Crystallized Truth

Chapter 26 - Behind the Scene

"We'll see it," Ava spat, her spirit not weakened by her troubled state.

He was the man sending Ava notes? And he was calling her Khushi which meant this whole event was linked to dead people. He couldn't imagine the smiling and helpful guy to be such an evil.

Idiot, what had he done?

The man glared Ava. His eyes filled with rage that they almost looked monstrous. Before Archie could react or Ava could understand, the man pushed Ava and ran for the window.

Archie ran for Ava, breaking her fall and holding her carefully. The injuries more clear to him and his heart cried at his stupidity.

"Are you okay?" Archie questioned worried for her.

The room echoed with the shattering of glass, startling them. They turned, window was broken and the man had jumped down from the second floor of hotel.

"Archie, he..." Ava stared shocked.

Ava rushed to the window while Archie followed, cold wind slapped at their faces. Avoiding the sharp edges of broken window, they leaned forward to look down. Over the snowy roads, a figure was limping to the forest in darkness.

"How is it possible?" Ava breathed.

Archie had same question in his mind as his eyes remained widen in disbelief.

"Did you see that?" she questioned, turning to him.

Of course, he did. A man literally crashed through the solid glass window from second floor and still survived.

Avoiding to answer, Archie held her from shoulders and made her turn to check on her tied hands. Her hands were cold as he held her wrist.

"You know what it mean, Archie?" Ava spoke while he untied her hands.

Guilt weighed him down as he looked at the bluish bruises on her wrist due to ribbon. It wouldn't have happened if he were with him.

Why did he become so judgemental when he should've trusted her?

Archie turned to face her and looked at her concerned face. Nodding in answer for her question, he looked down at his tangled hands while a lump formed in his throat.

"It means, Ashley was right." Archie spoke, his eyes turned to her. "It means, you were right."

"I should've known better than questioning your love." Archie added, his eyes filled up with guilt and shame, he couldn't meet her eyes.

"Good for you," Ava said icily, her warmness evaporated and Archie suddenly felt freezing coldness inside his chest.

"Ava, I..." Archie tried to speak.

"There's no love without trust. I hope you'll learn that soon," Ava said looking in his eyes.

She stormed out of the room.

He couldn't lose her like that. He had to talk to her. And she was hurt.

Archie rushed behind her, not wanting to leave her alone.

Entering her room, he found her sitting on the bed, her face covered by the waterfall of her hair.

Reminded of her pleadings to listen to her, he was buried in another avalanche of guilt. If only he had listened to her. Things would've been so fine.

He wanted to bang his head in wall for hurting her like this. Sitting beside her silently, he struggled to speak.

"Ava, please listen to me..." Archie pleaded.