Ashlyn spun around and noticed Khalid standing at the base of the staircase. She wanted to leave, but the moment had slipped away. In a fleeting moment, their gazes connected.
At that moment, a shadow flickered in Khalid’s eyes, an expression Ashlyn couldn’t unravel.
Ashlyn hurriedly sprang to her feet, clearly flustered. “I… I have something to do…” Words dissolved in her throat, her mind blank as silence stretched between them.
However, she had barely risen and turned toward her room when Khalid crossed the space in three strides, his fingers locking around her wrist. Khalid, known for his steeled composure, now radiated restless tension, his demeanor fraying at the edges. “Ashlyn, we have to talk.”
Ashlyn’s thoughts churned in turmoil as she lowered her gaze, overwhelmed and flustered, unsure how to face Khalid. “Not now. Later, we will talk,” she murmured, her desire to leave still persistent.
However, Khalid’s grip on her hand didn’t loosen; it only grew tighter.
Khalid’s voice was calm, yet laced with quiet authority, “Look at me, Ashlyn.”
Ashlyn’s chin stayed stubbornly tucked, her gaze anchored to the floor like a shield against his piercing demand.
She was overwhelmed by fear, uncertain how to face Khalid. The cherished memories they shared now felt like fleeting dreams, evaporating into nothingness. Her emotions tangled into a labyrinth she couldn’t navigate, every thread of thought knotted too tightly to unravel.
A glimmer of panic danced in Khalid’s eyes as he cradled her face in his hands, compelling her to meet his gaze.
At that precise moment, Ashlyn plastered on a strained smile, her eyes briefly meeting Khalid’s before she murmured, “Let’s just… not do this now. I’m exhausted.”
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“Exactly how much did you hear?” Khalid cut off her rambling, asking directly with unwavering determination.
Ashlyn felt the walls closing in; this time, there was no escape, no shadow to hide in. Her smile vanished, a tingling sensation rising in her nose as she dared not meet Khalid’s gaze.
“I heard everything. So, are you breaking up with me?”
Even then, Ashlyn was fully aware that she had no desire to end their relationship. Even if Sophia’s shadow still lingered in his past, even if her memory clung to him like a ghost, or even if there were layers to him she couldn’t fully unravel… Ashlyn refused to let herself care. Right now, she just wanted to maintain the relationship as it was.
Deep down, Ashlyn feared that unraveling the truth would sever the fragile thread holding them together—that one honest conversation might shatter what little she and Khalid had left.
.
.
.