"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice low but firm.
Kairo smiled softly. "I came to see my loved ones."
"Zayn is sleeping. Don't disturb him," Sara said firmly.
He only grinned and, without warning, flopped down on the bed beside her. Startled, she sat up quickly. "What are you doing?"
"Relax," he murmured, reaching out and pulling her down beside him. His arm slid around her waist, pinning her gently in place.
"Come on, baby. We're married now. We should be sleeping together," he said so casually that it almost made her lose her breath.
She squirmed, trying to push him away. "Kairo, stop it."
But he only chuckled, his voice low. "Stop wiggling, soda glass… or I'll just take you both back to my room instead."
She glared at him with frustration. He smiled lazily, tightening his hold as he nestled behind her, spooning her close against his chest.
His breath brushed her shoulder before he kissed it softly. "I love you, Sara," he whispered, voice calm and sincere.
She scoffed, refusing to look at him. "Stop playing, Kairo. I'm not falling for it."
He smiled breathily, the sound soft against the quiet room. Leaning closer, he pressed another kiss to her shoulder.
"I know you hate me, darling… and I deserve it," he whispered. "But remember one thing, even though I left you, hurt you, and made you suffer… I was never happy, Sara. I wasn't at peace. I was restless, lost." His voice trembled faintly, each word heavy with regret.
"I didn't even know why I decided to hurt you, just because of someone else's anger. But I regret it, baby… I regret every cruel thing I ever did to you."
Sara's chest rose and fell, her heart pounding so loud she could almost hear it.
His words came slower now, quieter. "Even if I had left you back then, Sara…, I could never stop loving you. Somewhere deep down in my heart, you were there. And I didn't even realize it until I saw you again."
Her breath hitched.
When you walked into my office with Zayn… I thought you were taken by someone else. I felt like I'd lost you for good. Like, I didn't deserve you anymore. I felt jealous." His voice broke slightly. "And that jealousy… it made me hurt you more. It made me hate Zayn, without even realizing why."
Her eyes filled, the tears finally threatening to spill. His words were raw, honest, and full of the ache she had buried for years.
"But as soon as I found out the truth," his voice shook, "I collapsed. I couldn't take it. That's when I wanted to fix everything… everything I ruined, everything I lost, everything that made you suffer."
He pressed a slow kiss to her neck, his breath warm against her skin.
"You might be thinking I'm only after Zayn," he whispered. "That I want to claim him back, take him away from you." His chest rose and fell against her back. "No, Sara… I'm not doing this only for Zayn. I'm doing this for us."
He breathed out, a quiet shudder. "I want you more than I want Zayn, Sara. You live in my heart, Sara."
His lips brushed her ear as he spoke softly, like a memory: "Remember our first time? Where we shared everything... I promised you back then, I dream forever with you. I wanted to build a family with you. And I meant it, Sara. Every word."
His voice dropped even lower, almost breaking. "But my one foolish mistake… it ruined everything for three years."
"And now I want to make that promise true, Sara…" His voice was low, steady, as though he was painting a picture in the air. "The forever with you… with Zayn… in this house. Zayn running around, giggling, making a mess… You scolding me for spoiling him… and me cuddling you like this, calming you down with kisses."
Her body trembled. Tears slipped down her cheeks before she could stop them.
Kairo held her closer, pressing her against his chest as if he could shield her from everything. "Shh… don't cry, baby. I got you," he whispered, brushing his lips over her hair.
"I'm not asking you to forgive me. Not now, not ever if you can't. Punish me all you want, I'll accept it. But please… don't leave me again." His fingers stroked her hair slowly, gently.
"You are my soul, Sara. You're the one who taught me what love is. Without you, I'm nothing but a dead man walking."
She kept sobbing quietly,
"I won't take Zayn away from you, baby…" Kairo's voice dropped to a gentle murmur, each word like a promise. "I'm not that cruel. I know you live for him. You've pushed yourself this far for Zayn, how could I take that little soul away from you, huh?" His hand traced small circles on her stomach. "I want both of you, baby. You two are my world, the world I finally found after years."
Sara stilled, her breath caught in her throat.
"I want to give you everything, baby," he went on, his voice thick with emotion. "Every bit of love you deserved, every happiness you lost. You're my queen, Sara… my only love." He poured his heart out while holding her close, his forehead resting against hers.
Sara swallowed hard, finally finding her voice. "It's late… Kairo, please sleep."
He let out a soft chuckle, brushing his hand on her arms. He lifted her head gently, resting it on his arm. He kissed her cheek. "Sleep well, my love. From now on, you'll sleep without worrying about surviving another day. I'm here to take care of you and Zayn."
He pressed a tender kiss into her hair and whispered, "I love you, soda glass." With that, he snuggled deeper into her warmth, his arms tightening protectively around her as he drifted off, already dreaming of forever with her and their little boy.
Sara stayed wide awake, her mind replaying every word he'd just spoken. Confused. Restless. Torn. But soon, his warmth seeped into her like a lullaby, pulling her into sleep. Kairo held her. She held Zayn. For a moment, they looked like a perfect family, tangled in the same quiet dream.