CHAPTER 13
Amara woke up with a sharp headache and heavy chest. A hazy film of dilemma lingering over her head as she blinked her eyes open. For a long moment, she took her time looking at the time and remembering what happened before she fell asleep.
Just like someone poured cold water on her, her whole body suddenly froze. She did not fell asleep; in fact she fainted. She couldn’t remember what really caused her to pass out, but only thing was going on in her mind. Martha.
Amara scolded herself for being so careless. How could she forget about Martha? Overtaken by the anxiousness, she quickly swung her legs off the bed when the door of her room opened.
Amara stilled, shocked and taken off guard before she knew, she was tearing up and tried to stand up only to limply fall back on the bed.
“Hush, hush! Everything’s fine, my child. See, I’m here.” Martha mumbled embracing Amara and rubbing her back. Amara held tightly onto Martha.
“I thought…I thought…” Martha rubbed her back, telling her Kaelith allowed her to work. When Amara quiet down, Martha helped her washing up. Amara was still reluctant to let Martha go as the latter reasoned she needed to make lunch.
Amara pouted but let Martha go.
As soon as Martha left the room, she leaned back against the hallway wall and held her hand to her chest, calming her raging heart.
What Kaelith told her last night was still hurting her.
She couldn’t imagine such cruel thing happened to innocent soul as Amara.
She was so pure and naive, how could God let sone vile man do that to her?
Martha held back her tears and was about to go downstairs when Kaelith’s deep voice stopped her.
Slowly turning around Martha met with his cold gaze.
“How is she?” Kaelith asked, though there was no emotion in his voice, there were swirls of both worry and concern in his eyes. Martha swallowed hard.
“It took a while to calm her, but now she is okay.” She lowered her head. Kaelith hummed and turned around to leave.
“Mr. Luca?” Kaelith stopped but didn’t turn around.
“Thank you for letting me stay.” Martha’ s soft voice fell upon his ears as she sprinted downstairs. His chest tight.
******
Kaelith was a kind man. Amara thought. Even she and Martha went behind his back, he did not fired Martha. Amara was suddenly feeling her cheeks flushing. And here she thought Kaelith was a bad man. He even brought more paints for her, and there were more books.
Amara didn’t know how to thank him, but one thing was for sure. Her perspective of him was changing. Amara slowly raised her head to look at the painting she was finishing off. And a heavy feeling settled in her chest.
Four more days to go.
Amara wondered if Rafael remember their anniversary anymore or not. She missed him like crazy. Counting days and tossing in nights just so she could see his one glance. Her hold on the paint brush tightened. Heartless, heartless man.
Amara wanted to scold him for not visiting her. She was so upset, and so confused why did he not once showed her his face. Was something wrong? Rafael did mention he had some work to do, but was he really okay?
Her sullen mood was replaced with worried frown. She prayed he was alright and he’d visit her soon. She was even planning to surprise him on their anniversary.
The thought brought a smile on her lips. She was still to discuss the arrangements with Martha yet, but Amara knew Martha would help her. A small party for Rafael.
It gave her new strength to stroke the paint brush as she hummed a soft tune.
“Love me till ourrrrr breaths sway awayyyyyy….” Amara sang. “Love me till thisssss world fades awayyyyy…” the soft breeze danced through her hair. “I long to be yours, your love so divine,
In this gamble of hearts, your heart as a sign. Our destinies entwined, in this dance so fine. For you, my dear, forever, I pineeeeeee.”
Amara placed the brush on the table and grabbed the rims of her long floor length dress and bunched it into a ball and took a shaky step forward.
“Makeeeee meeeee yourssss!” She sang on top of her lungs, a smile dancing on her lips as she timidly tried to balance herself.
“In the realm of love, our fates aligned.
Destiny's design, our hearts combined. But little did we know, betrayal's cruel game. Would bring forth hurt and pain, igniting the flame.”
She swayed on her feet. As the gentle breeze filtered through the window, the sheer curtain fluttered, creating a delicate dance of their own. The room filled with sweet scent of colors and peonies as Amara giggled and lost herself in the moment dancing without any care.
For once in these days since he regained her consciousness, she finally could feel herself from within. The real Amara that was somewhere buried deep inside, under all the weight of whatever her past was.
For once she didn’t care about anything. There was nothing on her mind, just the soft tune she hummed and made-up lyrics she muttered without any care in the world.
“Love's sweet embrace, it pulled us nearby.
Yet fate's cruel hand, it's crystal clear.
In this song of emotions, our hearts confide.
With love and betrayal, we're caught in the tideeee, my loveeeee. Make me yoursssss.” Her reflection in the mirror captured her ethereal beauty and so did the man standing at her doorstep.
Complement and utterly mesmerised and captivated.
Kaelith stood there, watching as Amara twirled, the flowy material of her dress moving with her, her eyes alight with mix of happiness and something that couldn’t be explained. She looked so carefree, so relaxed, that it only pierced his chest more.
The sun dipped below the horizon outside but for Kaelith, his sun was still shining bright in front of him.
Her steps looked clumsy, yet she managed to radiate the innocence and elegance he always admired.
She might had lost her memories, but the glow she had within her, it was still there. She was still his Amara.
Amara turned gracefully through the room, her beige dress billowing around her like flowing river. Her heart felt light, lost in the song, unaware of unnerving gaze on her, as she turned around, her gaze suddenly locked into her reflection in the mirror and her eyes widened in surprise.
There stood Kaelith, leaning against the door frame, his tall figure silhouetted against the warm, dusky light. His intense stormy-grey eyes were fixated on her. The raw indescribable emotions swirling in his eyes.
Caught off guard, Amara stumbled in her dance, arms flared but she quickly regained her balance. A blush tinted her cheeks as the realisation hit her. How long had he been watching her?
Their eyes locked and in that moment, time seemed to still. She could see something unfathomable in his eyes that mirrored her own emotions.
Kaelith casually pushed himself off the frame, and took a slow and steady step forward.
Amara couldn’t move, even if she tried to, she just couldn’t.
It was as if her feet were glued to the floor.
Kaelith couldn’t take his eyes off her, she looked so beautiful under the sun rays.
Her striking chestnut eyes were like pools of warm chocolate—deep and alluring.
The way her delicate skin flushed with hues of red and pinks excited Kaelith. He wondered how deep that blush ran.
Amara lowered her head unable to meet his intense gaze as he towered over her, the long luxurious brown waves curtained her face.
Her small and heart-shaped lips slowly parted, Kaelith watched them curiously unconsciously licking his own. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know you were home.”
Kaelith tilted his head to side, his fingers twitching in his pockets to whisk away the strands of her hair and put them behind her ears so that he could once again feel how beautiful she was. Instead, he fisted his palms.
“I never left.”
“D-Do you need something?”
“Can you give me what I need?”
“Expect for paints. Anything. Oh, and books too, they’re mine now.”
“And those peonies too.”
Kaelith held back a chuckle. She definitely was something. So innocent and adorable. Contrast to his culpable and dark personality.
His tall frame casting a protective shadow over the petite and delicate features of her body.
His broad shoulders and strong physique seemed to engulf her as he leaned closer, their eyes locked in an intense battle.
Her cheeks flushed with a mix of shyness and embarrassment, sending tingles down her spine.
She could feel her heart race and her breath quicken.
“Then how about a…”
Kaelith casually shifted his eyes to side, just behind Amara, where the unfinished painting was. Though it was unfinished, the silhouette it was bringing caught his attention immediately.
His eyes betrayed his emotions, the warmth replaced with a pang of jealousy and a deep ache in his heart. Rafael’s smiling face stared back at him.
He clenched his fists, unable to conceal the turmoil within him. The realisation that she was painting a portrait of Rafael left him feeling a burning mix of rage and hurt, as if his heart was tied in knots.
The hot burning jealously simmered through his veins settling in his chest, so painfully enraging it made him suddenly remember everything Rafael told him last night.
Amara saw it. Saw it before he could turn around.
Suddenly taken off guard, she frowned. What happened?
Kaelith immediately turned around, and ran his hand through his hair letting out a deep sigh.
Not now. He couldn’t lose his cool in front of her.
It would only scare her and what if she gets another panic attack again.
Calming himself down, Kaelith took deep breaths while Amara looked confusedly and worriedly at him.
When Kaelith was calm, he said, without turning around. “Don’t hop around like a frog, your legs are still weak.” Amara frowned at his rudeness. Frog?
Her brows knitted his frustration. “I’m not a frog. You’re a frog,” “Big, green, dirty frog.” She gritted stomping her foot as she huffed and walked to the chair and plopped down.
Kaelith raised his brows turning around. Did he just call him a frog? Narrowing his eyes he asked in his deep voice. “What did you just say?”
“I don’t want to talk to you. You’re so mean. I thought you were kind, but you’re just so sour. Like a…sour candy!” Amara mumbled angrily pouting her lips and crossed her arms across her chest.
Kaelith blinked. Not believing his eyes. Was she caring out? Acting like a child? All the anger and frustration left his veins replaced with amusement.
He never saw Amra like this. Even when she was child, she would always act like an adult, with wise words and kind gestures. But now…it was amusing how she was showing him her sides that the world was not aware of. Chuckling to himself, Kaelith shook his head.
Amara snapped her head at him clearly unpleased. Was he laughing at her? Was she looking funny? Amara pouted sullenly.
Kaelith tilted his head, the amused grin still lingering on his lips, admiring for a long second.
And then he walked to her, taking the flowing strand of her hair and lifted it to his lips.
Amar was stunned, her wide eyes like saucers.
He gently kissed her hair, and ruffled them and turned around walking away leaving her all flustered and confused. What did…just happened?