Hero of Darkness

Chapter 2: The End

3 days later, he finally received a call from Katherine at night.

"Hey, it's me."

"Where are you? What happened? Why didn't you pick up any of my calls ?" Elric asked.

"I'm sorry. It's been hectic recently. I just didn't have time to explain." Katherine replied.

"Now tell me exactly what happened? I at least deserve to know that, right ?" Elric said.

"Well.. It's my Dad. He... He.." Katherine suddenly started sobbing & her words stopped coming out of her mouth.

"You can tell me, I'm always here for you." Elric said out of genuine worry.

"My dad has been diagnosed with stage 3 Cancer. We just found out. He didn't tell me & my mom because he didn't want to worry us. And we don't have enough money for the treatment either. That's why he hid his illness." Katherine said and started crying loudly this time.

"I don't know what to do Elric. My Dad is dying and I really can't do anything to help him. I have no money, no insurance.. Nothing." Katherine's sobs didn't stop. Elric was listening to this on the other side of his phone felt as if his father was dying at this moment. Due to his attachment towards Katherine, he felt her pain as his own. He quickly replied.

"How much do you need ?" Elric asked

"What do you mean ?" Katherine replied

"I meant how much money do you need for your Father's treatment? I can arrange for it. I'm an accountant, remember ?" He said with worry & care in his voice.

"Around 30 Thousand Dollars."

"Don't worry. I have some savings. I can help." Elric said with a resolute voice.

"No, I really can't ask you to help me. We haven't known each other for that long. Even our relatives won't give us that much money even if we begged them. And I have no way to pay you back even in the next couple of years." Katherine said hurriedly.

"It's okay. The truth is I really like you, Kate.. I know this is coming out of the blue and at the wrong time but hear me.. It's okay. I trust you enough to know that you won't cheat me. And I won't be able to sleep knowing what you're going through and I could've helped. So please don't refuse." Elric said in a soft and gentle voice.

of silence, Katherine spoke

felt about me this way. The truth is that I really like you as well. But I never thought we'd

you're in a better position. Now send me

to spend much on anything. So in the past two years, he certainly made up some dough and did some side hustles for some private customers as well. If it was someone else, he'd go deep in first to see

only person he actually felt a connection to in such a long time, he didn't think much of it and wanted to

a Hero who helped her family would also leave a deep impression on her

name & Elric transferred the money without a second

disturb her in such time.

the same response came. He didn't know exactly which Hospital Katherine was at so he could only go to her apartment he once visited. But after talking with the landlord and her roommates, he found out that Katherine came to her apartment

was happening around

HE HAD BEEN DUPED!!

information was obscure as well. Also, he found that her roommates weren't her friends from college, rather they met through an app used to search for renting apartments. There was really no other way to look for Katherine any longer. He quickly took a cab and went to the

one thing if she ran off out of fear of not being able to pay him back. But everything he came to know about

a dad with cancer. She seemed more of a professional than someone

Katherine, Elric was exhausted and finally came back to his apartment. He was drained both physically and mentally. He was hungry but didn't have the willpower to eat something. He was still in shock. For the first time in a long time, he actually felt connected to someone. He'd go as far as to say he had fallen for her. And yet, in the blink of an eye; everything before him crumbled to dust. Everything was a lie to begin with. Finally,

happened yesterday. All his hard-earned money from the past 2 years was gone. And don't even talk about the emotional trauma that incident left on him. He called in sick leave for the next few days

glances at him. One of his colleagues came

just hired a hooker. Hahaha!" With a smug smile on the face, his

mean ?" Elric asked,

Which surprised many people including the coffee shop staff. But to have cherry on the top, her scamming Elric for 30K Dollars also got leaked. It didn't take much time for the news to reach his office. And literally, everyone in his department knew about his unlucky

with an excuse. Because Elric had always been a guy who got the job done at right time & never actually refused a major task. He did win the hearts

to drag down your name in the

eternity. After the

tested up to this extent. Tears dripped down across his cheeks like a river.. He had finally broken down.

moment, he was simply clueless. He was lost, helpless, alone, desperate, yearning for someone to put a hand on his shoulder and tell

he call? His parents he hadn't talked with in the past 3 months? His siblings who never actually had any form of bond

fits inside a society, from someone working as a janitor to a multinational company's CEO had their own self respect & pride. But today, all