A Space Between Us
1070 Words
Chapter Five:
Audrey was exhausted by the time she got home.
The weight of the day pressed down on her, heavier than usual. It wasn’t the heat or the long hours in the market—she was used to those. It was something else, something she didn’t want to name.
She dropped her basket in the corner, her body sinking onto the thin mattress. The room was small, barely enough for her and Daniel, but it was theirs. And after a long day, it was supposed to be a place of rest, of familiarity.
Tonight, it didn’t feel like that.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out the crumpled bills. Adrian’s money.
It sat in her palm, an unwanted presence, heavier than it should have been.
She should have shoved it back into his hands earlier. Should have been firmer, made it clear that she wasn’t interested in being some charity case.
And yet, she hadn’t.
And now, it sat there, staring back at her, while her brother flipped through his tattered schoolbook, pretending not to be disappointed about missing out on a library fee she couldn’t afford.
Her throat tightened.
"Audrey?" Daniel’s voice was small, uncertain.
She blinked, forcing herself to focus. "Yeah?"
"You’re quiet."
She hesitated, then tucked the money away. "Just tired."
He watched her for a moment, then nodded, going back to his book. But the guilt gnawed at her.
She had made a promise—to always take care of him, to never let him feel the weight of the things they didn’t have. And now, with the answer literally in her hands, was she really going to let her pride get in the way?
She exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples.
There was only one thing to do.
She would give the money back.
---
The Delacroix dinner was as insufferable as Adrian had expected.
His father talked about business. His mother smiled through gritted teeth. Isabella Delacroix, dressed in expensive silk and expectations, made polite conversation like they weren’t all aware of the real reason for this dinner.
Adrian knew what his parents wanted.
A merger, disguised as a marriage. A carefully constructed arrangement that would strengthen their business ties, ensuring that power and wealth stayed where it belonged.
His name had always belonged to them, carefully shaped and molded into a legacy he hadn’t asked for.
And yet, all he could think about was the market.
The way Audrey had looked at him not with admiration, not with awe, but with skepticism. With challenge.
With honesty.
He had spent his whole life being looked at like a prince. A future ruler. A man whose path was already paved for him.
But when Audrey looked at him, he wasn’t any of those things.
He was just a man buying a mango.
A man who had driven back, despite knowing better.
And if he was being honest with himself, he wasn’t done yet.
---
Audrey reached the market early the next morning, the money folded neatly in her palm.
She wasn’t sure how she was going to find him—if he would even come back—but she had to try.
She didn’t want to owe him anything.
Blessing was already at the stall, watching her with an expression that said she knew exactly what was on Audrey’s mind.
"So," she said, leaning on a sack of onions, "are we expecting a royal company today?"
Audrey shot her a glare. "No."
"Really?" Blessing smirked. "Then why do you look like you’re waiting for someone?"
"I’m not."
"Liar."
Audrey huffed, setting down a crate of oranges with more force than necessary. "He left money yesterday. I’m giving it back."
Blessing’s brows lifted slightly. "That’s all?"
"That’s all."
Blessing studied her for a moment, then shrugged. "Okay."
That was the thing about Blessing—she teased, she plays, but when it mattered, she understood.
Audrey busied herself with setting up the stall, her movements precise, focused. But with every passing minute, a strange tension built in her chest.
Because she was waiting.
And she hated that she was.
---
Adrian wasn’t sure if he was making a mistake.
Again.
But that didn’t stop him from driving to the market.
It was reckless. Irresponsible.
And yet, here he was, weaving through the crowd, searching for the one person who made him feel like more than just a last name.
When he spotted her, standing behind her stall, his pulse did something unfamiliar.
She looked up at the same moment.
For a second, neither of them moved.
Then Audrey exhaled, shook her head, and stepped around the stall, closing the distance between them.
"Here," she said, thrusting the money at him.
Adrian arched a brow. "Good morning to you too."
She narrowed her eyes. "Take it."
He glanced at the money, then back at her. "No."
Audrey’s jaw tightened. "I don’t need your charity."
"It wasn’t charity," he said simply.
"Then what was it?"
Adrian held her gaze. "A gift."
Audrey let out a sharp laugh. "From a man who barely knows me?"
He tilted his head slightly. "Does that matter?"
"Yes," she said firmly. "Because men like you don’t just give things. They expect something in return."
Adrian’s expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes flickered. "And what do you think I expect from you, Audrey?"
She faltered, caught off guard by the quiet intensity of his voice.
She didn’t know.
And that was what scared her.
Her fingers curled around the bills, tightening. "I don’t want it."
Adrian studied her for a long moment, then slowly reached out.
For a split second, Audrey thought he was going to take the money.
But instead, his fingers brushed against hers, warm and deliberate.
Her breath hitched.
"You don’t have to take it," he murmured. "But you don’t have to fight everything, either."
Her heart pounded in her chest, and she hated that he had this effect on her.
She yanked her hand back, shoving the money against his chest. "Just take it."
This time, Adrian didn’t argue. He took the bills, slipping them into his pocket without another word.
But the way he looked at her steady and unreadable made her stomach twist.
Without another word, she turned and walked away, heart hammering.
Because the worst part?
She wasn’t sure if she wanted him to come back.
Or if she wanted him to stay away.
---
- Writer
