Crystallized Truth

Chapter 26 - Behind the Scene

Archie stared the bracelet, his eyes red and his lips turned down. He shouldn't have expected a lot from their relationships, after all, relationships were rarely permanent. Then why did this one felt different?

He had thought she would be his first and last. Like they were meant to be forever. But he forgot forever could shrink in a second.

He didn't understand why she did this to him. If she loved someone else, she should've said it clearly rather than playing with his emotions.

Maybe she liked to do it.

Wasn't she hugging Ethan other night? Too close and too long to be normal? She was playing with his friend too, wasn't it?

But then why his heart wasn't ready to accept her as such? Why wasn't he ready to believe that she did everything on purpose?

Archie covered his face and pinched his nose. His smartphone binged loudly in the silent hall, startling him from his reverie.

There was message from a foreign number, directing him to check a room in his hotel, the number provided.

Frowning he thought to ignore the message but the disastrous thought attacked him again and he opted to check on the room rather than waste himself in the hell of heartbreak.

The room happened to be on the second floor of the hotel. Other rooms seemed unoccupied and it was eerily silent in the corridor. Muffled voices came from the last room as he approached it.

Who wanted him to check the room? And what was inside? Could it be a mistake?

Frowning, Archie knocked on the door with certain curiosity. No one attended the door.

Maybe, it was a mistake then.

Archie turned to leave, a voice of something shattering rose from the room followed by faint voices.

What was happening? Was someone hurt?

Archie leaned his ears on the door and tried to listen the words. There were murmurs, he couldn't understand. A man talking.

What was he doing?

Archie stepped back realising his actions. He couldn't just eavesdrop in someone's room. Even if there were strange voices, it didn't mean something was wrong.

But something stopped him from leaving. He just couldn't leave. There was a reluctance in his heart and he couldn't bring himself to leave without investigating the matter.

He raised his head to knock the door again when a monstrous shriek stilled the air.

What was wrong?

Archie shoved the door, it bursted open without extra effort.

The sight halted him in his steps.

The man hunched over his stomach on floor and crying in pain. The familiarity took him by surprise but he couldn't clearly remember when and where he met the guy, as his mind and heart were attentive to Ava more than the mab.

Ava stood with her hands behind, her hair disheveled and he spotted a bump on her forehead. His heart slowed hoping for her wellbeing. She turned to reveal a ribbon tying her hands.

The man growled, staring at Ava with hateful eyes. "Your lover... You'll hate this... Day... Khushi..."

The darkness in his eyes confused Archie for sometime and he tried to remember where he saw the man.

"You earn yourself... Another... Enemy..." He spoke again, visibly in pain.

Damn it. Archie reached for his coat's pocket where he had kept the bracelet. He was the same man who told him about the antique shop.