The Day Stayed and Mark Twain 151

Chapter 151

He lifted his eyes to mine, and for a heartbeat, the annoyance faded replaced by something raw.

“And then you showed up.”

My pulse stuttered.

He leaned forward, elbows on the table, shoulders tense.

“You weren’t part of the plan, Aurora,” he said quietly. “You’re… the complication.”

I frowned, unsure whether to take offense or not.

“A complication?”

His jaw flexed.

“Yes. Because he saw that photo and decided I must be losing focus. And maybe…”

He paused, voice dropping lower, rougher.

“Maybe he’s right.”

The world narrowed to the space between us.

Kael didn’t look away this time.

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He didn’t try to hide the frustration tightening his features or the way his eyes kept flicking to my mouth like he was losing a battle

with himself.

“I keep telling myself I shouldn’t want anything more from you,” he said, each word controlled like he was afraid of what would

happen if he let go.

“But then you look at me.” His gaze held mine. “And suddenly I do.”

He leaned back slightly, dragging a hand through his hair as if annoyed at himself.

“You’re going to get me into trouble,” he muttered.

I swallowed. “With whom?”

He gave a humorless laugh.

“Everyone,” he said.

“And I don’t even care.”

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“Kael…” I shook my head, heat crawling up the back of my neck. “Step.”

His stare was still fixed on me–intense enough that it made breathing feel like work.

I tried to laugh it off, to break the tension tightening between us. “So what?” I said, forcing a light tone I definitely didn’t feel. “Your father gonna hire a hitman on me or something?”

The joke fell flat the second it left my mouth.

Kael’s expression didn’t change.

“You think I’m joking about my father,” he said quietly, almost like he was disappointed. “I wish I was.”

The air between us thickened, my heartbeat suddenly too loud in my ears.

I swallowed, my smile fading.

“That bad?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper.

His jaw tightened–a tiny movement, but it said more than any word could.

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“You have no idea,” he muttered, eyes dropping to the table for just moment… almost like he was debating how much of the truth

I was allowed to hear.

“And believe me,” he added, gaze lifting again, “if he ever saw you the way I do-” He cut himself off, biting the inside of his cheek.

“It would be worse than a hitman.”

A shiver crawled down my spine–not from fear, but from the way his voice softened on ‘the way I do.‘

I looked down, fingers curling around my drink to keep them from shaking.

“Um…” I cleared my throat, desperate to pull us away from the direction that conversation was heading. My fingers fidgeted with

the edge of my tray.

“What about your mother?” I asked quietly.

For a moment, Kael just stared at me–like the question caught him off guard.

His jaw worked once, a muscle ticking there before he finally answered.

“My mother?” He huffed a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “She’s basically a puppet. A perfect Luna with a perfect smile. Says

whatever my father wants her to say. Does whatever he wants her to do.”

He rested his forearms on the table, his eyes darkening.

“She doesn’t get a choice. Not in anything.”

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His tone was flat–but underneath, I could hear something else flickering. Frustration. Resentment. Maybe even a little grief.

I swallowed, unsure how to respond, unsure if I should respond.

Kael let out a slow breath, leaning back in his chair and tilting his hand, eyes focused somewhere far beyond the walls of the

canteen.

“She used to fight,” he said softly. “I remember that, when I was a kid. She used to argue with him. Stand her ground.” His fingers

tapped once against the tabletop. “But now? She just… exists. In his shadow.”

A silence settled between us. Heavy. Meaningful.

“I don’t want that kind of life,” he murmured. “Not for me. And definitely not for the girl I choose.”

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