Semua Bab IT STARTED WITH A LIE AND ENDED WITH US.: Bab 41 - Bab 50

He had a small bag he'd packed from home, neatly tucked by his side. Inside were various snacks, carefully arranged as if each one had its own little place. I didn’t picture Justin as someone who ate snacks often, and even when he bought them, I would catch myself imagining what it would look like to see him actually enjoy them. There was something strangely captivating about that thought, though I would never admit it aloud.I pretended not to notice him working his way through the bag. He pulled out a pack of crackers and, with that faint, hesitant smile he always wore, offered them to me.I wanted to take them—oh, how I wanted to—but my mood was too sour, too prickly to let myself accept anything from him. So, I quietly ignored him, acting as if he hadn’t done anything at all.“Is that crackers?” Monica whispered from behind, craning her neck to peek above our seat.“Yes,” Justin replied softly.“Wow… I love crackers!” she exclaimed, eyes lighting up. “I can’t remember the last tim

We walked through the corridor in silence, that heavy, suffocating silence that gripped my chest and threatened to pull my heart out with every step. Each footfall echoed like a drum, marking the rhythm of my unease. My hands felt sticky with nervous sweat, and my stomach twisted into knots I couldn’t unravel.306,That's our room number. He stopped and held the door open for me, a subtle gesture that carried more weight than I cared to admit. I stepped in first, my fingers brushing the doorknob a little longer than necessary, and then he followed, his presence filling the room with a quiet authority.I watched him place our bags on the bed, then methodically began unpacking his own. Every movement was deliberate, almost ritualistic, and I couldn’t help but notice how natural it all seemed for him—how grounded, how calm—while my own thoughts ran wild.I wanted to say something—anything—to break the suffocating silence that was eating me alive. But every time I opened my mouth, the wor

I went ahead and poured myself some coffee, the hot liquid steaming up and warming the air as it splashed into the cup. My left hand was already occupied with a plate of toast, its golden crust slightly burnt at the edges, the smell of it mixing with the sharp aroma of roasted beans.Everyone was already seated, clustered in pairs, talking in low tones as they ate. There was laughter here and there, little whispers exchanged, the clink of cutlery filling the silence between them. As much as the room felt alive, the air thick with chatter, I knew I wasn’t welcome. Or rather—my presence wasn’t welcomed. Their eyes slid past me deliberately, pretending I didn’t exist, but I felt their judgment like knives on my back.Then my gaze found the manager. He sat alone at the far end, eating without hurry, shoulders slightly slouched but eyes calm. He wasn’t one for empty stares or cruel whispers. I could deal with his words of advice—sometimes sharp, sometimes softer—but they were far better th

Hours slipped past like a single blurred heartbeat. I lay on the bed exactly as Justin had ordered, the sheets cool against my skin, and watched the ceiling until my eyes went tired. He left to see the doctor, the door closing behind him with a soft click that felt far away, like the rest of the world had been pushed out of reach.When the door finally creaked open, it was as if time remembered how to move again. His tall silhouette filled the doorway, and he stepped inside without a word. He didn’t look around the room or at the pale window — his gaze locked on me, sharp and relentless, as if nothing else existed.Those eyes. They cut through me like knives wrapped in ice. For a moment I thought I could read every thought inside him. They were full of anger, but there was something else tangled inside it — a depth that made my stomach twist and left my limbs trembling.Then he moved. Before I could find my voice or plan a plea, his hands were at my throat, cold and implacable. Pressu

We walked through the dark corridors with Justin leading the way, his figure nothing more than a shadow against the endless black. My footsteps echoed faintly as I trailed after him, each step pulling me deeper into the unknown. I didn’t know what he was up to, what secret destination he had in mind, but here I was — following him anyway, like some lovestruck fool caught between his claws, unable to escape even if I wanted to.The silence pressed on my chest, and finally, I broke it. “Are we not there yet?” My voice sounded smaller than I intended, almost swallowed by the darkness.I could barely see anything, the thick shadows wrapping around me, gnawing at my nerves. A part of me hated to admit it, but the darkness scared me.“Why? Are you afraid?” he teased. I couldn’t see his face, but his tone was enough. That familiar edge in his voice told me everything I needed to know — he was enjoying this.“What? No…” I said quickly, trying to sound firm. My denial was shaky at best.That w