Chapter 104 I'll Handle It
He walked toward her with that same gentle affection he had been showing lately, his presence instantly filling the room. There was a natural ease in the way he reached for her hand, as though it had become a habit he didn’t want to break.
But Rebecca didn’t respond the way she usually would, she didn't smile or blush like she would normally do.
She hesitated, and he noticed immediately.
His smile faded slightly. "What’s wrong?" he asked softly. "Did something happen?"
Rebecca took a small breath, steadying herself. "Not exactly. Someone came to the house this afternoon… asking for you."
He stilled. "For me?" he repeated slowly. "Who was it?"
Rebecca’s fingers tightened slightly as she spoke.
"She said her name is… Celia."
The reaction was immediate. Derek’s body stiffened at the mention of Celia's name.
It was subtle, almost invisible, but Rebecca saw it clearly. The warmth left his eyes, replaced by something she couldn’t name, shock, tension, maybe even fear. His mind seemed to go blank for a second, like he had suddenly been pulled into a memory he wasn’t ready to face.
Rebecca’s chest tightened, as she watched him.
"Derek?" she called softly. "Are you okay?"
He blinked, forcing himself back to the present. "Yes," he said, though his voice was quieter now. "I’m fine."
He ran a hand through his hair, avoiding her gaze. "I’m just tired. Work was stressful. I think I need to rest."
Rebecca stared at him, confusion deepening inside her. Only moments ago, he had looked relaxed and happy. Now, it felt as though an invisible wall had suddenly risen between them.
Still, she nodded slowly. "Okay…"
She watched him walk upstairs, each step measured and distant.
Dinner that evening felt unusually quiet.
Normally, Derek would tease her about eating too slowly or ask about her day just to hear her talk. But tonight, he barely spoke. He answered only when she asked something directly, and even then, his replies were short and distracted.
It felt like he wasn’t truly present.
After dinner, he stood earlier than usual. "I’ll go to bed first," he said gently, but his tone carried a distance that hadn’t been there before.
Rebecca forced a small nod. "Alright."
She watched him walk away, her heart growing heavier with each step he took. The warmth that had filled their home over the past weeks seemed to fade with him as he disappeared into the bedroom.
Rebecca remained seated at the dining table long after he left.
Her fingers traced meaningless patterns on the surface as her thoughts spiraled endlessly. She didn’t want to overthink things… yet she couldn’t ignore the way his entire mood had changed the moment she mentioned that name.
Something about Celia clearly mattered.
And that realization frightened her more than she wanted to admit.
Rebecca stayed downstairs for nearly twenty minutes after Derek went up. The house felt too quiet. Her chest felt tight.
She told herself she was being dramatic. Maybe he really was just tired. Maybe work had been difficult. Maybe she was reading too much into one reaction.
But the way his eyes had changed… That wasn’t just tiredness. Finally, she stood up. If she kept sitting there, her thoughts would only grow louder.
She slowly walked upstairs, her steps hesitant. The bedroom door was slightly open. The lights were dim inside.
Derek was sitting at the edge of the bed, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the floor. He didn’t even notice her at first.
Rebecca paused at the doorway, watching him. He looked deep in thought. Heavy.
“Derek?” she called gently.
He lifted his head quickly, as if startled. “Hmm?”
She walked in and closed the door softly behind her. For a moment, she didn’t know how to start. She didn’t want to accuse him. She didn’t want to fight. She just wanted honesty.
She sat beside him on the bed, leaving a small space between them. “Who is she?” she asked quietly.
He didn’t respond immediately so she sighed. “Celia,” she added softly.
“She said it’s been a long time,” Rebecca continued. “And that you need to talk.”
Derek exhaled slowly and leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. “It’s nothing,” he said at last.
Nothing. The word felt too small.
Rebecca swallowed. “It didn’t look like nothing.”
He turned to look at her. “What do you mean?”
“The way you reacted,” she said honestly. “You looked… shocked. Or worried.”
He held her gaze for a few seconds before looking away again.
“I was just surprised,” he replied calmly. “I didn’t expect her to show up here.”
“So you know her well?” Rebecca asked gently.
He hesitated. Just a second. But she noticed.
“She’s from the past,” he said. “That’s all.”
Rebecca’s heart beat a little faster. “From the past… how?”
Derek rubbed his forehead lightly, like the conversation was exhausting him.
“Rebecca,” he said, his tone soft but firm. “It’s not something you need to worry about.”
That sentence hurt more than she expected. “I’m not trying to fight,” she said quietly. “I just want to understand.”
“And I’m telling you there’s nothing to understand,” he replied. His voice wasn’t harsh. But it was closed.
“She’s someone I knew years ago. That’s it. We lost contact. I didn’t even know she was back.”
Rebecca studied his face and then nodded. “Were you close?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Derek’s eyes met hers again. “For a time,” he admitted.
The words sat heavily between them. “But that was a long time ago,” he added quickly. “It’s over. It means nothing now.”
Rebecca searched his expression for warmth, for reassurance.
“Then why did you look like that when I said her name?”
He sighed softly. “Because I don’t like surprises,” he said. “Especially ones that walk into my home without warning.”
That sounded reasonable. But it still felt incomplete.
“She asked me to tell you that you need to talk,” Rebecca said.
He nodded once. “I’ll handle it.”
“Handle it how?”
“I’ll call her,” he replied shortly. “And make it clear that showing up here wasn’t appropriate.”
Rebecca’s chest loosened just a little at that. He reached for her hand then, as if remembering something important.
“Rebecca,” he said gently, “don’t let this create problems where there aren’t any.”
She looked down at their joined hands. “I’m not trying to,” she murmured.
He squeezed her fingers lightly. “I care about you,” he said. “You know that.”
Do I? she almost asked. But instead, she nodded. “Yes.”
He leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead, the same gentle affection he had shown these past weeks.
But something felt different. It wasn’t as light. It wasn’t as easy.
“Get some rest,” he said quietly. “You’ve been thinking too much lately.”
He lay back on the bed and turned off the lamp. Within minutes, his breathing evened out, or at least it sounded that way.
Rebecca lay beside him, staring into the darkness. She replayed every word.
“From the past. For a time. It means nothing now. I’ll handle it.”
He had answered her questions. Yet somehow, she felt like she had learned nothing.
Her mind drifted back to Celia’s calm face… the way she had looked at her… the way Derek had gone completely still at the sound of her name.
Rebecca turned slightly, looking at Derek’s sleeping form. If she hadn’t mentioned Celia, would he have told her?
That question hurt the most. She closed her eyes, trying to silence the unease growing quietly in her chest. But sleep did not come easily that night.