pte

LA

yya

ike something fragile. Like somet

him. For a moment... everything around me disappeared. The suffocating pre

into him from where he had caught me. My heart began to pound again, but this tim

disappear if I looked too away. He looks different now, he is more colder and

ightly. He is the one that got me out of prison. Before I co

e and maintain order. Don't

e kind of voice that didn't ask but expecte

e crowd, pushing the reporters back, creating distanc

ack to him. How...? How can he comman

would never remain ordinary. He had always been like t

nt of me like someone I didn't

l doing in my arms

u enjo

hould have. My breath caught as

my mind could catch up. My fingers slipped from his arm as I took a step back, c

" I said softly, lowe

ge on my tongue. Fam

with no warmth in tone, just a re

ed, forcing a faint smile

paration. He didn't respond, nor even a glance. He tur

way it did years ago. He took a few steps before

his voice carrying that same sharp edge,

t pause

and... oh sorry,

deliberately. Like he wanted

with the media and answer

trying to push forward, shouting over each other, cal

ne that got me

it carried everything. Confusion. Doubt. And someth

your fucking question." His vo

to stay here, t

in. No explanation. No answer. For a second... I

ay

rde

wer

s I followed after him. I wasn't going to stay

tride steady, controlled, as if he didn't n

short distance away. The moment he opened the door. A reporter

ou the one that got Layla

r relationsh

buse your

after another. Rayyan d

ng to say to the med

ther word. I followed immediately after him. Th

wheel, his posture straight, unchanged in disciplin

, steady and constant, like the only thing keeping the

s were asked. Just silence. But

sing streets. Buildings blurred past, people moved freely, life continued like not

out. Yet... it

the fabric of my clothes as I tried to steady the st

Everything was in chaos. Whe

e alone carried weight, authority and power. Within jus

ry. So much had changed. He had moved forwar

d then... I went to prison. The word echoed bitterly in m

gainst my chest. I could feel it between us, thick,

s left unresolved. They pressed against my mi

hy now? After everything, after all thes

distance. It was still there. Nothing ha

That question felt heavier than t

me. As if it was the same. A faint breath le

e me now? Another thought followed,

cause I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the answer

l. Hesitant. Like I wasn't sure if

rent. His features were sharper now. More defined. Time had carved something stronger into

There was something else too. Someth

ust there, natural and unquestionable. My chest

an I once was. I cut the though

d resting tighter against my lap as

est since the moment I stepped out of that prison gate.

a moment longer, tracing the side of his face, the sligh

me to? My heart beat a little faster. The air

. My fingers loosened slightly, then tighten

ison?" I asked, my voice quiet but ste

ged. The car didn't slow.

h

car shifted and was filled with tension. Like I had jus