Tristan’s POV
The VFS parking lot was already filled with cars. It was late afternoon, golden light catching the edges of the models’ sneakers as they hurried toward waiting cars. I checked my watch, it was precisely 5:47 p.m. Elona’s shift ended at six, but I wanted to be here earlier, especially with traffic being chaos. My work day was filled with catching up on things I missed out on. At least it distracted me from worrying about Elona and VFS. My heart thudded as I scanned the row of cars. Some whispers I heard as girls walked by, looking at me. They were clearly talking about me. I remained standing against my car with my hands in my pants pockets. Waiting for Elona. That is when I saw her before I started walking in her direction.
Her posture was stiff, shoulders slightly hunched. A wave of concern roared through me as I got closer. “Elona?”
She looked at me with her eyes dark and shadowed. She forced a small little wave, walked past me and then slipped inside my car. I turned around and watched her, every instinct screaming that something was off. My brows furrowed as I rounded the car and got in, started the engine, and we drove out of the parking lot in silence.
The streetlights flicked on as dusk settled, the sky deepening to indigo. I finally broke the hush. “What’s wrong? Is Delance treating you all good?” I asked. Hoping that things hadn’t become worse.
She blinked, turning in her seat to face me. “Nothing is wrong. I’m... just tired, you know? My feet aches.”
I reached across and placed my hand on her thigh, gently squeezing it. “Don’t lie to me, especially not after everything.”
Elona’s weak smile fluttered. She exhaled. “Okay… it’s more than that. I have good news, though.” She paused. My heart jumped at the tone.
“What is it?” I asked.
She cleared her throat. “Madame Delance… she’s been treating everyone better. Really focusing on safety, posture, and the rehearsal for the show. And I...” She bit her lip. “They picked me as the showstopper.”
My chest tightened. “Showstopper?”
“There’s a couture segment,” she explained. “Butterfly wings. Unique designs. I’m the one who gets to wear them, but better outfits than the entire group of girls, the one who stands out more.”
Her smile grew more genuine now, it was bright and hopeful. “That’s amazing,” I said, trying to match her tone. “I’m… really happy for you.”
She placed her hand on mine. “Me too.”
I nodded. “But… is that it? Nothing else?” I felt like there was more.
She closed her eyes, then opened them again, as if catching herself before I focused on the road again. “Well… the girls know.”
“Know about what?” I furrowed by brows.
“The other girls at VFS. They...” She swallowed. “They know about Grace.”
My heart plunged. “They know you were pregnant?” I looked over at her. Grace was a snake, and that’s the feeling I have.
She nodded, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. “Madame Delance and Grace...Grace broke down and told her, but I guess it was leaked. They know what happened, Tristan.” She looked over at me, the pain visible on her face. It was our private information, but that was on me... my fault.
I exhaled, but my lungs felt tight like I was struggling to breathe. “They knew you were pregnant,” I said more to myself as I pulled my hand away, changing gears as I looked ahead on the road again.
Elona reached across and pressed my arm. “You aren’t going to make a big deal out of it, promise? I need this. I’ve wanted this moment on stage, this is it. I can’t let this moment be overshadowed by drama.”
I glanced at her, half-amazed, half-heartbroken. “I want to protect you.”
“I know,” she said softly. “But not like this. Not now.” She squeezed my arm, then released it as she looked out the windscreen ahead. “Let me enjoy this.”
My jaw clenched. I wanted to argue. To shout. To pull up the brakes and turn us around before I did something stupid. But I remembered what she had just said, how her eyes had alight at the thought of wings and stage lights. Butterfly wings.
I exhaled, controlled my urge to grip the steering wheel until my knuckles went white. “Okay. Just… promise me you will tell me if things go sideways from here.”
“I will,” she said, genuine affection in her gaze. “Thank you.”
We pulled up to the driveway. She stepped out gracefully, and started walking toward the front door with her gym bag in hand. I got out behind her, glancing back to the street once before following.
Inside, the house was quiet. I flicked on the porch light. She paused in the hallway. “I’m going to take a shower.”
I nodded. “I will make you some tea. Do you want me to join you in the shower first?” I asked.
Her hand gestured slightly. “I would like some tea, but I just... want a bit of space in the shower.”
“Okay.” I was worried about her now after what she told me.
She paused, looking me in the eye. “Be careful.”
I managed a small smile. “I will be.”
As she disappeared into my bedroom, I remained standing on my spot, my heart pounding with conflicting emotions, worry, heartbreak, and anger. My mind replayed the news she had just delivered.
I stepped further into the lounge and took a seat on the sofa, taking my phone out of my pants pocket and dialed Cris. It went to voicemail. I tried again. Voicemail again. I nearly smashed my fist against the phone in frustration. I rubbed my forehead and dialed David instead.
He answered quickly. “Tristan?”
“David… where’s Cris?”
“She’s in her apartment, I’m with her. She’s resting.”
I closed my eyes, disappointment cutting deeper than I expected. “Okay… I need you to give her a message.”
He hesitated. “Okay?”
“VFS is spreading news, everyone knows at VFS about the pregnancy because of Grace. I need to know if Cris is still going ahead with the exposé. I don’t want mine and Elona’s news to be all over in headlines before she walks on stage. And I can see how those girls will do anything to ruin her, because she will be the showstopper.”
His voice was soft. “Cris said she was reconsidering.”
“Reconsidering?”
He sighed. “After the situation with the four of us, she’s reconsidering to help with it.”
I clenched my jaw. Frustration twisted in my gut, anger at VFS, at Grace, at David. And at Cris for this, although I knew she wasn’t wrong to hesitate.
“Tell her this,” I said slowly, and carefully. “This isn’t just about Elona or VFS. It’s about how they handled her grief… they exposed her pain for all to gossip about, it’s not just her pain, its mine too. If she pulls back now, it just proves they can do whatever they like, to control the narrative. This needs to be documented, exposed, not swept under the carpet, but I would like for this to also be done after her show. If Cris could write something that could be a distraction, ask her to do so.”
David was silent again.
“And tell her…” I hesitated. “That I’m disappointed. And as for you, you’re the one who always puts her first, and you’re not the man and friend I used to know. You don’t even care at this point about your own daughter and that is sad. You are a huge disappointment.” Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about everything that Elona has to go through, yet she doesn’t complain.
David cleared his throat. “I will tell her.” He didn’t say more and he ended the call.
I stood up and walked towards the bathroom, listening to the steady beat of the shower. I didn’t want to disrupt her. She needed to unwind. To feel normal again after everything. I went to the kitchen and made a pot of tea. Hot water hissed against teabags in the kitchen. The fragrant steam eased the tightness in my chest but didn’t lift the weight. I took my jacket off and hung it over the back of the chair at the dining table.
As I returned to make the tea, Elona entered and stood on the other side of the kitchen counter, a towel around her and her hair dripping. “Hey,” she whispered.
“Here.” I held out the mug. She accepted it and I handed the mug over the counter to her. She froze when the tea nearly touched her skin, then sipped. “Thank you.”
“We will figure this out.” I felt the conviction stirring within me again.
“Be gentle with my story.” Her words settled like a vow we shared. “Most of all, be careful.” It’s like she was warning me.
Time passed between us. The world might try to break her, expose her...us. But for tonight, she was only mine. I would let her be the showstopper, holding back my fear and my fury, giving her space under the spotlight. And I would fight to keep that moment hers.