The Perfect Hold

Chapter Four

It had been two weeks since they had made the decision to move to the countryside. The days had passed in a blur of packing, organizing, and saying goodbye to the routines Celeste had grown to love in London. She had been too busy to meet up with her friends recently, caught up in the preparations for the move, and the few text messages exchanged with them felt like distant connections.

That morning, the apartment was filled with the sound of rustling paper as Celeste finished sealing another box. The kitchen counter was cluttered with items she still needed to sort through, and she was making herself a light breakfast while Silas sipped his usual black coffee at the table. His green eyes followed her movements as she flipped through her messages, checking off her to-do list in her mind.

"Xavier messaged me," she said casually, placing her phone down as she cracked an egg into the pan. "He's got a date tonight and asked if I'd go shopping with him. He says my taste in fashion is 'exceptional.'" She smirked, knowing that fashion design had been a big part of her life before Silas. It still was, even if she hadn't pursued it as fully as she had once planned.

"We'd grab lunch first," she added, sliding the egg onto a plate beside some toast. "Then I'd help him pick out something for the date. Should be fun."

She moved about the kitchen, grabbing some condiments for her meal, but she could feel Silas's gaze on her, the silence from his side of the table stretching out longer than usual. She glanced over her shoulder at him, expecting him to say something, but his face remained composed, his eyes fixed on her with an unreadable expression.

"You okay?" she asked, turning around fully, leaning against the counter. Silas raised his coffee cup to his lips, his movement slow and deliberate, as though he was carefully thinking about what to say.

"I'm fine," he finally murmured, the edge of his mouth curving slightly into what could have been a smile. But it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Just didn't realize you had plans."

Celeste felt a small flicker of discomfort in her stomach, but she brushed it off. "It's nothing major. Just helping Xavier out." She laughed softly, but the atmosphere remained strangely heavy.

"Right." Silas set his cup down, his green eyes lingering on her. "He's lucky to have your help." The words sounded right, but something in his tone didn't. It was soft, as it always was, but there was an edge to it.

Celeste tilted her head, watching him carefully, trying to read his expression. Was he upset? No, it didn't make sense. Silas had never been the jealous type. Besides, Xavier was attractive, sure, but not compared to Silas. It wasn't like he had any reason to worry.

Silas stood up from the table, walked over to her, and pressed a kiss to her forehead, lingering just a moment longer than usual. "Don't forget about our dinner tonight," he said quietly, his lips brushing her temple. "You'll still have time to get back for that, right?"

"Of course," Celeste replied, smiling up at him. "I wouldn't miss it."

Silas nodded, but the faint unease lingered in the room even after he kissed her goodbye and left for the office. Celeste tried to shake off the feeling as she finished her breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen, telling herself that she was just overthinking things

Later in the afternoon, as Celeste prepared to leave, she sent Silas a quick text, reminding him of her plans with Xavier and assuring him she'd be back in time for dinner. She grabbed her bag, checked the mirror one last time, and reached for the front door—only to find the lock wouldn't budge.

Her brow furrowed as she twisted the key again. Nothing.

She tried jiggling the handle, pulling at the door harder this time, but it wouldn't open. Panic flickered in her chest, and she tried the lock again, her heartbeat quickening as the door remained stuck.