"Chak… do you love me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, almost shy.
For a moment, silence stretched between us. His eyes searched mine, as if weighing the question, as if deciding how much of his heart he was willing to reveal.
Then he leaned closer, his forehead brushing against mine, his breath warm on my lips.
"If I didn't," he murmured, "I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't protect you, I wouldn't stay awake watching you sleep. I wouldn't fight with you, tease you, or chase after you when you sulk. Everything I do… it's because I love you."
My chest tightened. I wanted to believe every word, and yet doubt lingered like a shadow.
"Then why hide things from me?" I asked, almost pleading. "If you love me, why keep secrets?"
His smile faltered, his eyes clouding with something unspoken. "Because some things… I'm not ready to say. Not yet. But when I am, you'll be the first to know. I promise. You are my boy, Niran."
I swallowed hard, the ache in my chest easing only slightly at his words. I wanted more, but at the same time, I felt the sincerity in his voice—the weight of a promise he rarely gave.
"I'll wait for that day," I whispered.
He touched my cheek gently, brushing away a drop of water still clinging to my skin.
"Don't doubt my love, Niran. Even when I'm silent, even when I'm cold… my heart has always been yours."
Warmth spread through me, chasing away the lingering shadows. I wrapped my arms around him and whispered, "Chaky, I love you."
"I know," he replied softly, pressing a tender kiss to my cheek.
Suddenly, he took my hand and led me into our room. He drew the curtains until the morning light dimmed into a softer glow.
"Chak, what are you doing?" I asked, nervous flutters rising in my chest.
He glanced back at me, lips curving into the faintest smile.
"Earlier you said you wanted to lie on me. Now you can."
I hesitated for a moment before climbing onto the bed. The mattress dipped beneath our weight, and I stretched out beside him. Slowly, almost shyly, I rested my head on his chest.
The steady rhythm of his heartbeat filled my ear, calming the storm inside me. His warmth wrapped around me like a shield.
"I missed this last night," I whispered.
Chak's arm slid around my shoulders, pulling me closer. His palm moved gently along my back in slow, soothing strokes, as if he wanted to erase every trace of doubt.
I closed my eyes, breathing him in. "This… this is all I need."
"Good," he murmured. "Then don't think too much. Just stay with me."
His hand never stopped its soft caress, and with every touch, the walls inside me crumbled a little more.
For a while, we stayed like that in silence, the quiet morning wrapping around us. Then his voice broke the stillness, low and rough.
"I'm sorry… for before."
My eyes fluttered open, and I tilted my head just enough to look at him. His gaze was steady, honest, almost fragile in a way he rarely allowed.
"You don't have to apologize," I whispered, curling my fingers into his shirt. "It's enough that you're here with me. That's all I need."
He exhaled, tension loosening beneath my cheek. "Still… I should say it. I hurt you more than I should have. I know that."
I pressed closer, shaking my head. "And I told you, Chaky. As long as I have you and this—" I tapped my fingers gently against his chest. "—I don't care about the rest."
His lips curved into the faintest smile. He bent his head, brushing a soft kiss against my hair.
"Then don't ever doubt it. Not my love. Not us."
Guilt pinched inside me. "Then… let me apologize too. For earlier. I was cold and sulking, and it wasn't fair."
He chuckled softly, his hand never pausing on my back. "Cold? Sulking? Maybe a little. But you can't stay cold for long. You love me too much," he teased, lowering his chin so his lips brushed the top of my head. "Besides… when you sulk, you're actually quite adorable."
I blinked at him. "Adorable?"
He smirked, amusement glinting in his eyes. "Yes. You pout, but you never last long. You always come back to me."
Heat rushed to my face, and I buried myself against his chest. "You're impossible."
His laugh was low, warm, vibrating through me. "And you love me for it."
I tilted my head up, catching the curve of his smirk, and before I could think twice, I pressed my lips softly against his. It was a gentle kiss, brief but full of everything I couldn't put into words. When I pulled back, his eyes lingered on me, tender and searching.
"Niran," he said quietly, his thumb brushing along my jaw, "when you were a child… what kind of future did you dream of?"
The question caught me off guard. "I imagined living in a beautiful house. I thought I'd have a wife… and a daughter. And that all of us would be happy." A faint smile tugged at my lips. "It sounded so simple back then."
Chak's eyes softened, and he pulled me closer until our foreheads touched. "A daughter, huh? I always thought the same. If I ever had a child, I wanted a daughter too."
I pulled back just enough to study his face, surprised by the softness in his tone. "You… wanted a daughter too?"
He nodded, lips curving into a faint, almost shy smile. "Yes. A little girl who'd look at me the way you do now. Someone I could protect… someone who'd make me better, just by being there."
My chest tightened at the image—so unlike the man the world knew: cold, distant, untouchable. Yet here he was, speaking about something so fragile, so human.
"I didn't think you ever imagined things like that," I admitted softly.
"There are many things you don't know about me, Niran. But you're the only one I want to share them with."
I rested my head against his chest again, closing my eyes. His heartbeat was steady, strong, as if promising me that this- us was real.
A picture rose in my mind: a little girl with long brown hair, his eyes and my smile, running across a sunlit garden, her laughter echoing like music. The thought made my throat tighten, but instead of fear, I felt peace.
He frowned slightly, studying me. "Why are you smiling?"
"I see her," I murmured. "Our daughter. I see how she looks."
His eyes softened, curiosity flickering in them. "And how does she look?"
"She has long hair, your beautiful eyes, and my smile," I said, my cheeks warming.
Chak's lips curved into the faintest smile, his voice low but certain.
"If I ever want a daughter… I want her with you."
Heat rushed to my face, and I buried myself against his chest, too flustered to reply.
Maybe I didn't need a perfect house, or the life I once dreamed of. Maybe all I ever needed was here, in his arms.
"Then… let's keep dreaming together," I whispered.
Chak kissed the top of my head, his voice low and steady. "Always."
And in that moment, I believed him.
His hand lingered on my back, warm and steady, when he spoke again.
"What do you think you'll wear for the family dinner?"
I froze. "Dinner?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"I… wasn't planning on going. It's a family dinner, Chak. I don't want to intrude."
His gaze sharpened, firm but gentle. "Niran, you're not intruding. You're part of my life. And if you're part of my life, then you belong there too."
My chest tightened, caught between warmth and uncertainty. "But—"
"No buts," he cut in softly, brushing his thumb along my cheek. "If you won't come for me, then at least come for Anamarija. She'll want you there."
I saw the quiet resolve in his eyes, and I knew he wouldn't let me slip away this time.
"Fine," I whispered at last. "I'll go."
Relief softened his features, and for a moment he almost smiled.
But then my voice trembled. "Chak… don't tell your mother about us. Please."
His hand slid down to take mine, his grip firm, grounding. "I wasn't planning to," he said calmly. "This is ours. No one else needs to know—at least, not yet."
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and leaned into him again. Maybe I wasn't ready for the world to see us, but in that moment, in his arms, I knew I was exactly where I belonged.