Semua Bab The Night Before I Knew Him: Bab 111 - Bab 120

JuneTobias’s arms loosen, his warmth fading as he pulls back, his voice gentle."June. I’m sorry for your loss," he says, his expression soft with something I can’t name. "Your team members asked me to send their condolences. They wanted to be here, but… you know. Work."I force a weak smile, though it feels like my lips are made of stone. "It’s fine. Thank you for even coming all the way here—for me."He nods, his hand brushing my shoulder briefly before stepping aside.I turn my head, just slightly, and my gaze snags on a tall, broad figure striding away from the crowd. Black suit, straight broad back. Something about the walk—measured, proud, unshakable—burns in my chest like recognition.Hermes?My heart skips, a startled beat. I blink hard, once, twice, willing my blurry eyes to focus. But before I can be sure, Leila slips into my line of sight, her arms wrapping around me."It’s over," she whispers, her voice a fragile comfort. "Come on, let’s eat something. You need your stren

JuneThe rain starts soft like a warning, then quickly turns heavy, soaking through my dress in seconds. I stand there, frozen in front of the hotel building, my fingers trembling as I grip my phone.Hours ago, I was on the floor, crying until my throat bled. I didn’t think I could even move after that. But then I read her words again—love, and love hard. That one sentence kept echoing in my head until I couldn’t ignore it anymore.When I finally turned my phone on, it lit up like a Christmas tree—missed calls, unread messages, notifications stacked over each other. I didn’t open any of them. My heart already knew who it was searching for.I scrolled straight to his name.And when I saw it—just one message, Are you okay?—I exhaled for what felt like the first time in days. Hermes had asked. He cared enough to ask. That was all it took.Now here I am, drenched, standing in front of the hotel building. The last time I was here, I was dragging him out half-conscious, rushing him to the h

JuneI’m wearing a thin shirt as I step into the bathtub. Hermes sits at the edge, sleeves rolled up, waiting for me. I want to laugh, but I’m too weak for that. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine Hermes Grande would agree to bathe me.Looking at him now — all calm, quiet, domestic — my heart warms. This is the same man who once told me he didn’t give a damn about me. I really out-lucked myself. He even offered to clean up my vomit. I feel a bit embarrassed about that, but… it actually feels nice, being cared for by him like this.As I sink into the tub, the lukewarm water wraps around me. I already feel a little better. Hermes was right — I needed this."Relax your body," he says, his voice low but steady, his eyes fixed on me with that serious expression he always wears.Despite the warmth spreading through me, one thing won’t stop bothering me — the way he looks at me now. There’s no lust or desire in his eyes. Back then, even when he was cruel, my small consolation was that

JuneThe word hit me sharp, my ears refusing to take it in at first. My jaw dropped. "You’re what?"Hermes gave a soft, almost amused smile. "I’m… hypersexual."I blinked at him, caught off guard. "Hyper—what?"He leaned back slightly, calm, almost casual. "It means… I have a high sex drive... And I don't just—""I know what it means," I cut him off, my voice sharp "Why are you telling me that?"He shrugged, picking up his fork and resuming his eating as if it were nothing. "I don’t know. I guess… I just wanted to share that part of me with you. Since we’re… opening up to each other."I nodded slowly, not knowing what to say. My hand picked up the spoon, stirring my chicken soup absentmindedly.Why did he tell me? Was it because he truly wanted to share something personal… or was it a subtle reminder that those fucks we had wasn’t about wanting my body, but because he had to?The spoon slipped from my fingers, clattering against the bowl. I stared at him, searching his face, but he di

JuneI watch from the rear window as Hermes’s bike speeds off, the red light fading until it disappears completely. My chest heaves so hard it hurts. God, how stupid could I be? How stupid was I to think Hermes actually felt something other than pity for me?My reflection glares back at me through the glass — teary eyes, trembling chin, lips pressed into a bitter line. He didn’t love you, June. He pitied you. Every smile, every soft laugh, every story about his past — all pity. The secrets he told me? Pity. The gentle touches, the way he looked at me like I mattered — pity, pity, pity.My stomach twists. And I thought I was special.My mouth let out a broken sound, half laugh, half sob. "God, I’m so dumb," I whisper, pressing my fingers to my mouth. "So stupid."When he had raised his voice— when he’d thrown her mother’s death at her like a weapon — something inside me cracked. The one thing I’d trusted him with, the one pain I never shared lightly, and he used it to stab me back.My