Capítulo 8: Chapter 8: The Weight of Regret
Alice sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her reflection in the grand mirror that stretched across the length of the wall. She had spent hours preparing herself today, carefully choosing an outfit that Elliot might have complimented before, meticulously curling her hair the way he used to adore. But as she gazed into her own eyes, a sense of uncertainty gnawed at her.
Why am I doing this? she wondered. It wasn't long ago that I couldn't stand the idea of being around him. Now... now I want him to notice me.
She stood up, taking a deep breath. Her feet carried her down the long hallways of the Moriarty mansion, a place that had begun to feel like a second home ever since the engagement discussions began in earnest. As she made her way to Elliot's study, her heart thudded in her chest.
She knocked lightly, waiting for his familiar voice to invite her in.
"Come in," Elliot said, his tone neutral and formal.
Alice stepped inside, greeted by the sight of him behind his desk, engrossed in papers as usual. The room was filled with the smell of leather-bound books and polished wood—a space that reflected Elliot's new reality as much as his appearance did. He barely looked up, only offering a brief glance before returning to his work.
"Hey, Elliot," she began, trying to keep her voice light and casual. "I was thinking… maybe we could go out for lunch today? There's that little café downtown you used to love. We could—"
"I'm busy, Alice," he interrupted, not bothering to lift his eyes from the documents spread before him. His tone wasn't harsh, but it was distant. Indifferent.
"Oh," Alice replied, the rejection settling into her chest like a weight. "Maybe later, then? I've missed spending time with you. It feels like we barely see each other."
Elliot sighed, finally leaning back in his chair and looking up at her, but the warmth that once lit up his eyes when he saw her was gone. "We have an engagement dinner tomorrow with the board and your parents. That's where we'll spend time together."
Alice's heart sank. Is that all we are now? she thought bitterly. Just two people performing their roles for the world to see?
She stepped closer, desperate to rekindle something between them. "Elliot… I want to spend time with you. The way we used to, you know? Just the two of us. We don't have to talk about business or the engagement. We could just… be together."
For a moment, Elliot's expression softened. There was a flicker of something in his eyes—something that reminded her of the Elliot who used to adore her, who would have leapt at the chance to spend even a few minutes by her side.
But then, just as quickly, it faded.
"Alice," he said quietly, but with a firmness that left no room for argument. "This is what we are now. The engagement, the marriage, the partnership—it's all part of a bigger picture. We have responsibilities, and that comes first."
Her breath hitched. She could hear the finality in his voice, the subtle dismissal that stung more than she wanted to admit. He's really gone, she realized. The Elliot who followed me around, who hung on my every word, who cared about my slightest whim—he's not coming back.
She felt a pang of regret so sharp it took her by surprise. I should have accepted him before, she thought, her mind drifting to the memories of Elliot as he used to be—clumsy, eager to please, fawning over her like she was the center of his world. She had found it annoying back then, constantly pushing him away, rejecting his affection with cold indifference.
He was so desperate for my approval, and I took it for granted.
Now, standing in front of him, it was like facing a stranger. He was no longer the boy who adored her. He had become a man who viewed their impending marriage with the same detachment he applied to a business merger. There was no passion in his eyes when he looked at her, no longing, no love. Just obligation. Just formality.
Just business.
Alice swallowed the lump in her throat. "I know you're busy," she said, forcing herself to smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I just thought... maybe things could be different."
Elliot's expression remained neutral, unreadable. "Things are different," he replied simply. "And this is how they need to be."
She felt the sting of those words deep in her chest. A year ago, she would have welcomed this indifference, celebrated the fact that Elliot was no longer smothering her with his attention. But now… now she realized how much she had lost. How much she had pushed away, believing he would always be there, waiting, eager to win her affection.
But he wasn't waiting anymore.
Her heart twisted painfully as she looked at him, sitting there so composed, so focused on everything but her. The Elliot she had known was gone, replaced by someone colder, someone sharper—someone who no longer needed her approval or attention. And it was only now, standing in the shadow of her own indifference, that Alice realized how much she had misjudged him.
I was wrong, she thought, the realization crashing down on her. I should have accepted him when he still cared. When he still looked at me like I was everything.
But now, Elliot was untouchable. He had grown into his role as a Moriarty, and Alice had missed her chance. He wasn't going to chase after her anymore, wasn't going to try to win her over. She had rejected him, time and time again—and now, he had finally learned to live without her.
As she stood there, watching him return to his work without another glance in her direction, Alice realized that the only one left chasing after something was her.
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