Chapter 29.

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After staring at each other's eyes for what it seems like a small infinity, Ellen calls us to come to take our breakfast.

The sweet smell of golden croissants and hot tea fills my nostrils. I pour a small amount of milk on my cup and bring the porcelain to my lips.

"Did you spend well the night, dear?" Ellen asks me and instantly every one on the table looks at me.

"I did." I try to make a smile between my blushed cheeks. I didn't even get any sleep but I would never tell them that.

Albert lays his hand on my thigh but not in a playful or mischievous way. He does it in a gesture of commitment; of feeling the presence of one another and feeling proud in having it.

"Dear, I found some drops of blood on the floor this morning, did you cut yourself while making the soufflés?" Ellen looks at me with an innocent expression. Oh no.

"Um, yes.. Probably. I didn't feel any harm though." I smile and keep eating my toast.

Albert caresses my leg in an intensive way and stares down at his plate with furrowed eyebrows.

I know he can't remember last night. I read that on an article after I went to my room a couple of hours ago.

Sophia's father starts talking about the weather and the few noises coming from the news on the TV fills the silence in the room.

Albert is no longer with his hand on my leg and I feel his body more tense now.

I know he's thinking about it. He can't remember it otherwise he will push me away and I don't want that.

I offer to help Ellen to clean the table but she tells me that there will be other dishes to clean the next time I come here.

I decide to go to my room and staff my bag with today's books.

I'm so focus on the schedule in front of me that I don't notice Albert's frame standing next to the door.

"Is everything alright?" I tell him while adjusting my jolting breathing after being surprised with his presence.

"I don't know, you tell me. Is it alright, Emily? Is it alright for you?" Albert holds a serious challenging tone with his eyes burning mine.

"What-what do you mean?" I tightly cross my arms on my chest hurting the scratch beneath it. Aw.

"How did you cut yourself?" Albert steps forward and I step back.

"I didn't." I lie.

"Did you or someone did?" Albert challenges insensitively approaching to me freezing my whole body.

"I'm okay, Albert." I tell him with a serious tone and keep staring at his eyes.

Albert's eyes drop mine to widely stare at my arms crossed on my chest. What is he looking at-

Oh My God! My arm is bleeding. I probably gripped the scratch and now is bleeding. Holy shit!

"What, what- how did-" Albert gently grabs my arm to stare at the blood perforating the sleeve of my sweater.

"Just drop it!" I tell him with an irritated tone making him look at me and then to my arm.

Without a word he gently but eagerly lifts my sleeve making a painful sound with his breathing stuck on his throat.

"How did this- how did I do this to you?" Albert's voice is completely shattered all over the place. He's breathing wildly making his chest go up and down at a scary rate.

"How?" Albert raises his voice and a tear falls from his eyes. Oh My God.

"You didn't! I did, Albert." I remove my arm from his embrace and step back.

He can't know that it was him. He can't.

"Bullshit. I remember of someone helping me to lay down last night. Usually it's my mum but it was you. Wasn't it?" This time he doesn't approaches to me. He stands there waiting for an answer.

"Albert, whatever you're thinking it happened, I'm okay and it was an accident. Don't worry about it," I reach him and cup his cheeks when he grabs my wrists before they touch his skin.

I spot a few tears leaving his long eyelashes as he bows down his face.

"I'm so sorry." Albert's voice cracks. "I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you." I'm left alone when he turns around and leaves the room.

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