’How can he look so obedient... so calm,’ she thought, ’when he’s standing there like this?’
Taking a shaky breath, she spoke again.
"You were always cold to ," she said, her voice wavering. "You looked at like I didn’t matter. Sotis you even degraded ."
Her eyes brimd with tears.
The mont Kael saw them, panic surged through him.
He imdiately stepped back, lowering his posture, creating distance. He gently took her hand, his voice losing its composure.
"Why are you crying?"
He looked utterly flustered, like a child who had made a terrible mistake without realizing it.
That only made Martha feel worse.
"You even got together with other won," she said in a choked voice. "I could only watch you from afar. Do you know how much that hurt? Every ti you ignored ... every ti you pretended I didn’t exist..."
Kael held her hand tightly, anxiety knotting in his chest. Yet beneath it all, a small spark of joy flickered.
’So she cared,’ he realized. ’She must have... otherwise she wouldn’t be this affected.’
"I never wanted to ignore you," he said earnestly.
He recalled Silas’s warning then and knew he had to be absolutely clear. One misunderstanding could destroy everything.
"I was shy," he admitted quickly. "Around you. I watched you from afar for a long ti. I wanted to be with you, but every ti I stood in front of you, I couldn’t speak. It wasn’t because I didn’t like you. It was because I liked you too much."
Martha’s chest tightened painfully.
Only she knew how much she had suffered during her college years, how often she wanted to confront him but never found the courage.
Whenever she t his cold gaze, she felt small, insignificant, as if he looked down on her.
Now hearing that he had liked her all along only made her feel more wronged.
’How could he let feel so insecure? Even though he claid to have liked all along?’ she thought bitterly.
Kael continued softly, "If you agree to be with , I can make everything right. I’ll never mistreat you."
That was the last straw. Martha’s anger flared.
"So you’re not even going to take responsibility for how you treated ?" she snapped.
She pushed him away, glaring at him. "Are you going to apologize or not?"
Kael froze, completely stunned by the sudden shift.
"I’m sorry," he blurted out imdiately.
Martha crossed her arms, eyes sharp.
"What exactly are you sorry for?"
Kael fell silent.
In truth, even Kael himself did not know what he was apologizing for.
Martha stared at him, disbelief turning rapidly into fury. Seeing his block-headed silence, her temper finally snapped. She pointed a trembling finger at his chest.
"You..."
The word barely left her mouth before she turned around and stord toward the door.
The air shifted sharply.
Kael reacted on instinct.
Without hesitation, he reached out and pulled her back toward him, his grip firm but not rough. The sudden motion made Martha stumble, and she spun around angrily, ready to explode...
Only to freeze.
Her gaze collided with his bare body, the warmth of his skin so close that she could almost feel it radiating toward her. Her thoughts scattered. The words she had been about to hurl at him vanished from her mind.
Kael noticed imdiately.
Silas’s advice echoed clearly in his head: Use every advantage you have. If the one you love is drawn to sothing about you, your eyes, your lips, your presence, make sure she sees it.
Taking a slow step forward, Kael leaned closer.
Martha’s breath hitched.
"What are you doing?" she blurted, flustered, her voice losing its sharp edge.
Kael t her gaze, his tone sincere and steady.
"I didn’t know what to apologize for because there are too many things I did wrong," he said. "I can’t list them all at once. But if you give a chance... I’ll na every single thing you’re angry about."
Martha’s racing heart gradually slowed.
She stared at him for a long mont, then exhaled softly.
"Go on."
Kael took a deep breath.
"I’m sorry," he began quietly, "for not confessing my feelings outright."
The tightness in Martha’s chest eased just a little.
"I’m sorry for acting cold in front of you."
Her clenched fists loosened.
"I was wrong for letting you misunderstand ," Kael continued. "I was wrong for making you feel insignificant... again and again."
With each sentence, Martha’s anger lted away, replaced by exhaustion and hurt that finally had words to cling to.
At last, Kael stepped forward and gently pulled her into a hug.
"I’m sorry," he murmured near her ear, "for letting this misunderstanding last so long. For letting us drift so far apart... for almost missing you entirely."
Martha stood stiffly for a second, then slowly lifted her arms and hugged him back.
Her breath trembled.
Just as the tension finally settled...
A sharp knock echoed against the door.
"Kael," Felix’s voice rang out cheerfully, "there’s a girl outside who looks just like your last crush..."
Kael froze. So did Martha.
Her eyes narrowed instantly.
Kael felt sweat bead along his spine. He opened his mouth to shout...
But Martha’s hand suddenly covered his lips.
He stiffened, stunned by the soft warmth against his mouth. For a split second, an irrational urge surged through him, to kiss her palm, to pull her closer.
Then Felix’s voice continued from outside.
"She looks almost like Janet."
The mont that na dropped, Martha exploded.
She shoved Kael away without hesitation and pointed at him, her eyes blazing.
"So you’re a player now?" she snapped. "I never knew you could fake sincerity this well."
Outside, Felix froze, cold sweat breaking out as realization struck him.
’I’m dead,’ he thought.
Kael’s anger flared toward Felix, but fear clenched his chest as he turned back to Martha.
"It’s not what you think..."
Her gaze cut him off like a blade.
"If you dare say another word," she said coldly, "I’ll make sure you never get close to again."
With that, she turned and walked away.
Kael stood there, dumbfounded, his feet rooted to the floor, forgetting to chase after her.
Silas’s lessons hadn’t covered this.
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