Liana hesitated at the breakfast table, the polished silverware feeling heavier than usual in her hands. Her mother and father spoke in measured tones about her upcoming engagement — a union meant to secure their family's influence in town. Liana nodded politely, offering rehearsed smiles, but her thoughts kept drifting to Eren, who moved silently behind the chairs, refilling tea and arranging plates.
"Liana," her mother said sharply, noticing her distracted gaze. "Pay attention. Your future husband is not someone to be ignored."
"Yes, Mother," Liana replied, forcing herself to look down at her plate.
Eren paused for a moment nearby, noticing the faint tension in her shoulders. For some reason, he didn't look away. He had learned long ago to stay invisible, to keep his emotions hidden. Yet today, he felt an odd pull — something in her eyes that mirrored a quiet rebellion, a yearning he understood all too well.
"Breakfast is ready, Miss Liana," he said softly, his voice low enough that only she could hear, yet warm enough to brush against her heart.
She lifted her eyes, startled. His calm gaze met hers for just a fraction of a second, and her lips parted slightly — though no sound escaped. There was an unspoken weight in that moment, a quiet acknowledgment that neither of them should notice the other, yet both did.
Her fingers brushed against the edge of the table as she tried to steady herself. She wasn't supposed to feel anything — not for him, not for anyone beneath her social station. And yet, there was an inexplicable comfort in the presence of this quiet, steady boy.
Eren set the tray down with care, his eyes briefly flicking to her, and then returned to his duties. But the moment lingered in the air like the soft scent of jasmine through the estate windows — subtle, sweet, and impossible to ignore.
Liana's heart beat faster than she wanted to admit. She glanced at him once more, just as he disappeared behind the hallway arch, and whispered quietly to herself:
Why does he make it so hard to pretend I don't feel anything?