تسجيل الدخولAfter the kiss, the atmosphere turned awkward.Emma was still sitting on Alex’s lap. Her body was stiff, her breathing still uneven. Her fingers clutched the hem of her shirt, trying to calm the frantic pounding of her heart.Meanwhile, Alex remained silent.His gaze never left Emma’s face.Deep.Calm.Yet filled with something difficult to explain.Emma swallowed hard.“Mr. Alex…” her voice came out soft, barely above a whisper.Alex didn’t answer. He simply waited.Emma gathered her courage.“I’m… still curious.”Alex’s brows furrowed slightly.“About what?”Emma hesitated for a moment before speaking quietly.“What exactly is our relationship…?”The sentence trailed off.Emma didn’t continue.She chose silence instead.Alex didn’t respond right away.His hand still rested on Emma’s waist, keeping her in place without force. If anything, there was something about it that felt… comforting.“After everything that happened… I wanted to leave,” Emma continued softly.Alex’s gaze shifted
The front door slammed shut.The sound echoed throughout the house, sending a vibration that seemed to reach Emma’s chest.Alex walked in without sparing a single glance back. His strides were long and fast—as if he was trying to get away before his emotions completely exploded.“Mr. Alex…” Emma called softly.No response.He kept walking toward the living room, passing the sofa and table without truly seeing anything. His face was cold. His jaw tight.Emma swallowed hard. Her chest felt tight.She quickened her pace, following him.“Mr. Alex… wait.”Still no response.Until finally, gathering the last bit of courage she had, Emma reached out and grabbed his wrist.The touch made Alex stop.Emma was slightly out of breath. “Please… sit for a moment.”Alex looked down at her small hand gripping him, then slowly lifted his gaze to her face.Their eyes met.Deep.Tense.But without a word, Alex let himself be pulled. He sat down on the sofa with a slow movement, leaning back, still wrapp
Emma stood beside Alex.Her body was still weak. Her legs trembled slightly, but she forced herself to remain upright. Her hand was still in Alex’s grasp—warm, firm… steadying.But her gaze slowly shifted.Downward.Toward the figure still lying on the floor.Jonathan.He hadn’t moved much. His breathing was heavy, uneven. His chest rose and fell irregularly. His face was bruised, his lips bloodied, his shirt wrinkled beyond shape.The sight made Emma’s chest tighten.Something stirred inside her.A feeling she couldn’t simply ignore.Slowly, she pulled her hand free from Alex’s.Her steps were hesitant.But she still walked closer.“Emma…”Alex’s voice came softly, almost like a warning.But Emma didn’t stop.She knelt beside Jonathan.Her eyes studied his face, filled with complicated emotions.Hatred.Pain.Disappointment.And… a trace of pity.“Jonathan…” she whispered.Jonathan slowly opened his eyes.His vision was blurred, but he could still recognize the figure in front of him
Jonathan yanked Alex away from Emma mid-kiss, grabbing his collar roughly.The movement was fast. Violent. Fueled by emotions he could no longer contain.“You bastard!” he shouted. “How dare you kiss her in front of me?!”Without giving him any space, his fist swung forward.THUD!The sound of the punch echoed through the silent living room. In a matter of seconds, the tension that had been simmering exploded into chaos.Alex’s head snapped slightly to the side. The metallic taste of blood instantly filled his mouth, a thin line forming at the corner of his lips.But—he didn’t fight back.Jonathan struck him again.THUD! THUD!“I’ve been patient long enough!” he roared, his breath ragged, his eyes blazing red with fury. “But you—you’ve crossed the line, Uncle!”Emma, standing not far from them, froze.Her body was still weak. The wounds on her back throbbed with every movement.But what she saw in front of her hurt far more.“Jonathan, stop!” she cried out in panic.She stepped close
Alex appeared at the dining room doorway without a sound.His steps were calm, but his presence alone was enough to shift the air in the room. Emma, who had been eating, immediately froze mid-motion. Her body tensed instinctively.He took a seat directly across from her.His gaze was straight. Flat. Impossible to read.Emma swallowed.“Mr. Alex…” her voice came out hesitant. “Thank you… for helping me yesterday.”Silence.Alex didn’t answer right away.Instead, his gaze shifted—colder, sharper.Emma instantly felt guilty, even though she didn’t know what she had done wrong.“Thank you?” Alex repeated quietly.Emma grew nervous. “I just—”“Enough,” Alex cut in flatly. “I don’t want to hear that again.”The spoon in Emma’s hand slowly lowered.“What exactly am I to you?” Alex continued.Emma fell silent.“I don’t need your thanks, Emma,” he said. “What I need… is for you to stop acting like a stranger.”The words tightened something painfully in her chest.She lowered her gaze.“I’m sor
Pain greeted Emma the moment her consciousness returned.Her back burned. Her arms felt heavy. Even drawing a deep breath felt like her body was resisting.She slowly opened her eyes.The ceiling looked unfamiliar for a few seconds—until memories from last night came crashing back.The lashes.The shouting.And Alex.Emma closed her eyes briefly, holding back the tightness suddenly rising in her chest.With great effort, she pushed herself up from the bed. The blanket covering her body slipped down, revealing the marks that were still clearly visible.“Ah…” she hissed softly as her feet touched the floor.But she forced herself to stand.Slowly.Step by step.Emma opened the bedroom door and walked out. The house felt quiet. There was no sound except the faint ticking of a clock from the living room.“Mr. Alex?” she called softly.No answer.She carefully made her way down the stairs, gripping the wooden railing for support.Each step was agonizing.When she reached the bottom, she pa
Emma walked along the road without a destination.Headlights flickered past the corner of her vision. Horns blared back and forth, several cars slowing as they nearly brushed against her body walking too close to the asphalt. But Emma didn’t care. Her feet kept moving, while her mind was empty—as i
That morning, Emma stepped out of her apartment with her shoulders squared, even though her chest felt hollow and heavy. Her resignation letter was neatly tucked inside her bag—a thin sheet of paper she hoped would mark the end of all this chaos.She no longer wanted to owe anything to anyone.Incl
Smack!The slap came without warning.Emma’s head snapped to the side, her body stumbling back a few steps before finally stopping. The sound echoed through the large, cold living room—louder than the steady ticking of the wall clock that had been quietly counting time.Emma didn’t turn right away.
The club lights flickered wildly, reflecting off dark walls and clear glasses lifted endlessly. The music thumped—heavy and loud—as if deliberately drowning out the thoughts of anyone who stepped inside.Emma sat on a barstool, slowly spinning the glass in her hand without really drinking it. Besid







