DAVID'S OFFICE, JAKARTA - THAT NIGHT
The call had ended, but the sound of Elara's fragile voice and her restrained sobs still echoed in David's ears. He stared at his now-dark phone screen, then his gaze shifted to the photos displayed on his desk.
There was their wedding photo—Elara in her shining white dress, David looking at her as if she was his whole world. A photo from when Alisha was born, with Elara looking tired yet so happy in his arms. And the most recent one: the three of them at the beach, laughing against a sunset backdrop.
David reached for that photo, his fingers tracing Elara's face in the frame. And suddenly, unable to hold back any longer, tears streamed down. His body, which had remained strong facing Natasha's threats, which hadn't faltered when his car was wrecked, now trembled before the photos of his memories.
"Alisha... Elara..." he whispered hoarsely.
The longing was physical, painful like a knife stabbing his chest. He imagined Elara in Paris—walking along the Seine with Kael, laughing like she used to, perhaps even... He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to banish the too-painful imagery.
"David?" Robert slipped in, his face creased with concern seeing David's condition. "Are you okay?"
David quickly wiped his tears, but Robert had already seen everything. "I'm going to lose her, Robert," David confessed, his voice shattered. "I can fight Natasha, I can save the company, but... how do I fight memories? How do I fight a man who never hurt her?"
Robert approached, placing a hand on David's shoulder. "She loves you, David. I saw it at the airport—her love for you was so great that she chose to leave to protect you."
"But is love enough when there's an easier choice? When there's a man who can give her peace without all this drama?" David laughed bitterly. "Look at me, Robert. I brought chaos into her life. Even as I try to fix everything, I have to send her ex-boyfriend to watch over her."
"You did that deliberately," Robert reminded him. "Because you knew Kael was the only one who would protect her with all his soul, even if it meant fighting his own feelings."
"And that breaks me even more," David whispered. "Because I know... I know she might fall in love with him again. And who could blame her?"
That night, David slept on his office sofa, with the photo of his family clutched to his chest. In his dreams, Elara walked away, her hand tightly clasped with Kael's, never looking back.
ELARA'S APARTMENT, PARIS - THE NEXT MORNING
A soft knock was heard at the door. When Elara opened it, Kael stood there with a bouquet of lavender and white roses—Elara's favorite flowers from long ago. In his other hand, a small cat-shaped doll for Alisha.
"To start the day," Kael said with a gentle smile, though his eyes searched for something in Elara's face—perhaps a sign of regret, or maybe hope.
Alisha jumped with joy. "A kitty doll! Thank you, Uncle Kael!"
Elara accepted the flowers, their fragrant scent bringing back memories of their youth. "You didn't have to do this, Kael."
"I wanted to,"he answered simply. "I want every day in Paris to be special for you."
TOURING PARIS, THE THREE OF THEM
They spent the morning visiting the Musée d'Orsay. Kael patiently explained various paintings to Alisha in a fun way, making the little girl laugh cheerfully. Elara watched them—how natural Kael was with Alisha, how easily the two connected.
But her thoughts kept returning to David. To last night's phone call. To the sacrifice and vulnerability he had shown.
CONVERSATION IN THE TUILERIES GARDEN
While Alisha was busy chasing pigeons under the watchful eye of Madame Claudette, who had joined them, Elara and Kael sat on a slightly separated bench.
"You've been quiet today," Kael said, breaking the silence.
Elara looked at her hands. "David called last night."
Kael sighed. "I know this is complicated, El. And I... I'm sorry about last night. I shouldn't have—"
"Don't," Elara interrupted. "Don't apologize for something we both wanted in that moment."
Kael looked at her, his eyes full of mixed emotions. "So what do you want now, El? Because I... I'm torn between wanting to fight for you and having the respect not to take advantage of your vulnerability."
The question hung in the air. Elara looked at Kael—the good man, stable, who loved her simply. Then she imagined David—the complex man who had hurt her but was also fighting desperately for her.
"Kael, you're offering a choice that's actually unfair for you to offer right now," Elara said slowly. "I'm still someone's wife. I'm still bound. And even though he has made a huge mistake... he is fighting to fix everything."
"But our kiss last night..." Kael whispered. "It didn't feel like a mistake, El. It felt like... coming home."
Elara closed her eyes, feeling the sensation again. "Yes. It felt like coming home. But is it the right home?"
Kael took a deep breath. "I won't force you to choose, El. But I have to be honest—my feelings for you never left. And after last night... I know they're still there, in both of us."
He took Elara's hand gently. "So here's what I'll give you: a choice. Take your time. Resolve your matters with David. And whatever you decide..."
Kael paused, his eyes teary yet full of resolve. "...I'll still be here. If you choose him, I'll be a friend supporting you from afar. If you choose me... I'll welcome you with all the love I've held onto for years."
He lifted Elara's hand, kissing the back of it with reverence—different from last night's passionate kiss.
"But there's one thing you need to know," Kael continued, his gaze serious. "If you return to him out of guilt or obligation, but your heart is truly no longer there... that's not fair to either of you. And if you choose me only as an escape from the pain... that's not fair to us either."
Elara slowly withdrew her hand. "You're asking me to be honest with myself."
"More than that,"Kael said. "I'm asking you to find what you truly want, not what you think you should want."
They sat in a silence full of understanding. In the distance, Alisha laughed joyfully, running toward them.
"Mama! Uncle Kael! Look, I got a bird feather!"
As Elara hugged her daughter, she felt two equally strong pulls: one toward the safe past with Kael, one toward the uncertain future with David—a future that could be full of healing and deeper love, or could also be full of shadows and everlasting distrust.
And in the middle of it all, there was Alisha, who needed stability and unwavering love.
"Uncle Kael," Alisha suddenly asked, looking at them with innocent eyes. "Are you going to be my new daddy?"
The question hung in the air like thunder on a clear day. Elara and Kael looked at each other, both unsure how to answer.
Kael was the one who finally spoke, his voice soft yet honest. "I will always be someone who cares for you, Alisha. But your daddy is David, and that will never change."
That answer made Elara flinch—because within it was a deep respect for David, even though Kael himself was in love with her.
As they walked back to the apartment, Kael's and Elara's hands accidentally touched. But this time, Elara slowly pulled hers away.
She needed time. Needed space. Needed clarity.
And across the ocean, a red-eyed man stared at the documents of evidence that would change everything, praying in his heart that it wasn't already too late.