Chapter 10 - Misunderstanding
1627 Words
Chapter 11 - Misunderstanding
"I'll head upstairs."
The words were barely above a whisper.
Before either of them could respond, Lya was already making her way up the staircase.
Neither man said anything.
Aidan placed the car keys into the crystal bowl resting on the antique console table beside the entrance before loosening his tie.
Iskandar lowered himself onto the couch, his eyes following Lya until she disappeared around the corner of the second floor.
"She looks upset."
Aidan sat opposite him.
"I overheard part of the phone call."
Concern lingered quietly in Iskandar's voice.
Aidan raised an eyebrow.
"You were eavesdropping?"
"No."
Iskandar shook his head.
"The car wasn't exactly spacious."
Aidan couldn't help letting out a small chuckle.
"Fair enough."
Silence settled between them once again.
Then Iskandar spoke.
"I've never seen her apologise that much."
That made Aidan pause.
He knew exactly what Iskandar meant.
Lya had always been the type to apologise first, even when she wasn't entirely at fault.
"I know."
Aidan leaned back against the sofa.
"I just don't want us jumping to conclusions."
"If we're wrong..."
"...we'll only end up hurting her."
Iskandar understood.
More than anyone.
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.
"I'm not trying to interfere."
"I know."
"She's your sister."
A faint smile crossed Iskandar's face.
"And mine too."
Aidan looked at him before smiling faintly.
"You've been saying that since she was born."
"I've known her since she was ten hours old."
"And you've been spoiling her for twenty-two years."
"I'm aware."
That finally earned a genuine laugh from both of them.
The heavy atmosphere eased, if only for a moment.
"We'll take it one step at a time," Aidan said, pulling out his phone.
He opened a food delivery app and began scrolling through the nearby restaurants.
"What are you in the mood for?"
"Anything."
"Chinese?"
Iskandar nodded.
"Sounds good."
Aidan tapped the screen a few more times before placing the order.
"Forty minutes."
Upstairs, Lya sat quietly against the headboard, her phone resting in both hands.
She had been staring at the same conversation for several minutes.
Reading.
Scrolling.
Reading again.
You've been ignoring me.
Replying only takes thirty seconds.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, typing a reply before deleting it again.
Nothing seemed right.
Just as she was about to try again...
The screen lit up.
Irfan is video calling...
Lya stared at it until the ringtone stopped.
Then another call came.
She silenced her phone.
Slowly, she stood and walked into the bathroom.
Warm water streamed into the bathtub as she poured in her favourite bubble bath, followed by a few drops of ylang-ylang essential oil.
The familiar floral scent gradually filled the room.
She scattered a handful of dried rose petals across the water before slowly sinking into the warmth.
For the first time that day...
She exhaled.
The warm water eased the tension in her shoulders.
The fragrance calmed her racing thoughts.
She closed her eyes, hoping to silence the noise inside her head.
But instead...
Irfan's messages echoed louder.
You've been ignoring me.
Replying only takes thirty seconds.
Her chest tightened.
A tear escaped before she even realised she was crying.
Then another.
Soon, silent tears rolled freely down her cheeks, disappearing into the warm water around her.
She didn't know why she was crying.
Was it exhaustion after an entire day of meetings?
Was it guilt?
Or was it because, no matter how hard she tried to explain herself...
She still felt like she had done something wrong.
Maybe...
It was all of them.
Downstairs, the house remained unusually quiet.
The television stayed off.
Neither Aidan nor Iskandar felt like filling the silence with unnecessary conversation.
Both were occupied with their own thoughts.
The doorbell finally broke the silence.
"That should be dinner."
Aidan got to his feet and headed for the front door while Iskandar remained seated, absent-mindedly scrolling through the news on his phone.
The aroma of Chinese takeaway quickly filled the dining area.
Aidan carried the takeaway bags into the kitchen and placed them neatly on the counter.
"They'll keep for a while."
He loosened his tie before looking at Iskandar.
"I'm going to shower first."
"We'll eat together once we're done."
He paused.
"Can you call Lya after your shower?"
"Sure."
Aidan disappeared into the bathroom, while Iskandar made his way towards the room he had been using for years whenever he stayed over.
Even though the house had several guest rooms, Iskandar had never used any of them.
For as long as anyone could remember, he always stayed in Aidan's room.
It had simply become a habit.
Years ago, it started with late-night video games, football matches and movies that somehow lasted until sunrise.
Nothing had changed.
Except that both boys had grown into men.
The room across the hallway still belonged to Lya.
Iskandar loosened his tie and placed it neatly over the chair before unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt.
His phone buzzed briefly with several work notifications, but he ignored them.
For today...
He had had enough meetings.
A few minutes later, after Aidan stepped out of the bathroom, Iskandar went in for a quick shower.
The warm water washed away the exhaustion from the long day, but it did little to clear his mind.
Yet his thoughts kept drifting back to Lya.
The way she apologised over and over during the phone call.
The forced smile.
The silence.
Something about it didn't sit right with him.
After changing into a pair of black jogger pants and a simple grey T-shirt, Iskandar stepped out of Aidan's room and walked across the hallway.
He stopped in front of Lya's bedroom and knocked gently.
"Lya?"
No answer.
"Dinner's ready."
Silence.
He frowned slightly.
Normally, Lya would answer immediately.
Even if she wasn't hungry.
He gently turned the doorknob.
Unlocked.
The door opened just enough for him to peek inside. The bedroom was dimly lit.
The curtains had already been drawn.
Lya was leaning against the headboard, still wrapped in her fluffy pink bathrobe. One arm was loosely hugging a pillow.
She had fallen asleep.
Or...
At least she looked like she had.
Then...
He noticed it. A faint trail of tears still glistened beneath one eye. His expression softened.
For a brief moment, he considered letting her sleep.
She looked exhausted.
But another thought crossed his mind.
Lya had skipped lunch.
She had barely touched the snacks during the coffee break.
If she went to bed without eating, she'd wake up complaining about an upset stomach.
Quietly, he stepped inside, deliberately leaving the bedroom door slightly ajar.
Never closed.
Never leaving room for misunderstanding.
He walked towards the bed.
"Lya..."
No response.
He crouched beside her.
"Darling."
Her eyelashes fluttered.
Slowly...
She opened her eyes.
Confused.
"...Is?"
"You fell asleep."
She blinked several times before sitting up slightly.
"Oh..."
"I didn't mean to."
"You haven't eaten."
"I'm not hungry."
"I know."
"But you still need to eat."
Lya lowered her gaze.
"I'm really okay."
Iskandar didn't argue.
He didn't ask why she had been crying.
He didn't mention the tear he had seen.
Instead, he smiled gently.
"Aidan ordered your favourite."
She looked up.
"Chinese?"
He nodded.
"Sweet and sour chicken."
"Salted egg prawns."
A tiny smile appeared.
"...And?"
He smiled.
"Fried dumplings."
"And spring rolls."
"There."
Lya frowned.
"What?"
"That's better."
"What is?"
"You."
She couldn't help smiling a little wider.
"I'll get changed first."
"Take your time."
Iskandar rose to his feet.
Without another word, he walked out of the room, gently pulling the door until it remained slightly ajar before making his way downstairs.
Several minutes later, Lya joined them at the dining table.
She had changed into her dusty pink satin pyjamas.
Although she still looked tired, the heaviness on her face had eased ever so slightly.
Dinner was quieter than usual.
Still...
It felt comforting.
The conversation drifted naturally between Aidan and Iskandar as they discussed the Southern Expansion Project, upcoming meetings and a few unresolved matters from earlier that afternoon.
Lya listened more than she spoke.
Every now and then, Iskandar would place another piece of food onto her plate before she even realised it had disappeared.
"Thanks, Is."
He simply nodded.
"Eat a little more."
Aidan glanced between the two before shaking his head.
"I don't know whether you're feeding my sister or fattening her."
"I'm helping."
"That's what you always say."
For the first time that evening, Lya laughed.
A genuine one.
Dinner came to an end.
Together, they cleared the table and packed away the leftovers before loading the dishwasher.
"I'm calling it a night."
Lya let out a small yawn.
"I'm beat."
"Sleep well."
"Good night."
Both men watched as she disappeared upstairs.
Only after they heard her bedroom door close did Aidan pick up two mugs of black coffee.
"Come."
He nodded towards the open-air pavilion overlooking the garden.
The night breeze greeted them the moment they stepped outside.
For a while...
Neither of them spoke.
Then Aidan finally broke the silence.
"You saw it too."
Iskandar didn't need to ask what he meant.
"Yeah."
Another silence.
"I've never seen her cry because of someone before."
Aidan rested both hands around his coffee mug.
"Not even after university."
"Not even after she failed her driving test."
A faint smile crossed Iskandar's face before fading just as quickly.
"I don't know what he says to her."
He looked out into the dark garden.
"But every time she talks to him..."
His voice grew quieter.
"...she stops looking like herself."
The breeze swept through the pavilion.
Neither of them spoke again.
Because, for the first time...
They shared the same worry.
- Writer
