HEART BOUND

DELICATE FLOWER LIKE YOU

(Season 1)

CHAPTER 26

The air in the study was thick.

Kalen was leaning against the wall. Arms crossed. Eyes locked on her.

Not blinking. Not breathing loud. Just _watching_.

Liora stood frozen in the middle of his mess. Papers scattered. Files open. The wine bottle still in her hand like evidence.

Her mind was blank.

She couldn’t look at him. Not after last night.

Not after remembering exactly how she clung to him, how he carried her, how they fell asleep.

"Looking for something?" Kalen asked.

His voice was low. Amused.

Liora’s face went nuclear red.

"I...I was just...looking for...a book," she stammered.

"A book?" One eyebrow lifted. "In my study?"

She was terrible at lying. Always had been.

His gaze didn’t move. It pinned her in place and she could feel herself squirming under it.

"I... I thought I could find something good to read," she tried again, backing up a step.

Kalen pushed off the wall. Slow. Deliberate.

"Can you tell me why you were snooping through my things?"

"I wasn’t snooping!" The words came out too fast. Too defensive.

He smirked. Just a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh? Then what do you call this?"

He gestured to the desk. Her fingerprints were probably on everything.

Liora’s stomach dropped.

_What are you so curious about? I warned you. But you still don’t listen._

His words echoed in her head.

Why couldn’t she let it go?

Why did some part of her feel like if she dug deep enough, she’d find the real Kalen underneath all the walls?

She exhaled. Defeated.

"I just wanted to know what happened... that day. In the elevator."

The second she said it, the room changed.

Kalen’s expression didn’t change. Not really.

But something flickered in his eyes. Dark. Sharp.

"You think you can play games with me, Liora?" His voice dropped. Smooth. Dangerous.

"I’m not playing games," she said quickly. "I just—"

He took another step. Closing the distance.

"Why should I believe you?"

Liora’s mouth opened. Closed.

This man erased her words with one look.

"What happened in the elevator shouldn’t bother you," he said flatly.

That hurt. More than she expected.

"I was worried," she whispered. "You were almost dying. I just wanted to know if you were okay."

Kalen went still.

For one second, the mask slipped.

Then he did something she didn’t expect.

He smiled. Small. Rare.

He leaned in.

His warm breath ghosted over her ear and her whole body broke out in goosebumps.

Her eyes squeezed shut.

"You should stay away from me," he murmured. So quiet only she could hear.

"You have no idea what I can do to delicate flowers like you."

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

The air between them was too hot. Too close.

_Knock knock._

They both jerked back.

Liora stumbled away, cheeks burning.

How could he make her feel scared, angry, and wanted all in 10 seconds?

When he shut her out, it hurt.

Because she _had_ been worried.

"What is it, Zod?" Kalen asked, but his eyes never left Liora.

"Someone is here to see Miss Liora," the maid said.

Liora frowned.

Who? Rhine just left.

She gave Kalen one last look and walked out, heart still pounding.

---

*VEX MANSION | LIVING ROOM*

She stopped dead in the doorway.

"Jae?"

Her voice came out barely a whisper.

Face pale. Eyes wide. Like she’d seen a ghost.

Jae grinned and pulled her into a tight hug before Liora could react.

"Oh my gosh Liora! I’ve missed you so much! When we couldn’t find you I was so worried!"

Liora didn’t hug back.

Her brows pulled together.

This was the same Jae who used to look at her like she was dirt on the floor of the Valor mansion.

What changed?

"W-what... how did you find me?" Liora asked.

The guys would never bring her here.

"It doesn’t matter," Jae said, pulling back but keeping her hands on Liora’s arms. "A lot has happened since you left. Mom’s been in the hospital. Ever since the party incident."

The words hit like a brick.

Liora’s face froze.

The party.

Her screaming. Her stepmother collapsing.

Oh God.

This was her fault.

"I... I didn’t mean to," Liora stuttered, tears already spilling. "I freaked out and—"

"It’s okay," Jae said quickly, wiping her tears. Hugging her again. "I know it wasn’t your fault. And don’t worry, she’ll be discharged soon. It wasn’t as bad as, you know... who."

Ryan and Zach appeared in the doorway at the sound of Liora’s broken voice.

They froze when they saw Jae.

"What did you do to her?" Zach snapped, glaring at Jae.

Something about her being here felt wrong.

"I didn’t do anything!" Jae said, all innocence.

Ryan didn’t ask questions. He just pulled Liora into his arms.

"Shh. I’ve got you." His hand rubbed slow circles on her back.

And that’s when it hit her.

A memory.

Dark room.

Blood. Not hers.

A voice, cold and cruel: _"It’s all your fault. You killed him. You’re a murderer. No one will ever want you!!!"_

"No... that’s not true," Liora whispered into Ryan’s chest. Clinging to him like he was the only thing keeping her from drowning.

Something was coming. She could feel it.

By the door, Kalen watched.

Blank face. Unreadable.

But his eyes were cataloging everything.

Jae didn’t just "miss" Liora.

She timed this.

She used the hospital to get the exact reaction she wanted.

Kalen’s jaw ticked once.

His eyes softened for half a second when he saw how hard Liora was shaking in Ryan’s arms.

Then the mask was back.

He didn’t say anything.

Didn’t move.

He just watched.

Because whatever game Jae was playing,

Kalen was going to find out before she got to hurt Liora again.

TBC