Severa's POV
The night air was cool as I walked back to the hotel, the streets quieter now compared to earlier in the evening. It was already past nine, and I had spent more time at the café than I originally planned.
I wasn't expecting to meet someone new today—**Lucien Castellanos.**
His name lingered in my mind longer than I expected.
There was something about him—**calm yet confident, unreadable yet oddly familiar.** But I didn't let myself think too much about it. He was just some stranger I happened to meet at a café. That's all.
At least, that's what I told myself.
I sighed, adjusting my bag as I entered the hotel lobby. The warm glow of the chandeliers overhead felt welcoming, and I was more than ready to retreat to my room for a shower and much-needed rest.
But the moment I turned the corner toward the elevator, I stopped.
Eugene was there.
Standing near the lounge area, arms crossed, his face a mixture of frustration and concern.
Waiting.
For me.
My grip on my bag tightened as I tried to ignore the sudden spike in my pulse.
What is he doing here?
As soon as our eyes met, Eugene pushed himself off the wall and strode toward me, his movements sharp, his expression unreadable.
"Where the hell have you been?" His voice was low but sharp, frustration clear in his tone.
I blinked, caught off guard by his sudden outburst. "Excuse me?"
"I've been calling you." He held up his phone as proof. "For hours."
I knew that.
I had seen his name pop up on my screen multiple times.
And I had chosen to ignore every single call.
"I was busy," I replied flatly, moving past him toward the elevator.
But Eugene was quick, stepping in front of me before I could press the button.
"Too busy to even send a single text?" he pressed, his brows furrowed. "Severa, you disappeared for hours without telling anyone. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Worried? Since when do you care?"
His jaw clenched. "Since always."
That made me freeze.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Eugene's gaze was intense, filled with emotions I didn't want to deal with right now.
I shook my head, exhaling sharply. "You're overreacting. I don't need to report my every move to you."
"You're in an unfamiliar town, staying in a hotel near an active construction site, working until late. What if something happened to you?" His voice grew more frustrated. "At least let someone know where you are."
I let out a humorless laugh. "And that someone should be you?"
Eugene didn't flinch. "Yes."
I felt something twist inside me.
His answer was firm. No hesitation.
And that—**that**—made it even worse.
Because he wasn't supposed to care.
Not anymore.
I took a step back, needing space between us. "Eugene, you're not my boyfriend. You're not my family. You're not even my friend."
A muscle in his jaw ticked. "I know that."
"Then stop acting like you have a right to be in my business."
I hated how my voice shook slightly at the end.
Eugene ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly, as if trying to keep himself calm.
"I'm not trying to control you, Severa." His voice was lower now, quieter. "I just—" He sighed, shaking his head. "Forget it."
For a moment, it looked like he wanted to say something else.
Something important.
But instead, he just stepped aside.
Giving me space.
The moment I could move past him, I pressed the elevator button and stared straight ahead, refusing to look at him again.
The doors opened, and I stepped inside.
But before the doors could close completely, I heard his voice one last time.
"Sev."
I froze.
It was barely above a whisper, almost as if he hadn't meant to say it out loud.
Something deep inside my chest tightened painfully.
I clenched my fists.
No.
I wasn't going to do this.
Not again.
The doors slid shut.
And as I finally let out a shaky breath, I realized something.
It wasn't just him I was trying to push away.
It was myself.
---
Back in my room, I threw my bag onto the couch and let out a deep breath. My body ached—not from physical exhaustion, but from the weight of emotions I refused to acknowledge.
Why did I let Eugene affect me like this?
Why did I let him make me feel things I had buried so long ago?
I moved toward the minibar and grabbed a bottle of water, twisting the cap open aggressively. The cool liquid did little to ease the tension coursing through me.
This wasn't the first time Eugene had tried to insert himself back into my life.
And it wouldn't be the last.
I pulled out my phone and stared at the screen. Missed calls. Messages. His name appearing over and over again.
I should block him.
I should set boundaries.
But instead, I found myself staring at his last message.
"You should at least tell someone if you're staying out late. It doesn't have to be me."
It doesn't have to be me.
But it was him.
Always him.
I shut my eyes and forced myself to take deep breaths. I needed to focus.
Tomorrow was another day. Another battle. Another moment where I had to pretend that the past didn't haunt me.
With that thought, I set my phone on silent, climbed into bed, and willed myself to sleep.
But sleep didn't come easily.
Because in the silence of my hotel room, Eugene's voice echoed in my head.
"Since always."