"Abi, who are you talking to?" Lucky asked as he stepped into the room, tossing his car key onto the nightstand.
"Umm… it… it's one of my old friends," she stammered, forcing a shaky smile.
"Hmm," he murmured, narrowing his eyes slightly. "I don't think I know her. I've never seen you with any friends before." Bending down, he picked up the phone that had slipped from her hand and held it out to her.
"Thanks," she whispered, her voice faint and trembling as she accepted it. Her hand shook ever so slightly, and Lucky noticed.
"Did I scare you?" he asked gently.
"Yeah… a little," she admitted.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." He pulled her into his arms, holding her close in a reassuring embrace.
"It's not a big deal. I'm fine," she said softly, resting her head against his chest, trying to steady her heartbeat.
"So," he pressed lightly, "what were you two talking about?"
"Nothing much, just… some girl stuff," she replied quickly, forcing a small laugh as she tried to change the subject. "How was work today?"
"Fine, but boring," he sighed, "because you weren't there with me."
"I told you I should've come along, but you insisted I stay home and rest. So it's your fault," she teased, untying his tie with careful hands before slipping off his suit jacket and shirt.
"I just wanted you to rest," he admitted with a half-smile. "But I didn't know it would be this boring without you around."
She smiled faintly, brushing her fingers along his chest before nudging him toward the bathroom. "Go take a shower first. I've already prepared dinner for you."
He turned suddenly, causing her to stumble into him. His arms wrapped tightly around her, his embrace warm and almost desperate.
"Abi," he murmured, his voice low and raw. "Never leave me, okay? It feels like you're the reason I live now. I can't imagine you being away from me—it would be like hell. So promise me… never leave."
The weight in his words made her chest ache. Even he didn't understand why he said it, but she knew he meant every syllable. He kissed her forehead tenderly, then her lips, before finally pulling away and heading into the bathroom.
Abi stood frozen, tears slipping down her cheeks as she watched the door close behind him. His words pierced straight through her heart, sharper than any blade.
She whispered into the silence, trembling. "Oh God… I've really gone too far. I have to finish what I came here to do before I lose the strength to do it. Please… forgive me, Lucky."