Chapter 21 First Kiss

• The mansion felt eerily silent as Celia stormed down the hallway, her heart racing with frustration and a tangle of emotions she could no longer ignore. Her argument with Alexander had been long overdue, but now that it had happened, it left her feeling raw and exposed. She was tired of the games, tired of the distance he kept imposing between them, and most of all, she was tired of pretending that her feelings for him didn’t run deeper than she was willing to admit.
• Alexander had always been distant, always so guarded. But today, it felt different—like something inside him had snapped. He had been cold, almost cruel, pushing her away when all she wanted was to break through the wall he had so carefully constructed around himself.
• She didn’t know how long she had been pacing, but it felt like an eternity. Her thoughts were spinning in circles, replaying every word they had exchanged, every moment of tension that had been building between them.