Chapter 75
Chapter 75:
Unease prickled beneath his steady gaze, and she pushed herself to her feet. “Well, it’s getting late. I should freshen up. You can keep working p>
She managed only a couple of hurried steps before firm fingers closed lightly around the back of her neck.
Kyson drew her back toward him, tilting his head slightly as his voice dropped low. “Is there something you want to tell me p>
Shock flashed across Kailey’s eyes. His intuition felt almost unnerving.
She studied his calm face for a brief moment, then let out a soft, defeated sigh. “I heard something at the gathering today. It might have been nothing, but it got me wondering. Weren’t you living in Ustuijan these past few years? Why did people say they kept spotting you here p>
𝘗𝗼𝘱𝘂l𝗮𝘳 𝘴𝘁𝗼𝘳i𝖾ѕ 𝘰𝗻
A subtle stillness came over Kyson, and the gaze beneath his tousled fringe deepened, quiet and dark as still water at midnight.
Silence stretched before he finally drew a measured breath, his tone hushed and almost confessional. “There’s no point hiding it from you p>
Curiosity drew Kailey’s chin upward. “Hiding what p>
“Even while I was overseas, I kept worrying about you. So I came back twice a year, just to make sure you were alright.” The corners of his lips curved faintly, concealing whatever lay beneath. “I thought Ryan had feelings for you. You can be a little oblivious sometimes, so I wanted to keep watch p>
His low, warm voice hovered just above her ear, close enough to stir the air.
Kailey stood rooted to the floor, every muscle locked as though an invisible hand had pinned her in place. She had never once imagined it was true. Kyson had genuinely been watching over her all this time.
But Ryan having feelings for her? Wasn’t the reality the complete opposite? Hadn’t she been the one secretly carrying feelings for Ryan all along?
She pressed her lips together and drew a quiet breath, sensing that honesty could no longer be avoided. “Nothing ever happened between us. I used to have feelings for him, but they faded over time. He has a girlfriend now, and I made everything clear to him p>
Kyson found his gaze locked on her face, just inches from his own. His throat moved as his pulse thundered quietly in his ears.
Watching her patiently lay out what existed between her and Ryan stirred something fragile and dangerous in him. Could it be that she was finally opening herself to what lay between them?
The possibility felt so tenuous that he barely dared to hold it, let alone press her for confirmation—afraid of what she might say, and even more afraid of the silence if she said nothing at all.
Air dragged through his lungs before he managed a low, restrained, “Alright p>
Once her door clicked shut behind her, Kailey’s heartbeat refused to settle.
She pressed her back against the wood and lifted her hands to her flushed cheeks, the heat blazing beneath her palms unlike anything she had ever felt standing beside Ryan.