Hidden Heart: A Saga Of Redemption

Elope With You

[Victor reached the 1st floor and without thinking he pushed the glass door to his balcony. The night air hit him instantly, cool and crisp against his heated skin. It was late, and the city outside was quiet, a soft hum of distant traffic the only sound that filled the silence. Above, the stars flickered faintly, and a pale crescent moon hung low in the sky, casting a soft glow over everything.]

[Victor stepped out onto the balcony, gripped the metal railing with both hands. His knuckles turned white as he squeezed, the tension in his body refusing to release. He gazed out into the night, his chest tight with the weight of his own secrets.]

Victor: (in mind) What have I done?

[His heart pounded as his mind replayed the moment, the shock in Amelia's eyes as he blurted out the one thing he had sworn to keep hidden. For how long he had buried that part of himself, locked it away so deep that even he had begun to forget it, no one could ever came to know. But tonight... tonight, he had lost control. And it was because of her. Because of Amelia.]

Victor: (in mind) Why did she have to dream of that? Of all the things... why that show?

[He took a deep breath, but it caught in his throat, a sharp sting of regret rising in his chest. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against the cool metal railing. The night air did little to calm the storm inside him. His mind was a whirlwind and his thoughts were swirling in every direction.]

[For years, he had built walls around himself. Walls that protected him from the pain of something else, maybe not of failure, from the vulnerability of putting himself out there again. That dance show had been his dream once. A dream he had given everything to. He had poured his soul into it, only to be crushed when he came so close, only to lose. Now he just hated it as if it had taken everything from him, and he had vowed never to let anyone know how deeply it had scarred him.]

[But now Amelia was standing on the precipice of that same dream, with the same hopes, the same fire in her eyes that he once had. And it terrified him.]

Victor: (whispering to himself) What if you faced the same? What if you lose everything the way I did? You've saved me but how could I?

[His fists tightened around the railing, his jaw clenched as he fought against the torrent of emotions rising within him. He didn't know what to do, how to protect her from something that had destroyed him. How could he be the one to support her dream when he was running from it himself?]

[He closed his eyes, letting the darkness surround him. The city lights twinkled far below, but he barely noticed. All he could think about was the way Amelia had looked at him, the hurt in her eyes when he had shouted at her, the confusion when he refused to explain.]

Victor: (whispering, to himself) I don't want to lose you.

[Victor stood there in the silence of the night, Amelia's dream was his nightmare. The thing he had tried so hard to escape from was now the thing that drove her forward. And he was caught between wanting to protect her and fearing that he couldn't handle seeing her go through the same pain which he had endured.]

[He lifted his head, looking out at the city below, but his gaze was unfocused. His thoughts were too loud, drowning out everything else.]

[He exhaled sharply, his breath visible in the cool night air. His chest felt heavy, his heart aching with the weight of his unspoken fears.

[He hadn't noticed Amelia stepping onto the balcony behind him. She had followed him up, her heart was heavy with concern. She could see the struggle in his posture, the way his shoulders were hunched, the way he gripped the railing as though it was the only thing keeping him grounded.]