You sound so sad

Sebastian’s pov

  I couldn't take my eyes off the message sent by Aurora, my thumbs still resting on my chin. I had asked her to come to my office after meeting with her boss, but she had refused. It wasn't her refusal that broke my heart, but rather the message itself. Every time someone disappointed me, it reminded me of what had happened three years ago.

  "Sebastian, you can't stay like this. You need to find someone to heal your heart," my mom had told me. When Dora broke my heart, it felt like half part of my heart had been wounded. Dora had been my childhood friend, and since my parents were well-off, it had been easy for me to support her financially. She had no father, and her mother was struggling, so I felt compelled to help them, even through college. I had envisioned a perfect future together, given our long history. But what transpired felt like a plot twist in a movie. I had lied to my parents countless times to assist Dora. She was like a rose I had planted in my own garden, and I watered it every day, shielding it from the storms. However, by the time she graduated from college, I had left college two years prior.

  Right now, I desperately wanted to pause my thoughts. This pain in my heart had haunted me, and each time someone turned their back on me, it reminded me of the unrequited love I had experienced. Was I not deserving of love? It seemed like the bad guys were always the lucky ones. Should I adopt their approach? It appeared that being emotionally distant and not giving attention to love would make it chase after me.

  All these reflections were triggered by Aurora's message. What would I tell my mom, who had spent time preparing the meal? What about my aunt, who was eager to meet the woman who had changed my perspective since my heartbreak years ago?

  "Hi Sebastian, I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise. You've always been there for me. It wasn't intentional, I just need some time for myself."

  I kept reading Aurora's message repeatedly, searching for an explanation as to why she couldn't make it to my parents' place. She had been promoted, which coincidentally came with a special assignment to audit a company. She would be staying there for three to four months, not just for the auditing but also due to the company's financial situation. Why would she be upset about such a career opportunity? Successfully completing this assignment would enhance her chances of promotion in the future. I couldn't understand why she wanted her boss to send someone else. Even Mr. Simon was surprised by Aurora's change in demeanor when he informed her that it was the board of directors who had approved her for the assignment.

  Lost in my thoughts, I failed to notice the time until my phone rang, displaying my mom's name as the caller. I knew exactly why she was calling, and it also indicated that I had spent too much time in my office. Before answering the call, I turned to look at the silver wall clock on the right side of my office, and it was almost 5:30 pm.

  "Have I really spent an hour and a half pondering about my life?" I stood up, reaching for my phone that lay on the screen of my open laptop, but the call had already ended. I picked up the phone and dialed back, and it was my mom who spoke first.

  "Hello Sebastian, I'm done. I prepared your favorite dish and everything else you asked for," she said, her voice filled with happiness. Being an only child, my mom had always made an effort to be closer to me than my dad. She was the first person I confided in when I first laid eyes on Aurora. Her call also reminded me that I had invited my close friend, Ernest, to join us for the gathering. As close as he was, he had become like a family friend.

  "Mum, I'll be coming alone. Something came up. Could you quickly let Mrs. Fiona know that the gathering has been postponed?"

  "What happened? You sound so sad," my mom asked, her motherly instincts immediately sensing my mood. Whenever I set my eyes at my mom, I remembered her words about me being a great husband due to my sweet and calm personality. 

  “I am coming alone. Let me quickly call Ernest.” I ended the call and I swiftly dialed Ernest's number.

  "Hello Ernest, the dinner at my parents' place won't be happening anymore. I have an urgent matter at the office. I apologize for the disappointment."

  "Hmm... a missed chance to meet the lady who spices up your life. Sebastian, you've started prioritizing work over your love life. That's not good for a lady. You're not the same Sebastian I knew. Dora has really changed you. I know it'll take time for you to heal."

  "I'll make it up to you next time, I promise."

After ending the call with Ernest, I grabbed my suitcase and left the office. I had taken a few steps away from the door when I realized I hadn't locked the windows in my office. I had to go back and secure them before leaving the building. As I stepped out of the main exit door, most of the staff had already gone home, and only a few cars remained in the parking lot. I got into my car and drove to my parents' home, where the three of us—my mom, dad, and I—gathered around the dining table.

  "Don't tell me you're finding it difficult to love again?" my mom remarked as she watched me take the first spoonful of the food she had prepared.

  "Leave him be, he doesn't want to discuss it. Don't you have plans for him?" When my father uttered those words, my spoon froze midway, and I glanced at him. What plans did my mother have in mind? My gaze shifted between my father and my mother.

  "Why did you let me cook, only to discover at the end that you had no intention of inviting this lady who has recently captured your heart at your workplace?"

  "Mum, I do intend to bring her here, but something unexpected happened."

  "What happened? Are you already tired of her, just like you grew tired of Helen Cooper?"

  "Mum, Helen Cooper was someone who never sparked any feelings in me, even for a moment..."

  "But she loves you, just as openly as you express your emotions to others. She has poured her heart out to you, but you consistently turn a blind eye to her."

  "Mum, I came here because I didn't want to disappoint you."

  "Sebastian, we've always seen through your facade. You come here to visit, and you've shared so much about that lady at your office. Why is it so difficult for you to bring her here?"

  I kept my gaze fixed on my mother as she spoke, sensing that she was subtly placing blame on me for my reluctance to love someone again.

  "Alright, Mum, let me tell you the simple truth. Wait a moment, Mum, don't tell me you invited Helen when I specifically told you I would be coming alone." My mother remained silent. "Mum, you'd better pick up the phone and call her because I don't want to see her. Who invited her?" I didn't realize I had raised my voice until my mother said,

  "Why are you shouting?" Her voice held an apologetic tone, and I watched as she reached for her phone on the table and dialed Helen's number.

  "Hi, Honey, where are you?"

  "I'm already on my way. Is Sebastian still coming?"

  "That's why I called you. He didn't make it," she glanced at me, and I frowned.   "I'm sorry."

  "Don't worry. I'm sure Sebastian must have had a valid reason for not being able to come."

  "Thank you, sweetheart," my mother smiled and ended the call. Silence fell upon us, accompanied only by the faint sound of my father's cutlery against his plate. I looked at my mother's face and saw her pure maternal love for her son, wanting me to find a partner more beautiful and successful than Dora, who had broken my heart.

  "You haven't told us what happened," my mother interrupted my thoughts.

  "Mum, it's not that complicated. But I'm still wondering why it occurred. Miss Daisy got a promotion that qualified her for an overseas assignment for a few months. She had always desired the promotion due to her hard work."

  "I hope you're talking about the same lady from your workplace whom you fell in love with?" my mother asked.

  "Yes, who else? It's her. She once mentioned her aspiration to become a member of the board of directors someday. She was ambitious, and I admired her for that. The promotion was a good thing, but her new assignment is tearing her apart, and I don't know why. She has been so bitter that it took her a while to answer my calls after she left her boss' office."

  "Do you know anything about her past?" my mother inquired.

  "No, but gradually, I'll get to know. I understand what it took for her to let me into her life."

  "Don't you think she might be dealing with some past trauma, just like you? I feel this lady needs help," my mother expressed her concerns.

  "Sebastian, are you saying she suddenly became upset because she'll be leaving the country for a few months?"

  "Yes, Dad."

  "For how long?"

  "Three to four months."

  "There's something I sense that both of you seem to be missing."

  "What's that, Dad?"

  "If she's happy about her promotion but sad because she'll be leaving the company and, in turn, leaving you for four months, then she's in love with you and can't bear to be away from you."

  "What?" A broad smile stretched across my face, and my eyes widened. This was a new level of thinking that I had never considered before. I stood up abruptly, abandoning my food, and declared, "I need to see her right now." I pushed my chair back.