Jukai

Chapter 32 Chasing Shadows

Terry Richmond

After getting dressed, I couldn't shake the feeling of indifference that settled over me. The thought of returning to an empty house brought a wave of sadness and loneliness—emotions I wasn't ready to confront.

Making my way downstairs to the kitchen, and found Megan standing by the stove, flipping pancakes.

Standing there for a moment, unsure whether I should say something or just let the silence hang. "Morning," I said, loud enough for her to hear. I understood she didn't like me—hell, I wouldn't be a fan of me either, not after the affair with Nicole.

Nicole had decided it was best for us to part ways, keeping our truth hidden. The fact that she confided in her godparents instead of her husband made me feel a pang of guilt. In my past years, I was reckless.

She turned around, her voice softer than I expected. "Morning," she said, gesturing toward the island stool.

I remained quiet, not wanting to argue —it was too early for that. Slowly made my way to the stool, sitting down without meeting her gaze.

As the pancakes sizzling on the stove, the silence between us was filled.

Megan didn't seem eager to break it either, as if we were both waiting for something to shift.

I watched her closely. She hesitated, the pancake halfway turned as if weighing her words before speaking.

For a moment, I thought she might let the silence stretch, leaving things unsaid.

But then she sighed, setting the spatula down with deliberate care.

She turned to face me fully, arms crossed. Her expression was unreadable, but the sharpness in her voice wasn't.

"You think you can just waltz in?" she asked bluntly and unwaveringly. "You think you can fix this?"

I swallowed, the weight of her words settling in my chest. Fixing things—that wasn't why I was here.

At least, not in the way she meant. But the guilt still clung to me like a shadow, a constant reminder of what I'd lost. What I'd ruined.

"I'm not here to fix anything, Megan," I said quietly.

She let out a short, humorless laugh. "You just won't quit, huh?" Her voice carried something more than frustration—fatigue, maybe. Or something closer to resignation. "No matter what happens...Why?"

A knot tightened in my stomach. Because I couldn't let go.

Because it wasn't that simple...My life had been intertwined with Nicole's for too long, tangled in ways that neither time nor distance had managed to undo. Even if she'd tried.

"I can't," I said firmly. "And I won't. So get over it."

Megan's jaw tightened. Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn't argue. Instead, she turned back to the stove, flipping the pancake more forcefully than necessary.

"Whatever," she mumbled, her voice quieter now but still thick with warning.

I didn't respond. There was nothing left to say—at least, not yet. Megan wasn't going to make this easy.

She simply grabbed the plate of pancakes from the counter and placed it in front of me with quiet efficiency.

The edges of the pancakes were slightly crisped as if she'd made them in a rush. She didn't meet my eyes as she set the plate down, her movements calculated but tight.