Chapter 35
The Empty Seat
(Jay's POV)
Dinner was ready.
Everything looked perfect.
Plates arranged.
Food served.
Voices calm.
Normal.
Too normal.
I sat down.
Between them.
Serina.
Keizer.
Kasper.
A complete family.
Except—
One.
My eyes moved.
Automatically.
Towards the stairs.
Towards his room.
The door.
Closed.
Still.
Silent.
"He'll come…"
I told myself.
"He always comes."
But something inside me…
Already knew.
He won't.
"Jay, take this."
Serina's voice.
I blinked.
"Ah… yes."
I took the bowl.
Served myself.
But I didn't taste anything.
Didn't feel anything.
Because my mind…
Was somewhere else.
Upstairs.
Behind that door.
Kasper spoke.
Something casual.
Something normal.
I nodded.
Answered.
Smiled slightly.
Like I was present.
But I wasn't.
Not really.
My eyes moved again.
To the stairs.
To his door.
Still closed.
"Jay."
Serina's voice again.
This time…
Softer.
Knowing.
I looked at her.
She smiled slightly.
"He'll eat in his room."
My heart dropped.
Just like that.
No explanation.
No question.
Just a simple sentence.
But it said everything.
"Oh…"
That's all I managed.
Just one word.
Small.
Weak.
"He's been like that," she continued.
Calm.
Casual.
But her eyes…
Were observing me.
Carefully.
"He prefers being alone sometimes."
I nodded.
Trying to stay normal.
Trying not to react.
Trying not to break.
But inside…
Everything hurt.
Because he wasn't just "being alone."
He was avoiding.
Avoiding me.
Avoiding this.
Avoiding everything.
I looked down at my plate.
Food untouched.
Appetite gone.
"Eat, Jay."
Serina said gently.
"You've barely eaten."
"I will…"
I forced a bite.
Swallowed.
But it felt like nothing.
Because how do you eat…
When the person you love…
Is just upstairs…
Hurting…
Alone…
And refusing to even come down?
Kasper laughed at something.
Keizer replied.
A normal conversation.
A normal dinner.
A normal family.
And I sat there.
Part of it.
Yet completely outside of it.
Because the only person who mattered…
Wasn't here.
My eyes moved again.
One last time.
To that door.
Closed.
Unmoving.
Distant.
Like him.
And that's when it hit me—
This is my future.
Sitting at this table.
Smiling.
Talking.
Living with them.
While he stays upstairs.
Behind a closed door.
Away from me.
Forever.
And I have to accept it.
Because I chose this.
Because I promised.
Because there's no turning back.
But knowing that…
Doesn't make it hurt any less.
Because some distances…
Are not measured in steps.
But in silence.
And this silence…
Was unbearable.
To be continued…