Chapter 96. Inevitable

Catalina's POV

The weight of unspoken words hung heavy in the air as Killian and I sat at the dinner table.

The flickering candlelight did little to ease the tension that had settled between us.

I couldn't shake the feeling that he was keeping something from me, and it gnawed at the edges of my patience.

"Why didn't you tell me, Killian?" I finally broke the silence, my voice hurt.

His eyes, usually warm and reassuring, flickered with guilt. It was a dance of emotions he couldn't conceal.

"It's complicated, Catalina," he began, a sigh escaping his lips. I nodded, urging him to continue. The truth, no matter how painful, was better than this lingering uncertainty.

He hesitated, then spoke with a vulnerability that caught me off guard. "I didn't want to burden you with my problems. You have enough on your plate."

His words, though well-intentioned, only fueled my frustration. "You can't decide what burdens I'm willing to