A breath of fresh air

Elaine excused herself from the table, murmuring a polite reason about needing the bathroom. In reality, she just needed to get away. The dinner had been suffocating—the tension thick enough to choke her. Olivia's smug glances, the silent judgment from Alexander's family, and Alexander himself, caught between them all, saying nothing.

She walked through the dimly lit restaurant until she found an exit leading to the terrace. The moment she stepped outside, the night air hit her, cool and crisp against her skin. She took a deep breath, tilting her head up to the sky. The city stretched before her, its lights flickering like distant stars.

'One day, I'll leave all of this behind, she thought. One day, I'll make my own name so no one will ever look down on me again.'

The sound of the terrace door opening made her tense. She didn't turn around—she already knew who it was.

"Elaine," Alexander's voice was low, cautious. "You okay?"

She exhaled slowly before responding. "Shouldn't you be inside? Olivia might start looking for you."

He walked closer, stopping beside her. "I wanted to check on you first."

Elaine let out a quiet laugh, but there was no humor in it. "You don't have to do that, Alexander. I'm fine."

He leaned against the railing, his gaze fixed on the skyline. "Dinner was tense," he admitted. "I just wanted to say …..I am sorry Olivia can be difficult and my family—"he sighed rubbing the back of his neck."I know they don't make things easier ".

"You don't have to apologize for them," she said flatly. "Olivia thinks what she thinks. Your family does too. Nothing's going to change that."

Alexander said softly "Still… I hate seeing you like this."

Elaine turned to him, her expression unreadable. "And what do you want me to say, Alexander? That I'm fine? That it doesn't bother me?" She gave him a small, empty smile. "Because that's all I can say."

Alexander hesitated, his jaw tightening. Then, softer, he said, "You can tell me if something's wrong, Elaine. You don't have to keep everything to yourself."

For a second, something in her chest ached. He had always been like this—thoughtful in ways she wished he wasn't. But it didn't change anything.

She forced a small smile. "I just needed some air. And to go home. Tomorrow's an important day at college."

Alexander studied her, as if debating whether to push further. In the end, he only nodded. "I'll drive you back."

She shook her head. "I can manage."

Something flickered in his eyes—something unreadable. But instead of arguing, he sighed and nodded. "Alright. Just… get home safe."

Elaine turned away, walking back inside without another word.

No matter how much Alexander tried to reach out, no matter how kind he was—he was still engaged to Olivia. And in the end, he had already made his choice.

———

Back at the Table

When Alexander returned to his seat, the moment he sat down, he regretted it.

"She's such a bother," Olivia's mother huffed, sipping her wine with a look of distaste. "I don't understand why she's even here. A child born out of an affair has no place at our table."

Olivia smirked, swirling the wine in her glass. "You know Elaine, always pretending to be part of something she's not."

Alexander's jaw tightened. The way they spoke about Elaine—it made his blood boil, but as always, he felt powerless to stop it. He had heard it for years, their disdain for her, and though he hated it, it never changed.

"Alexander." Olivia's voice was soft, laced with something unreadable. "Why do you always follow her?" She tilted her head, her lips curving into a knowing smirk. "It's not like she's your real sister."

His fingers clenched under the table, his appetite vanishing completely. "She's family."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "By blood? No."

Alexander exhaled, his patience wearing thin. "You don't have to be blood-related to care about someone."

Olivia chuckled, exchanging a look with her mother. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you care about her too much."

His eyes snapped to hers, sharp and warning. "Don't start, Olivia."

She only shrugged, sipping her wine as if the conversation had never happened.

Alexander pushed back his chair and stood. "I need some air."

He didn't wait for a response before walking away.

He didn't know why, but Olivia's words stuck in his head long after he left the restaurant.