The Billionaire's Bride [ Rewritten]

Part 12 | Surprise

I woke before the sun had fully claimed the room. Naira laid curled up beside me, her breathing slow and even. One of her hands rested on my chest like she had reached out in her sleep and forgot to pull away.

I stayed still, watching her.

The early morning light brushed her face, highlighting the way her lashes rested against her cheek.

I didn’t remember when she came in. The last thing I recalled was the nightmare—the same one that clawed its way into my nights more often than I cared to admit.

Most nights, a nightmare means I don’t sleep again.

But last night was different.

Somewhere in the dark, I pulled her closer—and she stayed. And for the first time in two years, my mind went quiet.

I slept peacefully.

I don’t know why, but holding her felt like relief. Like everything finally stopped hurting for a while.

For once, my mind was quiet.

No noise. No shadows. Just her.

Then her eyes fluttered open.

She froze the moment she saw me awake. Predictably, she tried to bolt.
I almost laughed.

Before she could escape, I reached out and caught her wrist, pulling her back just enough to stop her.

“Where are you running?” I murmured, my voice still rough with sleep.

She avoided my eyes immediately.

“I… you had a nightmare last night,” she said, words tumbling out a little too quickly. “So I came to help. I didn’t mean to intrude… I just couldn’t leave you like that.”

For a moment, I just looked at her.

She couldn’t leave me like that.

Something about those words settled deep in my chest.

I lifted my hand, sliding my fingers under her chin, tilting her face up so she couldn’t hide from me.

“Were you worried for me?”

She hesitated. Just for a second.
Then she nodded. “I was.”

That small, quiet admission did more than she probably realized.

“Why?” I asked, softer this time.

Her answer came just as quietly.
“Because I care about you.”

Simple. Honest. Unfiltered.

A smile pulled at my lips before I could stop it.

I leaned forward, closing the small distance between us, and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.