Submitting to my Ex Uncle-Chapter 213

Amara finally stirred, her lashes trembled before her eyes opened. She looked small beneath the sheets. Soft, and unaware. She smiled faintly when she saw him sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Why are you staring at me that way?" she asked, her voice still thick with sleep.

"I just wanted to." He replied.

She rubbed her eyes. "You’re still thinking about that night, aren’t you?" she questioned, trying to bring that up first thing in the morning, as an excuse for whatever potential attitude she might have.

Elias on the other hand knew what she meant — the night he brought a gun into her home, and the night she’d thrown him out in fear. He wished that was the reason for the shadows under his eyes.

"Something like that," he said, and smiled faintly.

Amara pushed herself up against the headboard, tucking the sheets under her arms. Her hair spilled down one shoulder in soft curls. "You know, Elias, I... I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did that night," she murmured. "It’s just... you scared me."

He swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet her eyes. "You had every right to be scared."

Her gaze softened. "You’re not that man anymore, are you?" she threw a ticking bomb at him.

Elias said nothing. He looked down at his hands. There was a faint tremor in his hand that hadn’t stopped since the call. "I’m trying not to be."

She smiled weakly, and something in his chest twisted. Amara noticed how the lies had started to grow roots.

Amara threw the covers aside and stood up. She stretched a little. "I’ll make breakfast."

"I’ll do it," Elias said quickly.

Amara said nothing. She just left the room, and walked toward the kitchen. The faint scent of her perfume lingered in the air, and guilt clung to him.

Elias followed a minute later.

Amara stood by the counter, barefoot, wearing his shirt. The sleeves were not too long due to how tall she was, but at least, they covered her wrists. She was cutting bread slowly, and humming under her breath. He leaned against the doorframe, just watching her.

It was too easy to imagine this. It was too hard to imagine he might never see her again.

"Elias?" she turned, catching him staring. "What?"

He blinked. "Nothing."

"Then stop looking at me like that." She warned, feeling goosebumps all over her skin. He has to stop.

"Like what?"

"I can’t tell. Just stop."

He didn’t reply, and silence fell between them. The only sound was the soft clink of the knife against the cutting board.

"Did you eat last night?" he asked, breaking the silence. He hated the silence.

She nodded. "A little. You?"

He hesitated. "I wasn’t hungry."

"You should eat," she said, frowning.

Elias smiled faintly.

That word nearly undid him. He stepped closer, too close.

Amara froze, her hands stilled on the bread. She looked up at him. His eyes had darkened, and it made the air around them feel too thin.

"Elias," she whispered.

He reached for her hand. She let him, though her body went still. His thumb brushed the inside of her wrist. Her pulse jumped under his touch. She shut her eyes, hoping he doesn’t feel her goosebumps.

"Amara," he murmured. He sounded almost pleading. "If anything ever happens, I want you to trust me. You don’t open the door for anyone. You hear me?"

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Promise me," he said, firmer now.

Her heart skipped three beats at once. "Elias, you’re scaring me."

He closed his eyes, exhaling through his nose. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to."

"Then tell me what’s going on."

He looked at her. He wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to confess that the same man who gave him a name, a purpose, and a place in the world was now asking for her life.

However he couldn’t.

Instead, he did what he always did. He lied.

"It’s nothing," he said quietly. "Just bad dreams."

Amara’s gaze lingered on him for a long time, searching for cracks in the lie. Finally, she sighed and nodded. "You should eat," she said again.

He gave her a small nod.

When she turned back to the sink, the knife clinked against the plate, and he realized his hands were still shaking.

He went to her then, slowly. His shadow covered hers. Before she could ask what was wrong, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, and pressed his forehead against her shoulder.

Amara stiffened for a moment. Then, as if remembering the man he used to be, the one who once held her and didn’t make her so scared, she relaxed.

Her hands rested over his. "You’re shaking."

He didn’t deny it. "I’m fine." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

She turned her head slightly, trying to see his face. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." His voice was low. "Just... stay like this."

The room was quiet for a long time.

Elias held her like he was trying to stop the clock. Like if he just stayed still enough, the world wouldn’t demand what it always did — blood, loyalty, sacrifice.

Amara let out a small sigh. "You’re acting strange," she murmured, her voice muffled by his arm. "Did something happen?"

Elias shut his eyes. "No."

She believed him, at least she wanted to. "Okay," she said softly. Somehow, she knew the words he wasn’t saying.

He kissed the top of her head, slow and heavy, the way a goodbye might sound if it had a mouth.

When he finally let her go, she didn’t notice how tightly he’d been holding on.

She went back to cooking like nothing haplened. He stood there, watching her again silently.

He knew what Carlos wanted. He knew what the price would be for saying no. But watching her there, in his shirt, and with the morning sun on her skin, he decided that he’d rather burn for this choice than live with the alternative.

He would not give her up.

Not Amara.

Not her.