Veiled Echoes

C H A P T E R 14

my favourite chapter i've written so far so i hope you would also enjoy it as much as i did!

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— xoxo

HANA

There were many things I was sure of in life.  I had not yielded when my grandfather was trying to inform me about the position of the women in his household; I had been stubborn enough to stand up against him for my mother, without a care for the consequences; I had definitely pursued my career without taking my parents and my grandfather's taunts.

There were plenty of things I could push myself to do—just as many I could resist, no matter how much I wanted them.

Yet, with Aiden, things were different.

Agreeing to this date when I could've been at home fixing my citations instead of letting poor Rae do it was not something I would have done. Despite myself, I knew—somewhere deep down—that I came here because I wanted to be around the man who, slowly but surely, had begun weaving his way into my life.

Even now, watching him look at me with the same quiet softness in his eyes—grounded and familiar—it tugged at something deep in my chest. The softness ignited a sense of comfort that I had not particularly experienced before, like a cat in a sunbeam.

Maybe I was imagining things. Or maybe we'd gotten good at pretending; I couldn't tell what was real anymore. But I decided to live with it for once.

Just for today.

I cleared my throat. "What's one skill you would bring to the table if we get stranded on an island?"

Aiden pursed his lips and tilted his head with a frown. "My cooking skills."

My brows raised. "You can cook?"

"What can I say? I'm a full package." He shrugged and smiled smugly. "I'd eventually end up cutting the logs, cooking, and setting up our mini hut."

"Guess I'll just sit there looking pretty and pretending I'm weak." I dramatically sighed and grunted as I tried to lift the basketball. "Such a hard life."

"Smartass." Aiden chuckled, a smile tugging at his lips as he took the ball from my hand. "You're stranded with me now. You don't have to do anything—just let me take care of you."

I should've come back with something smart or sarcastic. Should've rolled my eyes. But instead, I just looked at him. 

The sun had entered through the skylight, catching itself in Aiden's hair. The soft light added a new shine to his eyes, allowing me a peek into the hidden depths that revealed nothing but disarming warmth. I still felt the ghost of his fingers, as they had lingered—just for a second too long—as he took the ball from me.

Aiden dribbled the ball, unaware that something inside me stilled.

"You really think you can take care of me?" I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.

He tilted his head slightly, directing the rays of the sun to fall on his face. Aiden's playful smirk softened into something gentler.

"I'd try. Even if you didn't let me," he said, voice low, sincere. Then he smiled, his eyes crinkling. "I believe that's the safest option considering your arm movement."

I slapped his arm, narrowing my eyes.

Yet, the words shouldn't have affected me, but they did. More than I cared to admit.

I couldn't understand whether it was the tender vow he had just made or the years of quiet expectations pressing down on me. But somehow, it settled something deep within me.