Chapter 12: Avoiding
The next morning, Rose woke up to an unsettling realization—her resolve to keep her distance from Sylus was growing weaker by the day. No matter how much she fought it, she couldn't deny the pull he had on her. The memory of his voice, his touch, lingered in her mind like an ache she couldn't shake. She had tried so hard to bury the warmth that seemed to bloom in her chest every time he looked at her, but it was growing stronger, more persistent.
As she walked into the office, her thoughts churned. She had to find a way to focus, to bury the feelings before they consumed her completely. But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
"Kitten," Sylus called from across the room, his voice smooth and commanding.
Rose stiffened, pretending she hadn't heard him. She couldn't afford to be distracted today, not when every time he spoke, every time he called her that nickname, it felt like another step toward losing herself.
"I know you hear me," he said, his voice closer now, unmistakably teasing.
She turned to see him standing behind her, a stack of papers in his hands. His gaze was steady, his usual smirk absent for the moment, replaced by a quiet intensity that made her pulse quicken.
"Team meeting in ten," he said, his tone professional, but his gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary.
"Got it," she replied shortly, turning back to her desk, focusing on the screen in front of her, hoping to shut out the feelings that were slowly consuming her.
---
The meeting was routine, filled with discussions about quarterly reports and upcoming projects. Rose tried her best to stay focused, to concentrate on the data, but Sylus's presence at the head of the table was a constant distraction. It wasn't just his usual confidence or the way his eyes flicked to hers every now and then—it was the magnetic pull between them, an invisible thread that she couldn't ignore no matter how hard she tried.
"Rose," Sylus said suddenly, his voice cutting through her thoughts. She blinked, realizing too late that she hadn't been paying attention.
"What's your take on this?" he asked, his voice laced with a challenge.
She stammered, trying to compose herself. "Uh, I think…" Her face flushed as everyone at the table turned to look at her. "I agree with your suggestion," she said quickly, hoping to cover her slip.
Sylus raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You think?" he prompted, clearly amused.
She forced herself to focus, pushing the warmth in her chest down. "Yes, I agree," she repeated, her voice steadier now.
Sylus didn't press further, but the glint in his eyes told her that he wasn't letting her off the hook completely.
---
That evening, as she packed up her things, Sylus appeared by her desk again, his presence almost too familiar, too close.
"Rough day?" he asked, leaning casually against the edge of her desk, his eyes studying her intently.
Rose sighed, not in the mood for his teasing. "You could say that."
He studied her for a moment, his expression softening, and for a brief second, Rose thought she saw something deeper in his gaze—something that made her stomach twist.
"You've been distracted lately," he said quietly. "Is something going on?"
Her heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to shrug it off. "Just a lot on my mind."
Sylus nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. "You know you can talk to me, right?"
There was sincerity in his voice, a vulnerability she hadn't expected. And for a brief, dangerous moment, she wanted to tell him everything—the confusion, the fear, the way he was slowly breaking down the walls she had so carefully built. But she couldn't.
Instead, she offered a small, forced smile. "Thanks, but I'm fine."
---
As the days went on, Rose tried harder and harder to avoid him. But Sylus had a knack for showing up at the most inconvenient times. It was as if he knew exactly when she was trying to distance herself, and that was when he would find a reason to talk to her. He challenged her walls with a quiet persistence, and the worst part was, she could feel herself slipping.
One evening, as she sat alone in her apartment, her journal open on the table before her, she stared at the words she had written:
1. If I fall for him = I stay here.
2. If he falls for me = I might go back.
3. BUT: Both can't happen at the same time.
Her chest tightened as she thought about how much her feelings for him had grown. They had started small—just fleeting moments, looks that lingered too long—but now, they were consuming her. She couldn't stop herself from thinking about him, about his words, the way his presence seemed to wrap around her like a warm, dangerous blanket.
What if I can't stop myself? she thought, panic rising in her chest. What if I'm already falling?
But the thought of Sylus falling for her, of him becoming tangled in her world, only made things more complicated. She couldn't bring herself to hurt him, to use his feelings as a way out. The idea of him falling for her was just as terrifying as the idea of falling for him herself.
---
The breaking point came during a late-night project. The office was quiet, the glow of their computer screens the only light, and the sound of typing filled the air.
Sylus leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms behind his head, his gaze shifting to Rose.
"You've been unusually quiet," he said, breaking the silence. His voice was low, almost thoughtful.
Rose glanced at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "Just tired," she replied, hoping he wouldn't press further.
He studied her for a moment, his dark eyes unreadable. "You've been avoiding me."
"I haven't," she lied, her voice too soft, too unsure.
Sylus smirked, but there was no humor in it, only a knowing glint in his eyes. "You're terrible at lying, kitten."
Her breath hitched, and she quickly looked away, pretending to focus on her screen. The intensity of his gaze felt like it was searing through her, and the warmth in her chest flared again.
"Rose," he said, his voice low and steady now, like he was speaking directly to her heart. "Whatever it is you're hiding, you don't have to do it alone."
Her chest ached with the weight of his words. For a moment, she considered telling him the truth—telling him about her fear, her confusion, her growing feelings for him. But the words caught in her throat, and she couldn't bring herself to speak them.
"I'm not hiding anything," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, hoping it would convince him.
Sylus didn't respond, but she could feel his gaze on her, heavy and unrelenting. The silence between them stretched, and Rose felt the tension build like a storm waiting to break.
---
That night, as she lay in bed, her thoughts were a storm of emotions—confusion, fear, longing. She couldn't let herself fall for Sylus, but she couldn't deny the way her heart raced whenever he was near. The very idea of him, of his presence, sent a thrill through her that she couldn't escape.
And worse, she was beginning to think he might feel the same way.
If I let this continue, she thought, I'll lose everything. But if I stop it… I might lose him.
The thought terrified her, and for the first time, she realized just how much was at stake. If she allowed herself to fall for him, she knew she would never be able to leave this world. And yet, if she turned away, if she pulled herself out, she might lose the only person who had ever made her feel alive again.
The choice was looming over her, and no matter how hard she tried, there was no escaping the pull.