kiss of regrets

The Start

The orphanage was a place of refuge, where laughter echoed through the halls, and the innocence of children brought warmth to even the coldest of hearts. Liam had found solace in the time he spent there, helping the children with their daily tasks, guiding them through their lessons, and offering them the comfort he had once craved.

It was a peaceful afternoon, the sun casting a soft, golden glow through the large windows as Liam helped a small group of kids with their reading. Their faces lit up with joy as he patiently guided them through the words, his gentle smile a source of encouragement.

As he knelt beside one of the children, helping her sound out a particularly tricky word, Liam felt a pair of eyes on him. He looked up, his smile fading slightly as he met the gaze of a man standing in the doorway.

Blake stood there, his tall frame casting a shadow into the room. His expression was unreadable, his dark eyes locked onto Liam with an intensity that made Liam's heart skip a beat. There was something in Blake’s gaze, something that felt both familiar and unsettling.

Blake watched Liam closely, his mind racing as he took in the sight of the young Beta. He hadn’t expected to find anyone of interest in this place, much less someone who would stir the long-buried memories of his past. But as he looked at Liam, Blake felt a jolt of recognition—a shock that sent a chill down his spine.

*He looks just like him,* Blake thought, his chest tightening as the image of his first love flashed before his eyes. The resemblance was uncanny—the same soft features, the same gentle eyes. It was as if time had turned back, and he was staring at the ghost of someone he had lost long ago.

Liam, unaware of the storm brewing within Blake, returned his focus to the children, though he couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted in the room. There was a tension in the air, an unspoken connection that he couldn’t quite understand.

As the children continued their reading, Blake stepped further into the room, his gaze never leaving Liam. He studied every detail of Liam’s face, his heart caught between the pull of the past and the reality of the present. *Could it be?* he wondered, his thoughts spiraling into confusion and longing. *How is this possible?*

Liam finally stood, his smile returning as he noticed Blake approaching. “Hello,” he greeted warmly, trying to ease the tension he felt. “Are you here to visit the orphanage?”

Blake nodded slowly, his voice low as he replied, “Yes. But I didn’t expect to find someone like you here.”

Liam tilted his head slightly, puzzled by the strange tone in Blake’s voice. “Someone like me?” he echoed, unsure of what Blake meant.

Blake hesitated, the words catching in his throat. How could he explain the flood of emotions that had overtaken him? How could he tell this stranger that he was a mirror image of a love he had never forgotten?

“Yes,” Blake finally said, his voice softening as he looked into Liam’s eyes. “You… remind me of someone.”

Liam smiled politely, though the curiosity in his eyes deepened. “I see. Well, I’m just here to help the kids. They’re wonderful, aren’t they?”

Blake nodded again, though his thoughts were far from the children. All he could see was the face of the boy he had once loved, the boy who had left a scar on his heart that had never truly healed. And now, here was Liam—so similar, yet so different—standing before him, unknowingly pulling at those old wounds.

As Liam turned back to the children, Blake’s mind raced. He didn’t know what this resemblance meant, or why fate had brought Liam into his life. But he knew one thing for certain: he couldn’t ignore the pull he felt towards Liam, the strange and haunting connection that had formed between them in an instant.

After a few more hours spent at the orphanage, as the day began to wind down, Liam finally bid the children goodbye. Blake, who had stayed longer than he intended, watched Liam with a calculating gaze. He needed answers, and he knew exactly how to get them.

Once they were outside the orphanage, Blake’s demeanor shifted. He offered Liam a polite, almost friendly farewell, but his mind was already working on the next step. As soon as Liam was out of sight, Blake pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

“Mr. Blake,” his secretary answered on the first ring, her voice crisp and professional.

“I need you to do something for me,” Blake said, his tone leaving no room for questions. “There’s someone I want you to investigate. His name is Liam. Find out everything you can about him—his background, his connections, anything that might be of interest.”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line as his secretary took in the order. “Understood. I’ll get started on it right away.”

Blake ended the call, slipping the phone back into his pocket. His gaze turned back to the orphanage, where Liam had just disappeared from view. *Who are you, Liam?* he wondered, a mix of curiosity and something darker twisting in his chest. *And why do you look so much like him?*

As Blake walked away from the orphanage, the weight of his past and the mystery of Liam’s identity hung heavy in the air. He was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what it might reveal.