D&S

Chapter # 31

Ester, With your guidance, I shall move forward. Just hold my hand to tell me that you are here for me and we will be together; eternally.

"This is my first time so I am a bit nervous and shy so please bear with me.....- I consider myself useless, pathetic and especially a crybaby.

I cry on every little thing- I still do but each tear, each emotion I share; either negative or positive, Tells me that I am alive. That I still have emotions inside me and I have to move forward."

"I am not a robot; An alive human being...- As a vulnerable person, I had countless failures to be strong. But, here I am, standing unbreakable and I have realized some pains and belittlement are not worth it; You have to let them go so they can know your worth which is far greater than any precious gem." She smiled purely.

"I have finally realized my life is mine alone and I have to love and live for myself. Time will not stop for me and what's lost is lost. All I could do is not let the remorse eat me up and move forward." I feel so proud of her. I don't have words anymore to praise her.

"You don't have to force yourself to love anyone. You can love your existence because no matter what anyone tells you; never forget your life has a meaning. You didn't come into this world for no reason.

Find your meaning and it's not in others; it's inside you. Your hopes live inside you. And you should never forget; You are a treasure..."

Ester ended her speech. A round of applause for her echoed in the auditorium. A smile crept upon my lips as I began to clap for her as well. It was hard to recognize her as the same person a year ago.

The woman in front of me, giving a motivational speech is a strong woman with remarkable power. Compared to the delusional Ester which never considered her existence as something significant and neglected herself.

The Ester speaking in front of me is a whole new person but I didn't know it invoked a funny emotion inside me to listen to these types of talks from Ester.

Of all people, she is talking about loving yourself But I am happy about her procession. How she is trying to love herself and developing her meaning of life; I love all of it.

She is changing and I am loving it.

Ester finished her speech and came down from the stage, giggling and a blushing mess. I kept looking at her in fascination, being hopeless romantic. She is like an angel.

After the ceremony continued, I exchanged glances with Emily who was standing beside Henry as our talk came to my mind.

*

"That's unexpected from Ester." Emily mumbled when I told her everything. "Hmm. You cannot predict her. She believes in her delusions."

"Yeah... But I don't think she will ever agree to befriend me. I even bullied her when you guys divorced... I thought you hated her, that's why you guys divorced..." She mumbled that last part to herself.

"But now you know the reason."

"I will never marry such a low guy." She hissed with great resentment but then asked. "What are you planning to do with him anyways?"

"Give him a taste of his own medicine... for now." I smirked.

"And for the end?" She smirked back.

"We will see." I shrugged.

"Going with the flow?" She asked.

"According to his manipulation." My smirk deepened. "Quite devilish I must say. I never heard you talking like this after High School." She said,

"I have to be like this." I sighed. "By the way, Emily?" I called her. She hummed as I asked, "You were closest to Grace, you know the reason of her suicide?" I asked.

"How would I know? It was told to everyone that she went abroad to study because she was becoming depressed... There were rumors but I never thought she was dead... You guys hid her death..." Emily exhaled.

"It was her parents' decision." I told her.

"Still it's hard to believe... She killed herself. I don't think she can kill herself because you guys broke up. She knew this had to come sooner or later. You were a player, what can she expect?" She reasoned.

I didn't know Grace anticipated our breakup then if it's not this then what could possibly be the reason for her death? If it's not my love then what it was?

"You know and I spend years calling myself her murderer because Henry etched this in my mind as this poison began to run in my veins." I scowled.

"I think Henry has mental issues." She said to herself.

"Yesterday Henry told me Grace was pregnant." I said monotonously. Emily choked her drink and looked at me with wide eyes. A look of shock flickered in her eyes blended with fear. I gave her a perplexed look but she kept on staring at me with her unfathomable look.

"Was she, or not?" I asked slightly agitated. She gulped and put her glass of water down. She looked at me for about a minute and took a deep breath as she finally composed herself and said.

"Henry needs help. Looks like Grace's death affects him a lot and he needs someone to blame for her death."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She was not pregnant. And even if she was, she knew you are not insensitive to neglect her and your child. What Henry said is a lie. Before Grace always told me how much she loved you, ever since she first saw you, she was crazy about you and maybe that's why Henry wanted you to suffer the same way." She explained.

I made a sour yet sad face, a heartbreak rushed in my vein. It hurts to listen to this. I lowered my gaze and began to say in a low voice, "I cannot force myself to love. You know it, I was with many women before Ester but I never fell for anyone."

"And I had no intentions of falling for Ester as well but what happened? I fell hard in love. I love Ester so much, when she left me, I was one step away from having the same fate as Grace." I sighed deeply in disappointment, realizing how wrong my choices were.

"You and Ester; Both of you are weak and delusional." She mocked with an empty laugh. "I know..." I smiled.

"That's why when our imperfections meet we become perfect." My smile grew wider as I looked at her. She shook her head and stood up.

"Okay then. I will help you to prove that Grace was not pregnant. Bye. See you at the ceremony."

"You will give me the proof then?" I asked, also standing up. She nodded. "I see. Thanks for helping me." I said sincerely.

"I still have some humanity in me. Jokes aside. I know the difference between right and wrong. And what Henry is doing is immorally wrong." She said,

"You have changed." I smiled.

"Thanks to you... When I lost my Jake; My Fiance." She said bitterly and left.

After she left I remembered, I forgot to tell her about her sister Tamara. Well, I will do it later. I also have to make things up between her and Jake as well.