The past few days had been quieter than Ava expected, but not in a comforting way. The mansion, always looming with its secrets, felt heavier. Ava had avoided bringing up the diary or the strange events, and Alexander had been unusually attentive, almost suffocatingly so.
He ensured her every need was met—her favorite books, flowers arranged in perfect symmetry, meals prepared exactly how she liked them. It was as if he were trying to build a world where she wouldn't have a reason to leave.
But Ava couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that something was wrong.
One evening, as they walked through the garden, Alexander stopped abruptly, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The moonlight played tricks on his features, softening the intensity she often found overwhelming.
"I know you've been curious," he said suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Ava stiffened. "Curious about what?"
"The things I don't say. The parts of me I don't show." His hand brushed hers, lingering for a moment before he pulled away. "I'm not... easy to understand. But that doesn't mean I don't care."
The vulnerability in his tone made her heart ache. "Alexander—"
Before she could finish, he turned to her, his eyes reflecting something she couldn't quite place. "If I lost you..." He stopped himself, shaking his head. "I won't let that happen."
The words hung between them, heavy and unspoken.