Viktoria's words hung in the air long after she had departed. Elías found himself replaying their conversation, dissecting every nuance and hidden meaning. He tried to dismiss her claims, to convince himself that Dmitri hadn't truly changed, but a seed of doubt had been planted.
He knew Viktoria had her own reasons for wanting Dmitri to find happiness. She had loved him once, perhaps still did in her own way. But she was also a shrewd and perceptive woman, not one to waste her time on empty gestures.
Elías found himself drawn back into memories of his time with Dmitri, not just the dark and painful moments, but the moments of tenderness, of shared laughter and genuine connection. He remembered the way Dmitri's eyes would light up when he spoke about his art, the way he would hold him close during thunderstorms, the way he had once made him feel like the most important person in the world.
He started to notice things he had overlooked before: the small acts of kindness he had witnessed Dmitri perform, the moments of vulnerability he had glimpsed beneath his hardened exterior. He realized that Dmitri was a complex and contradictory man, capable of both great cruelty and great love.
He spent sleepless nights wrestling with his emotions, torn between his desire to protect himself and his lingering love for Dmitri. He knew that going back to him would be a risk, that he could be hurt again. But he also knew that he couldn't ignore the possibility that Dmitri had truly changed, that they might have a chance at a future together.
He decided that he needed to see for himself, to witness Dmitri's transformation firsthand. He didn't know what he would do, but he knew that he couldn't stay in limbo any longer. He had to find out if the man he loved was still buried beneath the layers of pain and darkness, or if he was truly gone forever.