Chapter 212 Stop Loving a Ghost
Wesley settled back into his leather chair, letting out a soft sigh as he watched Dorian slump forward.
?He took a mental step back to review the wild ride of the past hour. He thought about the way Dorian had suddenly asked for milk tea like a stubborn child, the way his bloodshot eyes had completely softened when he talked about it, and the raw, cracking sound of his voice when he thought he had lost everything.
?Wesley had sensed it long before they sat down. He knew deep down that Dorian’s foul mood had nothing to do with stock prices or corporate stress. It certainly had nothing to do with the ghost of Iris, either. It was always about Veyra.
?He had just needed to push the right buttons to confirm what his instincts were telling him all along.
?He spent a moment studying Dorian’s tired face in the dim light of the private room.
?Veyra was certainly not a classic beauty who would stop traffic or turn every head in a crowded restaurant. She was just ordinary, simple, and totally unassuming on the surface.
?Yet, she possessed something far rarer and much more valuable than a pretty face.
?She had real courage. She had quiet resilience and a sharp, magnetic charm.
?Think about the fierce way she stood up for herself when cornered and the way she had defended Leon against arrogant bullies. Think about how she flat-out refused to back down even when the whole world was against her.
𝓯𝕣𝑒ℯ𝘸𝖊𝐛𝓃𝗈𝕧𝘦ℓ.𝖈𝕠𝕞
?That was the kind of raw spark that drew people in without them even noticing. That was what made her completely unforgettable.
?Wesley broke the quiet silence of the room, speaking in a steady, calm tone.
?"I can honestly understand why you like her so much."
?Dorian lifted his tired eyes, looking confused.
?"To be completely honest with you, I liked her too," Wesley admitted casually. "Once upon a time, at least."
?Dorian’s eyes widened sharply, a flash of pure jealousy cutting through his drunken haze. "What did you just say?"
?"I never tried to pursue her," Wesley added quickly, raising a hand. "Mainly because she was your legal wife on paper, and because getting involved would have been a massive mess. But I definitely thought about it."
?Dorian’s jaw tightened back up into a hard line.
?"I am only telling you this so you know I am not sitting here judging you," Wesley continued. "I totally get it. She is a very special person."
?Dorian stared across the table, his mind spinning like a runaway wheel.
?His chest felt tight and constricted. Wesley liked Veyra. Wesley had actually thought about pursuing her. Wesley completely understood the pull she had over people.
?And Dorian? Dorian liked her too. He liked her more than he ever wanted to admit.
?But right behind that realization came a wave of guilt. What about Iris?
?If he loved Veyra, then he was actively betraying Iris. He was betraying the brave woman who had saved his life in that forest. He was betraying the woman he had spent three long years searching for across the country, the one he had sworn a solemn promise to find.
?"I have no right to feel this way," Dorian muttered, shaking his head.
?"Why on earth not?"
?"Because it feels like a terrible betrayal."
?Wesley tilted his head to the side, looking at him with a critical eye.
?"A betrayal of who, exactly?"
?"Iris," Dorian answered quietly.
?"Dorian, you do not even know her real name."
?"I know she saved my life," Dorian argued, his voice rising a fraction. "I know she held me when I was freezing. I know she stayed right by my side when I was bleeding to death."
?He paused, swallowing hard.
?"I owe her everything I am."
?Wesley let out a gentle, dismissive sigh.
?"You owe her eternal gratitude, Dorian. There is a massive difference between gratitude and romantic love."
?Dorian frowned deeply, refusing to let it go easily. "What are you trying to say?"
?"Think about your feelings for Iris. Are you truly in love with her as a person? Or are you just holding on to an intense trauma bond and emotional attachment?"
?Dorian kept his mouth shut, staring down at the edge of the table.
?"She saved your life at your absolute lowest point," Wesley pointed out. "You were vulnerable, you were terrified, and you were dying. She was simply there to hold you and comfort you in the dark. That creates an unforgettable bond, sure, but does it mean you are meant to be together forever?"
?He leaned forward, locking eyes with his friend.
?"Or is it just a one-sided affection? A romantic fantasy you have built up inside your own head over three years because you never got to know the reality of who she is?"
?Dorian’s hands curled into tight, trembling fists resting on his lap.
?"You do not know that for sure."
?"I know for a fact that you do not even know her face," Wesley countered sharply. "I know you have spent three years turning over every stone and found absolutely zero leads."
?Wesley softened his tone just a bit.
?"She might not even like you if you found her today. She might already be married to someone else. She might be a completely different person than you imagine. She might even be gone."
?Dorian winced as if he had been physically struck.
?"You do not know anything about her real life, Dorian. You have spent years building a whole relationship with a ghost."
?Wesley’s voice dropped to a soft, encouraging murmur.
?"Stop dwelling so much on the past. You need to look ahead."
?Dorian stared blankly at the empty glass sitting between them.
?"Look ahead to what?"
?"To what is right in front of you," Wesley said plainly. "To something that is actually real and breathing. To Veyra."
?Silence settled over the private room for a long, drawn-out moment.
?Dorian’s mind drifted back and forth between two entirely different worlds.
?On one side, he thought of Iris. He pictured the blurry silhouette standing in the forest, the gentle sound of her comforting voice, and the lingering warmth of her hands.
?On the other side, he thought of Veyra. He remembered the sassy way she laughed at his serious face, how she boldly challenged his authority, and the honest tears she had shed right against his chest.
?He only had one heart to give, yet he felt entirely torn between two completely different women.
?How was a person even supposed to navigate a mess like that?
?For months, he had mapped out a clear, emotionless plan.
?He would wait patiently until Veyra gave birth to the child. Once the agreed-upon contract came to its natural end, he would hand her generous divorce papers, let her walk away to live her own life, and quietly move on. After that, he would throw himself entirely back into the search for Iris.
?He had genuinely thought the whole process would be simple, clean, and completely painless for everyone involved.
?But sitting here tonight, surrounded by spilled whiskey and cold truths, he knew he was lying to himself. It was not going to be clean at all. It was going to tear him apart.
?Wesley broke through his wandering thoughts with one final piece of advice.
?"Dorian."
?Dorian lifted his weary head.
?"Just follow your heart," Wesley said quietly, his eyes full of genuine concern. "Doing what brings you peace and does not cause you needless pain is usually the right thing to do in this life."
?Dorian sank back against the cushions, falling deep into a chaotic whirlpool of thoughts.
?Part of him wanted to argue back, to pick apart Wesley’s reasoning, and to find some logical, bulletproof formula to fix his complicated life.
?But he was completely exhausted. The alcohol was running heavily through his veins, his brain felt scrambled, and his heart was tired of fighting every single emotion.
?He simply did not have the energy to think about it anymore tonight.
?Without saying another word, he reached out across the table, grabbed the neck of the whiskey bottle, and poured himself another heavy drink. He lifted the glass and drank it straight down, choosing to drown his swirling thoughts in the amber liquid rather than face them.