"Why are you surprised, Zeriel? Don't you like her?" Mrs Beatrice asked.
Zeriel shifted uncomfortably, his gaze darting momentarily to the floor. He was a man used to commanding attention, whether in the boardroom or any room he walked into, but here, under her scrutinizing gaze, he felt exposed.
"I really, really love her," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. There was a sincerity in his tone that softened his usual composed exterior. "It's just that she doesn't seem to understand my feelings."
Her mother raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Did you officially declare your feelings for her?"
Zeriel hesitated, his silence betraying him. His mind raced back to the countless moments he had spent with Alisha,the stolen glances, the fleeting touches, the unspoken words that lingered between them. He hadn't said the words, not outright. Not in a way she could truly understand.
