Chapter 25

Alex’s POV

“Ohh like what?” I asked, trying to be nonchalant.

Elena's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Like cooking dinner together. Or maybe even trying a new recipe."

I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little silly for my earlier fears. "That sounds great," I said, smiling back at her.

As we stepped inside and started rummaging through the kitchen, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this little slice of normalcy. Maybe, just maybe, I could keep my secrets hidden and make this work after all.

As we chopped vegetables and sautéed meat, I tried to focus on the task at hand. But my mind kept wandering back to Kalyan. I couldn't shake the feeling that a part of me was missing, like a limb I couldn't quite reach.

Elena chatted away, oblivious to my distraction. "So, what do you think? Should we add some garlic or paprika?"

I forced a smile, trying to play along. "Uh, yeah. Garlic sounds great."

But my heart wasn't in it. I kept thinking about Kalyan's last message, wondering when I co