Chapter 89: Frustration

The clock in Kade's opulent mansion seemed to tick louder in the deafening silence of his thoughts. He walked through the dimly lit corridors, his steps echoing off the marbled floors. The house, usually a haven of solitude, felt unsettling tonight.

He had just returned to his home from Miami and, as he entered the expansive living room, he poured himself a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid swirling in the crystal tumbler. He took a sip, the fiery liquid doing little to quench the burning turmoil within him. Kade's mind was a battleground of conflicting emotions.

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a panoramic view of the city lights below. Leaning against the cold glass, he stared into the night, replaying the events of the evening in his mind like an incessant loop.

Kade couldn't shake off the feeling of longing that gripped him when he saw Lily. The playful banter, the shared laughter—it was like a resurgence of something he'd thought he'd buried deep within. An