Chapter 3 The Number Five Years

Naomi looked down at her hands. She had followed every instruction Madam Evelyn had given her. She had spoken the words of the old vow, placed a small photograph of Damian beneath the mango tree's dried leaf, and offered a personal token that represented the love she had carried for him since they were young. Nothing had happened the way she had imagined. There had been no thunder, no strange voice, and no mysterious figure appearing from the darkness. Only silence. Perhaps she had expected too much. Perhaps love had made her foolish. "Can I ask you something?" Naomi whispered. "Go ahead." "What happens if Damian forgets me?" Madam Evelyn's expression changed. For the first time that night, the old woman looked genuinely troubled. "Why would you ask such a question?" "Because people change. Money changes people. Distance changes people. What if I return after five years and discover that the man I love no longer exists?" Madam Evelyn slowly pulled out a chair and sat down. "Then you must decide whether you love the man standing before you or the memory of the man who once stood beside you." you." Naomi's eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to lose him." "No one who loves deeply wants to lose the person they love." "Then why does love hurt so much?" "Because sometimes we confuse loving someone with protecting them from every possible pain. Naomi wiped her cheeks. "I understand." Madam Evelyn held her gaze. "I hope you do." The elderly woman reached beneath the table and brought out a small cloth pouch. "Keep this." Naomi accepted it carefully. "What is inside?" "Something to remind you of tonight. Do not mistake it for a chain around Damian's heart. If he betrays his promise, the blame will belong to him, not to some mysterious force." Naomi nodded, though she did not fully understand why Madam Evelyn sounded so worried. She put the pouch into her handbag. "Thank you." Madam Evelyn watched her rise. "One more thing, child." Naomi stopped at the doorway. "Do not sacrifice your entire future trying to rescue someone who refuses to take responsibility for his own." Naomi offered a faint smile. "Damian would never do that to me." Madam Evelyn said nothing. Sometimes, the most painful warnings were the ones people ignore. Three days later, Naomi stood at the airport with her suitcase beside her. Her departure was scheduled for ten in the morning. The departure hall was crowded with travelers, families, and people embracing loved ones before their flights. Damian stood in front of her, looking as though he had not slept all night. He had wore his best shirt, which Naomi had bought for him several months earlier. Its collar was slightly worn, but he had refused to replace it. "You look terrible," she teased. He forced a smile. "You're leaving, and that's your first comment?" "What do you want me to say? That you look handsome?" "Yes." She laughed. "You look handsome." "Thank you. Now I can survive the next five years." Her smile faded at the mention of the number. Five years.They had spoken about it countless times, but the reality of their separation had not truly reached her until that morning. Damian took her hand. "Call me when you land." "And if anyone troubles you, tell me." Naomi raised an eyebrow. "What exactly will you do from here?" "I'll find a way." She smiled, but tears gathered in her eyes. "That is what I love about you. Even when you have nothing, you always believe there is a way." His expression softened. "Promise me you'll come back." "I promise." He looked into her eyes. "Not just to visit. Come back to me." Naomi squeezed his hand. "I will come back to the man who promised to marry me,and make sure I won't suffer for anything anymore. Damian pulled her into his arms, with tears in his eyes. For several moments, neither of them spoke. He held her so tightly that she could hear his heartbeat against her cheek. "Naomi," he whispered, "I don't know how I'll manage without you." "You will manage." "What if I fail?" "Try again." "What if you become successful and you meet someone better?" She pulled away just enough to look at him. "Then I hope you will have become secure enough in yourself to know that my success won't make you less of a man." He stared at her. "Why do you always have to say things that make me feel foolish?" "Because someone has to keep you humble." He laughed, then pressed a kiss to her forehead. A boarding announcement sounded. Naomi's face crumpled. It was time. She picked up her suitcase, but Damian took it from her. "I'll walk you to the gate." They moved together through the crowd, their hands joined. At the entrance to the departure area, Naomi stopped. She looked at him as though she wanted to memorize every detail of his face. "Five years," she whispered. "Five years," he repeated. "Don't forget me." "Never." She turned before her courage could fail her. But after taking a few steps, she looked back. Damian was still standing there. He raised one hand. She raised hers in return. It was the last time she would see him as the poor young man who had nothing but hope and a promise. Neither of them knew it yet. The first year without Naomi was the hardest. Damian called her almost every night. He told her about job interviews, failed business proposals, and the small apartment he had moved into after his landlord finally threw him out of his previous room. Naomi listened to everything. When he felt discouraged, she reminded him of his dreams. When he wanted to quit, she encouraged him to try again. Sometimes, she sent him money. Once, she used part of her scholarship allowance to buy him a secondhand laptop through an online seller. She knew he needed it to study business, prepare proposals, and search for opportunities. Damian cried when it arrived. "Naomi, I don't know how to repay you." "You can start by learning how to use it properly." He laughed. "I mean it."Dont miss the opportunity. Naomi had made her choice. She believed she was giving Damian a better life unaware of the mystery at front.