Chapter 49 An Unexpected Confession

• The house was too quiet. It had been days since Celia and Alexander had exchanged more than a few words, the tension thickening with each passing hour. The silence between them had become unbearable, a constant reminder of how far they’d drifted from the connection they once shared.
• Celia had tried everything to break the ice—small gestures, meaningful looks, fleeting conversations—but Alexander remained distant, locked behind walls that seemed impossible to break. There was something in his eyes these past few days—something closed off, almost like he was fighting a battle inside himself. She could see the pain there, but every time she tried to reach out, he recoiled, shutting her out further.
• Tonight, the silence was especially oppressive. Celia sat in the living room, the soft glow of the fireplace casting long shadows across the room. She could hear the occasional rustle of papers from the adjoining study where Alexander sat, but that was it. He hadn’t looked at her all day, hadn’t even said good morning. She knew something was wrong, but what could she do? What could she say?