Chapter 167
Chapter 57
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“Why the hell did you say that?” Amber’s voice trembled with a mix of shock and outrage as she stared at Luca, her eyes wide and disbelieving.
“Isn’t that the truth?” Luca’s tone was calm, but his bitterness cut through the room like a sharp blade. His expression remained cold and detached, as though he were unaffected by her reaction, but the bitterness in his voice betrayed him.
Amber’s anger flared instantly, hot and all–consuming. She clenched her fists at her sides, her nails biting into her palms as she tried to steady herself. Words swirled in her head–furious, cutting words that she wanted to hurl at him–but she swallowed them down. She knew better than to argue when Luca was like this, so stubbornly dug into his own resentment. He was acting like a petulant child, wounded and lashing out because he hadn’t gotten the response he had wanted or expected.
Without another word, Amber turned on her heel and left the room, her movements stiff with frustration. She retreated to the kitchen, hoping the distance would cool the anger that threatened to consume her. There, she perched on the counter, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she stared blankly at the wall. Her mind churned with his words, their bitterness replaying in her head like a taunt.
Isn’t that the truth?
The memory of his scoffing tone made her seethe all over again. She couldn’t understand how he could be so childish, so intentionally hurtful, when all she’d done was try to have an honest conversation. Her chest ached with the weight of her frustration and anger, but deeper still was a flicker of sadness she refused to acknowledge.
That night, Amber crawled into her bed alone. She lay on her side, curled up under the blankets, staring at the door. Every faint creak of the house, every subtle shift in the shadows made her heart jump with anticipation, her breath hitching as she waited for him to come in. She imagined Luca’s tall frame appearing in the doorway, his steps hesitant at first, before crossing the small space and slipping under the covers beside her, as he always did.
But the door stayed shut, and Luca never came.
Her body felt heavy with disappointment, her mind restless and uneasy. The silence of the room felt oppressive, pressing down on her as the minutes dragged into hours. She shifted uncomfortably, tugging at the blanket, trying to find a position that would ease her restlessness, but none came. Her sleep was fitful, broken by the tossing of her thoughts and the lingering sting of his words.
In the dark, with no one to witness, her anger began to crack, giving way to something raw and vulnerable. She hated the way his absence left an ache in her chest, but she hated even more that a part of her longed for him to come back.
The next morning, the house was steeped in an almost unbearable tension. Amber and Luca moved around each other like opposing magnets, their avoidance as deliberate as it was suffocating. Amber felt like the air itself had thickened, constricting her chest with every passing moment. The silence, punctuated only by the occasional clatter of a dish or a muffled sound from the living room, was oppressive. She needed to get out, if only for a little while.
Under the guise of necessity more than actual need, she made her decision “Nico, want to go grocery shopping with Mummy?” she called out, her tone bright but strained.
“No, Mummy!” Nico’s little voice came from the living room, full of excitement and mischief. She peeked in to find him kneeling on the floor, a determined expression on his face as he busily assembled a LEGO tower. The structure was oddly placed–right around Luca, who sat on the floor looking simultaneously amused and captive.
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Chapter 167
“What are you building there, buddy?” Amber asked, curious despite her lingering frustration.
“A tower!” Nico declared proudly, snapping another brick into place. “To lock Daddy in forever, so he can never leave!”
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Amber’s breath caught for a moment, but before she could react, Nico burst into a fit of giggles, his innocence shining through. Luca played
along, raising his hands in mock despair.
“Nooo! Let me out, please! I promise to be good!” he cried dramatically, making Nico laugh even harder.
“Alright, I’ll go alone,” she muttered to herself, stepping outside.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
