Scylla was staring at his father, now with a white streak on his hair as a sign of his undeniable age.
"Nice to see you again, Scylla." The old man said, hiding some intense emotion she can't define.
"William." She just said.
She was terrified of him five years ago but she can't feel the same reaction from him now.
"Dad." It was Zach.
"How can you do this to Stella, son?" William asked.
"I'm very clear from the start, dad. There's only one woman I love." Zach answered his father without a second thought.
She was relieved hearing those words from Zach. Of course, she knew it was her, Zach just declared her love for her.
"You fool," William said controlling his anger.
"Yes, if that what it means and I'm a happy fool to have my woman back," Zach said making his father's eyes widened.
"What did you say?" He almost shouted making Scylla jumped on her feet.
His father was a silent beast about to transform.
"Dad, Scylla and I are together for good. I understand now..."
"You believed her?" His father cut him off.
They were talking as if she was not in the room again, like earlier with Stella.
"Of course. Wait, what do you mean, I believed her?" Zach asked unaware of the truth.
"Zach." Scylla tried to intervene.
"Don't talk woman, you don't have the right to tell whatever you please!" William said trying to intimidate her.
"No, William. You can't scare me again." She said lowly but with courage.
Her words affect the old man as if he was tense.
"Scared again? What does it mean? What does it mean dad? You are scaring her? When and how? Please don't tell me, you are all behind these?" Zach asked his dad with a series of questions.
Zach was calm but they knew that he is about to burst.
William took the seat nearest to him and Scylla was guilty of seeing the old man be questioned.
She tried to understand him a long time ago and she reached to a point that she did.
"Zach, he has a good reason."
Scylla should have told him everything but she can't break their bond, as his only father. They have each other before she came into the picture. He provided everything for his son and he can't stand if someone will try to ruin the foundation he built for him and he was successful. Zach, his son is a young leader, he truly proud of.
"Scylla, can you give us time to talk?" The old man said softly as if begging her.
He was right, she must give them time. If she saw it right, the man was changed. Maybe, he was a beast that softened, the beast does regret.
"Scylla, you will not leave without my permission." He said firmly but she shook her head.
"Zach, I'll be waiting and I want to give your father a chance to speak of himself."
"The two of you really believe, I don't know a thing?" Zach said so piss.
William and Scylla looked at him, shocked.
"Did you think, I'm a fool to be played around? I am not named wise to be treated this way, by my own father and you, Scylla." Zach said.
"Son."
"Zach."
They chorused.
"Scylla, please," William begged again.
Scylla understands he is not comfortable with someone around the room and she was an outsider for him.
"Will you always obey him, if he demands you to leave?" So Zach really knew a thing.
"Yes, because he is your father. I do regret leaving you but that was for the best and I'm glad that I did."
And Scylla left them. She just hoped that William will redeem himself from Zach and only later she will worry for herself.
Five years was long and kissing him again earlier was already a good reward of her sacrifice.
-
"How did you know?" William asked, calmy as possible.
He created this storm a long time ago and it's about time to harvest its consequences.
"Will you tell me, if I did not discover?" Zach has too much respect for his father, a man who gave him everything.
William did not think of telling him because he thought they will forget each other, fall out love when they don't have each other anymore but he was wrong. His son never looked for another woman, he stays in love for Scylla even stronger as it was before.
"How could you do that to me dad and to the woman I love? I trusted you, I let you find her for me because you are good at everything. You found what was lost and stolen but never of Scylla because you hide her from me!"
William was guilty as Zach said.
"What was more painful was that she was suffering enough that you deprived me by her side. She needed me those times, dad. She lost her father, she was taking good care of her sick mother. Where is the loving father, I knew? Where are you, dad? How can you be so selfish?"
"Enough, that's enough." William surrendered. He was old to be a villain of his own son's life.
"I'm sorry for what I have done, son. I'm so guilty that I can't face Scylla the moment I saw her. I was angry about myself to hurt a kind woman like her. She held no grudges and I really dislike myself." William said with full of regrets and shed a tear of his old days.
"Thank God, you are back dad," Zach said not wanting to pressure him any longer.
"I'm the fool who thought that she will ruin you, sucked you 'til you dry so I give her my word of worries and I did the horrible thing, I told her to leave, threatened her that I will not hire her and I will blacklist her so she will not get any job. I came right when she was vulnerable and I feel really bad because she did, she left you, the thing I wanted and I'm damn guilty every day seeing you. I am afraid to take back what I did so I tried to help, only hoping that you will forget each other soon and my sin will be buried. " William finally confessed.
"And why are you not shouting now? I thought you love that woman I hurt?" William asked.
"Dad, do you think it will help? We already suffered for the consequences of it and I want to move on. Do you think, five years is not yet enough? That was hell dad and I'm not a saint to be a martyr. What I want from now, is to win back my woman." Zach said and paced back and forth.
His dad chuckled. He was really the son, he molded. Zach is forgiving, he knows what is good from the bad. He knew exactly when to set aside his own feelings. He was a lucky father, to have a son like Zach.
"Zach, I hope Scylla will forgive me. Go, take her home and never let go of that rare woman. Go, before I'll call Stella and we will have our dinner here." William threatened his son.
"I'm sorry dad, but you can have Stella all you want." And Zach hugged his father by surprise.
"Thank you." He whispered and out of William's sight.
How he wished this night, for a very long five years would come. He can sleep peacefully starting tonight and his new hope arise, that he will have his grandchildren soon.