Chapter 130

Kellan swallowed hard, trying to suppress the flood of thoughts racing through his mind. His eyes shifted to the rain cascading down the floor-to-ceiling windows; the rhythmic sound was somehow calming. He finished his coffee in one swift gulp, the warmth spreading through his chest and soothing his nerves. The coffee had a fresh, elegant taste—perfectly balanced—leaving him comfortably at ease, much like when he spent time with Allison.

Just as he was sinking into that brief moment of peace, a sudden clap of thunder shattered the quiet. Lightning splintered across the sky, and within seconds, the lights flickered before plunging the entire villa into darkness. The power was out?

Kellan instinctively clenched his fists. His frown deepened as he tried to steady his breathing, forcing himself to remain calm. But the harder he tried, the more his chest tightened. He didn’t know when this strange affliction had started, but ever since he’d lost parts of his memory, the dark had triggered something deep within him—a suffocating fear that made him want to escape.

Just as he was battling to maintain control, Allison emerged from her room, towel in hand, drying her damp hair.

“Power outage, huh?” she remarked casually, oblivious to Kellan’s turmoil. “I heard the power here never goes out. Guess our luck ran dry.”

Kellan stood motionless, his back to her. He forced himself to speak, hoping his voice wouldn’t betray him.

“It’s been years since we’ve had rain like this in Ontdale.”

Allison paused, still drying her hair. Though Kellan’s voice was steady, a subtle tremor betrayed him. After spending so much time together, Allison sensed something was wrong.

“Kellan…” she asked bluntly, “are you afraid of the dark?”

Kellan coughed, a little too abruptly. “No. I’m not a child.”

But his quick denial only made it more obvious. Allison’s lips curved into a slight, knowing smile.

“Ah, I see. I must have misread the situation. After all, how could you be afraid of the dark? In that case, relax. I’ll go find some candles.”

“Wait.” His heart skipped a beat. If she left, he’d be alone.

Seeing her start toward the stairs, Kellan acted on instinct, standing up from his wheelchair with surprising urgency. Forgetting appearances, he spoke awkwardly.

“It’s dark upstairs. You might trip. Why don’t we look for candles together?”

Allison raised an eyebrow, but didn’t miss a beat. “Sure. Just keep up.”

He moved slowly, matching her pace. She hadn’t intended to leave him alone. Though he couldn’t see her face in the dark, Kellan was certain she was smiling.

“There’s no shame in being afraid of the dark, you know,” Allison mused, her voice soft and amused. “Everyone has their weaknesses. I just didn’t expect that yours would be—”

“I’m not afraid of the dark,” Kellan interjected, his tone more defensive than he intended. “You’re jumping to conclusions, Ms. Clarke.”

Allison chuckled softly. “Sure, sure. Stop coughing like that, or I’ll start thinking you’re actually coming down with something.” She extended a corner of her towel toward him. “Here. Hold onto this so you don’t lose your way and trip.”

“Of course I can keep up,” he muttered, but despite his words, he reached for the towel. It was still warm, slightly damp from her hair. The realization hit him—she’d just come out of the shower. The thought lingered, making his fingertips tense involuntarily.