Chapter 46: The Moment She Finally Let Him In?

Everything.

Memories played in her head like a broken record, constantly rewinding to that one painful moment that changed everything. The dark stains of blood were still fresh in her thoughts, nagging reminders of what she wished she could forget. She could almost feel the cold grip of the intruders, blending with the imagined shadows her mind kept creating out of fear.

But the scariest part was the struggle with herself. Whenever she relaxed just a bit, her thoughts would spiral out of control, wild and chaotic, making her feel trapped. Every time she closed her eyes, it was like facing monsters lurking inside her own head, reminding her that sometimes the biggest battle is with the darkness within.

She swallowed hard, feeling a knot in her throat. "I don’t... I can’t explain."

"I get it," Zayden said with a reassuring smile. "You don’t have to if you’re not ready."

Just like that, the tightness in her chest loosened a bit. She finds it really hard to open up to him or anyone, for that matter. She can’t risk putting someone’s life in danger again. The last time she let her guard down, someone ended up losing their life, and she can’t shake off that guilt. Now, she’s determined not to put him in harm’s way, no matter how much she wants to get close to him.

Her mind drifted to a haunting memory: she could see the lifeless body of a girl and two men while she cried. She remembered holding the girl in her arms before; then, she was cradling a dead body. That moment stuck with her, and it was something she would never forget.

He straightened up and took a deep breath. "Alright, relax. I’m going to take off this bandage and put on a new one."

She nodded, a wave of nerves hitting her. She thought, ’So he’s going to touch me again. Last time I was out cold when he did the bandage on my leg. Now he’s dealing with my forehead. How can I even look him in the eye? Focus, just focus.’ After a moment, she noticed Zayden was still watching her expectantly, so she finally said, "Okay."

Zayden paused for a second before opening the small box with the supplies inside. Her breath caught as she saw the gauze, antiseptic, and a fresh bandage.

He shot her a soft, teasing smile. "Your hands are shaking," he pointed out.

Her heart raced, but she didn’t argue. She knew he was right.

Zayden pulled a chair closer and sat down in front of her. The warmth from the fireplace felt nice, but she felt a different kind of heat rise from being so close to him and from her own nerves.

"Lift your hair a bit," he said.

With a shaky breath, she tucked some hair behind her ear, showing the corner of the old bandage. His expression shifted to worry as he noticed the dried blood at the edge.

"This must’ve hurt," he said quietly.

She shrugged, keeping her eyes on her lap. "I’ve had worse," she replied, trying to sound casual even though the pain was fresh in her mind. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"I don’t like the sound of that," he muttered, concern clear in his voice.

Leaning in, he gently brushed her forehead with his fingers as he carefully peeled off the old bandage. He was so steady and gentle that she almost forgot how much it hurt, getting lost in the moment.

"You’re doing great," he said quietly, noticing her breath catch. "Just hang in there a little longer."

She shut her eyes, her heart racing. It wasn’t just the pain; it was how incredibly close he was. She could feel his warmth and catch the faint smell of coffee on his clothes.

"There," he said softly as he pulled the bandage off. "Let me clean it up."

When she opened her eyes, he was studying the wound, his brow wrinkled with focus and concern.

"Does it look bad?" she whispered, anxiety creeping in.

"No." His gaze met hers, steady and reassuring. "It looks like someone who fought really hard and didn’t deserve this."

Her breath hitched a bit at his words.

He took a clean wipe and glanced up at her. "It’s cold."

As the cloth touched her skin, she flinched, caught off guard. He immediately paused.

"Sorry," she quickly said. "I’m fine. Just didn’t expect it."

"You don’t have to pretend around me," he said softly, his voice sincere. "If it hurts, let me know."

Something in her chest tightened at how genuine he sounded.

She nodded, surprised at herself. He couldn’t believe he was being so gentle with her; he had never been like that with anyone before. After meeting her, all his old thoughts about women seemed to fade away. He used to think he couldn’t stand them; his experiences had left him feeling that way due to their greed.

As he kept cleaning, his movements were slow and careful, like he was afraid to hurt her. Each brush of his fingers sent a weird flutter through her stomach, a mix of nerves and something else she didn’t know how to name.

Finally, he took the fresh bandage and carefully placed it over the wound, smoothing the edges to make sure it stuck well.

"All done," he said, leaning back a bit. "Does that feel better?"

Zeynep reached up to touch the new bandage. It felt secure and warm against her skin. "Yeah, thanks."

Zayden let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Now let’s get you some medicine."

He handed her a few pills and went to the kitchen. When he came back, he had a glass of cold water with beads of sweat forming on the outside. Zeynep quickly took the medicine and gulped it down in one go. "Thanks, I had a really bad headache."

He frowned, looking a bit worried. "You should’ve told me sooner."

"You already do so much for me," she replied quietly, her eyes dropping. "I didn’t want to be a bother."

He chuckled softly, though there was a touch of sadness in his voice. "Zeynep... taking care of you isn’t a bother." He was a bit surprised by what he just said; it had slipped out before he could stop it.

She blinked, surprised and taken aback.

He noticed her reaction and quickly cleared his throat, standing up a little too fast. "I mean, it’s good that you’re safe from those pursuers. That’s what I meant."

Her lips curved into the smallest smile, the first real one she’d managed all day. "I know."

He ran a hand through his hair, feeling a bit embarrassed, and pointed toward the couch. "Just don’t mess with the bandage too much. And if you feel dizzy or anything, let me know right away."

"Yes, boss," she teased lightly.

Zayden shot her a playful glare. "Don’t start."

For the first time in days, she didn’t feel weighed down by fear or secrets.

For the first time... it felt a bit like peace. But deep down, she knew she couldn’t stay here forever. Sooner or later, she would have to leave, and that day might just be today.