Chapter 4 – Unexpected Bond
The rain from yesterday had left the city glistening under a pale morning sun. Ella was making coffee when a loud crash echoed from the living room.
She rushed in to see Liam on the floor, tangled in a pile of books.
"Are you okay?" she asked, trying not to laugh.
He groaned, sitting up and rubbing his shoulder. "Yes… barely. Thanks for checking."
Ella crouched beside him. "You're always getting yourself into accidents, huh?"
He smirked, but there was something softer in his gaze now. "Maybe. Or maybe I just needed you to care."
Her cheeks warmed. She looked down, fiddling with her mug. "I… I didn't mean to—"
"You didn't. It's fine," he interrupted gently, helping her untangle the books. "Actually… it's kind of nice. You know, having someone around who notices."
Ella froze. The words lingered in the air. She had been so used to being independent, solving her own problems… and here was Liam, someone who seemed to genuinely appreciate her.
The small moment stretched longer than it should have. A silence fell, not uncomfortable, but charged. For the first time, Ella noticed how Liam's dark eyes softened when he looked at her.
Then, as if to break the intensity, Liam held up one of the books she had knocked over. "You owe me a cup of coffee for this."
Ella laughed, the tension dissolving. "Deal. But only if you promise not to fall over any more books."
He grinned, standing up. "No promises."
Later that afternoon, they ended up sitting on the small balcony, sipping coffee, sharing stories about their childhoods, laughing over ridiculous memories. Ella realized that she was starting to enjoy living with him—maybe more than she should.
And Liam… well, he wasn't quite as guarded anymore. He was letting her see little pieces of himself, and it was terrifyingly easy to feel… connected.
Something inside Ella whispered that this week of forced cohabitation might turn into something she hadn't expected—something… beautiful.