“Hss—”
She flinched sharply and jerked her hand back instinctively. A small bead of blood appeared at the tip of her finger just as a tall figure stepped into the living room.
“Elias?”
Amara’s entire body unconsciously stiffened at the sight of him.
Three months.
It had been three whole months since she last saw him.
He was dressed in a black suit like he had just stepped out of a business meeting, his coat hanging over one arm while the other hand loosened his tie slightly as he walked inside.
Amara lowered her injured finger calmly.
“You’ve returned?”
Elias stared at her quietly. A faint frown slowly appeared between his brows at her indifferent and blank expression. His eyes swept across the flowers, the vase, and the scattered petals on the table.
“Why are you doing these things yourself?” he asked coldly.
He walked further into the living room while removing his watch casually. His tone remained flat and emotionless.
“Leave this work to the servants. I need a capable and happy wife, not a maid, Amara.”
Amara’s fingers slowly tightened around the rose stem. Another thorn dug into her skin, but this time she didn’t react at all.
Her expression barely changed, yet something in her eyes quietly cooled as she looked at him steadily.
“Are you ashamed that I’m a housewife?” she asked softly.
Elias narrowed his eyes slightly before sliding one hand into his pocket.
“You know exactly what I mean.”
His voice remained calm, but irritation was already creeping into his expression.
Amara held his gaze for another second before silently turning around.
She picked up the vase full of roses.
And without hesitation—
dumped every single flower into the trash bin beside the table.
The flowers fell inside with a soft rustling sound.
Elias visibly paused.
His fingers twitched slightly around the glass table beside him. For the first time since entering the house, surprise flashed across his face. The atmosphere instantly became strange.
Amara stood there quietly beside the trash bin, staring at the flowers she had carefully arranged only moments ago.
Something about her felt different now.
Cold.
Distant.
