The days after Kael's visit had been a whirlwind for Lila. She couldn't shake the feeling of his presence lingering in her shop. His words echoed in her mind, even when she was busy taking care of the flowers. "I still love you." He had said it so calmly, so confidently, but Lila couldn't find it in herself to believe him. The man standing before her had changed so much, and not in the way she had hoped. He was still the same person who had once suffocated her with his obsession, the same man who had made her question every choice she made.
But now, there was something else hanging in the air between them. Something that Lila didn't know how to deal with. She had thought she was ready to move on, but Kael's visit had cracked open something inside her. For a brief moment, she had questioned everything again, whether walking away had been the right decision, whether she should have fought harder for their love.
But deep down, Lila knew it was the right choice. She had freed herself. She had created a life of her own, far away from the man who had once tried to control her every move. She couldn't go back to that. No matter how much Kael begged or how many apologies he offered, she wasn't the same person anymore.
So why had she agreed to go with him?
She pushed the thought out of her mind. She was on her way to his estate now, the place where everything had gone wrong. She didn't want to think about the past, not when everything had been building toward a future she had fought so hard to create.
The carriage jolted as it hit a bump in the road, and Lila's eyes flickered to the window. The land outside was peaceful, the sun casting a golden glow over the fields. Yet, she felt no peace. The weight of the situation pressed on her chest, and she couldn't shake the nervous feeling twisting in her stomach.
She glanced over at Kael, who sat beside her, his expression unreadable. He had barely spoken since they left her small shop, as if he were waiting for her to say something, waiting for her to react. But Lila didn't know what to say. What was there to say?
They reached the gates of the estate, and Lila's heart skipped a beat. The large stone walls loomed in front of her, just as they had when she had first left. Her memories of this place were a mix of love and pain, and she didn't know if she was ready to face them again.
The carriage came to a stop, and Kael got out first, extending a hand to her. She hesitated for a moment before taking it, allowing him to help her down. She looked up at the mansion, the place that had once felt like home, and now it felt like a prison.
Kael led her up the steps to the front door, and Lila tried not to look at him. Her heart was racing, her mind in turmoil. Why had he brought her here? Why did he think this was the right thing to do? She didn't know, but she was about to find out.
The door swung open, and a familiar figure stood in the doorway. The Princess. The woman Kael had married, the woman he had chosen over Lila. For a moment, everything in Lila froze. She hadn't expected to see her here, not so soon.
"Lila," the Princess said, her voice cold and distant. "I wasn't expecting you."
Lila swallowed, the words catching in her throat. She forced a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I wasn't expecting to be here either."
Kael's eyes flicked between the two women, and Lila could see the unease in his face. The tension in the air was thick, and Lila felt her pulse quicken. This was not how she had imagined it would go.
The Princess stepped aside, gesturing for Lila to enter. "Please, come in," she said, her tone polite but sharp.
Lila hesitated before walking inside. She couldn't help but feel like an outsider, like she didn't belong here. This was Kael's world now, and she was no longer a part of it.
Inside, the mansion was grand, filled with expensive furniture and fine decor, but it all felt cold and empty to Lila. It didn't feel like a home. It felt like a cage.
"Kael, why did you bring her here?" the Princess asked, her voice soft but demanding.
Kael sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I had to. I had to explain everything to her."
Lila turned to face him, her eyes narrowing. "Explain? Explain what, Kael? That you chose her over me? That you married her and left me behind like I meant nothing?"
Kael's face hardened at her words, but he didn't argue. Instead, he looked at her with a mixture of guilt and regret. "I made a mistake," he said quietly. "I shouldn't have married her. I shouldn't have let you go."
The Princess's eyes flashed with anger, and she stepped forward, her voice sharp. "You had your reasons, Kael. Don't pretend this is all about her."
Lila felt a coldness wash over her, and she turned away from the scene, her hands clenched into fists. "I don't belong here," she muttered under her breath. "I never did."
Kael reached out for her, but she stepped back, pulling away from him. "Don't," she whispered. "Don't try to fix this. There's nothing to fix anymore."
The Princess looked between the two of them, her gaze narrowing. "What do you want from her, Kael? What are you trying to do?"
Kael stood still for a moment, his eyes flicking between Lila and the Princess. "I want her to understand," he said quietly. "I want her to know that I still care about her. That I made a mistake, and I want to fix it."
Lila shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "You can't fix it," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You can't undo everything you've done. I've moved on, Kael. I can't come back to you."
For a moment, Kael looked as if he might crumble, as if everything he had been holding back was about to spill over. But instead, he took a deep breath and stepped back.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice low and full of regret. "I just… I thought you'd understand. I thought you'd give me a chance."
Lila stared at him for a long moment before shaking her head. "I can't, Kael. I can't go back to that life. Not again."
The silence that followed was heavy, the weight of their unspoken words hanging in the air like a thick fog. Finally, Kael turned away, his face expressionless.
"I understand," he said quietly. "I'll leave you alone, Lila. I won't ask for anything more."
And with that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Lila standing there, her heart breaking all over again.