LinesBetweenThePastAndThePresent
The clock above the fireplace ticked past eleven when the door to the Reeve mansion creaked open. Killian stepped in, loosening his tie, his face blank of emotion as the weight of the day finally caught up with him. The house was silent. A gentle hum of the hallway chandelier filled the space,casting golden light on the marble floor. His shoes echoed softly as he made his way upstairs, each step heavier than the last.
He didn't expect Elara to still be awake. The evening had been exhausting. The meeting dragged longer than anticipated, the presence of Vivienne, once a childhood friend and now a storm from the past, only adding fuel to a situation already teetering on the edge. He hadn't meant for her to show up-certainly not like that. But life had a funny way of unearthing the inconvenient at the worst times.
As he reached the bedroom, the door was already slightly ajar. Light spilled from inside, soft and warm,and when he pushed it open, he found Elara sitting by the window, a cup of tea in hand. She was dressed in one of her simpler silk robes, her legs tucked beneath her, eyes staring out at the moonlight.
She didn't look up when he entered.
Killian sighed, setting his phone on the dresser and removing his wristwatch.
"you're still awake."
Elara's voice was calm, emotionless.
"The house was too quiet."
He nodded, unsure how to begin. "I would've been back earlier, but the meeting ran long."
She took a sip of her tea, still not facing him. "I know."
There was a pause, the silence between them threaded with unspoken things.
The kind of quiet that felt like standing in the eye of a storm.
"Vivienne left?" he asked.
Elara finally turned to him, her expression unreadable. " She left,few minutes after you."
Killian loosened his collar and sat on the edge of the bed. "She shouldn't have come. Not like that."
"She's close to your family," Elara replied softly. " She was bound to appear event."
Killian looked over at her, his tone even.
"There's nothing between us, if that's what you're thinking."
"I'm not thinking anything," she said folding her hands on her lap. "You don't owe me explanations,Killian. This is a contract. I understand what that means."
Something about her poise, the way she held herself at that moment, felt more cutting than any accusation. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor.
"You're not just a contract," he said. "This situation- it's not easy for either of us. But I didn't ask for the past to interfere. I didn't invite it."
Elara tilted her head. "But the past never really goes away. It lingers, even in silence."
Killian looked up at her, his jaw tightening. "I'm not interested in Vivienne. Whatever my family might have wished back then, it doesn't matter now."
Elara gave a small smile,one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You don't have to convince me,Killian. We both have roles to play, and you've been doing yours well. You shielded me from the press. You stood beside me at the wedding. You've played your part."
He didn't know what to say to that-how to explain that something in her presence had started to unravel the careful walls he'd built for years. She was right. This was a contract. Nothing more, nothing less. And yet....
"Elara," he said quietly, " I don't want you to feel like you're alone in this house."
She looked at him, eyes steady. "I've always been alone, Killian. This isn't new."
That stuck something in him- deeper than he expected. He stood then,rubbing the back of his neck before turning toward the closet.
"Get some rest. Tomorrow, we have the Reeve Charity brunch."
"I'll be ready," she replied simply.
As he changed into something more comfortable, the silence between them returned. It wasn't angry or tense. Just quiet. Distant.
He paused at the edge of the bed and glanced over his shoulder.
"And we'll need to start preparing for the company's anniversary celebration next week. It's expected we attend together."
Elara nodded. "Of course."
"It's a major event," he added. "There will be international guests. My grand father will expect us to be seen- together, cooperative,presentable."
"I understand," she said,her tone composed. "Just let me know the details."
Killian climbed into the bed beside her, careful not to disturb her stillness.
Though they were only inches apart, the distance felt vast. Yet, as the lights dimmed and the quiet wrapped around them, something settled in the stillness- acceptance, maybe. A silent truce.
Before sleep could claim them,Elara whispered, "Thank you... for tonight."
Killian didn't reply right away. Then, in a tone as soft as hers, he said,"You don't have to thank me.I said I would protect you- and I meant it."
Another quiet pause followed.
And though they did not touch, something invisible shifted between them.The kind of shift that hinted at a bond not yet spoken aloud but growing, thread by thread, beneath the silence.
(Earlier)
Vivienne sat stiffly in the backseat of the car, her jaw tight, fingers curled around her purse. She hadn't expected Elara to hold her gaze so calmly, so unaffected.
That quiet composure stung more than a slap. Killian wasn't there to defend her.
She exhaled shakily, eyes fixed on the road ahead. Maybe she'd come to reclaim something that no longer existed. Elara didn't need to fight her; her presence alone had said everything. Vivienne pressed her lips together.
This wasn't only about jealousy-it was something colder. Regret,maybe. She'd regretted not telling Killian how she felt long time ago. Regretted traveling to take care of her father's business abroad. And for the first time,she wondered if she'd miscalculated.