Chapter 8"In The Lift"
1276 Words
Chapter 8_In The Lift
But halfway down the hallway, he stopped.
He looked back at the closed elevator doors.
His face was filled with regret.
Amelia noticed.
“Roman?”
He quickly looked away.
“I'm coming.”
---
Eva walked into the women's restroom and locked the door behind her.
She stood in front of the mirror.
Her eyes were dry.
But her hands were shaking.
She hated herself for caring.
She hated Roman for making her feel like this.
And most of all, she hated the fact that a single sentence from him could still hurt her.
Apologize.
She closed her eyes.
Then her phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
She opened the message.
HE CHOSE HER AGAIN.
Another message arrived.
BUT HE DIDN'T TELL HER WHY.
Eva frowned.
A third message appeared.
ASK ROMAN WHAT AMELIA DID ON OCTOBER 14.
Eva stared at the screen.
Her heart began pounding.
Then another message arrived.
This time, there was a photograph attached.
It showed Amelia entering the hotel on October 14.
Eva stared at the picture.
Amelia had lied.
But why?
And what had she been doing there?
---
Inside Roman's office, Amelia placed a folder on his desk.
“I found this.”
Roman looked at it.
His expression changed.
The black folder.
The missing folder.
“Where did you get this?”
Amelia smiled.
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
She walked closer.
“You don't trust me?”
Roman stared at her.
“Not when you refuse to answer a simple question.”
Amelia's smile faded.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
“From her.”
Roman's eyes hardened.
“Eva isn't the threat.”
Amelia went silent.
Roman looked at the folder.
“Where is page seven?”
Amelia's face changed.
“You know about page seven?”
“Yes.”
“Who told you?”
Roman stepped closer.
“Where is it?”
Amelia didn't answer.
Instead, she whispered,
“You still care about her.”
Roman looked at her.
“That isn't an answer.”
Amelia's eyes filled with anger.
“You defended her.”
“I defended what was right.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You looked at her like you still love her.”
Roman went completely still.
Amelia stared at him.
“I saw it.”
Neither spoke.
Then Amelia turned away.
“Maybe I made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“Thinking you had forgotten her.”
She walked toward the door.
Roman's voice stopped her.
“Amelia.”
She turned.
“Don't ever threaten Eva again.”
Amelia smiled coldly.
“We'll see.”
She left.
Roman remained alone.
He looked down at the black folder.
Then toward the hallway.
His mind returned to Eva's face.
The disappointment in her eyes.
The way she had quietly walked away.
Roman closed his eyes.
He had supported Amelia.
He had watched Eva leave.
And now he hated himself for it.
Outside the office, Eva stood near the elevator.
She had forgotten something on her desk.
She turned back.
At that exact moment, Roman stepped out of his office.
Their eyes met.
Neither spoke.
Eva saw something in his eyes.
Regret.
Shame.
He looked like he wanted to say something.
But he didn't.
Eva simply nodded once.
Then walked away.
Roman watched her disappear down the hallway.
His eyes remained fixed on the place where she had been standing.
And for the first time, he wondered if choosing Amelia had been the biggest mistake of his life.
Eva had almost reached the elevator when she heard footsteps behind her.
She didn't turn around.
She knew who it was.
“Eva.”
She pressed the elevator button.
The doors opened.
She stepped inside.
Roman followed.
Eva immediately looked at him.
“I can take the next one.”
“You don't have to.”
“I know.”
She turned toward the doors.
Roman stepped inside anyway.
The elevator doors closed.
Silence.
Neither of them looked at the other.
The elevator began moving downward.
For several seconds, only the quiet hum of machinery filled the small space.
Then Roman spoke.
“About earlier…”
Eva didn't look at him.
“If you're going to defend Amelia again, don't.”
“I wasn't going to.”
“Then what?”
Roman hesitated.
“I shouldn't have asked you to apologize.”
Eva finally looked at him.
“No.”
“I was angry.”
“You were embarrassed.”
Roman's eyes met hers.
“Yes.”
The elevator suddenly shook.
Eva grabbed the railing.
“What was that?”
Roman immediately pressed the emergency button.
Nothing happened.
The elevator stopped.
The lights flickered.
Then went out.
Eva's breath caught.
“Roman?”
“I'm here.”
Emergency lights came on, casting the elevator in a dim red glow.
Roman pressed the alarm.
No response.
He tried the communication button.
Static.
“Damn it.”
Eva stepped closer to the control panel.
“Are we stuck?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“I don't know.”
She took a slow breath.
“Perfect.”
Roman looked at her.
“Are you okay?”
“I'm fine.”
“You're shaking.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
Eva looked at him.
“Maybe because I'm trapped in an elevator with the man who divorced me.”
Roman went silent.
Eva looked away.
The silence became heavier.
Then Roman said quietly,
“I'm sorry.”
Eva laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“Sorry?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
Roman stared at her.
“For what happened today.”
Eva shook her head.
“That's not enough.”
“I know.”
“For divorcing me?”
Roman's jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
“For humiliating me?”
“Yes.”
“For choosing Amelia?”
His eyes dropped.
“Yes.”
Eva crossed her arms.
“Anything else?”
Roman looked at her.
“I hurt you.”
Eva's eyes filled with emotion, but she refused to let the tears fall.
“You did.”
“I know.”
“No, Roman. You don't.”
She stepped closer.
“You don't know what it was like to wake up one morning and realize the person you trusted most had decided your entire future without even giving you an explanation.”
Roman looked away.
“I thought I was protecting you.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it's the truth.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
Roman said nothing.
Eva's voice became quieter.
“What happened on October 14?”
His eyes lifted.
“I can't tell you yet.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
“Eva—”
“You always have a reason.”
“I know.”
“You always have a secret.”
“I know.”
“And every time I ask a question, you tell me you're protecting me.”
Roman stepped closer.
“I am.”
“Then why does being protected by you feel so much like being destroyed by you?”
Roman froze.
He had no answer.
Eva turned away.
The elevator suddenly made a loud metallic sound.
Both of them looked up.
Then everything went silent again.
Roman moved closer to the control panel.
“Stay back.”
“Why?”
“I don't know what's wrong with the system.”
Eva stepped back.
A few seconds passed.
Then Roman's phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
To be Continued...
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