Caught in the Moment

Episode 21: Caught in the Moment

Lina’s POV

The house was finally quiet after the chaos of the gala. My heels clicked softly against the polished marble floors as I made my way to the library, seeking solace in its quiet corners. I needed a moment to breathe, to process everything that had happened tonight—my mother’s probing questions, the watchful eyes of the guests, and, most of all, Zara.

As I pushed open the heavy door, the scent of old books and polished wood greeted me. And there she was, sitting on the couch, her tie loosened, a glass of whiskey in her hand.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” she asked, her voice low and soothing.

I shook my head, closing the door behind me. “Too much on my mind.”

She gestured to the seat next to her, and I hesitated for only a moment before joining her.

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Zara’s POV

Lina looked stunning, even now, with her hair slightly undone and her emerald dress crumpled from the long night. There was a tension in her shoulders that hadn’t left since the gala began, and it tugged at something deep inside me.

“You were amazing tonight,” I said, my voice soft.

She let out a dry laugh. “I felt like I was being dissected under a microscope.”

I set my glass down and turned to face her. “You handled it beautifully. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she glanced away. “You shouldn’t say things like that.”

“Why not? It’s true.”

She looked back at me then, her eyes searching mine. “Because it makes this harder.”

I leaned in slightly, my voice dropping. “What does?”

“This,” she whispered, her gaze flickering to my lips.

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Lina’s POV

Before I could think, before I could stop myself, I closed the distance between us. Our lips met in a kiss that was both urgent and tentative, like we were testing the waters of something we both knew was dangerous but couldn’t resist.

Her hand cupped my cheek, her touch gentle yet firm, and I melted into her. For the first time all night, the weight on my chest lifted.

But then the door creaked open.

“Lina?”

We broke apart like guilty teenagers, and my heart plummeted as I saw Amara standing in the doorway, her expression a mix of shock and amusement.

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Zara’s POV

Amina’s eyes darted between Lina and me, her lips twitching as if she was trying to suppress a grin.

“Well, well,” she said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. “This is… unexpected.”

Lina’s face was crimson, and I could feel the tension radiating off her.

“Amina, this isn’t—” she began, but her sister held up a hand.

“Relax,” Amina said, leaning casually against the door. “I’m not going to rat you out.”

“You’re not?” Lina asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

Amina smirked. “No, but I am going to enjoy watching you squirm for a bit.”

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Lina’s POV

I wanted to strangle my sister, but I also couldn’t deny the relief flooding through me.

“Amina, please—”

“Relax,” she said again, rolling her eyes. “Look, I don’t care if you two are… whatever this is. Honestly, I think it’s kind of cute.”

“Cute?” Zara repeated, her tone incredulous.

Amina shrugged. “Yeah. But you might want to be more careful. Mom’s already suspicious, and if she catches you two…” She trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.

I glanced at Zara, who was watching Amina with a mix of wariness and curiosity.

“Thank you,” I said finally, my voice quiet but sincere.

Amina grinned. “Don’t thank me yet. This secret isn’t going to stay hidden forever.”

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Zara’s POV

After Amina left, Lina and I sat in silence for a long moment.

“Well, that was…” I began, but Lina groaned, burying her face in her hands.

“This is a disaster,” she muttered.

I reached out, gently pulling her hands away from her face. “It’s not. Amara’s right—this secret isn’t going to stay hidden forever. But maybe that’s not a bad thing.”

She looked at me, her eyes wide with fear. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying we can’t keep running from this,” I said, my voice steady. “We need to decide what we want—and whether we’re willing to fight for it.”

Her gaze softened, and she nodded slowly. “Okay. Let’s figure it out. Together.”

As the tension between us eased, I realized that being caught wasn’t the end of the world. It was the beginning of something far more important: the fight for us.

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