Chapter 394 The Tilted Balance
"Diana, we need to talk." Alaric's voice was tense, a far cry from his usual calm self.
I nodded, urging him to go on.
The surroundings were peaceful, with only the occasional rustle of leaves as the wind whispered through the trees.
"I know I shouldn't interfere, but I've noticed you've been spending a lot of time with Edward lately." Alaric's voice had a slight tremor, and he lowered his head, like he couldn't bear to see my reaction.
Hearing Edward's name, I felt a slight jolt.
Lately, because of the project, I had indeed been in frequent contact with Edward, but I hadn't realized it would bother Alaric.
Trying to ease his concerns, I quickly explained, "We're just working together on the project, nothing more."
Alaric looked up, a hint of sadness in his eyes.
He said, "I know it's work-related, but every time I think about you two together, it hurts. Diana, I've liked you for a long time. Seeing you with him makes me jealous. I can't control my feelings."
His words hit me like a ton of bricks.
I knew Alaric had feelings for me, but I had always seen him as more than a friend, yet not quite a lover. I had never realized how deeply his feelings ran.
I stood there, unsure of how to respond.
"Alaric, I'm really sorry," I stammered, feeling a wave of guilt.
I added, "I wish we could have a beautiful story together, but I've always seen you as a friend."
The reality was too harsh, and I couldn't bear to continue.
Alaric gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "I know, it's one-sided. But I can't help myself. Seeing you happy makes me happy, and seeing you close to someone else makes me sad. I know it's wrong, but feelings aren't something I can control."
Alaric seemed frustrated. Suddenly, he remembered something and looked at me.
He said, "By the way, Melissa mentioned that Skylar's preschool is having a parent-child sports day soon. I was wondering if I could join you as a family. I want to spend more time with you and be more involved in your life."
His eyes held a mix of hope and caution.
Skylar's preschool was having a sports day, and I was worried about not having time to attend. But should I let Alaric go? Would he think I was accepting him as part of our family? I bit my lip, unsure how to respond to his sudden request.
At that moment, Alaric no longer seemed like the calm and rational professional, but a young man struggling with his emotions and trying to fight for what he wanted.
"I can't give you an answer right now. I'll discuss it with Skylar," I said, neither agreeing nor refusing, using Skylar as a shield.
Alaric forced a smile.
"I understand. I was too forward. I'll adjust my mindset and hope we can still be like before. If you need any help, whether with work or life, just let me know." With that, he turned and walked away slowly, his figure looking somewhat desolate.I watched him leave, feeling a whirlwind of emotions. For the first time, I felt so confused and lost. I realized that from this moment on, the balance of my heart had started to shift.
Back home, Skylar ran into my arms as usual, her innocent smile making me even more conflicted about how to bring up Alaric's suggestion.
After dinner, I sat on the couch, watching Skylar play with her blocks. After much hesitation, I finally spoke, "Skylar, the parent-child sports day is coming up. How about Melissa and I go with you?"
Skylar stopped what she was doing and tilted her head, thinking.
She replied, "Isn't Mr. Kingsley going? I like Mr. Kingsley. He runs really fast and can win first place."
Noticing the anticipation in Skylar's eyes, I felt even more conflicted.
The next few days were busy with work, and I frequently met with Edward for the project. Sometimes, our discussions ran late, and he would accompany me to pick up Skylar from preschool.
Every time we talked, I couldn't help but think of Alaric's words, feeling a bit uneasy.
One time, Edward seemed to notice something was off and asked with concern, "Diana, is something on your mind? You don't seem quite yourself lately."
I forced a smile and brushed it off. "Maybe I'm just a bit tired."
Edward frowned slightly, wanting to say more but ultimately didn't.
I could sense that Alaric, though outwardly calm and rational, was deliberately keeping his distance. When we occasionally met at work, he would only greet me politely.
This shift left me feeling hollow, and I started to long for the ease and comfort of our past interactions.
As the sports day approached, I still hadn't given Alaric an answer.
One day, while picking up Skylar from preschool, I ran into Alaric.
He seemed to have just gotten off work, dressed in a sharp suit and holding a delicate bag. Seeing Skylar and me, he paused for a moment, then walked over and handed the bag to Skylar. "Skylar, I brought you something fun."
Skylar's eyes lit up, and she happily took the bag, thanking him repeatedly.
I took a deep breath, about to speak, when Edward approached, holding a toy and smiling at Skylar.
He said, "Skylar, this is for you. I hope you like it."
Skylar's face lit up with excitement as she held Alaric's bag in one hand and Edward's toy in the other, joyfully bouncing around.
Suddenly, she stopped and tightly held my hand, looking up with her innocent face.
"Mom, Mr. Kingsley and Mr. Howard are both so nice to me. Who will go with me to the sports day?" she asked.
Her question caught me off guard, and I found myself glancing between Alaric and Edward, at a loss for words.
The atmosphere turned awkward and tense.
I looked at Edward and couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing here?"
Edward's gaze met Alaric's in the air for just a fleeting moment, and in their eyes flashed a mix of complex emotions—something resembling both rivalry and intrigue.
Edward looked back at me, his expression serious.
He said, "There's been some new developments with Anne, and it involves Jeffrey."
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