Third Party's POV:
The frigid wind whipped through the London airport as Sven Neve Damaris emerged, standing at a commanding 6'3", a bag draped over his shoulder. Clad in a sleek black biker suit that accentuated every sculpted contour, he presented an imposing figure against the backdrop of the bustling airport. His disheveled dark brown hair danced in the cold breeze, giving an unruly charm to his appearance.
The dark gray eyes, once playful, now held a serious and collected gaze, adding intensity to his dominant figure. A nose with a subtle, proud bridge complemented the sharpness of his well-defined jawline and lips that carried an inherent allure. A small piercing adorned his left ear, corresponding to his rebellious aura.
The silver chain around his neck gleamed with a pendant, a timeless gift that had become an inseparable part of him over the decade. Paying no heed to the soft gasps and admiring glances, his hand combed through his messy hair, revealing a single ring on the index finger of his right hand, with the matching piece of accessory in his left thumb.
Among the sea of faces, he quickly spotted Brey Cornell, a few meters away in a black and red biker suit, standing tall by his bike. Brey opened his helmet's visor, waving at Sven. Ignoring the surroundings, Sven approached Brey, raising his hand for a distinctive clap of hands in their usual greeting manner.
Brey, gesturing toward the parked bike, informed, "I asked someone to drop your bike here." Sven's gaze lingered on the machine he hadn't ridden in five years. A somber expression crossed his features, recalling the time he and Elysia used to sneak out for ice creams.
Shaking off the memories, he reached out for his bike, revealing the hint of a small sparrow tattoo on the side of his right wrist, contrasting to his sturdy appearance yet a clear match to the 'little mouse' in his life. He donned his gloves, secured his helmet, and started the bike. The engine roared to life with a deep bass echoing in the surroundings. Sven signaled Brey with a nod, and together they maneuvered out of the airport, steering towards the hospital.
Despite his longing to see Elysia and everyone again, the realization that they both kept such a crucial aspect hidden from him weighed heavily on Sven. They were the closest thing to family he had ever known, and the fact that they concealed Sandra's deteriorating health, especially when they struggled to gather funds for her surgery, struck a chord deep within him.
If Brey hadn't coincidentally seen Esme at the hospital and snoop around the other day, Sven would have remained oblivious to everything. Despite regular contact with all of them, including frequent conversations with Elysia, they all had chosen to keep him in the dark.
Just the week before, during a call with Sandra, he had sensed her weakness. Both Sandra and Elysia reassured him, blaming it on Sandra's old blood pressure issue. Sven, trusting them blindly, had accepted their explanation.
But he should have known better...
Why would they burden him with their struggles when his own so-called parents had relentlessly insulted Elysia and her parents due to their background? Sven had numerous heated fights with his father over this, and eventually, he had to give in and leave the country just to put an end to the turmoil Elysia and her mother faced. They were likely concerned that Sven, without a second thought, would return and Philips Damaris will cause trouble for all of them again.
Sven's jaw clenched, hands tightening around the bike's handle, as he accelerated, the cool air cutting through the speeding bike.
Sometimes, a person has to snatch their own rights from the world to protect themselves from future sufferings. Sven Damaris had done just that. The day would soon come when Philips Damaris would confront the man he had raised, and on that day, he would regret welcoming Sven into his little perfect family.
As they reached the hospital, Sven carefully parked his bike in a quiet corner. Disembarking, he swiftly removed his helmet, turning to Brey with a serious expression. "Are you coming?" he asked.
Brey's gaze drifted towards the hospital, a distant somber look clouding his eyes before responding, "Another time."
Sven raised an eyebrow. It was only yesterday that Brey was eager to meet Esme, yet now he was backing out in the last moment. He has been like this since Esme rejected his feelings years ago without a second thought, and Sven couldn't help but feel a mix of understanding and frustration.
"Okay, will call you," Sven replied, receiving a nod from Brey.
Turning towards the hospital entrance, Sven took a deep breath. His demeanor shifted to seriousness as he placed the helmet aside, entering the hospital with measured steps.
Climbing the stairs to the second floor, he ascended rapidly with urgency in his steps. Sven made his way to a specific room, a destination already relayed to him by Brey.
His heart raced as the room drew near, an uneasy feeling settling within him. Sven's steps halted just outside the hospital room. Inhaling deeply, he turned the doorknob, stepping inside, oblivious to the presence just a few meters behind him.
Two pairs of eyes snapped towards the door, freezing at the unexpected entrance.
Sven's gaze initially found Esme, standing near the couch. Her features were pale, dark circles under her eyes, and her cold grey eyes met his in surprise.
His intense, unsettled gaze swept across the room, landing on the girl he had missed every moment of his life, despite their frequent virtual contact. She stood near the vacant patient bed, equally pale, bags under her eyes, her crimson amber eyes wide with shock and parted lips.
His jaw clenched, gaze shifting back and forth between the two significant people in his life. What had they done to themselves?
An oppressive silence wrapped the entire room. Sven's gaze became a canvas of conflicting emotions—a rush of anger fueled by their deception, a poignant sadness at the sight of their worn-out forms, yet a subtle surge of happiness from seeing them after years of separation.
Elysia was the first to speak, in order to clear the rising tension. "Sven..." she began, but he raised his hand, cutting her off, his jaw clenched in a firm resolve.
"How's Aunt Sandra?" he asked, his voice tight with restrained emotions. Their unresolved arguments could wait.
"She's okay. The surgery was a success. She's going to be okay," Elysia replied, a quiet relief evident in her words. She fidgeted with her fingers, the weight of the recent ordeal still lingering in the room.
Sven's tense expressions softened a fraction, yet the atmosphere remained strained. Just then, the door behind him clicked open with a swift sound, drawing everyone's attention once again.
Instinctively, Sven turned his head to glance at the newcomer, immediately freezing in his spot. His expressions became a tableau of shock, lips parted as Ares made an unexpected entrance.
Light brown eyes clashed with dark gray ones—Ares' held cold indifference, while Sven's were filled with shock and a raging fire of emotions.
Disregarding Sven's reaction, Ares shifted his gaze to his wife's nervous figure, approaching her with calm steps. He brushed past Sven, stopping by her side and calmly placing a possessive hand on her tensed back.
Elysia's soft eyebrows furrowed as she followed Ares' movements. Sven's shocked gaze shifted between the arm around Elysia's back and her face, confusion and disbelief reflecting in his eyes.
"What is...going on here?" Sven muttered, his voice barely audible.
"Married," Ares answered in an icy tone before anyone else could interject.
Elysia's eyes snapped towards Ares, her gaze clouded with displeasure and frustration. Esme also shifted her disapproving gaze to Ares, a hint of anger in her eyes.
Sven's lips parted in shock with a sharp intake of breath. His firm stance seemed to falter for a second, instinctively taking a step back as if he was physically pushed by an unseen force.
Crimson colored his eyes, turning them red-rimmed even with every ounce of restraint he summoned. His shocked gaze moved to Elysia, staring at her questioningly, seeking confirmation.
Expecting... Waiting for her to deny Ares' words, to reject his statement.
But as he looked into those amber eyes staring back at him with worry, he knew it...
The truth was painfully clear in her eyes...
His features transitioned from shock to pure fury, a glare fixed on her. "No way," he blurted, shaking his head in denial. "How could you, Ely?" he uttered in disbelief. "He left, HE F*CKING LEFT! He never deserved you. I never took you to be so foolish to give a man like him a chance. HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID?" Sven's voice resonated within the room, his chest heaving rapidly in rage, causing Elysia to instinctively flinch at his sudden outburst.
Ares' cold and indifferent demeanor instantly shifted at Sven's words directed at Elysia. In the next second, he stepped forward, swiftly positioning himself between Sven and Elysia, his glare locking with Sven's.
"Voice down, Damaris!" Ares stated through gritted teeth, his fists clenched by his sides, barely containing his own rage at the disrespectful way Sven spoke to Elysia. Ares closed the distance, lowering his voice as he warned Sven, "Call my wife any names once more, and see what will happen," his frosty tone carrying a final warning, the veins on his neck bulging with restraint.
If he had not made a commitment to change himself for Elysia, Sven wouldn't just be receiving a verbal warning at this moment.
Ares didn't care about the decade-long friendship between Sven and Elysia. If Sven couldn't control his anger around her, he wouldn't be seeing Elysia again.
Sven scoffed in response, "Wife?" he mocked. "Go, f*ck yourself! You're no one to interfere. This is between me and her, not an outsider like you." Ares' jaw ticked in pure rage.
'No violence in her presence. No violence!!' Ares repeated in his head, reminding himself.
"Sven!!" Realization struck him as Elysia's loud voice echoed behind them. The next second, Ares felt her soft touch around his arm, gently pushing him aside from Sven. "It's enough!" Her words were directed towards Sven, carrying a firmness and finality that Ares had never heard in her voice before.
Sven instantly paused, a clear hurt etched across his face, a rush of betrayal enveloping him. "You're siding with him over me?" he inquired in disbelief.
Elysia's eyes softened instantly, and she shook her head in negative, speaking with determination, "Sven, you don't know everything yet. Let me at least explain—"
She didn't deny that she was siding Ares...
"Save it," Sven interjected, scoffing. Disappointment was evident in his gaze, causing Elysia's eyes to well up with tears.
She knew they had concealed a lot of things from him, but it was the only thing he couldn't blame her for...
Silently, Sven turned away, denying them even a glance, and swiftly left the room with purposeful, lengthy strides, exiting the hospital.
This wasn't how he had anticipated their reunion. While he was upset with them, he never expected the extent of their deception.
The words he uttered to Elysia were fueled by anger, a vent for his own frustrations. Unintentionally, he had brought tears to her eyes in his rage, a fact that weighed heavily on him, causing profound agony.
He knew Elysia loved him deeply, but the distinction was clear as day – she loved him as a friend, as family, not in the way he desired.
He had never been able to defeat Ares.
He had never managed to replace him in her heart.
He had lost thirteen years ago, and today, defeat still seemed to be his destiny.
Perhaps in unrequited love, the defeat was always inevitable... At least for him.
Sven was accustomed to this defeat, but that didn't mean the truth wouldn't bring him pain.
Helplessly, Elysia and Esme watched as Sven's figure retreated. Sven was always the most reactive among them, and due to his explosive nature, Esme and Elysia had always been considerate while relaying any shocking news to him.
Elysia sat on the bed, a throbbing pain in her head, today's events adding to her frustration.
"Elysia..." Ares called, his deep voice low and uncertain.
He had knowingly stirred chaos among them, yet the truth needed to be revealed. While he may have communicated it possessively and inconsiderately, the damage was done.
"I want to be alone for a while," Elysia muttered after a pause, causing Ares' heart to squeeze painfully. "Please..." She added, refusing to look at him.
Moments ago, he was happy, seeing her siding him but now she refused to even cast a glance his way.
She stopped Sven because he was being disrespectful towards Ares without knowing the whole truth, and now her upset mood was directed at Ares due to the way he broke the news to Sven, causing a significant misunderstanding.
A defeated look crossed Ares' features, his eyes reddening, a lump forming in his throat. Nevertheless, he stepped back, nodding in understanding.
The way she was refusing to look his way was enough of a punishment for Ares, for nothing in this world could have hurt him more than this...
"I'll wait..." Ares replied, his voice heavy with unspoken emotions.
Elysia remained silent, turning her face away. Ares swallowed hard, releasing a quiet sigh before stepping back and leaving the hospital.
As the door clicked shut, Elysia turned her head, tear-filled eyes fixated on the closed door, frustration evident in her gaze.
Esme approached her, offering a gentle embrace, and assured, "They will come around."
"...Let's go home today," Esme suggested, receiving a silent nod from Elysia.
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Hmm... So, what are your thoughts about today's chapter, lovelies?
Do you think Ares did right? Disclosing a sensitive news in a disrupted manner knowing that it will create problem.
And do you think Elysia's reaction was right towards them both?