Chapter 1546

Gilbert raised his hand to knock, then hesitated and lowered it, caught in a loop of uncertainty. After the third time, he steeled himself and knocked softly. Silence answered him. His eyes brimmed with a somber darkness, heavy with sorrow. "I know you're not asleep yet; you just can't bear to face me." At this late hour, Kisa lay wide awake. Insomnia had become her frequent companion, and he was all too aware of it. As the darkness in his eyes deepened, any lingering light vanished. A quiet, bitter laugh escaped his lips, and he began to turn away. Just then, the door cracked open ever so slightly. Kisa concealed herself in the shadows, her heart aching with grief, confusion, and helplessness. Yet, redemption seemed out of reach. The night was eerily silent, their breaths the only sound echoing in the darkness. Gilbert wrapped her in a tender, protective embrace. They lay entwined, bodies pressed close, yet it felt like an abyss separated them. She seemed to be walling herself off