Alara
The next morning, after Kaelen had left for work, I lingered upstairs longer than usual. I didn’t want to face anyone, not after everything that had happened last night. My heart still felt heavy, as if it had been shattered into a million pieces, and I wasn’t sure how to put it back together. But eventually, I knew I had to go downstairs and start my day. I couldn’t hide forever.
As I descended the stairs, I heard movement in the kitchen. When I reached the bottom, I saw Lucas standing by the door, dressed in his usual work attire, keys in hand. He glanced up as I entered, his expression softening when he saw me.
“Morning,” Lucas said, his voice gentle, as though he could sense the emotional storm still raging inside me.
“Morning,” I replied, my voice weak. I stood there for a m
