Housebound with the Blackridge Heirs novel Chapter 55

**Change Begins With You — Jayden Collins**
**Chapter 55**

**Maya**

Days had slipped by since Tylon’s abrupt departure, each one stretching out like an eternity.

He hadn’t offered a single word about his destination or his reasons for leaving. He simply walked away, leaving a chasm of questions in his wake.

Caden, I knew, was still simmering with anger from the moment he caught us. I could sense it in the way he shot me glances filled with confusion and betrayal. But the guilt gnawed at me like a relentless tide. Tylon had ignited the spark, but I was the one who fanned the flames. I was the one who had leaned in, who had dared to touch his lips.

What on earth was I thinking?

Actually, I wasn’t thinking at all. My heart had led me astray, drawing me inexplicably toward Tylon, and I was utterly bewildered as to why that was.

Sure, the heirs were undeniably attractive. I had recognized that from the very first day I set foot in this place. But attractiveness alone had never held much sway over me. I had grown fond of them in ways I never anticipated, yet my heart had always belonged to Caden.

Right?

With a frustrated groan, I collapsed onto my bed, letting the weight of my thoughts press down on me. It had been two weeks since Elise and I ventured into the library, and now we finally had a chance to dive deeper into our research. Yet, I still hadn’t confided in Caden about it.

The secrets I was keeping from him felt like a heavy burden. How could I ever explain that I had almost kissed Tylon?

And worse, that I had wanted him to.

As the afternoon wore on, the library felt unusually cold, the air thick with silence and the scent of old pages.

Elise and I settled into our usual nook, surrounded by precariously stacked books, their spines forming a small fortress around us. I had already sifted through five volumes, each one offering nothing new about Astrid, Aelara, or the bloodlines that seemed to haunt my thoughts.

My eyes burned from the effort of reading, each page blurring together in a haze of myths, prophecies, and half-truths masquerading as ancient wisdom. Some stories were fictional, but none resonated with me quite like the book I had discovered two weeks ago—the one I had somehow misplaced.

I had returned home, only to find it vanished without a trace. That was the end of my research.

Rubbing my temples in frustration, I found myself staring blankly at the same paragraph I had read three times, unable to make sense of it.

Elise noticed my struggle and closed her book with a soft sigh. “You’re not even reading anymore,” she remarked, a hint of concern lacing her tone.

“I am reading!” I protested, though my voice lacked conviction.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Then tell me what that page said.”

I glanced down at the open book, my mind racing to catch up. “It’s… about divine duality?”

She groaned, exasperated. “That’s the title, Maya.”

With a quiet thud, I shut the book and sank deeper into my chair, surrendering to the weight of my distractions. “Okay, fine. I’m distracted.”

“Clearly,” she replied, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes probing. “So, what’s going on? You’ve been acting strange for days. Not just distracted, but weird weird.”

A moment of hesitation washed over me as I chewed on the inside of my cheek, contemplating whether I should share my turmoil. “You’re going to think I’m insane.”

“I already think that,” she replied sweetly, a teasing smile dancing on her lips. “Try me.”

A nervous laugh escaped me, breaking the tension.

“I’m with Caden,” I blurted out, the words tumbling from my lips before I could second-guess myself.

Her expression softened, a knowing smile spreading across her face. “I know that. You practically glow every time he walks into a room.”

“That’s not the weird part,” I insisted, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.

Her brows furrowed in confusion. “Then what is?”

I found myself staring at the book in front of me, the words blurring into an indecipherable mess.

“I… almost kissed Tylon.”

“What?!” Elise’s response was a blend of shock and disbelief, her voice rising as she leaned closer.

Half the library turned to look at us, curiosity piqued by the sudden commotion.

“Shhh!” the librarian hissed from across the room, her eyes narrowing at us.

Elise sank lower in her chair, her eyes wide with astonishment.

“You what?” she whispered sharply, her voice barely above a breath.

“I don’t know!” I buried my face in my hands, overwhelmed by the confession. “It just… happened. We were both angry, and then suddenly we weren’t angry anymore. It was…”

“Hot?” she interjected, a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Awkward!” I shot back, my voice a furious whisper. “And complicated and— okay, maybe a little hot.”

Elise stifled a laugh, her eyes sparkling with a mix of horror and amusement. “Oh my God, Maya.”

“Don’t you dare judge me,” I warned, feeling the heat of embarrassment wash over me.

“Oh, I’m absolutely judging you,” she said with a grin, leaning in closer. “So, let me get this straight. You’re with Caden—the literal alpha golden boy—but you almost kissed his best friend-slash-heir-partner-slash-occasional enemy?”

I groaned into my hands, the weight of her words crashing down on me. “When you say it like that, it sounds awful.”

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