threatening message. This time, he smiled faintly.
Maybe, finally, after all these years, this game would end with a different winner.
But in another corner of the café, a visitor quietly lowered his camera. He had photographed their entire meeting—from the moment Elara entered the café, to her leaving in tears. Photos that would be sold for a high price to the gossip media.
The storm wasn't over. In fact, it had just begun.