Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 225

Somewhere Else-1

I reach for the knife to finish cutting the vegetables Zaid started on. I smile to myself, thinking of the way we kissed, thinking about how maybe this is a new start for us.

That we won't be alone anymore. From the way his hands felt on my skin, from the way everything in me screamed this is right, I can't imagine being apart from him anymore.

And then I hear it, a familiar voice. "Alina?"

My body goes cold. It's not excitement that floods me. Not joy. Not even confusion. It's

something duller. A weight I can't explain that settles in my chest like dread.

Footsteps echo through the foyer, and before I can react, Jake is in the kitchen with me.

He smiles, and before I can say a single word, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me

into a kiss. It should feel like home, but it doesn't.

When we pull apart, I can't breathe. My eyes immediately find Zaid. He's still standing by

the kitchen counter. Still here, but looking away. His arms are folded, jaw clenched.

Like it bothers him, like it hurts. Has it always hurt him?

Jake's lips brush down my neck, and I force a laugh. It's awkward, shaky, not quite mine. “Jake, what are you doing here?"

He pulls back, frowning like it should've been obvious. "It's your birthday

wanted to

Of course he did.

smile at him, but it's thin, because all I can feel is the way Zaid won't look at me. The way the light in

day tomorrow, and least not

a kiss to my forehead. "I'm going to set my things upstairs. You're

My bedroom is the only one with a bed. Zaid has one, too, but

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Somewhere Else-1

not want to share

he's gone, I turn

whisper,

a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "It's okay. You should spend tomorrow with him. We can celebrate another

tightens. "It can be the three of us. We can

know if I can be around him right

for everything, but I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about all of this," he says, voice raw. He finally looks at me, and

me.

nod slowly, swallowing hard. "I get

soft, pained smile, kissing me at the

me, right? Elena wants you to

him smile,

my lip.

miss it."

was, where we stood just minutes ago, and I

so warm can feel so cold

the vegetables and rinse my

walks back into the kitchen, a smile on his face. It