Kismet | ENGLOT

Chapter 42

Charlotte's POV:

Engfa moved toward the table with a calmness that didn't match the tension in the air. Each step she took seemed to reverberate through me, my chest tightening with every inch she closed. She chose a seat beside Nessa, directly across from me, and as she sat, I felt the full weight of her presence settle over the table.

My pulse quickened as her eyes flickered toward me, lingering just long enough to send a shiver down my spine. There was something unreadable in her gaze—intense, searching, a storm of emotions I couldn't decipher. It made my skin prickle, and I shifted in my seat, suddenly hyperaware of everything—of the way the candlelight danced on the polished wood of the table, of the low hum of conversations in the background, of the steady, relentless rhythm of my own heartbeat.

The tension was palpable, thick and suffocating, and our friends seemed determined to downplay it. Nessa cracked a joke about the menu, her laugh a little too loud, while Patcha chimed in with an exaggerated story about her flight to Seattle. Marima, ever the peacemaker, added her own playful commentary, trying to ease the weight that hung over us.

It worked, a little. The conversation shifted, the mood lightening just enough for the others to smile and laugh. But I couldn't join them. Not fully. Not when I could feel Engfa's gaze on me like a physical touch. Her presence was impossible to ignore, her proximity both comforting and devastating all at once.

I lowered my eyes, fidgeting with the ring hanging around my neck. My fingers brushed over the cool metal, tracing the familiar contours of the diamond as if it could anchor me. It was a habit I'd picked up without realising, a small comfort that now felt like a betrayal under Engfa's piercing gaze.

Then I realised that I made a mistake.

The diamond caught the light, its sparkle drawing Engfa's attention. Her eyes locked onto it, her expression shifting in a way that made my stomach lurch. Her gaze darkened, her brows knitting together as if she were trying to piece together a puzzle she hadn't known existed.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Her eyes remained fixed on the ring, and I could see the emotions swirling in them—confusion, hurt, curiosity, and something else I couldn't place. Her lips parted slightly, as if she was about to say something, and the air between us grew heavier, crackling with unspoken words.

Panic rose in my chest, my heart pounding as I realised what I'd done. I had no explanation to give her—none that wouldn't unravel the fragile threads holding me together.

Just as the silence between us stretched taut, the shrill sound of a phone ringing pierced the tension like a knife. My heart jumped at the unexpected noise, but I quickly realised it wasn't my phone. It was Engfa's.

She hesitated, her brows furrowing as she glanced at the screen. Her lips pressed into a thin line before she picked up the phone. "Chompu," she murmured, her voice soft but clear, and my chest tightened painfully at the name.

I didn't need to hear the conversation to know who was on the other end. My heart twisted, a sharp pang of jealousy flaring within me even though I had no right to feel it. The warmth in her tone, the way her expression softened despite the tension moments ago—it was enough to send a fresh wave of ache through me.

I looked away, unable to watch as she answered, her voice low and intimate as she spoke into the phone. My fingers instinctively reached for the ring hanging around my neck, seeking the familiar comfort of its weight. But the comfort didn't come. The sparkling diamond now felt like a burden, a stark reminder of a past I no longer had claim to.

The conversation didn't last long, but every second of it felt like an eternity. When Engfa finally ended the call, her gaze darted to me briefly, an unreadable expression flickering across her face. I couldn't bear it—the confusion, the longing, the pain that was too much for me to handle all at once.