Silent Hearts: Operation Breaking His Ice Heart (Complete)

Chapter 50

Dinner that night was unusually quiet.

Ada sat between Treycie and Aiden, helping his son scoop rice onto his plate, while Rhythm sat across the table, his gaze fixed on his food — but his eyes kept darting back to Ada. He tried to eat, tried to act normal, but every time Ada's soft laugh escaped when Aiden did something silly, Rhythm's chest tightened.

He couldn't stop staring.

His eyes were full of everything he couldn't say — regret, love, guilt, pain, hope.

Mew noticed it first, his hand pausing midway to reach for his glass of wine. He glanced at Gulf, who was seated beside him. Gulf followed his husband's gaze and his brows furrowed slightly as he caught the silent conversation happening across the table — not with words, but with stares.

Gulf leaned close to Mew and whispered, "Something happened between those two."

Mew gave a small nod. "Yes. I can see it in Rhythm's eyes. He's hurting."

Ada, for his part, remained quiet, answering questions politely when asked, but not joining in the cheerful teasing of the others. Even Kyle and Treyton, who usually joked endlessly at dinner, slowed down, sensing the tension between their younger brother and Ada.

When dinner ended, everyone drifted to their rooms or the lounge area. Ada excused himself early, saying he needed to put Aiden to bed. Rhythm just nodded, watching him leave without a word.

Later that night, the sky was dark and full of stars, the ocean breeze cool and salty. Rhythm sat outside by the beach bar, nursing a glass of whiskey, staring at the waves. His mind was replaying Ada's words over and over:

"The only thing I can give you now... is friendship."

A chair scraped next to him, and Mew sat down with a calm but knowing expression. Kyle and Treyton soon followed, carrying bottles of beer, grinning despite the heaviness of the night.

"You look like a man who just got his heart broken," Treyton teased lightly as he handed Rhythm a beer.

Rhythm gave a humorless chuckle. "Because I did."

Kyle sat across from him, leaning forward on the table. "Then talk to us, little brother. What happened?"

Rhythm sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. "I told him everything tonight. That I want him back. That I want to be part of his life — his and Aiden's. That I'm ready to love his son like my own. But he..." Rhythm's voice broke, and he looked down. "He said he still loves me but he can't be with me right now. That all he can give me is friendship. Because his priority is Aiden."

Mew was quiet for a moment, letting Rhythm's words sink into the night air. Then he spoke softly, "That's not rejection, Rhythm. That's fear. He's protecting himself — and his son. You can't rush that."

Treyton nodded. "Exactly. You hurt him once. It's going to take time before he believes you won't hurt him again."