Living at Andrew's apartment was supposed to make things easier.
It did the opposite.
They shared the same space now, but rarely the same moment. Mia's shifts ran late; Andrew's started early. Some days, she returned when the apartment was dark and quiet. Other days, she woke up to an empty kitchen and the faint smell of coffee he'd already finished hours ago.
They were together.
But separated by time, silence, and everything they refused to say.
The hospital hadn't done anything wrong since that night.
No threats.
No missing files.
No strange transfers.
That scared Mia more than anything else.
It felt deliberate.
Like the hospital was holding its breath—waiting.
The patient was young. Too young to be so comfortable flirting with danger.
"You again," he said when Mia entered, smiling easily. "Guess I'm lucky."
She kept her tone professional. "Vitals look stable. Any discomfort?"
"Only when you leave."
She ignored the comment, adjusted the chart. She'd learned not to react. But she felt the gaze on her skin, crawling.
She didn't notice Andrew at first.
He stood near the door, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
The patient noticed him immediately.
"Friend of yours?" he asked, eyes flicking between them.
"Staff," Andrew said shortly.
The word staff landed like a warning.
The patient laughed. "Relax, man. Just appreciating good care."
Mia finished quickly. Too quickly.
Andrew didn't say a word as they walked out, but she felt it—the tension rolling off him, sharp and contained.
On the drive home, silence pressed in from all sides.
At a red light, Mia glanced at him. His jaw was clenched, fingers tight around the steering wheel. He rubbed the back of his neck absentmindedly, like he always did when something was wrong.
"Andy—"
"Did he make you uncomfortable?" he
asked, eyes still on the road.
She hesitated. "He was just… talking."
Andrew exhaled slowly. "That's not an answer."
"I can handle myself," she said softly.
"I know," he replied. "That's what scares me."
The apartment felt smaller than usual that night.
Mia dropped her bag near the door, turning to face him. "You've been distant all day."
He laughed once. Dry. "We're being watched, Mia. And you're worried about distance?"
"I'm worried about us pretending everything is normal."
He stepped closer before she realized it.
Too close.
She instinctively took a step back—and her shoulders met the wall.
Andrew's hand came up, resting beside her head. Not touching. Blocking.
She looked up at him, pulse racing.
"You don't get to smile at someone like that," he said quietly.
Her breath hitched. "I was doing my job."
"I know," he said, voice low. "That doesn't make it easier."
The space between them tightened. The air felt heavy, charged.
"Andy," she whispered. "We're already in danger. Don't do this."
His eyes searched her face like he was memorizing it. "That's exactly why I can't stop."
Her fingers curled into the front of his shirt without permission.
"Then don't pretend you don't care," she said.
His forehead rested briefly against the wall beside her head. "I care too much."
For a second—just one—everything went quiet. No hospital. No threats. No fear.
Just them. Too close. Too aware.
He leaned in.
Not a kiss.
Just enough for her to feel his breath against her lips.
A sound from the hallway snapped them apart.
Reality rushed back in.
Andrew stepped away abruptly, running a hand through his hair. "This can't happen," he said hoarsely. "Not now."
Mia stayed where she was, heart pounding, lungs burning.
Outside, the city was calm. Normal.
Inside, she realized something terrifying.
The hospital didn't need to threaten them anymore.
They were already unraveling on their own.
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Hey guys... Till my exams end the schedule of 3 chapter per week will change into 1 chapter a week.... I hope you all will understand it..... Just after 31st March the things will go back to normal