“Do you want something else?” He asked amusedly.
“N-No, I mean. Will you leave then?” She shook her head as her cheeks crimsoned. Kaelith clicked his tongue.
“For now, yes, I will leave. Once you promise me.”
Amara glanced at the clock. And let out a tired sigh.
“I promise.” Anything to make him leave for now.
“Then, be prepared. I’ll have someone pick you up at 11 tomorrow.” Kaelith said walking to the door. Amara stopped him.
“I cannot leave the house.”
Kaelith stopped looking over his shoulder and crossed his arms across his chest.“Then I will not leave now.”
“Okay…I will.” She mumbled defeatedly.
CHAPTER 32
Amara was restless. She couldn’t even do any chores. The laundry was dirty, the kitchen was a mess, and even her room was unkempt. It took everything in her not to get under the warmth of blankets and sleep in. Cause the more she stayed awake, the deeper her thoughts were taking her.
Ever since Kaelith left, she sat alone in the dimly lit living room, the curtains draped over the window— she didn’t even know if it was still a day or the night was ascending. The silence echoed the turmoil within her. The subtle hum of the clock on the wall seemed to mock the chaotic rhythm of her thoughts. As she traced absent patterns on the armrest of the couch, her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.
Her fingers brushed over the petals of Peonies, the velvety texture felt soft against her skin, and the sweet and delicate fragrance, not overpowering but rather a soft lingering aroma that reminded her of Kaelith.
The way his fingers traced the length of her neck, the way his lips molded her in a fierce heated kiss. His arms—oh—she couldn’t forget the warmth he made her feel.
His touch unfolded her like petals of peonies in her hand.
A shiver ran down her spine recalling the way he looked at her. How he made her feel. Even if she wanted to resist him, there was no way she could. The power of his seduction was too much.
The subtle possessive glances, the bold claim of her.
Yet, the more she thought about him, the more she felt herself digging a grave for herself. Rafael.
What would he think of her? No. What would he do with her if he ever realized that she met Kaelith even after his disappointment?
Amara shuddered at the thought.
The room now held a chilling air that mirrored the testaments of her life. Amara's eyes lost in the shadows,reflectedtheweightofunspokenfears.Hergazefixatedontheweddingringthatfelt heavier than ever on her trembling hand.
She felt like standing on a rift, where one side was a cliff, and on the other, there was an ocean. Unconsciousactionsbetrayedtheconflictwithin.Sheabsentlytwirledastrandofherhair,a nervous tick. The rhythmic tapping of her foot against the floor echoed the turmoil in her heart. Emotions surged like a tempest. There was longing for the Kaelith, mingled with the fear of Rafael. Amara'seyesnowheldahintofsorrowandaflickerofsomethingdeeper–anunspoken realization that the walls of her own home had become a prison.
As she replayed the scenes of their unravelling relationship, a shiver ran down her spine. The man she used to feel safe around had morphed into someone she hesitated to look in the eye. The subtle bruises on her soul mirrored the visible ones that she concealed with long sleeves.
Her thoughts, like fragile threads, wove a tapestry of despair, leaving her trapped in the gilded cage of a life she had never imagined.
Her memories scattered like fragments of shattered mirrors. She desired to know what the last hold, was but was afraid of what she might explore there. Afraid of the monsters that lurked in the shadows of her nightmares.
The mere thought of delving into the abyss of forgotten memories sent tremors through her being. Unanswered questions looked like a ghost and the fear of the unknown.
She was caught in a paradox, yearning for the solace of her remembrance yet dreading the storms it would bring with it.
Amara sank into the couch with a deep sigh throwing her head back and looking at the ceiling. The soft fabric of her long-sleeved dress cradled her tired frame. With another sigh, she closedher eyes hoping for her fears to disappear. The silence engulfed her and the subtle hum of theworld outside dimmed.
The boundaries between reality and dream blurred as she felt her lids growing heavy. She didn’t realize when she let the tears soak her cheeks, or when she let the sleep take over. Cause the transition between consciousness and unconsciousness was so seamless she couldn’t recall when she let the sleep melt her away.
A melodic hum echoed in the back of her head as the soft peonies slid from her fingers, landing softly on the carpet. Her body relaxed and the monsters she wished to see in her dreams never came.
