章 14: Kids makes mistake

Elowen and Theo were quietly resting in their room when a soft knock came at the door. A maid entered. "Breakfast is ready, Miss Elowen," she said kindly.

Elowen rose from the bed, gently shaking Theo awake. "Come on, Theo," she whispered, trying to hide the unease in her voice. She wasn't looking forward to seeing Cassian and Aria again, especially after that incident. But she had no other choice.

When they reached the dining room, Luna was already there, her warm smile greeting them as she gestured to the chairs. "Please, sit," Luna urged them.

Elowen and Theo took their seats at the large table, which felt far too luxurious for them. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair as the maids began bringing out dishes, the smell of freshly cooked food filling the air.

Elowen tried to focus on Theo, helping him sit properly. He was still drowsy but quickly perked up at the sight of all the food. Just as Elowen was beginning to relax, Cassian and Aria entered the room. Her heart sank. She kept her eyes down, trying her best to ignore them, but she couldn't help but notice how at ease Aria seemed—no sign of last time's tears. She clenched her fists under the table, forcing herself not to look up as Aria and Cassian approached.

Aria was about to sit next to Cassian, but Luna quickly intervened. "Aria, why don't you sit beside me," Luna said sweetly, but there was a firmness in her tone that left no room for argument.

Cassian, with an exasperated roll of his eyes, took the only remaining seat—right next to Elowen. She flinched when he sat down, the pain in her jaw from last time's confrontation was still fresh.

She cast a quick glance at him from the corner of her eye. His expression was indifferent, as though nothing had happened between them. She quickly turned away, swallowing down the thick lump in her throat.

The meal began, and Elowen focused on helping Theo eat. He was excited by the abundance of food and started making a mess, bits of bread and fruit ending up scattered across the table. His little hands struggled to hold the utensils properly, causing the spoon to clatter loudly against his plate.

Theo's laughter was loud and infectious, but Elowen felt a flush of embarrassment creeping up her cheeks. "I'm so sorry," she murmured shyly to everyone, quickly trying to clean up the mess.

She wiped Theo's hands with a napkin, her face burning with embarrassment as she glanced around the table.

Luna smiled kindly at her. "It's alright, Elowen," she reassured gently. "Theo is just being a child. Let him enjoy his food."

But Elowen could feel Cassian's presence beside her, heavy and imposing. She kept her head down, avoiding his gaze, focusing only on Theo. "Yeah.."

Every time she moved her jaw to speak softly to Theo, the ache reminded her of the previous encounter. Even though she was doing her best to stay invisible, she couldn't escape the weight of Cassian's presence.

Theo, oblivious to the tension, grinned up at his sister and exclaimed, "This food is so tasty, El!" He exclaimed with a mouth full, grinning at Elowen.

She smiled softly, her heart warming at the sight of her little brother enjoying himself. "I'm glad you like it," she whispered, gently wiping away some crumbs from his face. Though she hadn't touched her own meal, the happiness radiating from Theo was enough to fill her.

Aria laughed from across the table, a smirk playing on her lips. "What, was he living under a cave or something? Why is he acting like he's never seen food before?" Her tone was light but condescending, the implication clear.

Elowen felt a pang in her chest, her face heating up with embarrassment. She straightened in her chair and said firmly, "No, we weren't living under a cave." She took a breath, trying to remain composed. "I worked as a maid, and we couldn't always afford good food. So no, we weren't living under a cave."

Rich Alphas like you wouldn't understand how grateful we are for a meal like this. She thought in her head.

Aria's expression shifted to one of discomfort as Luna intervened with a stern look. "Aria," Luna chided softly but with authority, "you shouldn't judge someone's life circumstances. We should respect those who have less and show understanding instead of mocking them."

Aria's face reddened in embarrassment. She glanced over at Cassian, silently seeking support, but he remained impassive, his expression unreadable as he continued to eat.

With a quick, awkward smile, she looked back at Elowen. "I was just joking," she said, trying to brush it off. "I didn't mean anything by it."

Before Elowen could respond, Theo, in his excitement, accidentally knocked over his juice. The bright liquid splashed across the table and landed squarely on Aria's dress.

Aria's face twisted in anger. "Hey, watch what you're doing!" she snapped at the little boy.

Theo's eyes widened in shock, and he instantly started to cry, tears welling up in his innocent eyes.

Elowen immediately stood, her heart sinking as she rushed to Aria's side. "I'm so sorry," she stammered, hurriedly grabbing a napkin to help. "He didn't mean it, it was just an accident." She tried to reach for Aria to clean the stain, but Aria slapped her hand away with a harsh flick.

"Just leave it," Aria hissed, her eyes flashing with irritation. Elowen flinched at the contact, her face burning with shame. Theo's cries grew louder, and she held him close, whispering gentle reassurances in his ear.

Cassian, who had remained silent through most of the meal, suddenly spoke up. "He's just a kid, Aria. Kids make mistakes," he said calmly, his gaze flickering to Aria as he wiped his hands with a napkin.

Aria blinked, her expression softening as she realized Cassian was defending the child. "You're right," she said quickly, a sheepish smile crossing her face. "I didn't mean to snap. I'm sorry."

She glanced at Elowen briefly before turning to Cassian. "Could you help me clean this up?" she asked, her tone suddenly sweet and vulnerable.

Without hesitation, Cassian nodded. "Sure," he said, standing and offering Aria his hand.

Elowen watched in silence as they walked away together. Luna reached over, placing a comforting hand on Elowen's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, dear," Luna said gently. "Theo is a good boy. Accidents happen."

Luna turned to Theo, her voice soft and soothing. "You're okay, pup. Everything's fine. Let's finish breakfast together, alright?"

Elowen nodded gratefully and sat back down. She stroked Theo's hair as his tears dried up, but deep inside, the hurt still lingered.

Watching Cassian walk away with Aria only deepened the ache in her chest.

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