Epiphany

19:

- Mustafa - 

As I sat by her, silently watching her. The steady rhythm of her breathing told me she had finally fallen asleep. Her face had shown the worry and exhaustion, and now looked peaceful. Vulnerable.

I shouldn't be here. Not like this.

I ran a hand through my hair, letting out a quiet sigh. For weeks, I'd kept my distance from her. It wasn't easy. She had this way of pulling people in, even when she didn't mean to. I didn't want that. I couldn't want that. Not when my engagement to Naya was looming over me like a shadow.

This was just business. Hadia was just business.

I reminded myself that every time I saw her smile, every time she asked one of her relentless questions, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. I ignored her, brushed her off, not because she annoyed me but because...

Because I couldn't risk it.

But tonight, watching her shrink into herself as that man had tried to hurt her, something had cracked. I hadn't thought, I'd acted. And now here we were, sitting in the quiet of this hotel room, the air thick with emotions I couldn't name.

I walked over to her and stopped a few feet away. Her hair, which I'd seen for the first time last night, was still slightly tangled from the events of the day. She'd pulled it back loosely, the strands framing her face.

I couldn't look too long.

I grabbed the spare blanket from the chair and carefully draped it over her. She stirred slightly, her lips parting as if she were going to say something, but she didn't wake up.

I sank down on the chair across from her, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. The clock on the wall ticked softly, but it was her presence that filled the room.

And then, her voice echoed in my mind. "Thank you... Mustafa."

She'd dropped the title. No "Mr." No professional distance. Just my name. It shouldn't have mattered, but it did. It felt... personal.

I shook my head, trying to shake the thought away. This wasn't right. This wasn't the plan.

I glanced at her again. Her head had relaxed to the side, her body slipping into an awkward position. I hesitated before I moved closer, sitting down on the edge of the bed to adjust the pillow behind her. She didn't wake, but she sighed softly, leaning against my shoulder.

I froze. She was too close. The scent of her shampoo, something soft and floral, lingered in the air. I should have moved. I should have gotten up. But I didn't.

Instead, I let out a long breath, leaning back slightly. For once, I didn't overthink it.

- Next Morning -

When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was that my shoulder was stiff. The second thing I noticed was her.

She was still asleep, her head resting lightly against my arm. For a moment, I didn't move. I didn't want to. And then reality crashed back in.

I gently shifted away, careful not to wake her as I got up. She stirred, her brows furrowing slightly, but she didn't open her eyes. I stood there for a moment, looking down at her, before I shook my head and turned away.

This can't happen. But it is, and for some reason, I don't want to push it anymore.

I arrived at the expo before Hadia had woken up. I was standing by the booth as the team scrambled to fix the crashing issue from yesterday. I'd left early, ensuring no one saw us leaving the hotel together. She didn't need that kind of attention, and neither did I.