Chapter 19 : A Call Left Unanswered CAIUS I watched as Lira toyed with the edge of her sleeve , her expression unreadable , her eyes fixed on the fabric in her hands as though it were the most important thing in the world .
We had finally broken the silence between us , but even though the words had been spoken , questions still remained , unanswered and unresolved .
The tension between us lingered in the air like an unspoken challenge .
If she wasnt going to demand answers herself , then I would .
She could avoid the truth , but I couldnt .
Not when I felt the weight of it pressing down on both of us .
You can call him .
The words came out of my mouth without thought , firm and unyielding , breaking the quiet like a crack of thunder .
I didnt look away from her , watching as her fingers froze mid motion , the sleeve slipping from her grasp .
She stilled completely , her body locking into place as though my words had caught her off guard .
Her gaze snapped to mine , wary , as if I had just said something she hadnt expected .
I wasnt sure what I had hoped for , but her reaction told me that whatever she had anticipated , it hadnt been this .
What ? she asked , her voice tinged with disbelief , as though she hadnt fully processed what Id said .
Your father , I repeated simply , my voice steady .
You can call him .
A flicker of emotion crossed her face , too quick for me to pinpoint .
There was hesitation , a fleeting trace of longing that quickly disappeared , and then something unreadable .
Something cold .
She didnt speak immediately , but her eyes said everything so much pain , so many questions buried beneath layers of control .
I could see the internal struggle raging inside her , her thoughts churning , but her lips remained shut .
I leaned forward slightly , resting my elbows on my knees , watching her carefully .
You want answers , dont you ? You think Tobias knows something .
You think he has the answers youve been looking for .
She didnt respond immediately , but I saw the way her fingers twitched , the way her gaze flickered downward .

It was a small motion , but it spoke volumes .
She was thinking about it , considering it .
The weight of it all was too much for her , I could tell .
She didnt want to confront the man who had been her father , the one who had always told her she was different but never told her why .
She wanted answers , but she didnt want to ask the one person who might have them .
I waited .
I let the silence stretch between us , giving her space to process .
Five seconds passed .
Ten .
Fifteen .
1/3 Chapter 19 A Call Left Unanswered Still , she didnt reach for the phone .
+15 Bonus Instead , she let out a slow , careful breath , her shoulders sagging just slightly as though she were releasing some of the tension that had built up in her chest .
She turned her head slightly , looking away from me , her expression distant , almost as though she were trying to shut me out .
No.
The word was soft , barely more than a whisper , but it landed like a stone in the quiet room .
It was final , and it was clear .
No ? I repeated , frowning , not quite believing it .
Her hands curled into fists in her lap , her nails biting into the palms of her hands .
It was a gesture I recognized well a sign of restraint , of holding back .
She wasnt angry , though .
No , there was no anger in her voice .
There was no bitterness either .
There was something else , something deeper .
Something that spoke of years of disappointment , of walls built so high that they couldnt be scaled .

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If he had answers , he should have given them to me years ago .
Her voice was so calm , so controlled , that I almost didnt hear the pain beneath the surface .
It wasnt what I expected her words werent sharp or full of the bitterness I would have expected from someone whose father had left them in the dark for so long .
Instead , it was simply exhaustion .
A resignation that felt more like a final defeat than a choice .
It told me everything I needed to know .
She didnt trust him not with this .
Not anymore .
I exhaled sharply , running a hand through my hair , trying to push away the frustration that was slowly creeping into my chest .
Fine , I muttered , my voice heavy with the weight of the moment .
But Im not letting this go .
Her eyes flickered to mine then , the storm that always seemed to swirl behind them shifting , just a little .
There was curiosity there now , but it wasnt entirely soft .
There was still that underlying wariness , that caution that I couldnt shake .
What do you mean ? she asked , her voice quieter now , tinged with uncertainty .
I met her gaze , unwavering , determined .
She might not want to face the truth , but I wasnt about to let her hide from it .
Not when I could feel the fire of it burning in my own chest .
I had never been one to sit idly by , waiting for things to fix themselves .
I was a fighter .
And if she wasnt going to fight for the answers , then I would .
If you wont ask your father , Ill find someone else who will talk , I said , the words coming out with a quiet confidence that I knew would catch her attention .
Her brow furrowed slightly at my declaration , a flash of something indecipherable crossing her face .
She opened her mouth , but then closed it again , as if unsure how to respond .

I could see the conflict in her eyes the desire for answers battling with the reality of what asking for them might mean .
It wasnt just about finding the truth ; it was about confronting the past , confronting her father .
And she wasnt ready for that .
But I couldnt just sit back and wait .
This wasnt something I could drop , not when I felt like I was on the edge of a precipice , and the answers were just within reach .
If Tobias had them , then I would make him give them to us .
And if he didnt … well , there were other ways to find the truth .
2/3 Chapter 19 A Coll Left Unanswered I wasnt giving up .
+15 Bonus Liras fingers twitched again , the tension in her body still palpable , but she didnt speak .
She didnt argue .
She just sat there , lost in thought , staring at the ground as if she were weighing her options .
I knew this wasnt going to be easy for her .
I knew it was going to hurt .
But it didnt change the fact that she needed to know .
She deserved to know .
And I wasnt going to let her go through this alone , not when I could help .
Ill get you the answers , I said , my voice low but firm .
One way or another .
She finally looked at me , the smallest hint of vulnerability flashing in her eyes before she closed it off again , her walls firmly in place .
But she didnt say anything .
She didnt need to .
The message was clear .
We were both in this now , whether she liked it or not .