Chapter 10: The Test of Love.

Getting to Katie's place, Tess was already in tears. "What is it?" Katie asked looking worried. "I don't know, but I called Stan and he's not picking up" Tess said as she sobs "And Fred came to visit me today at work and Fred works for Stan, he is one of his staff" she added while crying. "What did say?" Katie asked, not believing what she was hearing. Tess had to calm down and explain everything to Katie.

She spoke of how she went to Stan's workplace some weeks back and saw Fred, how Fred came to visit her today to beg and apologize, and how she told him she was over him and in a better place with Stan now. She resumed crying and started complaining about how it was a disaster. "Katie, what if Fred told Stan about us, what if he believes him over me? What if he thinks I cheated on him and worse, he won't even pick up my calls to hear me out Katie what should I do?" Tess said in tears. "Why didn't you tell Stan about Fred the first time, that trash showed up?" Katie asked as she tried to comfort her friend, "I don't know Katie, I just don't want my past to spoil my present. Oh God, what is happening to me, I really can't do this again" Tess replied as she covered her face with both of her hands. "Should I call Fred, to find out if he told Stan anything?" she asked Katie "No don't do that. Trust what you have with Stan will pull you through this. You love Stan and he loves you, nothing is stronger than true love, just trust what he has for you is stronger" Katie said as she pulls her friend in for a hug, "you know, you're always welcome to stay here as long as you want. Tess was just sobbing like a baby, as she nodded her head and thanked Katie. She laid down on the couch and cried herself to sleep.

Stan could not sleep, his bed looked too big for him alone. He was shocked when his staff Fred, came to his office and showed him pictures of Tess and himself talking and her smiling, him hugging her and she receiving flowers from him. He was shocked and it hurt beyond words when he talked about how he saw her the weekend he brought her to work with him some weeks ago. Stan kept everything inside as he told Fred to leave his office after everything he said. Stan was shocked, Tess knew Fred but didn't say anything. He remembered how she was behaving after they walked to the car that weekend. He guessed something was wrong and she didn't say anything. His heart was breaking, why didn't she want him to take her to work that morning when he asked the driver if he knew Fred, the driver acknowledged her recognizing him when he dropped her that day at the office, how she was shocked to see him. The driver said she didn't allow him to take her hand as she stepped out of the car. And when she saw him this morning, she was shocked to see him, proving she knew him and she didn't tell him. Stan knew the power of secrets and how they can destroy everything, no matter how good, a thing is. When he went to the cafe and saw her happy and smiling at everyone, he knew he had lost the game. He didn't want her to see him broken, he was not going to go through this again. So, when he got home, he just lost it and let the tears flow, not again. It's too painful to love. After meeting Tess, he thought his heart had healed and now the pain he was going through was worse than the first time. And when she started calling him in the evening, he couldn't pick up the phone. He just couldn't deal with her right now that was why he called his international manager to take over some stuff and planned to leave for another country. Stan knew with the right distance and time; he will be okay. He knew if you really love something, you should let it go. He is not giving her a choice to pick between her and Fred, since he will be out of the picture, she will pick Fred naturally and move on with her life. 

The next morning, Tess tried calling again and this time it was not going and she knew history was repeating itself. Stan has cut her off and she can't reach him. She was expecting him to send her a message like Fred of their breakup but it never came. "Katie, what should I do?" Tess asked her friend as she got ready for work, "Love always finds a way. If you really mean the world to him as he said, he won't be able to live without you, if he can live without you, trust me, Tess, that is not true love" Katie replied. Tess knew Katie was right, if he could live without her and believe the worst of her, then he was not her knight in shining armor. Tess smiled as she left for work, am I the damsel in distress again? No, this damsel doesn't need any knight anymore, she is now her knight.