Chapter 015
Emilia's POV
He has returned.
The sound of Jonas's suitcase wheels scuffing the tile in the hallway is louder than it should be. Sharp. Startling. It seems to be cutting through the delicate serenity that barely held us together during his absence.
I don't even raise my gaze. I am unable to. Even though my heart is anything but still, I force the stillness by pressing my hands flat against my lap despite their trembling beneath the table.
Then, like a blade, his voice pierces the room.
"You guys really didn't wait for me to eat?"
Lena laughs, a little too loudly and awkwardly. "You promised to be late. We reasoned—
Still. I was only gone for a couple of days. I feel as though I've missed an entire year.
With his arms folded and his jaw clenched, Niklas stands by the ki
