Twilight of Shadows | LingOrm (GxG)

THIRTY SIX

The days following the incident in the kitchen blurred together for Lada. She buried herself in work, her schedule packed tight with meetings, business trips, and late nights at the office. The penthouse, once filled with warmth and laughter, felt quiet.

Earn noticed the shift immediately. Lada's absence was glaring, not just in her long hours away from home, but in the way she seemed to retreat from being a mother.

One evening, Earn sat on the couch with Narin, trying to help her with homework. The little girl's eyes were clouded with confusion. "Auntie Earn, when is Mommy coming out? I miss her."

Earn swallowed hard. "I don't know, sweetie. Mommy's busy with work, but she'll come out soon, okay?"

Narin nodded, but her disappointment was clear. Earn pulled her into a comforting hug, feeling the weight of both their emotions. "Let's finish this homework first, and then maybe we can have some ice cream?"

Narin's small smile felt like a fragile truce, but the sadness lingered in her eyes. Later that night, after tucking Narin into bed, Earn found herself wandering the empty hallways of the penthouse. The quiet was oppressive, amplifying her sense of loneliness.

She paused outside Lada's study, her heart racing. The door was slightly ajar, a dim glow spilling out. Lada was there, engrossed in her work, her face illuminated by the soft light. Earn hesitated, feeling the distance between them like a chasm.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked softly. "Lada, can we talk for a minute?"

There was a pause, followed by the rustle of papers. "Not now, Earn," Lada replied curtly, her voice cold. "I'm busy."

Earn's heart sank. "It's important. Narin is feeling neglected because of this. We need to talk."

Lada's back was rigid, her fingers trembling slightly as she avoided Earn's gaze. "You know what, Earn? Forget it." She finally looked up, and the emptiness in her eyes pierced through Earn. "My father ruined your family. If we're together again... I'll ruin you too."

"No, Lada, just listen to me—"

"Leave, Earn." Lada's voice rose, filled with urgency. She stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. "I don't have time for this."

The rejection felt like a punch to the gut, leaving Earn breathless. "Lada, please. We can fix this. We just need to—"

"I said leave!" Lada's voice cracked, her façade of indifference breaking as pain flickered in her eyes. "I can't do this right now. Please."

Tears threatened to spill from Earn's eyes. "Don't do this." Her voice was barely a whisper, a plea filled with all her heartache.

For a moment, Lada hesitated, her breath hitching as she fought against the tide of emotions. But she shook her head, the resolve returning to her features. "Just go, Earn. I can't—"

With a heavy heart, Earn stepped back, feeling the weight of defeat. Without another word, she turned and walked out of the room, the finality of it all crushing.

Lada stood frozen, the silence is deafening. She told herself this was for the best, but as the sound of Earn's footsteps faded, doubt gnawed at her heart. A part of her wished for Earn to turn back, to fight for them. But the silence stretched on, mocking her solitude.

When she finally heard the soft click of the door closing, the dam inside her broke. She collapsed into her chair, the tears flowing freely as guilt and regret flooded her. Why had she said those things? Why had she pushed Earn away when all she wanted was to hold her close?

Curled up in the dim light of her study, Lada's thoughts spiraled. Each tear that fell carried the weight of her decisions, and as dawn's first light crept through the windows, she realized that the hope she clung to was just an illusion.