Birthday celebration (Part – 2)

A mix of unease and irritation simmered in his chest. Dylan's thoughts spiraled as he tried to make sense of the situation. 'Maybe she is having dinner with her father.' Then, a more troubling possibility crept into his mind. 'What if Ethan is there too? Celebrating with her?'

The thought gnawed at him, stirring a fresh wave of unease.

With growing desperation, he dialed her number as he paced the room. But the result wasn't different from earlier. Ava didn't answer the call.

He let out a heavy sigh and slumped into the chair by the table, his earlier excitement now replaced with a sinking feeling of helplessness. His gaze fell on the spread he had meticulously prepared.

Dylan ran a hand through his hair as guilt began to gnaw at him. For the first time, he thought about how Ava must have felt on all those nights when she waited for him—when his late meetings, excuses, or inattentiveness left her disappointed.