A nostalgic smile crept on the man’s face, his eyes twinkling. "Oh, indeed, my dear. Fantasy has been my constant companion throughout my years spent amidst these shelves of knowledge. There's simply nothing quite like theallure of a well-crafted tale, the intoxicating scent of old parchment, and the boundless worlds they conjure within our imaginations."
Amara's gaze lingered longingly on the rows of books, a sigh escaping her lips as she drank in the sight. "It must be an experience."
“Oh. It is. It is.” The man mumbled making the bill.
“That’s all you want?”
Amara jumped startled as Kaelith's voice resonated in her ears, she felt a sudden stillness settle over her, every muscle in her body tensing instantly. Unconsciously, she bit down on her lip, a nervous gesture that betrayed the turmoil of emotions swirling within her.
She looked back, craning her neck as her gaze flickered briefly towards him, her eyes locking onto his with an intensity that belied her. She nodded in response, suddenly feeling tongue-tied.
Kaelith gave the old man a solemn nod before retrieving his card. As he handed it over, Amara couldn't shake the pang of guilt that washed over her. Here he was, generously spending his money on her, and yet she had wounded him with her thoughtless words. The weight of her remorse settled heavily upon her shoulders, threatening to drown her in a sea of self-reproach.
The old man wrapped the books, before carefully placing them into a paper bag. With a warm smile and a wave goodbye, he bid them farewell.
Amara returned the man's smile with one of her own, though it felt strained upon her lips, a feeble attempt to mask the guilt that gnawed at her conscience. She followed Kaelith out of the store, her eyes drawn to the bags he carried.
CHAPTER 57
“Where are we going?” Amara finally broke the silencewitha question,hervoice 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 anddomineering 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 witha 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.”
