Alara
The next morning, after Kaelen had left for work, I lingered upstairs longer than usual. I didn’t want
to face anyone, not after everything that had happened last night. My heart still felt heavy, as if it
had been shattered into a million pieces, and I wasn’t sure how to put it back together. But eventually, I knew I had to go downstairs and start my day. I couldn’t hide forever.
As I descended the stairs, I heard movement in the kitchen. When I reached the bottom, I saw
Lucas standing by the door, dressed in his usual work attire, keys in hand. He glanced up as
entered, his expression softening when he saw me.
“Morning,” Lucas said, his voice gentle, as though he could sense the emotional storm still raging
inside me.
“Morning,” I replied, my voice weak. I stood there for a moment, not sure what to say, but knowing I
needed to talk to someone. “Lucas, I… I confronted Kaelen last night.”
His expression didn’t change much, but I saw a flicker of something in his eyes. “Good,” he said quietly. “That was the right thing to do. You deserve the truth, Alara.”
I sighed and leaned against the counter, staring at the floor. “I’m not sure if it was the right thing. I don’t even know how to feel anymore. I… I’m not even sure if I should go on with the honeymoon.
What’s the point? We’re not officially married, and it feels like a lie. Everything does.”
Lucas’s face softened further, and he stepped a little closer. “Alara,” he began gently, “I know this isn’t what you expected. I never wanted you to be hurt or feel bad about any of this. You deserve
better than to be trapped in this mess.”
I looked up at him, searching his eyes. There was something about the way he said it, a tenderness in his voice that I hadn’t noticed before. “Why do you care so much, Lucas?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “Why does it matter so much to you?”
He hesitated for a moment, glancing away before his eyes met mine again. When he spoke, his voice was low, almost hesitant. “Because… I care about you, Alara. More than you know.”
His words hung in the air, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right. “What?” I breathed, my heart pounding.
“I have feelings for you,” Lucas admitted, his gaze never leaving mine. “I have for a while now. And I can’t just stand by and watch you get hurt like this, not when I-” He stopped himself, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “Not when I care about you this much.”
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The shock of his confession hit me like a wave. Lucas… had feelings for me? I had always thought
of him as Kaelen’s loyal Beta, someone I could trust, but never in that way. I opened my mouth to say something, but the words didn’t come. I felt torn, caught between disbelief and the raw
emotion in Lucas’s eyes.
“Lucas,” I finally whispered, shaking my head, “I’m married to Kaelen. Even if our marriage isn’t what I thought it was… I can’t. We can’t continue to be like this.”
His expression softened again, but I could see the pain in his eyes. “I know you’re married to him, Alara,” he said quietly. “And I know things between you two are complicated right now. But I can’t help how I feel. I just needed you to know the truth, even if it’s not what you want to hear.”
I took a deep breath, feeling the pressure of the situation pressing down on me. “This is… it’s too much, Lucas. I can’t handle this right now. My heart is already shattered from everything with
Kaelen, and now-”
“I get it,” Lucas interrupted, his voice gentle but firm. “I’m not trying to make things harder for you. But I needed to tell you the truth because I care about you. And I want you to know that no matter what happens with Kaelen, I’m here for you. I’ll be patient. One way or another, I’ll find a way to be
with you.”
My heart skipped a beat at his words, and I felt my throat tighten. “Lucas, you can’t say things like that. This isn’t fair to any of us.”
“Fair?” Lucas echoed, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Alara, none of this has been fair to you. Not from the start. I’m not asking for anything right now. I just needed you to know how
I feel.”
I stared at him, torn between the pain of my crumbling marriage and the unexpected intensity of Lucas’s confession. I didn’t know how to process it all. Kaelen had hurt me deeply, but the idea of betraying him with Lucas, despite what I’ve done with him–no matter how broken our marriage felt–was something I couldn’t allow myself to even consider again.
“I… I need time,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I can’t do this right now. I don’t even know how I feel about anything anymore.”
Lucas nodded, his expression soft and understanding. “Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
His words were a comfort, but they also added to the confusion swirling in my heart. I had never expected this. Lucas had always been a steady presence, someone I could count on. But now, his feelings had complicated everything.
I gave him a weak smile, not sure what else to say. “I… I should go. I need to think.”
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Lucas nodded again, his gaze steady. “Take care of yourself, Alara. That’s all I want for you.”
+25 Points
With that, I turned and walked out of the room, my mind spinning. I didn’t know what to do, or how to feel. All I knew was that my world had been turned upside down, and I wasn’t sure if I could ever put the pieces back together again.
As I went back upstairs, I couldn’t help but replay Lucas’s confession in my mind. The sincerity in his eyes, the way he had spoken so softly yet with such conviction… it left me reeling. I didn’t know how to process it all. Did I feel something for Lucas too, or was it just the confusion of my situation. with Kaelen that made me question everything?
I sat down on the edge of the bed, burying my face in my hands. Kaelen was still my husband, no matter how broken our marriage was. And yet, here I was, considering the possibility of something with Lucas. It felt wrong. It felt like I was betraying both of them, and myself. But what could I do when I’ve already ended up in bed with Lucas?
But Lucas’s words echoed in my mind. I’ll be patient. He had made it clear that he wasn’t going to force anything, but the fact that he had feelings for me complicated everything. I didn’t know if I could ever see him the same way again.
And then there was Kaelen. Even after his confession about the nature of our marriage, a part of me still hoped that things could change–that maybe, somehow, we could find our way back to each other. But now, with Lucas’s feelings out in the open, I wasn’t sure what the future held for any
of us.
I let out a shaky breath, feeling more lost than ever. Everything was too much to bear, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep pretending that everything would be okay. Because deep down, I knew that things were far from okay.
“How did I get myself into this mess?” I muttered to myself.
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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.
