Chapter 30 Caelum

• “Asher, have you seen Aria around the hall? Has she been coming to work?” I ask, my voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
• It has been days, almost a week, since I’ve asked the manager and even Asher to tell Aria to see me. Yet, she hasn’t shown up. Not once.
• Is she avoiding me? Was the kiss we shared such a big mistake? Could I have been so invasive that I pushed her away? The memory of her lips is still fresh in my mind, the warmth of her touch, the fervor of the moment… but was it different for her? The way she pushed me away, with the force of a decision made in the heat of guilt, still echoes inside me. She felt remorse. It was clear in her eyes when our intimacy broke under the weight of what it meant. I’m married, and Aria… well, Aria knew that better than anyone.