Kiara's words struck like lightning. "Because she loves you. No, love would be an understatement—she's obsessed with you."
Ash froze, staring at her as if she'd grown a second head. What? Obsessed? He searched his memories frantically for clues, but nothing made sense. In the fragmented recollections of the previous Ash, Meher always appeared as a sweet, helpful girl. She smiled at him occasionally, exchanged polite greetings, and sometimes offered assistance—but nothing beyond that. No grand gestures, no confessions, no over-the-top behavior.
"Are you joking, Sis?" Ash finally managed, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Kiara's lips curled into a smirk. "Do I look like I'm joking to you?"
"I... I've never felt any kind of love from her," Ash stammered. "She's just... she's like a simple friend who sometimes helps. That's all. She's kind by nature."
Kiara scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. "Kind nature? Hah! That's hilarious."
Ash blinked, confused by her sudden burst of laughter. "What's so funny? I mean, sure, she's always been nice to me, but it never seemed like anything more than kindness. She didn't flirt, didn't make any romantic gestures. She just smiled at me sometimes. That's it."
Kiara leaned forward, her smirk widening. "And that's exactly what I'm talking about."
"What do you mean?" Ash asked, his confusion deepening.
Kiara's gaze turned sharp, her tone almost mocking. "Meher talks to you. She helps you. And more importantly, she smiles at you."
Ash frowned. "So? What's so special about that?"
Kiara's expression grew serious. She took a deep breath, then said, "What's special is that she doesn't do that for anyone else. Meher doesn't talk to anyone except you. She doesn't help anyone except you. And she definitely doesn't smile at anyone except you."
Ash's jaw dropped. He stared at Kiara, trying to process her words. "Wait, what?" His voice came out barely above a whisper.
Kiara's eyes softened, a hint of pity creeping into her gaze. "This is the first time you're hearing about this, isn't it?"
Ash nodded numbly. "I... I had no idea."
Kiara sighed, shaking her head. "Of course, you didn't. You were too busy chasing after Celeste like a love-struck puppy."
Her words hit Ash like a slap. He clenched his fists, a wave of disgust washing over him—not at Kiara, but at the previous Ash. How blind can someone be? If what Kiara's saying is true, then why was this guy acting like a pathetic dog, licking Celeste's heels while ignoring someone who genuinely cared about him?
Kiara's voice broke through his self-loathing. "She probably never confessed her feelings because she didn't want to burden you. Maybe she didn't want to be rejected. Or maybe..." Kiara paused, her expression softening. "Maybe she let you go because she thought you'd be happier with Celeste. She chose your happiness over her own."
Ash fell silent, her words weighing heavily on his heart. His mind raced with conflicting emotions—guilt, disbelief, and a strange sense of warmth. Selfless love? Is that what Meher feels for me?
His thoughts drifted to his previous life, to his elder brother who had sacrificed his love for the happiness of the woman he loved. Back then, Ash had called his brother a fool for throwing away his chance at happiness. But now, he found himself reevaluating that opinion. Was I wrong all this time?
Ash sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And I just described selfless love in the dining hall, didn't I?" He let out a dry chuckle. Hypocrite much?
Kiara watched him silently, her expression unreadable. Then, she spoke again, her voice low and measured. "Valt's family is trying to arrange a marriage between him and Meher. But her family keeps rejecting their proposals."
Ash's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. "What?"
Kiara nodded, her gaze hardening. "They've been trying for a while now, but Meher's family refuses to give in. I think that's why Valt targeted you. He's jealous. He sees you as the reason for her rejections."
Ash leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply. Of course. Jealousy. The root of so many idiotic decisions.
He ran a hand through his hair again, his fingers tightening as frustration bubbled beneath the surface. "So, I'm dealing with an idiot in full-blown jealous mode." He let out a bitter laugh. "Great. Just great."
Kiara's lips twitched, but her expression remained serious. "You need to be careful, Ash. Valt isn't just some jealous brat. He's dangerous. If he's already resorted to assassins, who knows what he'll try next?"
Ash nodded, his mind racing. Dangerous or not, I can't let him get away with this. If he thinks he can manipulate Meher—or anyone else for that matter—he's sorely mistaken.
The room fell silent, the weight of their conversation hanging heavily in the air. Kiara's eyes never left Ash, her concern evident. And for the first time, Ash felt truly grateful for her presence. At least I have someone I can trust in this mess.
The silence stretched on until Kiara finally stood, brushing imaginary dust off her dress. "I'll leave you to your thoughts. But Ash..."
He looked up, meeting her gaze.
"Don't take too long to figure things out," she said softly. "Meher deserves better than to be kept in the dark. And you deserve better than to let Valt win."
With that, she turned and left, leaving Ash alone with his thoughts.
As the door clicked shut, Ash leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. His mind swirled with everything Kiara had said, and for the first time in a long time, he felt truly lost.