CHAPTER 57
“Where are we going?” Amara finally broke the silence with a question, her voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of nervousness.
Kaelith veered from their original route, shifting her gaze to his face behind the shades.
A yearning emanated from her eyes, a silent plea to comprehend his emotions, to unravel the feelings concealed by his sunglasses.
She resisted the urge to reach out and tug them away, her desire to peer into his eyes battling with the fear of further provoking him.
I wish to intertwine our souls in every sense, to be enveloped in the essence of your being, regardless of its shade.
She shut her eyes as his words echoed in her head.
Regardless of its shade, he said. But what if…
what if she was colorless? What if she was simply devoid of it all?
What if she was just a blank canvas, lacking in hue and incomplete?
Would he still want to be painted in her colors? Would he still mend her?
She was scared of those answers. As much as she wanted him to be with her, she dreaded the thought. She feared rejection. That one day, in the end, when he’d be bored with her, he’d leave her. That except for her broken soul, she had nothing to give him.
She fidgeted with her hands on her lap. What a vile emotion this was.
Making her forget the line between right and wrong.
Kaelith was a handsome man with plenty of money, she was sure women swooned over his grey eyes and domineering aura, but why did he want only her?
The woman whose identity was just a hazy memory.
The thoughts left a bitter taste in her mouth.
She was so engrossed in her own little world that she didn’t notice Kaelith stealing glances at her through his glasses.
He possessed the ability to understand her as intimately as one of her books- so vulnerable and unfiltered.
The turmoil inside her, he could feel it.
And that irked him to the point he wanted to stop the car, pull her onto his lap and kiss the doubts out of her. But he refrained.
“You must be hungry,” his voice fell upon her ears as she slowly opened her eyelids, his tone light without any hint of anger like earlier. “There’s a restaurant nearby. We can grab a bite.” He wasn’t looking at her.
A pang of guilt gripped her heart. She felt a sense of inadequacy wash over her, overwhelmed by the realization of all that Kaelith had done for her.
Her chest tightened with remorse as she replayed the words she had said, each one a sharp reminder of her recklessness. She had shattered the fragile world that Kaelith had worked so hard to build between them. Everything had been going smoothly, and she had single-handedly destroyed their peace.
And not once she expressed her gratitude, if anything, she hurt him. She couldn’t voice out, but simply nod.
The car came to a smooth halt, and confusion clouded Amara’ s face as her side of the door stubbornly refused to budge.
Suddenly, a subtle click resonated as Kaelith swung the door open for her.
She realized it was child-locked. Lifting her head to meet his gaze, a hitch in her breath hitched and her eyes broadened in awe.
He looked divine under the sun, the sharp jawline and his tanned skin making her want to run her fingers over the flesh.
Averting her eyes, she held onto his hand, feeling tingles where their skin met.
Kaelith helped her out of the car, his strong arm securely enveloping her waist. Amara could hear people around her, chatting and bustling, but with him, her body could focus only on him.
Amara’s cheeks tinged with a warm flush, stirred by both the intimacy of his arm and the stolen glances cast in his direction by onlookers.
Kaelith held the door open; Amara stepped into the restaurant, her gaze sweeping across the opulent surroundings.
The atmosphere exuded an air of sophistication, with bustling movement and an aura of refinement that hinted at its high-end status.
But that was barely for a second as he pulled her to the other side.
“Come,” his voice was a soothing anchor amidst the whirlwind of emotions swirling within her.
Amara nodded in silent assent, her eyes darting about with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.
Kaelith guided her towards a secluded table nestled by the window, she could see the river down below and the Eiffel Tower.
A gasp left her mouth at the sight as she sprinted towards the window and plastered her hands on the window glass and her wide eyes took in the sight.
“It’s… beautiful.” It was her first time seeing such a view.
Ever since she woke up losing her memories, Kaelith had kept her hidden.
And when she was with Rafael, he refused to let her out.
Her eyes sparkled like a child ’ s.
Kaelith smirked, taking a slow step forward and standing just behind her, hands in the pockets of his pants, and leaned down to place a lingering kiss on her nape.
The moment his lips touched her skin, she flinched and was about to turn around when his arms shot up and he placed them on the window pane, caging her between the cold glass and his hard chest. “Yes, sweetheart, it is indeed beautiful.”
He whispered. Amara flushed, feeling her heart racing and breath hitching. Both of them knew he wasn’t talking about any view, but the sinfully tempting woman in front of him.
Kaelith pulled out the chair for her, making her heart beat faster as she mumbled a small thank you before settling into her seat. Fingers fidgeting nervously, she prepared herself to extend her apology, her heart fluttering anxiously in her throat.
As Kaelith took his seat opposite her, his intimidating presence commanded the attention of those nearby.
Whispers of admiration and curiosity followed in his wake, yet amidst the murmurs of onlookers, his gaze remained steadfastly fixed upon her.
Tilting his head inquisitively, he pierced her with an intense stare.
“What is on your mind, little flower?” His words wrapped around her like a gentle yet firm embrace, pulling her into the intensity of his unwavering gaze. Amara’s heart raced as she attempted to voice her thoughts, stumbling over her words in hesitation.
“I wanted to…” But before she could continue, a familiar voice sliced through the moment.
“Kaelith? Amara?”
The world crumbled beneath her as Amara’s eyes widened, snapping toward the voice.
There stood Anna, her lips painted in a shade of red that matched the confusion etched across her face.
Stepping to the side, Anna regarded Kaelith and Amara with a skeptical gaze, casting a shadow over the once-warm friendship.
“A-Anna,” Amara stammered completely bewildered.
Anna looked between them. Her lips twitched and a small barely noticeable scowl rested upon her lips. Her narrowed gaze settled on Amara leaving the girl flustered and fidgeting.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were with Rafael in Canada. What happened? When did you get back Russia, Kael?” Anna’ s frown deepened, her voice tinged with confusion. Amara, still grappling with the unexpected turn, fidgeted in her seat, feeling the weight of Anna’s now cold gaze.
Rafael. She hadn’t heard of him ever since that day.
The memories were still afresh but with Kaelith, the pain was bearable.
It made her realize how much she was emotionally dependent on him.
Her gaze shifted from Anna to Kaelith who looked unbothered.
His grey eyes on her and an emotionless facade hiding the storm underneath.
And Amara’s chest tightened.
She called him Kael.
They were on nickname bases.
“Canada?” Amara asked, a puzzled expression clouding her features, her mind reeling from the mention of Rafael’s name. An involuntary shiver ran down her spine.
“Umm… did I miss something?” Anna inquired, her gaze shifting between Kaelith and Amara once again. Slowly travelling down Amara’s exposed shoulders, small red marks on her neck, and the way Kaelith looked at her as if he wanted to devour her whole, it made Anna feel turmoil within.
Anna turned to Kaelith, a jealousy-filled look masked her features as she asked sarcastically.
“Was this the reason you cancelled our date today?” Amara couldn’t have snapped her head so fast.
What date was she talking about? Her heart fluttered as she fisted her palms. Now that she noticed, Anna seemed displeased upon seeing them together. A sliver of doubt crossed her mind. Was there something going on between them?
“I was busy,” Kaelith replied, seemingly unperturbed as he caught Amara’s gaze. Her eyes filled with hurt and her lips parted as if she desired to say something. But then she closed her lips and lowered her gaze.
Kaelith’s jaw clenched.
Anna scoffed, her eyes slanted as she glared at Amara and then at Kaelith.
“Busy? Busier than having dinner with your fiancé?”