HLnovel Chapter 193: Conflicted
Chapter 193: Conflicted
Veronica felt a little uncomfortable about going to Kyle’s place when she knew he and Amanda were probably enjoying their evening together.
However, Kyle had made it very clear.
He had told her that he would be angry if she didn’t come.
That was why, even as she sat inside her car which was parked near his building she felt conflicted.
She could think of more than ten excuses to avoid going and somehow earn his forgiveness later.
She could say anything.
Perhaps an emergency had come up and she had been forced to respond because the organization was short on manpower.
Or maybe something else entirely.
’What should I do?’
Letting out a sigh, she rested her hands on the steering wheel.
Just then, a voice rose from the depths of her consciousness.
’Are you really going to hesitate now?’
’Won’t that girl only widen the gap between you two if you keep doing this?’
Veronica shook her head.
"Amanda came into his life first."
Her voice was quiet.
"She’s been with him for years. She understands him... and she loves him."
If Amanda had been casual with Kyle, not paying him attention, then Veronica might have not felt this much guilt. But she has seen how much that girl was devoted to Kyle.
So yes...for him, Amanda was quite important and for all justified reasons.
’And you’ve loved him for more than a decade.’
The voice was relentless.
’Every step you’ve taken in life has been for his sake.’
’You endured trial after trial just so you could stand beside him.’
Veronica pursed her lips and leaned back against her seat.
The voice wasn’t wrong.
When her guardian had died, she had been given a choice.
She could spend her remaining years in an orphanage.
Or she could join the military program that trained young Nightwalkers.
She had chosen the dangerous path.
The unconventional path.
She had chosen to grow stronger despite knowing that death could come at any moment.
Any mission could have been her last.
Any night could have been the final time she closed her eyes.
And she had accepted all of it.
For Kyle.
Because, more than anything else, she wanted to stand by his side.
’You may not be able to remove that girl from his life, but you can certainly carve out a place for yourself in his heart.’
’He cares about you.’
’And he’s far too kind to ignore you.’
’Use that. Be involved in his life.’
Those words finally shattered the hesitation that had been holding her back.
Taking a deep breath, Veronica stepped out of the car.
She entered the building and made her way to the floor where Kyle lived.
Standing before his apartment, she raised a hand to press the doorbell.
Before she could, the door opened from the other side.
"Hey, you’re here."
Kyle greeted her with a smile before stepping forward and pulling her into a hug.
The tension in Veronica’s shoulders melted away.
Letting out a deep sigh, she said,
"Well, sorry about the smell. I’m probably drenched in sweat."
"Nah." Kyle shook his head. "I’ve gained a newfound respect for sweat. Even though I haven’t been working for very long, I’ve realized just how hard you guys have it."
Veronica chuckled.
"Hearing wisdom like that makes me feel as though I stole your teenage years."
Kyle scoffed.
"People have to leave something behind to get somewhere."
His smile softened.
"You helped me more than anyone, if anything."
The two soon stepped inside the apartment.
Kyle handed her a spare pair of slippers, which she accepted with a nod.
Veronica was dressed in her usual formal attire, so after entering, she slipped off her coat and draped it over her arm.
"Let me take that."
Kyle took the coat from her and hung it on his arm.
"If you want to freshen up first, feel free to use the bathroom."
Veronica nodded and walked alongside him.
Then she paused.
Amanda was approaching from the other side.
The two women came to a stop, facing each other.
Amanda was the first to speak.
"Commander... good evening."
Veronica inclined her head slightly.
"Good evening, Amanda."
A brief silence followed.
Tension lingered in the air as they stood face to face.
Amanda had only ever known Veronica as a strict and commanding leader, someone who carried herself with unwavering confidence regardless of the situation.
Meeting her here, in such a personal setting, felt undeniably awkward.
Kyle rubbed the back of his head.
"I’d really appreciate it if you two forgot about formalities while you’re here."
Then he turned toward the silver-haired woman.
"Veronica, would you mind if Amanda called you by your name?"
Veronica blinked in surprise.
Amanda looked equally caught off guard by the sudden suggestion.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, much to Amanda’s surprise, Veronica nodded.
"I don’t have any objections."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"After all, we’re not that far apart in age."
Amanda felt a little awkward, but if she remained the only stiff person in the room, she would only make things more uncomfortable for everyone else.
So, after a brief hesitation, she nodded.
"Okay, V-Veronica. I hope you have a pleasant evening."
There was still some stiffness in her voice, but it was far better than before.
Kyle took note of that.
He led Veronica to the bathroom before hanging her coat on a nearby rack.
Returning to the dining area, he looked at Amanda.
"What would you like to drink? I still have some of your favorite pineapple juice."
Amanda immediately brightened.
"That sounds great."
Kyle nodded.
"Then help me bring the plates."
The two of them worked together.
Amanda carried the cutlery while Kyle arranged the dishes and pots across the table.
By the time Veronica returned, everything was nearly ready.
Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the spread.
"You certainly aren’t holding back tonight. What’s the occasion for a feast?"
Kyle chuckled.
"Stop exaggerating. This is nowhere near enough to be called a feast."
In his mind, a true feast meant ten or more different dishes and enough food that nobody had to worry about portions.
Compared to that, this was fairly modest.
The two ladies sat on his right and left before Kyle said with a happy smile, "Let’s eat."
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A/N:- Promised SOL, delivering SOL. Thanks for reading..