Blaze followed silently, his presence pressing close, yet he didn't speak. The quiet between them was heavy, charged with unspoken words and emotions. Every heartbeat seemed to echo in the small space, a reminder of how complicated things had become between them.
"I… I'll be fine," Cecilia said softly, forcing a calm she didn't feel. She adjusted her posture, trying to ignore the lingering warmth from Blaze's touch and the intensity of his stare.
Blaze's eyes flicked toward the mirror, catching her reflection. His jaw tightened slightly. "You always do this—pretend everything's okay when it isn't," he murmured, voice low but edged with frustration.
Cecilia gave a faint, polite smile, hiding the mix of pain, embarrassment, and something else she couldn't name. "It's just a small thing," she replied, though the truth was far from it.
