Gunnar - Mafia Love Story

Chapter 56

Days passed in a blur, each one heavy with the weight of grief, silence, and a pain that neither Humza nor Rhythm knew how to express. Osman's death hung over them like a black cloud, suffocating the air in the house. Rhythm had retreated into a shell of pain, her eyes lifeless, her movements robotic. She moved through the house as if she were a ghost, and Humza, watching her from afar, could feel his heart breaking in ways he hadn't known were possible.

He had never imagined that her indifference, her refusal to look at him, would hurt him like this. She had not spoken a single word to him since Osman's funeral. Her silence was louder than any scream, sharper than any insult. It cut through him, leaving wounds that festered in the depths of his soul. Humza had always prided himself on his strength, his ability to endure any pain, any loss. But this—this was different. This was a pain he had no defenses against.

He sat in the living room, staring at Rhythm as she moved through the space like a wraith, her expression blank, her gaze fixed somewhere far away. He wanted to go to her, to say something, anything, but he couldn't find the words. Every time he opened his mouth, the weight of his guilt silenced him. What could he say to her that would make any of this better? What could he do to undo the damage that had been done?

Humza's mind raced, trying to make sense of the emotions swirling inside him. He had never thought—never in a million years—that Rhythm would have such a hold on him. When he'd married her, it had been out of necessity, a cold, calculated move to win his mother's heart. He had never expected her to march into his heart, to chip away at the walls he had so carefully constructed over the years.

But now, watching her in her grief, Humza couldn't understand why it hurts looking at her in such pain. What are these feelings? And it terrified him.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, the sharp pain grounding him in the present. His eyes never left Rhythm, watching as she moved about the house with the same hollow expression, barely acknowledging his presence. The distance between them was unbearable, and yet, he didn't know how to cross it. He didn't know how to reach her.

As he sat there, lost in his thoughts, Rhythm's mother entered the room. She had been quiet for the past few days, grieving in her own way, but she had noticed the tension between her daughter and Humza. She had seen the pain in Humza's eyes, the way he looked at Rhythm as if she were the only thing keeping him rooted to this world.

With a sigh, she walked over to where Humza sat, taking a seat beside him. For a moment, she said nothing, simply watching Rhythm in the distance, her own heart aching for her daughter. Then, after what felt like an eternity, she spoke.

"She's hurting," Rhythm's mother said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "She lost her brother, the one person who was always there for her. It's going to take time for her to heal."

Humza didn't respond immediately, his jaw clenched tight as he fought to keep his emotions in check. He didn't trust himself to speak, afraid that his voice would betray the storm of guilt and frustration roiling inside him.

"I know she blames you," Rhythm's mother continued, her tone gentle. "But deep down, I think she knows it's not your fault. She's just... lost right now. She needs space."

Humza's heart twisted at her words. Space? That was the last thing he wanted to give her. He wanted to be there for her, to take away her pain, to fix the mess he had created. But how could he fix this? How could he make up for the fact that his world, his choices, had led to Osman's death?

"I've destroyed her life," Humza said finally, his voice low and filled with self-loathing. "She was right. I'm the darkness. I've pulled her into it, and now... now she's paying the price."