Chapter 21
That evening, a storm rolled in without warning.
2013
Elara was in the kitchen making coffee when thunder cracked outside, and rain began to hammer against the glass. She had just secured the window when she heard a frantic knocking at the door.
“Who is it?” She pulled the door open to find Liam standing there, soaked to the bone, clutching something tightly to his chest.
“Come in, quickly!” she said, stepping aside to let him in.
Liam hurried inside and carefully opened his jacket. A tiny, shivering white kitten was curled up inside.
“I found him in the alley. He almost got washed away,” he said, his voice low and concerned.
Elara immediately grabbed a towel and gently wrapped it around the kitten. “Let’s get him dry. I’ll get the hairdryer.”
She turned to go, but Liam caught her by the wrist.
“Your hair is wet too,” he said with a frown, brushing a stray, damp strand from her shoulder.
They were standing very close. Elara could smell the clean scent of rain on him, mixed with a hint of pine.
and she instinctively took a small step back.
Her heart skipped a beat,
Tha
બોસના
དར་ད ིང3ཡིན་དང་།
Liam let go of her hand and cleared his throat. “Let’s take care of the cat first.”
“Right,” she said, her ears feeling warm.
Later, Elara was sitting on the living room floor, gently stroking the kitten’s head. It had fallen asleep, its tiny body rising and falling
with each breath.
Liam came over with two mugs of hot milk and handed one
her. “Not sleeping yet?”
“I’ll stay with him a little longer,” she said, taking the mug, the warmth seeping into her fingers.
Liam sat down beside her. After a moment of silence, he spoke. “Elara.”
AFT
“Yes?”
“if one day…” he began, his voice very soft, “you wanted to start a new relationship, what kind of person would
you
consider?”
Elara froze and turned to look at him.
Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating his profile. He was smiling, but his eyes held an undisguised, intense emoti-
- on.
Her heart began to beat faster. A faint blush crept up her neck, and she quickly looked away. “I… I haven’t thought about it.”
Liam smiled and didn’t press her.
They sat in comfortable silence, the only sound the soft purring of the kitten.
Elara was kneeling in a corner of the garden, holding out a small piece of fish to the little white kitten. The kitten ate happily, occas-
ionally rubbing its head against her fingers with a contented purr. She couldn’t help but smile, gently tapping its nose.
“Liam, don’t you think he’s getting a little chubby?” she asked without turning around, assuming he had just arrived.
There was no answer, only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves.
Frowning slightly, Elara was about to turn when a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.
A familiar scent instantly enveloped her–the cold, sharp scent of cedar mixed with a faint trace of tobacco. It was Damien’s scent.
20.13
Chapter 21
Her entire body went rigid.
2013 O
“I finally found you…” Damien’s voice was a low, hoarse whisper in her ear, thick with an unconcealable tremor. His arms were a steel band around her waist, as if he feared she would vanish the second he let go.
Elara’s breath hitched. Then, she composed herself, her voice as cold as ice. “Let go.”
Instead of releasing her, Damien held her even tighter, as if trying to merge her into his very being. “Elara, do you have any idea how
long I’ve been looking for you? I’ve searched every corner of this city, I even sent people overseas… How could you just disappear?”
“Damien,” she said his full name, her tone devoid of any emotion. “Let. Me. Go.”
“I won’t!” his voice suddenly rose, cracking with a loss of control. “Why did you leave? Why did you just walk away without a word?
Do you have any idea what I-”
His words were cut short as a figure shot out from the side, and a fist connected squarely with Damien’s jaw.
20.43.
