"Besides, you owe me an apology," he said, his voice mellow yet laced with an unexpected tenderness.
Barbara met Kaisar's gaze with a scrutinizing stare. His golden eyes, illuminated by the sunlight, appeared much paler, revealing tiny red veins and flecks of green within them. The way he looked at her was disarming, difficult to ignore.
She shot him a defiant glare. "An apology? For believing you capable of such a thing? How naïve do you think I am?"
A sly grin tugged at his lips as he raised an eyebrow. "You can deny it all you want, but your instinct was to accuse me. Perhaps, deep down, you knew I wouldn't go that far."
"Don't flatter yourself," Barbara snapped, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "I reacted based on what I knew at the time. You have a reputation, and it's not exactly innocent."
Kaisar stepped closer, his gaze intense. "And you have a tendency to jump to conclusions. Maybe we both need to reassess our judgments."
