Don't give up on me.

TWENTY EIGHTH

Even though the sting on her cheek was worsening due to not being tended but she kept on a straight face and drove on. She occasionally took out the tissues from tissue box in her car and wiped the blood from her cheek but by the way it kept oozing more red liquid, the cut must be deep.

Rüya was just a six years old child and even though she was mature for her age, she was still just a kid. So Johum knew she must be frightened of what happened. On the way back to Zayan's house, she tried to engage the little girl in conversation in order to relax her and assure her that she was harmless. She even bought her juice and some candies from a local grocery store all the while pressing the tissue to her cheek.

Rüya was hesitant to take the things but she eventually subsided and started sipping juice through the straw and thanked her shyly.

"You are nice." Was what Rüya said after a while when she had finished her drink and was munching on candies, chocolate stains all around her mouth. Johum looked at her momentarily and shot her a small smile.

"Thank you. I am glad you like me." She answered in a soft tone. She never had to deal with children before so she was pretty happy that Rüya found her company nice.

"My baba likes you." She giggled and on the other hand Johum's hands tightened around the steering. She swallowed.

"I am sure he does." She mumbled nonchalantly, not thinking about it too much. Rüya kept on making small conversations along the way and frankly, Johum enjoyed it. One because the little girl didn't talk about barbies and dolls. She actually talked about all the trips she had taken with her dad and two, because Rüya could be pretty entertaining when she wanted like now when she started talking about Atesh and his long list of never ending girlfriends and how much gold diggers they were. That was a shock coming from a child.

Finally she stopped the car in Zayan's property and saw the two guards dressed in all black get alert. They stiffened upon her arrival and slowly approached her and she wasn't concerned. Of course they would be there because they were hired to protect Zayan and anyone related to him and seeing that his daughter was with her, their actions were justified. Besides, Johum had never been to Zayan's on her own, driving herself.

So she rolled down the window and told them that she was there to see Zayan Helmy. Rüya even grinned and waved at them, telling them that she was her daddy's friend. They were still wary but they told her that she couldn't take her car inside the property and she was fine with that. Johum got out of the car and gave the keys to one of the men and picked up Rüya from her seat. She picked up the girl in her arms and walked towards the house, glancing at her wrist watch on the way.

It was close to eight at night and she got more angry just thinking about that. How could he leave his own daughter with someone as dangerous as Rua.

It was quite a shock when she entered the house because just as she closed the door behind her with Rüya in her arms, she was surrounded— more like hounded by Zayan's close mates. Rafiq ran towards her with worry written all over his face and Ruhshan was there as well, wiping her tears. Rafiq practically snatched Rüya from her and examined the kid from head to toe. Johum didn't mind because obviously they had been worried about her. 

Rafiq asked the girl a lot of questions like was she okay and where did she go and what happened to her cheek. Ruhshan also gushed around the small kid who answered their questions silently and calmly. It seemed like everyone had forgotten that Johum was the one who brought her in but apparently it wasn't the case because right in the other corner of the sitting area, Slade was watching her with penetrative eyes. Johum felt uneasy under his gaze and felt like flying out the door once he stood from the couch and made his way towards her.