The moment the words left Lemira's mouth, a wave of regret washed over her.

What was she expecting to hear? Asking Orion's closest friend was practically begging for a biased answer.

But Caleb actually paused, giving the question genuine thought. "I don't know what happened between the two of you, but for what it's worth, he's a good man."

Caleb was never one for unnecessary chatter. Having delivered his verdict, he noticed Lemira staring blankly down at her hands, lost in her own turbulent thoughts.

Without another word, Caleb turned and walked out of the bedroom.

Stella was standing just down the hall, looking slightly flustered. It was obvious she had been eavesdropping by the door.

As Caleb approached, the steady rhythm of his footsteps seemed to make Stella's breathing hitch.

Ever since their last charged encounter, Stella had practically barricaded herself in her dorm, avoiding the ground floor and, by extension, Caleb. If she hadn't been so terrified for Lemira today, she wouldn't have set foot outside the campus.

She just didn't want to face him. The tension between them was too thick.

Caleb walked right past her, rearranging the dishes on the dining table. He glanced up at her. "Come eat. Why are you just standing there?"

Stella walked over in silence. Because they were catering to a sick patient, Caleb had kept the meal incredibly mild and comforting.

She kept her eyes glued to her bowl, refusing to look at him.

Noticing her stubborn avoidance, the corner of Caleb's mouth twitched upward, but he didn't call her out on it.

Once she finished eating, the worry crept back onto her face. "What do you think is going on? Do you think this has something to do with Orion?"

Why else would Lemira have asked Caleb that specific question?

Caleb's tone remained perfectly even. "I don't know the details."

It was the truth. He had only recently returned to the country and had spent all his time shadowing Stella. He really wasn't in the loop regarding Orion's private affairs.

Seeing the sheer anxiety etched on Stella's face, he added, "It's probably just a misunderstanding."

"How can you be so sure? What if he did something unforgivable to Lemira?"

Caleb shot her a look of utter disbelief. "Is your brain physically capable of assuming anything else?"

"Then tell me what you think the reason is!"

"How should I know?"

Caleb wasn't lying; he truly was in the dark.

He gathered the empty bowls and carried them into the kitchen, easily falling into the rhythm of washing the dishes.

But Stella's curiosity was burning a hole in her brain. Caleb was acting far too calm. Did he know a secret he wasn't sharing?

After all, he and Orion had been best friends for years.

Stella followed him into the kitchen, chattering away. "Are you absolutely sure you don't know. Lemira specifically asked you about him, which means there has to bea reason."

Caleb didn't respond, continuing to scrub the dishes and wipe down the counters.

The muscles in the man's forearms flexed with quiet power, his movements remarkably efficient.

Stella stared at his sharp profile and reached out, poking his bicep. "Say something."

Caleb ignored her entirely.

Frustrated Stella aimed lower and poked him right in the waist. In the next fraction of a second, a strong hand gripped her wrist spinning her around and pulling her flush against a rock-solid chest.

Stella found herself trapped against the kitchen counter, the damp edge of the marble seeping into the back of her shirt.

She gasped, her eyes wide. "W-What are you doing?"

"Who told you to get handsy, hm?"

Caleb's voice was a low, rough murmur, his gaze burning into hers with predatory heat.

Intimidated by the sheer intensity in his eyes, she quickly dropped her gaze. "I just poked you. It's your fault for ignoring my questions."

"I gave you an answer."

"That wasn't a real answer!"

Stella glared up at him, but her eyes inadvertently locked onto his.

Before she could react, he dipped his head and captured her lips.

Panic flared in her chest, and she shoved at his shoulders. "What are you doing?" "Haven't you been hiding from me?"

Caleb wasn't blind to Stella's little evasion tactics over the past few days.

โว, ซ์

Stella looked down, her cheeks blazing. "We're in a shared apartment, don't do this here.

is in the other room having a vemira

breakdown Let me go."