The Divorce

Chapter 97: Warmth

"I helped someone kanina," mahinang usal ni Samantha.

She nestled into Arem's embrace comfortably, her cheek pressed against the steady beat of his heart as his warm arms wrapped around her tenderly.  She’d never thought something as simple as being held could fill her with such delight—warmth flooded through her bones, chasing away the cold shadows that had clung to her for so long, and in his arms, she felt genuinely safe. It was the kind of comfort she would only dream of.

The best feeling in the world.

"Why?" Arem whispered, his breath brushing against the top of her head as he pressed a faint kiss there, gentle enough that she might not notice.

He did not ask who. Dahil wala namang pakialam si Arem kung sino ang tinulungan ni Samantha. She's just built that way. Always ready to help regardless of who it was.

"Because I know he could help with my revenge," Samantha said, her voice soft as silk against his shirt, honest even as a yawn tugged at her words.

"..."

For a full minute, Arem fell silent, his fingers pausing from patting her back. His mind spun with a dozen different questions, but all of them died in his mouth, he didn’t want to break this moment, and didn’t want to risk making her nervous when she finally relaxed.

Samantha, already drifting toward sleep, sighed contentedly and snuggled closer, thinking his silence meant he didn’t mind at all. But in Arem's mind, it's full with things he couldn’t bring himself to ask.

Because he could feel it in the way she would tense just a little when she spoke about het revenge, Arem could feel that there was a hidden pain beneath her words. He wanted to know what happened, but he controlled that impulse. He would wait as long as she needed; he'll never do something that would make her distance herself from him.

Dahil na-realize ni Arem na pagdating sa sarili nito, masyadong maliit ang tiwala ni Samantha. Na para bang hindi ito karapat dapat bigyan at pagbuhusan ng atensyon niya. Na para bang hindi nito deserve na mabigyan din ng pagmamahal at pag-aalala na tulad ng ginagawa nito sa pamilya niya.

He can sensed her insecurity. Arem mentally sigh.

Soon, Samantha's breathing evened out into the slow, peaceful rhythm of sleep. Arem looked at the woman beside him with affection and he couldn't help himself but pressed another kiss to her forehead before resuming the gentle, rhythmic patting of her back.

He would never push her to share more than she was ready to. Her solace meant more to him than anything. But he would find out what was weighing on her mind, one way or another.

He would protect her. In his own way. There's no need to make her feel uncomfortable.

Arem's continue to lightly pat her back. The faint glow from the light post outside their room painted warm gold across Samantha's cheeks, smoothing out the worry lines that usually creased her forehead when she thought he wasn’t looking.

He had spent the entire day lost in fitful slumber—his limbs feeling like lead, every movement an effort that drained him completely. The strong medicine that Samantha makes him drink every four hours since the other day left him drowsy and disoriented, pulling him under again and again no matter how hard he tried to stay awake. He was certain that when nightfall come, his body would refuse to rest...

But now, with Samantha’s weight settled comfortably against him, her breath fanning gently over his chest, the heaviness in his limbs felt less like a burden and more like a gentle harbor—a calm, safe place where all the weariness of his body could finally find rest. The steady rise and fall of her body lulled him like a lullaby, and he found his eyes growing heavy-lidded, his own breathing matching hers in perfect, peaceful sync. Even the dull ache that had been throbbing in his temples seemed to fade away. He didn’t even have time to adjust their positions, he just pull the blanket a little higher over them and within moments his eyes fluttered shut. He drifted off right beside her, holding her close as they both slipped into a deep, restful sleep.