CHAPTER 6 Why was Eliza in your room?
Cavin's POV
The room felt smaller, suffocating almost, as I paced in front of the window, trying to rein in the mess of emotions surging inside me. My jaw clenched painfully as I ran my hands through my hair, frustrated. I could still feel the heat of Eliza's body, her soft hands pressing against my chest, trying to push me away—yet also drawing me in. The scent of her lingered in the air like a drug, refusing to let me forget how close I had been to crossing a line I wasn't sure I could come back from.
What the hell was wrong with me?
I'd spent months—years, really—carefully building a wall between us, maintaining a safe distance, pretending that Eliza didn't have this insane effect on me. But today, seeing her with that boy—Nikolai, or whatever the hell his name was—had shattered that restraint. The way he held her hand, kissed her cheek, made her blush, all while I watched like an outsider. It set something off inside me, something primal and possessive that I couldn't explain.
She's mine.
The thought hit me like a ton of bricks, and I hated myself for it. Eliza wasn't mine. She was free to be with whomever she wanted. And yet, seeing her with him, I felt like I was losing something I never had the right to claim.
But now, she was gone. I had pushed her out of my room before anything could happen, and that was for the best. Yet the frustration lingered, simmering just beneath the surface. I leaned my forehead against the cool windowpane, taking a few deep breaths to calm myself.
I heard footsteps in the hall, light but determined, heading straight for my door. I knew who it was before she even knocked.
Natalie.
Her timing, as always, couldn't have been worse.
Before I could move, the door swung open, and Natalie stepped inside, her gaze sweeping across the room, narrowing instantly. "Where's Eliza?" she asked, her tone sharp. Her eyes scanned the empty space, finding no trace of the girl who had just been here minutes ago. But her suspicion was palpable, lingering in the air like a question she didn't need to ask.
I stayed silent for a second too long, trying to mask the storm of emotions churning inside me. "Eliza?" I repeated, forcing a casual tone as I turned to face her, keeping my expression neutral. "She wasn't here."
Her gaze locked onto mine, unyielding. She stepped forward, her body language cold and calculating, the distrust evident in her eyes. "I saw her, Cavin. Don't lie to me."
I clenched my fists by my sides, willing myself to stay calm. The last thing I needed was for Natalie to start probing, to stir up even more chaos. "You must be mistaken," I said smoothly, though the tension in my voice was hard to miss. "She wasn't here."
Natalie was closer now, just a few feet away, her eyes studying me like she was trying to see past the surface. I could see the gears turning in her head, but before she could respond, she did something I didn't expect. She inhaled deeply, her lips curving into a soft smile. "Your scent," she whispered, almost to herself, as if she found some sort of reassurance in it.
Then, without warning, she leaned in and kissed my cheek. "I trust you," she murmured against my skin, her tone soft and sweet, a complete contrast to the harshness she had just displayed. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she pulled me closer, her fingers tangling in my hair as she rested her head against my chest.
I stood there, rigid, my mind miles away from her.
Her voice was softer when she spoke again, almost playful. "When will you marry me, Cavin?"
My body tensed at her words. The very idea of marriage with Natalie made my skin crawl, but I had to play along—for now. I forced a tight smile, though the irritation was building beneath the surface. "Not now, Natalie," I muttered, trying to move away from her grasp.
But she didn't let go. Instead, she tightened her hold, pressing herself closer. "Why not now?" she pouted, her lips dangerously close to mine, her eyes searching my face for an answer. "We've been together long enough. Don't you think it's time?"
The frustration I had been suppressing finally cracked through. "I said leave," I growled, harsher than I intended. I pushed her hands off me, stepping back to put some distance between us. I didn't have the patience for this right now.
Natalie blinked, surprised by my tone. But instead of backing down, she pouted like a spoiled child who wasn't getting her way. "Cavin..." Her voice dripped with manipulation as she moved closer again, her eyes locking onto mine. And before I could stop her, she pressed her lips against mine.
The kiss was empty, devoid of anything real. I didn't feel the warmth, the passion, or the pull that I had with Eliza, no matter how much I hated to admit it. Natalie's kiss felt cold, like a reminder of the facade I had been forced to keep up for far too long.
I broke away from her roughly, my chest heaving with barely contained anger. "I said, leave," I repeated, my voice low but deadly serious.
Natalie pulled back, her lips curling into a sulky frown as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Fine," she snapped, clearly displeased by my reaction. "But this isn't over, Cavin. You'll marry me sooner or later. You know that."
Without another word, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. The force of it echoed through the empty space, leaving a ringing silence in its wake.
I stood there, staring at the closed door, my mind racing. The tension in my chest refused to dissipate, and I could feel the weight of everything pressing down on me. I ran a hand over my face, trying to push the frustration away.
This couldn't go on. Natalie's clinginess, her constant pushing for marriage—it was all suffocating me. But the real issue wasn't her.
It was Eliza.
I didn't know what to do with the feelings that had resurfaced today, with the possessiveness that had taken over when I saw her with someone else. I wasn't supposed to feel this way about her. I couldn't.
But I did.
As I turned toward the window, my eyes caught movement in the garden below. My breath hitched as I saw Eliza, standing in the shadows, her arms wrapped around herself as if she had been watching the entire exchange.
She hadn't left.
A mix of emotions flashed across her face—hurt, confusion, and something I couldn't quite place. Our eyes locked for a brief second, and then, just as quickly, she turned and walked away, disappearing into the night.
And I knew, in that moment, that everything was about to change.
I stood there, staring at the closed door, my mind racing. The tension in my chest refused to dissipate, and I could feel the weight of everything pressing down on me. I ran a hand over my face, trying to push the frustration away.
Natalie's clinginess, her constant push for marriage—it was all becoming unbearable. But there was another problem, one I couldn't ignore any longer.
Eliza.
I was supposed to be the responsible one, the one who kept things under control. But the feelings I had for Eliza had resurfaced today, stronger than ever. Seeing her with someone else had stirred something in me I wasn't ready to confront. I hated how possessive I felt, how angry I had gotten over something that shouldn't have mattered.
I paced back and forth in the room for a moment longer, running my fingers through my hair, trying to shake the thoughts of her. But the more I tried to push it away, the stronger it became. I couldn't stay cooped up here any longer, with all these emotions threatening to tear me apart.
With a frustrated sigh, I headed downstairs, hoping to clear my head.
As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw David standing near the entrance, his arms crossed over his chest, a frown etched deep into his face. He hadn't seen me yet, but I could tell from his expression that something was bothering him.
The second he noticed me, his eyes narrowed. "Cavin," he said, his tone cold. "Why was Eliza in your room?"