The Mafia Queen's Obsession

Part 16

She walks quietly over to the door, her steps almost silent on the soft carpet beneath her feet. She stops just a few feet away, the bathroom door in front of her, the water running steadily inside. 

She debates with herself for a moment, hesitating. Is it too intrusive to peek? Would Selene even care?

The thoughts swirl, but Ayla's curiosity gets the best of her. 

She leans closer to the door, her heart beating faster as she edges just a little closer, trying to catch a glimpse of what's happening inside.

But before she can get too close, a voice, soft yet commanding, calls out from the bathroom.

"You've got a lot of questions, don't you?"

Ayla freezes, her breath caught in her throat, heart skipping a beat. 

Selene's voice is smooth, unaffected, as though she knew exactly what Ayla was thinking. Ayla straightens, a flush creeping up her neck, realizing she's been caught. "I—uh—I wasn't..." She stumbles for words, feeling embarrassed but also strangely intrigued. "I didn't mean to—"

Selene interrupts her, though there's no judgment in her tone, just that same quiet confidence. "It's fine. Curiosity is natural." The sound of water splashing softly echoes through the door, followed by the soft clink of glass—likely the sound of Selene setting something down.

Ayla hesitates for a moment before speaking, her voice quieter now. "Are you... are you okay in there?"

Selene's chuckle reaches Ayla, low and almost amused. "I'm perfectly fine. You should be more concerned with your own safety than my bath."

Ayla feels the weight of Selene's words sink in, a reminder of how precarious everything is. She stands there for a moment, unsure of what to say or do next. The silence between them stretches again, but it's different this time—there's an understanding between them, unspoke but clear.

"I just... wanted to know more about you," Ayla says softly, her voice honest.

There's a long pause from the bathroom, then Selene's voice, more contemplative this time, filters through the door. "I've lived a life of secrets, Ayla. A life of shadows. I'm not someone you'll easily understand."

Ayla doesn't respond right away. She's not sure what to say to that, not sure how to respond to the vulnerability that seems to slip through Selene's carefully constructed walls.

"Maybe I don't need to understand," Ayla finally says, her voice quieter now, "Maybe I just need to trust you."

There's a soft rustling from the bathroom, the sound of Selene shifting in the water. Her response comes, still calm, but with an unexpected note of sincerity.

"Trust is the hardest thing to give, Ayla. And the easiest thing to lose."

Ayla's words break the tension in the air, a playful smirk forming on her lips as she looks toward the bathroom door. Her voice, light yet bold, carries a hint of mischief as she says, "I've never seen you naked."

There's a brief, almost imperceptible pause from the bathroom, and then Selene's voice filters through, smooth and unbothered, a small chuckle escaping her lips. "You think that's something you should be concerned about?"

Ayla leans back against the nearby wall, her expression still holding that playful smirk. "Just curious," she replies, a bit of challenge in her tone. "You're so mysterious, I'm starting to wonder what else you're hiding."

Selene doesn't answer right away, but the sound of water splashing gently seems to pause for a moment, as though Selene is contemplating the exchange. When she speaks again, there's no malice or discomfort—only a cool confidence.