Destined Dreams "Vision Meets Destiny"

Whispers in the Rain: Last part

The days following the news of Reed and Stella's reunion had been a blur of work and anguish. I buried myself in my tasks at the agency, trying to numb the pain that lingered just beneath the surface. But no matter how busy I kept myself, the ache in my heart refused to fade.

One afternoon, as I sat in my office reviewing a client's portfolio, the door suddenly swung open. I looked up, my breath catching in my throat when I saw Reed standing in the doorway. His eyes were intense, and there was a determination in his expression that I hadn't seen in weeks.

"We need to talk, Ely," he said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.

I felt my pulse quicken, a mix of anger and longing surging through me. I had done everything to avoid this moment, to avoid facing him. But now, there was no escape. He had cornered me in the one place I thought I could be safe from him.

"Reed, I don't have anything to say to you," I said, my voice trembling despite my attempt to stay composed. I turned my attention back to the papers on my desk, trying to hide the fact that my hands were shaking.

Reed didn't back down. He moved closer, standing on the other side of my desk. "Please, Ely. Just hear me out. I need you to understand what really happened."

I looked up at him, the hurt in my chest flaring up again. The memories of that interview, of the way he had shattered my heart, flooded back with full force. "Understand what, Reed? That you went back to Stella? That everything we had meant nothing to you?"

My voice cracked on the last word, and I hated how vulnerable I felt in front of him. I had promised myself I wouldn't cry, wouldn't show him how deeply he had hurt me, but the tears were already welling up, and I couldn't stop them.

Reed's face twisted with guilt, and he took another step closer. "Ely, I know how it looks, but I swear to you, it's not what you think. Stella and I... It's all for the movie. The studio pushed for it, for the sake of publicity. They thought it would boost the film's chances if we appeared together as a couple again."

I stared at him, the words barely registering at first. "So, what? You just went along with it? You let them use our lives as a marketing tool?" The tears started to spill over, and I wiped them away angrily.

Reed reached out, but I pulled back, not ready to let him touch me. "I didn't want to hurt you, Ely. I fought against it, but the pressure was too much. I felt like I had no choice, like I had to do it for the sake of my career. But it was a mistake. The moment I saw the pain in your eyes, I knew I had made the wrong decision."

His words hung in the air between us, and I could see the sincerity in his eyes, the regret. But the wound was still fresh, and the pain too deep to simply forgive and forget.

"Reed, you broke my heart," I whispered, the tears now flowing freely. "I loved you. I trusted you. And you threw it all away for a movie."

Reed's eyes filled with tears as well, and he reached out again, this time gently taking my hand in his. "I know, Ely. And I'll never forgive myself for hurting you like this. But I need you to know that my feelings for you have never changed. I love you, more than anything. I made a terrible mistake, and I'm begging you to give me a chance to make it right."

His touch was warm, familiar, and it broke something inside me. All the pain, the anger, the sadness-it all came rushing to the surface, and I couldn't hold it back any longer. I sobbed openly, the months of bottled-up emotions pouring out of me.

Reed pulled me into his arms, holding me as I cried. "I'm so sorry, Ely. I never wanted to hurt you. Please, let me prove to you that we can still have a future together."