Where My Heart Belongs

7. I Cannot Afford This : Antara

Once dinner wrapped up, I excused myself from the table, needing a moment to breathe. "I'll be right back," I murmured, standing up. My voice felt small, even to me. Without waiting for a response, I made my way to the washroom, my footsteps quick but steady.

The reflection in the mirror was both familiar and foreign—eyes that carried a heaviness I couldn't quite shake, a face too guarded for someone simply at dinner with colleagues. I splashed cold water on my face, trying to reset. How easily they laughed, how comfortable they were in their friendships. I used to feel that way too... before.

The teasing, the laughter, the warmth.

Leo's words echoed in my mind, a reminder of how vulnerable I had felt just sitting there. "So, Aiden, are you going to tell Antara about your little obsession with her, or should I?" He said it with a smirk, with that easy charm that made everyone else laugh—but not me. I hated how the spotlight had shifted to me so suddenly, how exposed it made me feel.

Aiden had laughed it off, his smile soft, his eyes warm. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was pressing in on me, like I had been pushed into the centre of something I wasn't ready for. What was I supposed to do with that?  The teasing, the way everyone seemed so comfortable, like they knew something I didn't.

A small sigh escaped my lips as I dried my hands, preparing myself to return. The truth was, despite my efforts to stay distant, I felt something shifting between Aiden and me. But feeling something didn't mean I was ready to act on it, much less trust it. Not again.

I took a deep breath and walked back to the table. As I approached, I noticed Aiden rising from his seat almost immediately. "Hey, you good?" he asked, his voice lower than usual, concerned.

I nodded, though I didn't meet his gaze for more than a second. "Yeah, just needed a moment." I felt the weight of his eyes on me, but I kept moving, keeping my expression neutral. The others were starting to gather their things, wrapping up the night, but Aiden moved to walk beside me. His presence felt... close, as if the quiet between us had something to say.

The hallway was dim, the sounds from the restaurant fading as we walked together in silence. I felt his eyes on me, and the space between us seemed charged, like there was something waiting—an unsaid truth hanging in the air. I didn't know how to deal with it.

"Antara," Aiden said, his voice pulling me from my thoughts. I stopped walking and turned toward him, feeling the closeness of his body next to mine. For a second, my heart skipped a beat. His expression was softer than I'd expected, vulnerable even.

"About tonight—" he started, and I could hear the hesitation in his voice.

My gaze flicked to his, and for a moment, I let my guard drop. Just for a moment. I saw the sincerity in his eyes—the kind of sincerity that felt like it could break down walls if I let it. The tension between us was tangible, and I was painfully aware of it, the way his presence made me feel unsteady.

"Aiden..." I started, unsure of what to say. How could I explain the whirlwind of emotions that had been running through me all night? How could I explain that no matter how kind, how patient he was, I was still afraid?

He took a small step closer, his hand lifting as if to touch my arm but hovering just shy of it. It was a gesture so simple, yet it made me feel like the ground was slipping beneath my feet. "You don't have to say anything. I just... I want you to know that I'm here, okay? Whatever you need. No pressure, no expectations."

His words were gentle, offering something I wasn't used to—care without conditions. And for a fleeting second, I felt the pull to let him in, to stop holding back.