Se connecter~Dominic's Pov~Something didn’t sit right the moment she left.It started as a small, nagging feeling in the back of my mind, subtle but persistent. The kind that didn’t shout for attention but refused to be ignored.I stood there in the hallway, unmoving, my eyes fixed on the door long after it had closed behind Aliyah. The quiet that followed felt unnatural, heavy in a way that pressed against my chest.My mind replayed the moment over and over again.The way she had rushed out was too fast, too tense, too… off.“I just need to handle something.”That was what she said, in a simple yet casual way, but the look in her eyes hadn’t matched those words, it wasn't even close. It wasn’t just urgency, it was panic, clear and unmistakable.The kind of panic that comes when something catches you off guard… when you’re forced to react before you’ve had time to think.And that alone was enough to put me on edge.I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply as I turned away from the door. My
~Aliyah's Pov~My heart didn’t slow down the entire drive.If anything, it only seemed to beat faster, harder, louder with every passing second. The steady rhythm in my chest had turned into something chaotic, something relentless, as though it was trying to break free from the confines of my ribs.It only got worse.The road stretched endlessly ahead of me, but I barely registered it. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles pale, fingers tense, yet my mind was nowhere near the present moment.Each second that passed, Dominic’s words replayed in my head like a broken record.Over and over again.Unstoppable.Victor Hale.The name echoed in my mind, sharp and unyielding.It didn’t make sense.It couldn’t make sense.The same man who had shown me kindness.The same man who had opened his home to me without hesitation.The same man who had spoken to me gently, patiently, like I wasn’t something broken that needed fixing.The same man who had looked at me like I mattered.No
~Aliyah's Pov~The room had fallen into a strange, quiet calm after Dominic left.I sat there on the bed, still wrapped in his shirt, my thoughts tangled and restless. Everything felt like it was spinning too fast, Ronald, the fight, the scandal, the choices pressing in on me from every direction.Then I heard it.A low, soft sound drifting in from the hallway.At first, I didn’t recognize it.But then it became clearer.Dominic… was singing.I blinked in surprise.It was quiet, almost absentminded, like he didn’t even realize he was doing it. The melody was soft, steady, unexpectedly soothing. For a moment, I just sat there, listening, letting the sound settle my racing thoughts.It was such a stark contrast to everything that had happened tonight. It was gentle, calm and safe.My chest tightened slightly.I didn’t realize how much I needed that moment until it was there.The sound of footsteps approached again, and the singing stopped almost immediately.A second later, the door ope
~Dominic's Pov~She didn’t answer my question.But she didn’t need to.The silence between us said everything her words couldn’t.Who’s protecting you?Her eyes lingered on mine, wide and uncertain, like she had never really considered the answer before. And that alone did something to me, something deep, something unsettling.Because the truth was painfully obvious.No one had.Not her husband.Not my family.Not even herself.My jaw tightened slightly at the thought.I could still hear Ronald’s voice echoing in my head. The way he had spoken to her. The way he had grabbed her like she was something he owned.Something to control.My hand was still wrapped around hers, and I realized I hadn’t let go.I didn’t want to.Her fingers were cold against mine, but they slowly curled, almost unconsciously, like she was holding on just as much as I was.That small movement made something shift in my chest.I knew it.But I didn’t pull away.Instead, I exhaled slowly and guided her to sit back
Aliyah’s POVThe sound of the front door slamming echoed through the house like a thunderclap.For a long moment after Ronald left, the room remained completely silent.Too silent.My heart was still pounding wildly in my chest, each beat loud enough that I could hear it in my ears. My fingers gripped the edge of the bed tightly as if it was the only thing anchoring me to reality.Ronald was gone.But the chaos he left behind still lingered in the air.Dominic stood near the doorway, his back slightly tense, his shoulders rising and falling as he tried to steady his breathing.A faint line of blood rested at the corner of his lip.The sight made something twist painfully inside my chest.Slowly, he ran a hand through his hair before turning around to face me.Our eyes met.For a brief second, neither of us spoke.The weight of everything that had just happened hung heavily between us.Ronald barging in.The shouting.The fight.And the words Dominic had said.I won’t let you take her.
~Dominic’s POV~The words had barely left my mouth before the room fell into a tense silence.“I won’t let you take her.”My chest rose and fell heavily as I stood between Ronald and Aliyah, every muscle in my body still tight from the fight. The metallic taste of blood lingered faintly in my mouth where his fist had connected with my lip, but I barely noticed it.All my attention was on Ronald.His breathing was rough, his chest heaving as he glared at me like I had just betrayed him in the worst possible way.Maybe I had.Or maybe this had been coming for years.“You won’t let me?” he repeated slowly, his voice low and dangerous.Behind me, I could hear Aliyah shifting slightly on the bed, but I didn’t turn around. If I looked at her now, I might lose the focus I needed to stand my ground.Ronald wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and laughed bitterly.“Since when did you become her guardian?” he scoffed.I didn’t respond.Because the truth was, I didn’t even know the answe







