Chapter 64: Let's Break Up
Chapter 64: Let's Break Up
As I wandered around Kiro's room, my curiosity about the box kept gnawing at me. I caught sight of the key on the bedside table through the reflection in the mirror. My heart pounded as I held the key in my hand again. Should I really open it alone? Part of me felt that I needed his permission, but another part convinced me that it wouldn't hurt to take a peek while he wasn't there. Sitting on the sofa, I inserted the key into the padlock, feeling a mix of excitement and unease. When the lock clicked open, I hesitated for a moment before finally lifting the lid. Inside the box, I found some of Lily’s girly clothes. It seemed she had a good taste in fashion. A pang of insecurity hit me, realizing that I wasn't as fashionable as her, but I pushed those thoughts aside. My eyes then landed on some papers, possibly love letters exchanged between Kiro and Lily. I chose not to read them, wanting to respect their privacy. Inside, I found a collection of mementos, letters, and photographs that portrayed the intimate moments between Kiro and Lily during their time together. My heart sank as I looked at them, realizing how much he must have cherished those memories. My emotions were mixed—I felt both happiness for him finding love before and sadness for the pain he must have endured when Lily passed away. The box contained a deep connection to his past, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy and insecurity, even though I had promised not to be affected. However, as I reached for the next item in the box, something startled me halfway through. My heart raced, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The contents left me in shock, and I couldn't process the emotions rushing through me. I searched for anything else, hoping that what I had seen was a misunderstanding, but there was no denying it. The truth was right in front of me, and my mind couldn't stop racing with all the what-ifs and questions. Is this the reason why Kiro didn't want me to see what's inside the box? Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn't control the emotions rushing through me. It was wrong of
me to open the box without his permission, but my curiosity had gotten the better of me. Just then, Kiro walked in, and I couldn't hear his words. My mind was too overwhelmed, and I felt like he caught me in the act. "L-Lyka... I said, let's open it together..." he whispered, trying to explain. I looked at him intently and felt a mix of anger and hurt. "Why? Is this the reason, Kiro? Is this why you didn't want me to see inside the box in the first place?!" I couldn't help but shriek, feeling a surge of emotions. "L-Lyka..." he tried to say, but I interrupted him, demanding answers. "Just answer me! Stop saying my name!" I snapped, feeling betrayed and hurt. He shook his head, slowly walking towards me, but I didn't want him near me at that moment. My emotions were too raw, and I needed time to process everything. "L-Lyka... you promise you will stay, you will hear my explanation, right?" He asked, hoping for a chance to explain himself. The audacity of him to ask something like that after what I had just discovered! "Huh! I am the only one who always hears your nonsense explanations. I always have my ears open for you because I love you... but this—this is too much!" I couldn't hold back the tears, and they fell down my cheeks uncontrollably. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier? Why?" I sobbed, feeling hurt and betrayed. As everything began to make sense, I connected all the events and realized that it was all because of her, Lily. Her shadow loomed over our relationship, and I felt like I was just a substitute. I remembered Miss Linda's words, ‘You're so beautiful, Lyka... I remember someone in you.’ She was referring to Lily, someone she saw in me. As time went on, I discovered a truth that shook me to my core. Miss Linda, who had been a trusted second mother to me, had known about the situation from the very beginning. It was a revelation that left me stunned, feeling as if the ground had shifted beneath my feet. I replayed the interactions, the knowing glances she had exchanged with Kiro, the moments that seemed innocent at the time but now carried a different weight. And yet, she hadn't uttered a word, hadn't even given me a hint of the reality she was privy to. Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
The feeling of betrayal gnawed at me, like a sharp thorn embedded in my heart. I had confided in her, seeking guidance and support, believing that she had my best interests at heart. But she had kept this secret, this knowledge that could have saved me from heartache and embarrassment. And Joday's words echoed in my mind, ‘I kept wondering why Madam approved your application when, in fact, there were no available positions for maids at the time... Something's confusing.’ She had noticed something, and now I understood what she meant. Madam's behavior was all intentional, all planned for her son. She had orchestrated everything because of him. "L-Lyka, I was finding the right time to tell you, but—" he tried to explain, but I couldn't bear to listen to his excuses. "No! I don't need your explanations. Just keep it all to yourself. I will go now. Have a happy birthday," I said as I walked towards the door, not wanting to hear any more of his lies. He called out to me, but I acted deaf to his pleas. I was emotionally drained and couldn't bear to be near him. "All of it is exhausting. All of it is unbelievable," I muttered to myself, trying to hold back the pain. "Lyka, Lyka, Lyka, please. Hear me, please. I was about to tell you, but—" he pleaded, following me downstairs. "No need. Keep it all to yourself. I don't want to be with a man who is still stuck on his past and can't move on from his ex," I said firmly, not hesitating to make a decision. His grip on my arm tightened as he stopped me from walking. "W-what?" he stammered, clearly shocked by my words. "I mean, let's end it. Let's break up," I said directly without hesitation, my heart heavy with the weight of our shattered love. As I stood there, grappling with my emotions, I realized something. The words "break up" had slipped out of my mouth during the heated exchange with Kiro. But in all honesty, I didn't even know what kind of break up I was referring to. How could we break up when we had never even been official? I could see the pain and confusion in his eyes as he pleaded for us to be together and start over again. My heart ached, but I knew I couldn't ignore what I had just discovered. It was evident that he
was still not over his past, still not over Lily. "No, Kiro. I noticed it before, and now I've seen it for myself. You're still not over with Lily," I said, my voice filled with sadness. "I don't want to love a man who's not yet over his past. How can I love you? And what's going to happen to us? Will I always be the one adjusting for you? For your illness? For your past?" I asked, feeling the weight of our situation. We were in the living room now, and I realized that some of the others must have heard our conversation. It was an unfortunate turn of events, but I couldn't ignore the truth. "No, right? I shouldn’t be adjusting because I am very sick of adjusting so please fix yourself. Please," I said, my voice shaking as I turned my back on him. I could sense his surprise and pain at my words. Today was supposed to be a nice day, but it turned out to be filled with heartache and uncertainty. I felt like I had stumbled upon a painful truth, one that I couldn't overlook. As I stood there, my mind was in turmoil. I couldn't help but notice the resemblance between Lily and me from the pictures I’ve seen inside the box. It was like we were copies of each other, and that only added to the hurt and confusion. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I walked away from him, needing time to process everything that had just happened. I loved him deeply, but I couldn't ignore the fact that he was still holding onto his past. It wasn't fair to either of us to continue like this. As I retreated to a quieter corner of the house, I knew that this decision was for the best, even though it tore me apart inside. I needed to find myself and heal from this pain before I could consider loving him.