LONELY HEARTS
Esmé's life takes a dramatic turn when she becomes entwined with Eiser, a son from a powerful family. Haunted by loss and trapped in a loveless marriage, she battles to connect with a man who conceals his emotions behind a wall of sile...
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FALLING LIKE SNOWFLAKES
“Home is not where you are born; home is where all your attempts to escape cease.” – Naguib Mahfouz
Esmé closed the door to her bedroom gently, her heart still racing from the kiss she shared with Eiser just moments ago.
The faint glow of the moonlight streamed through her window. She pressed her fingers lightly to her lips, her thoughts swirling with confusion, warmth, and something she couldn’t quite name.
She climbed into bed, pulling the blankets over her, but sleep felt distant.
Every time she closed her eyes, the memory of his touch, the closeness of his face, and the emotions behind his unreadable gaze replayed in her mind.
"What does this mean?" she wondered, staring up at the ceiling.
For so long, their marriage had been a matter of duty, a bond formed out of necessity. And yet tonight, something had shifted. She felt it—something real, something undeniable.
In the living room, Eiser lay on the sofa, his tall frame barely fitting its length.
He stared at the ceiling, his hands clasped behind his head, deep in thought.
The kiss had been unplanned, an instinctive pull he couldn’t resist. For a man who prided himself on control, this moment had unravelled something within him.
"What have I done?" he mused, though there was no regret in his mind.
Esmé had always been different—strong yet vulnerable, independent yet in need of care.
He thought back to her words earlier in the evening, her tentative smile, her warmth.
Eiser sighed, his lips pressing into a faint line as he turned onto his side, staring into the dim light of the room.
He had kissed her not out of responsibility but because in that moment, he had wanted to—because he saw her not as a duty but as a woman who deserved affection and care.
Neither of them slept easily that night, their thoughts filled with questions and emotions they weren’t ready to face.
•••
The soft morning light streamed through the windows as Esmé moved about the small kitchen, the comforting sounds of her preparing breakfast filling the quiet cottage.
The aroma of freshly brewed oolong tea mingled with the scent of toasted bread and eggs.
She worked methodically, her thoughts still lingering on the kiss from the previous night.
In the kitchen, Eiser sat at the table, dressed in his usual tailored suit, his hair neatly combed as though he were preparing for another day of business.
