Chapter One hundred and Seventy Seven

Xander’s Pov

Immediately the sharp reply leaves my mouth, I regret it instantly.

The hurt in her eyes pierced through me, a painful reminder of the distance that had grown between us. I wanted to reach out, to pull her close and tell her everything, but fear held me back. So, I sat in silence, drowning in the weight of my secrets, longing for the courage to let her in.

Allegra leaves the room, probably to prepare dinner. I lay in the bed wishing I could take back the way I spoke to her and wishing I could tell her why I'm behaving like this, but the fear of not knowing how she'll respond and if she'll be too angry and want to leave me, keeps me tongue-tied.

When I finally emerged from the living room, the tension between us weighed heavily on my shoulders. We ate in silence, each bite feeling like a heavy burden, knowing that my earlier actions had only served to push Allegra further away. As the night dragged on, guilt gnawed at me, keeping sleep at bay and leaving me restless and un