An Unexpected Proposal

October 5, 2020

Alicia let out a sharp breath.

The moment she heard that Mikael had been spending time with Cabelenus, it felt as though her world was crumbling. Her lungs tightened with panic, and she had run without thinking.

No matter how quiet Cabelenus remained, she could never be sure when his mind might change.

"No."

How far had she run? Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice. Alicia nearly burst into view but froze at what came next.

"I am not your father."

A hushed voice. Her heart plummeted.

She gripped a nearby tree, biting her lip hard.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Cabelenus turned away from Mikael’s gaze.

Alicia swallowed dryly. The distance between them was considerable, but she could still see the desperate hope lingering in Mikael’s eyes.

"Then… do you even know who my father is?"

"I don’t."

"I figured! Honestly, you’re way too mean to be my dad. My real dad must be way cooler and kinder than you!"

Mikael beamed, showing all his teeth.

But Alicia’s heart ached.

It felt like it was being torn into a thousand, ten thousand pieces.

"You’d better hope so. If he turns out to be a useless fool…"@@novelbin@@

Cabelenus trailed off and turned his head abruptly.

Alicia quickly ducked behind the tree.

"What is it?"

"…Nothing."

Even as he dismissed it, Cabelenus’s gaze remained fixed on the same spot.

Alicia clenched her hands into fists and shut her eyes.

She had thought this was impossible.

Yet, from a distance, the two of them together looked right.

They looked like they belonged together.

And that… made it even harder to breathe.

***

"Share with Chris."

"This much?"