Allegedly Yours

Unexpected Visitor

Chapter 3

As Nyrah walked through the door, exhaustion weighed heavily on her shoulders. The day's demands had drained her energy, each step feeling laborious. Dropping her bag to the floor, she sank onto the nearest couch, her muscles aching with every movement. With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes, letting the fatigue wash over her like a wave.

The shrill ring of the apartment's reception phone shattered the silence. With a groan, she pushed herself up from the couch and crossed the room to answer it. "Hello?" she greeted, her voice tinged with weariness.

"Hi, Miss Nyrah, this is Mia from reception," came the cheerful voice on the other end. "I just wanted to let you know that someone has arrived to visit you. Would you like me to send them up to your apartment?"

Uncertainty flooded through Nyrah. "Yes, please, Mia. Send them up. Thank you."

"Of course! I'll send them up right away. Have a wonderful night!" Mia chirped before ending the call.

A knock on the door echoed through Nyrah's apartment, pulling her from the depths of sleep. Groggily, she glanced at the clock—2:37 a.m. Who could possibly be knocking at this hour? She stumbled out of bed, her heart pounding with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

As she approached the door, she hesitated, unsure whether to unlock it. Another series of urgent knocks made up her mind. With trembling hands, she turned the lock and cautiously opened the door.

Standing in the dimly lit hallway was a figure she couldn't quite make out in the darkness. "Nyrah?" a familiar voice called out softly.

Recognition dawned on her as she squinted into the shadows. It was her brother, Zale, distinguished in his expensive suit, signaling his recent departure from the office. Tears welled up in her eyes as she threw herself into his arms, unable to believe he was really here after so long.

"Zale, it's really you," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. He held her tight, his own eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

After a long moment, they pulled back, taking each other in. Nyrah invited him inside, and they settled on the couch, catching up on lost time. Then he asked the question she had no answer for, "When will you come back home, Nyrah?"

Home. Yes, she had a home, but she had no will to return there. "Mom and Dad miss you every day, dear. Even I miss you, Nyrah. Everyone cares about you a lot. I know you forbade everyone to have any contact with you, but I just couldn't stop myself from meeting my baby sister."

A sob escaped her lips at the mention of her parents. If only they knew she missed them a lot too, cried for them every night. Her family was one of the many precious things taken away from her by that cruel incident.

Thinking about it, she couldn't hold back anymore, her tear-stained face betraying her facade of strength. With a trembling voice, she finally confessed, "I'm not okay, brother. I'M NOT OKAY!" With that, her cries became more bitter, prompting Zale to envelop her in his comforting embrace, offering solace in the midst of her vulnerability.

After some time, she finally confessed, "Brother, do you also think that I killed Elena?" she asked out of the blue, making Zale turn pale. He came here thinking she must have forgotten that incident by now. He never thought the scars left on her soul were still fresh even after four long years.

"Nyrah, why are you still thinking about this? That was just an accident. Her departure was already planned by destiny. It was never your fault, and she's no more, Nyrah. But you have your entire life ahead of you. Look at what you've made of yourself in these years in the name of redemption. You've destroyed yourself enough, Nyrah," Zale yelled, trying to knock some sense into his sister's thick head.

"But I can't forgive myself. I've destroyed many lives, brother. Just because of me, you were almost jailed," she cried again.

Zale still remembered that night when Elena died in the blast, and Aston accused Nyrah of the tragedy. She was about to be jailed when Zale intervened and took all her accusations on himself. Although Aston used all his power, he couldn't succeed in proving Zale guilty, and he was freed. Indeed, there was no match for the Archers' power in the city, but Zale Alabaster was the most cunning and smart.

According to him, that lover of Aston was a nobody, and her life didn't matter to him. He would never suffer because of that fucker Aston's lover. Neither would his sister. But after that night, she was so disturbed that they had no other option but to agree to her request for some time alone, away from everyone. Although Zale was very much against the notion, his father's decision was final. Nyrah had to go away to focus on her mental health.

Zale tried to change the atmosphere by reminding her of their childhood memories. After a while, she finally took part, smiling and teasing each other.

As the night wore on, Nyrah couldn't shake the feeling of gratitude for this unexpected reunion. She knew that no matter how much time had passed, the bond between siblings remained unbreakable.