CHAPTER THREE

I woke up the next morning feeling so tired. i actually didnt sleep much, I washed my face and did my normal morning routine, went to the kitchen to start making breakfast because i was so hungry, i mixed the pancakes ready to put them on the oven when i heard a knock on the door.

I wondered who it was so early, I got the door and there stood Elijah.

"Good morning " Elijah said smiling.

" Good morning" I replied.

"Are u gonna let me in" He asked.

"Right of course, come on in " I said waking up from my trance

He came in I was so surprised he sad he wanted to come see how I was doing and then he decided to stay for breakfast.

The smell of pancakes and coffee filled my apartment, blending with the faint scent of rain that still clung to the windows. Elijah had insisted on making breakfast, though I didn’t protest. After last night, it felt… safe. Normal, even, in a way I hadn’t felt in hours.

I sipped my coffee cautiously, still in my pajamas, my hair messy, listening to the soft rain tapping against the glass. Elijah moved around the small kitchen with ease, flipping pancakes, humming softly, his presence calm and grounding.

“You know,” I said quietly, “I didn’t expect breakfast today.”

“Emergency pancakes,” he replied with a small grin, setting a plate in front of me. “Fuel for emotional recovery.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “I guess that’s reasonable.”

He laughed too, and for a moment, the world outside—the betrayal, the heartbreak—felt miles away. I took a bite of the warm pancake, the comfort of it filling a small empty corner of my chest.

Then I heard the keys.

My stomach dropped.

The faint jingle, the hesitant turn of the lock—it was unmistakable.

“Amara?” Jason’s voice came first, soft and hesitant, almost pleading.

I froze. My mug slipped slightly in my hands.

Elijah glanced toward the door, his expression calm but alert. “He’s here,” I whispered.

“Stay,” he said quietly. “Don’t get up. Just… stay.”

The door opened. Jason stepped in, looking nervous, unsure, his eyes immediately finding mine. “Amara… please, I need to explain—”

Elijah moved slightly, enough to put himself between Jason and me without making it obvious. His voice was steady, calm, but firm. “I think you should leave. Now.”

Jason blinked at him, clearly caught off guard. “Elijah? I—”

“I said leave,” Elijah repeated, stronger this time. “She doesn’t owe you anything. You’ve already done enough.”

I could feel my heart pounding, not just from anger, but from the relief that Elijah was here. Safe. Protective. He didn’t overreact, didn’t push—he just held the line.

“I… I just want a chance to explain,” Jason pleaded.

“No,” I said, finally finding my voice, sharper than I expected. “You don’t get a chance. You lied. You cheated. You humiliated me.”

Elijah’s hand rested lightly on my shoulder—not possessive, just steadying. I sank into it slightly, letting the warmth ground me.

Jason’s face twisted, his voice rising. “Amara, I love you! I made a mistake! I—”

“Elijah,” I whispered, my voice trembling, “he won’t leave.”

He didn’t move his hand. Instead, he looked Jason directly in the eye. “Love? You don’t get to talk about love here. Not after what you did. Step outside. Now.”

Jason’s mouth opened, closed, and opened again, like he was trying to fight but couldn’t. Finally, he turned and walked out, shoulders slumped, the door clicking shut behind him.

I exhaled slowly, tears threatening to spill, but Elijah didn’t let me drown in the panic. He slid a plate of pancakes closer to me, smiling gently.

“You okay?” he asked softly, eyes meeting mine.

“I… I think so,” I admitted. My hands were still trembling slightly.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he said. “Neighbors are supposed to look out for each other.”

I laughed softly, leaning slightly forward, letting my hands brush his on the table. He didn’t pull away. The warmth lingered, steady, grounding.

“Breakfast?” he prompted, lifting a fork.

I smiled, finally, taking a bite. “Yeah… breakfast.”

The rain continued outside, soft against the windows. And for the first time since everything fell apart, I felt… something I hadn’t felt in days: a flicker of safety. Of trust. Of something fragile but real.

Jason’s betrayal had left me raw and broken—but Elijah, here, calm and steady, was showing me that maybe I could start to heal.