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--x--The Chapter Starts Here--x--

That night, Damien didn’t return to his mansion. Instead, he stopped by an acoustic bar.
As he parked his car, he read the name, Aurum Bar, spelled out in glowing letters, and sighed.
“What are you making me do, my Candy?” he murmured to himself, looking at his phone’s wallpaper, her smiling at something so gracefully.
As he got out and started walking toward the entrance, a guard came running.
“Sir, I think you’re late. We aren’t taking any new customers now, only the previous ones are inside.”
Damien kept walking, not paying any heed.
When the guard reached out and held his shoulder, Damien suddenly shoved him away. Then he put his hand in his pocket, pulled out a handkerchief, and began wiping the spot the guard had touched.
The guard looked afraid, insulted, and confused.
“Sir… please…”
Damien lifted his hand to silence him, then reached back into his pocket, pulled out a bundle of notes, and slammed them against the guard’s chest.
“Never dare to touch me again.”
“Ye… yes, Sir.” The guard stepped back quickly, tucking the money away.
“Okay, listen.” Damien called him back.
“Is there any performance tonight by a singer named Dylan?”
“Yes, yes, Sir. Let me walk you inside.”
“No, thanks. Keep up the good work.”
Damien turned to go. Then he stopped, walked back, and pulled out a few more notes.
“Buy something for your wife. Wives are… precious.” He surprised himself by saying it.
“Ye… yes, Sir. Sure.” The guard bowed his head.

As Damien slowly entered the bar, the dim light and the smell made him cringe.
“Such a cheap setup,” he muttered.
“This way, Sir.” A waiter gestured to a seat.
Damien nodded, following him.
“What would you like, Sir?”
“Your most exquisite wine.”
“Uhh… okay, Sir.” The waiter gave a nervous smile, wondering how exquisite would be enough for such a wealthy man.
“Anything else, Sir?”
“This much for now.”
The waiter nodded and was about to leave when Damien stopped him.
“Wait. Can you say when the next performance starts?”
“Uhh… oh, next performance… You’re here for Dylan, right? It’s about to start. Oh, Sir, you’ll love it.” The waiter nearly danced with excitement. Damien clenched his fist at the mention of Dylan.
As he was about to reply..
“Gents and gentlemen… put your hands together, drinks high, to welcome our star… Dylan Paul!”
Damien turned his eyes toward the stage, ignoring the waiter’s, I’ll be back.
A man, nearly the same build as Damien, walked onto the stage wearing denim jeans and a jacket.

“Hello, gentlemen… pleasure to entertain you tonight.” A deep voice spoke to the crowd.
The hoots grew louder.
“I’m Dylan Paul.”
He strummed his guitar.
“This is for you, my love.” Dylan lifted a hand toward the ceiling.
Damien’s knuckles turned white.

 I’ve been tracing every mile you’ve gone
Every silence on the telephone
I hear your voice in the quiet night
Like a ghost I can’t leave behind

Dylan kept singing with closed eyes and a soft smile.

 You don’t have to hide your scars from me
You don’t have to lock your heart and throw the key
I’d walk through fire, I’d cross the line
Just to see you safe this time

Damien stared at him with unblinking intensity, ignoring the wine just served by the waiter.

 So come back to the light
I’ll be waiting on the other side
You don’t have to fight alone tonight
Just come back to the light
To me

Damien pressed his palm on the wine glass, nearly breaking it, as Dylan kept singing like he was in another world.

 I still keep the letters that you wrote
Folded up in an old overcoat
And every word is a prayer to keep
You from the darkness, from sinking deep

Damien slowly walked toward the front, catching everyone’s attention and earning whispers from the crowd.

 If you’re out there lost in someone else’s war
If you can’t remember who you’re fighting for
Know that my arms are open wide
Anytime you want to find

Dylan finally opened his eyes, tears brimming, and met Damien’s red-shot gaze. Dylan’s lack of fear made something crawl under Damien’s skin, making him hate the man even more.

 Come back to the light
I’ll be waiting on the other side
You don’t have to fight alone tonight
Just come back to the light
To me

“Sir… please, you’re blocking the view,” the same waiter whispered, trying to be polite.

 If he told you you were never enough
If he broke your trust in the name of love
Let me be the one to prove him wrong
You’ve been strong for too long

Damien moved to take his seat in the front, not without throwing an angry look to Dylan

 Come back to the light
I’ll be waiting on the other side
You don’t have to fight alone tonight
Just come back to the light
Come back to the light
To me

 So when the night gets too heavy to hold
And your heart feels colder than the snow
Close your eyes—just know
You’re never alone
Come home

Dylan completed singing, again raising his finger to the ceiling.

“Thank you… Thank you Gentlemen.. For letting me afford my meal for the day.”
Everyone laughed, cheering.
“Hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I did.”
“Ofcourse.” Someone from the crowd shouted.
“If you like me singing and want to listen to me, now you know where to come.”
“Thank you again.” Dylan left the stage bowing to the audience.
Damien stood abruptly and started following him.
“Si.. Sir.. You can’t go inside” a waiter stopped him again, Damien was about to pull out some notes when,
“Let him come” a voice from inside came to the waiter’s rescue.
Damien walked backstage, giving the man a final cold look.

“So… Why are you here?” the person packing his bag, facing the wall asked Damien.
“Where is Candice, Dylan?” the other person, Dylan’s movement stopped listening to the name, a line of worry formed on his forehead
“What happened to Candice? You did something?” He nearly screamed.
“Oh so you still care about her. Then, where is she?” Damien asked, with the last ounce of patience.
“I don’t keep tabs on other men's wives” He smirked, quickly hiding his concern.
“Oh? But you sing for them?” Damien retorted.
“I sing for the woman I love, not for anyone’s wife.”
“I don’t have time for this, where the hell is she? Has she contacted you?”
“No Damien.. She hasn’t. And if you knew her at all, you would know she won’t contact me ever.” 
Damien kept looking at his eyes, maybe trying to intimidate or figure out if he was lying.
“Go search for her, before it's too late.”
Damien started leaving, when Dylan again spoke out.
“And ask me if I can do anything for her. I do hate you, but she is more precious than the hatred I have for you.”
“Her husband is enough for her.”
Damien left the room, leaving Dylan wondering what he can do now, to find Candice.
“Maybe she went there. Damien is unaware of that place.” Dylan spoke to himself, getting out of the bar hurriedly.

In the meantime, somewhere in the outskirts of the city, an expensive car was parked oddly facing the forest. Small children playing nearby have started gathering near it.
“Do you know which brand is this?” One of them asked, touching it lightly.
“Nope. I saw it in some movies.”
“Hey!!! You young man let's head home. It's dinner time.” An old man came shouting friendly.
He stopped in his tracks when he neared them, smiled faded slowly, “My Goodness” he whispered to himself.
“Lads get away from the car. Let me check.” He shouted at the kids.
He started looking inside the car through the glass.
“Someone is there!! Someone is there!!” He screamed again, noticing a silhouette on the driving seat..
“Go home, call the police, anyone.” Other people also started gathering listening to this commotion.
“Hey!! Are you okay there” A woman said near the car’s glass but got no response.
“Don’t touch anything, let's just wait for the police.” The old man instructed