Chapter 476: Chapter 476

Chapter 476:

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Maybe, she thought, this was how it should be. Their connection had always been unspoken—more a habit than a bond, an addiction neither had ever truly acknowledged. And in the adult world, distance often marked the beginning of a quiet goodbye.

The floor numbers flickered closer to her stop when Kellan’s voice broke the silence. “Ms. Clarke, what do you think our relationship is now?”

He kept his tone neutral, the words delivered without the weight of any discernible emotion. But when she looked up, meeting his dark, searching eyes, her heart betrayed her, skipping a beat.

Kellan rarely said much, but even now, his silent intensity could stir emotions she didn’t want to acknowledge. Their eyes locked, a conversation between them as quiet as it was intense, and Allison felt the faint flicker of emotions she worked so hard to keep buried.

“Superior and subordinate, partners… and friends,” she finally answered, her voice steady. It wasn’t the first time Kellan had asked her what they were, but it was the first time she’d added “friends.”

She kept her face impassive, unwilling to acknowledge—even to herself—the subtle ache in her heart as she spoke. As the elevator neared its destination, Allison glanced at him one last time. “Thank you, not just for the documents, but for everything lately.”

From a chance meeting on the yacht to the life-or-death moments they’d shared, their connection defied easy labels. Whatever it was, it deserved her honest gratitude.

A hint of mockery curved Kellan’s lips. “It was nothing,” he replied, his eyes flickering with something indefinable. When one said “thank you,” the other would say “it was nothing.” The words were routine, almost polite, but for Kellan, they cut. Sometimes, he hated how hollow the phrase felt, how cold it sounded.

As the doors opened, Allison stepped out, leaving him behind. He raised a hand to his temple, massaging it as a headache took hold. But this time, the pain wasn’t just in his head. It radiated through his chest, an ache he couldn’t shake.

Under his breath, he murmured, “Allison, if I could, sometimes I wish I could look into your heart, just to see if it’s as empty as you want me to believe.” He knew, though, that Allison would never allow him that vulnerability, even if he’d risk everything just to find out.

The day outside was bright, the sky a rich blue as sunlight spilled through the windows. Such a day should have been perfect for an outing in the sun. Only days ago, the weather had promised a typhoon—fierce and raw, much like the night when Allison had leaned over him, her fingers covering his eyes, whispering, “I like you.” But those words felt as fleeting as the storm, confined to passing moments when they were alone.

As the elevator doors opened onto the top-floor lounge, Ferdinand greeted him with a grin, oblivious to the turmoil simmering beneath Kellan’s composed exterior. “Rough morning already? You don’t look too hot, man,” Ferdinand remarked cheerfully.

“Painkillers,” Kellan muttered, the strain in his voice unmistakable.

Ferdinand quickly dug into his desk, pulling out a small bottle. “Here. Headache, huh? You seemed fine just the other day. What’s going on?”

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