The kiss broke like a fragile thread snapping.
Pearl stepped back, her breathing ragged, eyes wide with something between shock and heartbreak. Vansh didn't move—didn't dare. His hands hovered in the space where she'd been, still trembling from the weight of her touch.
She stared at him, lips parted, as if searching his face for an answer he wasn't ready to give.
And then, without a word, she turned.
Her footsteps echoed across the wooden floor of the library, each one louder than the last, like a drumbeat in Vansh chest. The folder still clutched in her hand, the truth still hanging between them like smoke.
He didn't stop her. Couldn't.
The heavy doors creaked open, and with one last glance over her shoulder—eyes burning, unreadable—Pearl stepped into the hallway, letting the silence swallow her whole.
The door clicked shut behind her.
And Vansh was left alone, surrounded by secrets and the ghost of her warmth still clinging to his skin
Pearl's heart was still racing as she walked through the dimly lit hallway, the weight of the kiss still heavy on her lips. But her mind... her mind was a storm.
The world around her felt distant, muffled, like she was moving through a dream. She needed to be somewhere else—anywhere but there, in the same space as him.
She reached the staircase, her hand brushing against the cold, wrought-iron railing. Her chest tightened, and she leaned her forehead against the cool metal, closing her eyes for a moment.
What was that?
She was angry. She was confused. She was terrified. But more than anything, she was lost. This wasn't what she'd planned for—none of it was. She'd come here to confront him, to demand answers, not to... fall into whatever that was.
The sting of betrayal still burned, but it mixed with something else now. Desire. A dangerous, twisting feeling that she couldn't shake. And that terrified her more than anything.
The soft sound of footsteps behind her made her jump. She wiped her face quickly, trying to hide any trace of weakness. When she turned, there was no one there.
But then, the distant sound of the library door creaking open reached her ears.
She stood frozen for a second, then cursed under her breath. She had to keep moving, but her legs felt like they were made of stone.
Meanwhile, back in the library, Vansh stared at the closed door, his body still frozen, heart pounding in his chest.
He had screwed up. Big time.
He could still feel the heat of her skin, the way she had pressed against him, and yet, all he could think about was the one thing that had kept him from ever letting anyone get close to him—his secrets.
Pearl deserved to know the truth. She deserved to know everything he had buried deep inside, but what if—what if—she couldn't handle it? What if this fragile connection between them shattered under the weight of it?
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling a long, shaky breath.
God, why was this so much harder than he'd ever thought?
His fist hit the desk with a dull thud, frustration boiling over. He wanted to go after her—wanted to make things right, but a part of him... feared what would happen if he did.
The truth was a cage. And no matter how much he wanted to tear it open, he wasn't sure if he was strong enough to face what would spill out