Meant to Collide

72. The Blind Belief

Jules stood at Sky's door, her fingers lingering on the bell as if hoping for a miracle. But the silence from the other side was answer enough. Without resistance, she turned to leave. It wasn't resignation—it was acceptance, as though she already knew what she needed to do.

Sky, inside, sank to the floor. His surroundings closed in on him: the bracelet glinting faintly on his wrist, the ring sitting heavy in his pocket, and the familiar space that now seemed haunted by memories. Every object reminded him of Mon, the one person slipping away from his grasp—because of him.

A sudden wave of realization swept through him like a storm breaking at sea. "I... I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice trembling before it erupted into a wail. His cries echoed through the emptiness, raw and filled with anguish.

At Jules' place, the tension was palpable. Jim paced the room, her frustration bubbling over. "How could he just vanish like that? Without a single word to Mon? What kind of lover is he?" Her voice was sharp, her anger masking a deep concern for her friend.

Tee leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Jim, calm down. It's Mon's house, not yours," he quipped, his sarcasm a thin veil over his own unease.

Jim ignored the jab and pressed on. "What if he's been kidnapped by his grandma? He didn't even show up at the company," Tee mused, his voice dropping with genuine worry now.

The thought sent a ripple of fear through the room. "Did something... happen to him?" Dianne asked softly, her words hesitant but heavy with concern.

Sensing the growing anxiety, Tee turned to Dianne with an exaggerated sigh. "Jim's baby is probably thirsty. Could you bring her some water?" he said, waving her off in a lighthearted tone, trying to dispel the weight in the air.

Jim shook her head, her voice rising again. "It wouldn't be surprising if something did happen to him. Telling his grandma about Mon? That's no small thing—it's huge!"

"Is it really that bad?" Jules finally spoke, her voice quiet, but the worry in her tone was unmistakable.

Jim turned to her, her expression softening slightly. "Mon, you can't even imagine. The three of us—Sky's closest friends—we're rich, good-looking, and from decent families. But to Lady Arina? We're trash." She paused, her voice laced with bitterness. "Her noble ideals? They're suffocating."

Jules' brows furrowed. "Sir Sky never told me any of this... Is there more I don't know?"

Tee sighed deeply, his tone losing its usual sarcasm. "There's plenty. Even Silvia—the perfect elder child—refused to go along with Lady Arina's matchmaking. She cut ties completely. And Selena..." His voice faltered for a moment. "Selena wanted to live her own life, follow her heart. Lady Arina didn't just disapprove; she fought her every step of the way. When Selena died in that car accident, she still blamed Selena's partner for it."

The words hung in the air like a heavy weight.

"But," Jim interjected, her tone shifting to something gentler, "ever since he met you, Mon, Sky's changed. He's not that obedient grandson anymore. He's livelier, more himself." His eyes held a quiet admiration. "You've done that for him."

Jules' gaze dropped, her mind spinning with the weight of what she'd heard. "What should we do next?" Dianne asked, breaking the silence, her voice tentative.

"Well," Tee said, slipping back into his lighthearted persona, "what you should do next is give Jim's baby some fruit. She's probably starving."

The room broke into faint, reluctant laughter at Tee's comical tone, but beneath the momentary levity, the worry for Sky lingered like a shadow.

The next day, Jules found herself once again at Sky's door. She rang the bell, called, texted—still no reply. Minutes passed like hours, and finally, she sighed, ready to leave.

Just as she turned, the faint sound of a door creaking open froze her in place.

"Mon!"

She spun around, her heart leaping at the sound of Sky's voice. Her eyes met his, and she saw a storm of emotions swirling within him.

"Sir Sky!" Jules cried, tears spilling freely. "How have you been? Are you alright?"

Sky stood there, his face pale, his eyes hollow but determined. "Let's go inside. I need to talk to you," he said, his voice carrying a weight that made Jules' stomach twist with unease.

Though she sensed something was off—something heavy looming over them—Jules didn't lose faith. She followed him inside, her heart steady in its belief in Sky, no matter what awaited her.