Chapter 24 (Burden)

"Stella..." he mumbled to himself, his voice barely audible in the quiet room. The weight of his thoughts and emotions hung heavily in the air around him.

He wondered if he would once again ignore her too, push her away until it was too late, until she was no longer a part of his life. The thought made his heart ache, and his eyes grew heavier with each passing moment.

But then, as if on cue, he forced a smile, a feeble attempt to mask the pain that was evident in his eyes. It only made him look even more pitiable, a broken soul desperately trying to hold himself together.

"Yeah, what do you want?" he spoke, his voice laced with a hint of bitterness.

He tried to eliminate every ounce of coldness from his speech, but it seemed futile. The walls he had built around himself were not so easily torn down.

Celicia, who had been observing him with a mix of confusion and concern, was taken aback by his response. Before she could utter another word, a familiar voice rang out, breaking the te