Chapter 1056



But her thoughts were still restless, and sleep remained elusive.

“Why did you stay with me?” she asked softly.

Before he could respond, she added quickly, “I don’t mean anything by it. It’s just—if it were anyone else, they’d think it’s ridiculous for someone my age to be this scared of thunder. Do you think I’m pretending?”

Jake opened his eyes, his gaze steady as he stared at her. After a moment of silence, he said quietly, “I know why you’re afraid of thunder. So, no, I don’t think you’re pretending.”

Kallie blinked, startled by his words.

“You know why?” she asked, turning to look at him.

“What is it?”

Instead of answering, Jake simply adjusted his hand over her ears again.

“Let’s sleep first. We can talk about it later,” he murmured.

Jake kept the truth to himself. He knew it all too well—the reason for her fear. Her parents had died during a storm like this one. Roderick was the one who shared this secret with him, explaining why Kallie had always been so afraid of thunderstorms. The fear was etched deeply into her, untouched by time or age. It clung to her like a shadow, following her wherever she went.

In the past, Jake had once believed there might be a way to help Kallie. Perhaps if the memories of that night faded, her fear would, too. But now he knew better. Even after Kallie’s memory loss, the fear had remained. It was more than just a memory—it was part of her.

The realization filled Jake with a familiar pang of unease. He thought back to all the times she had faced storms alone, trapped in fear and sorrow. Once again, he blamed himself. If only he had been there for her more often, perhaps things wouldn’t have turned out this way.

gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․com, where the best stories live Jake lowered his gaze, his eyes betraying an inner conflict he didn’t want to show.

To Kallie, though, his expression suggested something entirely different. It was as if he didn’t want to talk.

Noticing this, Kallie didn’t press further, even though her thoughts swirled with questions. If their past had been filled with unpleasant memories, why would she have confided the cause of her fear toward thunder in Jake at all? Yet, somehow, she had. His expansive knowledge of her past left her feeling uneasy. Had their relationship been less strained than she thought? Could Lacey have misled her?

Her mind in chaos, Kallie decided to investigate further. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. Jake needed rest, and so did she. With a quiet sigh, Kallie closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep.

Jake had expected Kallie to pry further. Her unexpected silence caught him off guard. Watching her even breathing as she drifted off, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. The next morning, Jake woke first. For the first time in ages, he had felt well-rested. He had slept soundly, undisturbed by dreams or thoughts. It was a sleep that left him feeling grounded.

As Jake stirred, he realized Kallie was nestled in his arms. Sometime during the night, they had shifted closer, falling into an embrace that felt natural, almost instinctive.

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