The room grew heavy with silence, the kind that wrapped around Ember like a thick fog, suffocating and unspoken. She sat still, her heart pounding beneath her chest, her eyes locked on Lai.
Unlike the other girls who shamelessly fawned over Dylan, Lai had always kept her distance—at least on the surface. But something had changed. After Ember entered the picture, Lai began to move in quiet, calculated ways. Her voice trembled with a dark kind of confession as she looked down, then met Ember's gaze with a twisted smile.
"I tried to get close to Brother Dylan," she said softly. "But he never noticed me... not even once. Then, one day, a girl approached him. She was sweet... too sweet. So I bullied her until she broke. Until she left the school. No one ever found out it was me."
Ember's fists clenched in her lap. Her voice cut through the tension like ice. "Just stop, Lai. Tell me the real reason. Was it jealousy? Is that why you did what you did to me?"
Lai didn't hesitate. She smiled, eyes filled with guilt. "Yes. It was jealousy. Only jealousy."
Ember tilted her head, her lips curling into a smile—one that wasn't soft, but laced with fire. "Looking at you now, it's clear. This isn't your first time, is it? You said it yourself—you bullied every girl who came near Dylan. And you were never caught." Her voice lowered, every word soaked in disbelief and quiet rage. "You're actually proud of it."
Lai's expression didn't flinch. Instead, she chuckled. "Yeah... at first, it was just to push people away. But after a while, I started to enjoy it. I didn't even think about it anymore. It became... fun. But I never realized my 'fun' would end up hurting my own brother and Dylan too."
A sudden chill passed through the air as Ember's eyes narrowed. "What did you do back then, Lai?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper—but the weight behind it was impossible to ignore.
Lai's voice trembled, but her eyes held a storm of guilt and something darker—something she'd buried for years. She looked at Ember, her lips quivering before she finally spoke, almost in a whisper.
"I did the most stupid thing in my life," she began, the weight of her confession pulling the room into stillness. "It was back in twelfth grade, during their farewell party. Everyone was drinking... for the first time. They got drunk, really drunk. And when Dylan passed out, I slipped into his bed. I told my brother Adrien that Dylan had dragged me into the room and tried to sleep with me."
Ember's breath caught in her throat.
"Adrien believed me," Lai continued, shame flickering across her face. "I thought Dylan would take responsibility. I thought he'd just... accept it. But he didn't. He denied it. He fought back. They had a huge fight that night... screaming, yelling. And when I realized Dylan wouldn't give in, I tried to end my life. I wanted to make Dylan feel guilty. I got seriously injured."
Tears welled in Lai's eyes, her voice shaking as she went on.
"I thought... if Dylan had even a little bit of love for me, if he cared at all, he would've stayed. He would've chosen me. But he didn't."
The silence was unbearable. Ember's heart ached, not just from the horror of what she was hearing, but from the twisted pain laced in every word Lai spoke.
"After that night," Lai whispered, "Adrien told Dylan to leave... and never come back. And Dylan listened. He disappeared from our lives."
Her hands gripped the edge of the seat, knuckles white with memory.
"Years passed. Adrien became a doctor... just to treat me, to fix what I broke in myself. I got better—only because of him. But a few months ago... Adrien found out the truth. He found out about all the things I did to get Dylan... all the lies, the obsession. He was furious—at me, but mostly at himself. He hated that he didn't believe Dylan back then. That's why..." Her voice dropped lower, trembling. "That's why he came here... to apologize to Dylan."
Ember stood motionless, her eyes locked on Lai with a gaze that burned colder than ice. Her voice came low, sharp, and cutting through the air like a blade.
"You've always been a bad girl... right from the start."
She took a step closer, her voice calm but laced with fury.
"And honestly? I don't think Adrien is coming to save you this time."
Lai flinched, her lips parting as if to defend herself—but all that came out was a whisper.
"I know I was wrong..."
Ember's expression didn't soften. Her voice trembled with restrained emotion.
"Don't you think it's too late for that? Look at me, Lai... are you still not satisfied, even after everything? After seeing the state I'm in?"
Lai's eyes welled up with tears, her lips quivering. She tried to speak, but her voice cracked.
"I'm sorry. I just... I only wanted to tie you up until morning... scare you, so you'd stop seeing Dylan. That was all. But the guards..."
Her voice broke. She couldn't finish. The image flashed in her mind—Ember's fragile body, unconscious on the bed, blood staining her skin, her dress torn, her breath shallow. The horror of it all crushed her chest, and tears spilled freely down her cheeks.
"I didn't want this. Ember... I never meant for it to go this far. I swear, I just wanted to scare you. I had no idea... they would do that to you..."
Lai collapsed into sobs, her tears falling silently to the cold floor.
For a long moment, Ember stood frozen. Her body ached, not just from the wounds—but from the weight of it all. A twisted part of her wanted to reach out, to offer comfort. But the betrayal was too deep, the pain too raw.
Without a word, she turned away.
As Lai wept alone in the sterile hospital ward, Ember stepped out into the quiet hallway, her footsteps echoing behind her—leaving the girl, the guilt, and the past locked behind the door.
Ember didn't know what to feel anymore. Her mind was a storm, but her heart—her heart ached painfully as she remembered the look in Lai's eyes, the tears, the regret. Still, it didn't erase the cruelty. It didn't undo the blood or the fear or the way her body still trembled in the silence.
She returned to her ward in a daze, the weight of everything pressing against her chest. The room was quiet. Dylan lay asleep, his features softened in rest. Without thinking, Ember slipped into the bed beside him, her body drawn to his warmth like a lifeline. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into the curve of his neck. Within seconds, sleep claimed her—deep and dreamless, as if her body had given up fighting.
It was already late afternoon when Dylan stirred. His brows furrowed, sweat beading on his skin. His breath came in sharp, ragged gasps, like the air had been ripped away. In his dream, he'd been chasing someone through endless shadows, just out of reach. And the moment he was about to catch them—his eyes snapped open.
Panic gripped him. He sat up, his chest heaving.
Then he saw her.
Ember, curled against him, sleeping soundly. Fragile. Real.
His entire body relaxed as if the world had clicked back into place. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, his voice a rough whisper against her hair.
"I'm never letting you go. Not now. Not ever."
Ember stirred at his words, slowly waking. Her eyes fluttered open, and when she realized he was holding her, her arms immediately tightened around him, like she'd been waiting for him even in her sleep.
"I'm here, Dylan," she whispered softly, her voice barely audible, yet full of warmth.
His breathing steadied, the terror of the nightmare dissolving in her presence. He held her closer, his lips brushing her temple.
"You're safe now... and as long as I'm breathing, no one will touch you again."
They stayed like that—entwined, heart to heart, the shadows of their past slowly retreating as the warmth between them grew. Outside, the sun was shining brightly, casting golden light over the room… but inside, wrapped in each other's arms, Ember and Dylan held onto something far brighter.
A soft knock at the door broke their quiet world, snapping them back to reality. Dylan looked up just as the door opened and Adrien stepped inside, a knowing smile on his face.
"I thought I should let you both sleep," Adrien said, a chuckle in his voice, "but it's already afternoon, so I came to wake you. Seems like I don't have to anymore." His eyes glinted with amusement as he glanced at the two of them. "You can continue your little reunion. I'll have lunch brought to your ward."
With a small wave, Adrien left, closing the door behind him.
Ember, already buried in Dylan's chest, turned crimson. Her cheeks burned as she clung to him, wishing she could disappear. Dylan chuckled, his voice low and teasing.
"You're so cute when you blush," he murmured, gently patting her hair, his fingers trailing through the strands as if he could calm every storm within her.
Later, as lunch arrived, Ember struggled to hold the spoon with her injured hand. Dylan immediately noticed. Without a word, he reached for the spoon, his voice soft but firm.
"Let me help you," he said, taking it from her gently.
Then, with the utmost care, he began feeding her, bite by bite. His eyes never left hers, his every movement tender—protective. Ember felt warmth spread through her, not just from the food, but from the way he looked at her… like she was the most fragile, precious thing in the world.
Their quiet moment was interrupted again when Adrien reentered, a more serious expression on his face this time.
"Ember, are you feeling alright?" he asked, concern lining his voice.
Ember nodded and replied softly, "Yeah… I'm really fine now."
"If you feel any pain at all, just let me know—anytime."
"Okay," she said, offering a faint smile.
Adrien hesitated before continuing. "Dylan… the police are here. They want statements—from Ember and Lai. But they'd like to speak with Ember first."
Dylan's jaw tightened. His hand instinctively found Ember's and held it tightly.
"Make them wait," he said coldly. "I need to talk to her first."
Adrien gave a quick nod and left the room.
Dylan turned to Ember, his expression gentle, yet protective. He knelt beside her bed, brushing his fingers against her arm with comforting care.
"Ember," he said, "the police are here. But you don't have to be afraid. Just tell them what happened—what they need to hear. I'm going to be right here, by your side. Always."
Ember looked at him, her eyes wide but steady. She gave a small nod, then whispered, "Okay… but can I have my phone first?"
Dylan blinked. "Of course," he said, and handed her his.
Ember quickly typed a message, her fingers trembling slightly. She hit send, then looked up at him and whispered,
"Tell them I'm ready."
As the door creaked open, two officers stepped into the hospital room. Their presence filled the air with a heavy tension. Ember instinctively shifted closer to Dylan, who sat beside her, his arm gently wrapped around her shoulders like a shield.
One of the officers stepped forward, his tone professional but not unkind.
"Miss Ember, we'd like to ask you a few questions. We overheard a portion of your conversation with a girl named Leora in the restroom before your disappearance. We need to understand what happened."
Ember looked at the officers, her eyes tired but steady. She offered a faint smile and nodded.
"Thank you… for rescuing me," she whispered, her voice trembling with sincerity.
The officer shook his head gently. "We didn't do much, honestly. If anyone deserves thanks, it's Mr. Dylan. He was the one who placed a tracking device in your ring. Without that, we wouldn't have found you in time."
Ember turned to Dylan, her eyes softening. There was no shock in her gaze—only quiet knowing. She smiled at him, a fragile but grateful smile that said "I knew you'd come for me."
Dylan didn't say anything, but his hand tightened around hers, his thumb gently brushing over her knuckles. His silence spoke volumes.
The officer cleared his throat. "Miss Ember, we need to hear your version of what happened. Can you tell us everything from the beginning?"
Ember took a shaky breath. Her heart pounded, but she sat up straighter, gathering the strength Dylan's presence gave her.
"Officer… the recording you heard—it wasn't real. It was just something we did… together. A prank."
Everyone in the room—Dylan, Adrien, even the officers—froze in confusion.
"A prank?" one of the officers echoed.
Ember nodded slowly. "Yes. Leora and I… we were friends. Yesterday, Dylan and I finally made things official. Leora suggested we prank him to see how much he loved me. I thought it was harmless fun… so I agreed."
Adrien stared at her in disbelief. Dylan blinked, his jaw slightly slack, completely blindsided.
The officer frowned. "You're saying the entire conversation we heard—the one where Leora claimed responsibility for your kidnapping—was part of a plan to test Dylan?"
"Yes," Ember said softly, her gaze lowering. "I'm sorry. We only told those men to take me to the apartment I was staying at with Dylan. That's it. Leora said she would meet Dylan there too… and she did, right?"
She looked at Dylan, her voice rising slightly in urgency. "Dylan… you met Leora there, right?"
He nodded numbly, still stunned.
Ember swallowed hard and continued, her voice cracking.
"But… something went wrong. Those men—whoever they were—they didn't take me to the apartment. They took me somewhere else. I don't know where. They blindfolded me… I couldn't see anything."
Her body shuddered at the memory, and Dylan immediately pulled her closer, his arm wrapping protectively around her.
"When I woke up… my head was pounding. The blindfold was still on. Everything was dark. I screamed."
Her voice broke now, her eyes glossing with tears.
"I screamed, 'Somebody help!' but no one came. I kept shouting… until I finally heard a voice."
After speaking those last words, Ember suddenly froze.
The room went silent—too silent—as the weight of memory crushed her all at once. The vivid images of that night clawed their way back into her mind. Her breath hitched, and a single tear slipped from her eye, trailing down her cheek.
Dylan noticed instantly.
Without hesitation, he moved beside her, sitting close, his expression dark with concern. He reached up, gently brushing her tear away with his thumb.
"I'm here," he whispered, his voice low and trembling—not with fear, but with rage and heartbreak. He took her hand in both of his, gripping it like he would never let go again.
Ember's lips quivered. Her voice came out broken, her chest rising and falling with each breath.
"I… I called out again. 'Please… someone help me…'"
Her voice cracked on the word 'please', and Dylan's hand tightened around hers.
"But no one came. I waited, I screamed again. And then…"
She swallowed, the memory burning her from the inside.
"I felt a hand on my leg. I cried out, 'Don't touch me!'—but there was no answer. Just… silence."
She paused, shaking as more tears slipped down her face. Dylan's jaw clenched, his body stiff with anger, but he remained still for her—his eyes never leaving hers.
"He… he removed my blindfold. My vision was blurry at first. But after a few seconds, I saw his face. He touched my cheek like he had the right. When I resisted, he grabbed my face—tight—and forced me to look at him."
Dylan's fists clenched in his lap. Every word Ember spoke carved deeper into him.
"Then the second guard came in. He told the first one to stop… but he didn't. He came back again… and this time, both of them were there. The second one grabbed my legs. I screamed for them to stop—over and over—but they wouldn't listen."
Her voice was cracking, each word a wound. Dylan moved closer and gently pulled her into his chest. Ember leaned into him, sobbing softly but continuing.
"The first one tried to kiss me… I bit his lip. So he shoved cloth into my mouth and held me down. Then… he tore my dress…"
She stopped breathing for a moment.
"And bit my neck."
Her voice barely came out—a whisper full of shame and horror. Tears flooded down her
"The second one… at some point… he started touching my legs. I tried to kick him, to push him away—but he grabbed my leg… hard. And then… he bit me."
She paused, her breath catching in her throat, eyes wide and glistening. Dylan held her closer, his jaw tightening, fingers twitching with restrained fury.
"I screamed. Loud. But my tears blurred everything—I couldn't see clearly anymore. My vision was just… darkness and shadows. Then… then they started arguing."
She clutched the bedsheet between her fingers as if she were still trying to escape it.
"They were fighting… arguing about who would go first."
A silent sob escaped her lips. Dylan's hand slid up her back, rubbing slow, comforting circles as if grounding her to reality.
"I tried—God, I tried to get out. I pulled at the cuffs chaining me to the headboard, but… I couldn't. I felt so weak… like my body wasn't mine anymore. I couldn't move. I couldn't even scream properly."
Tears spilled down again, silent and endless. Dylan's expression grew darker, colder—he looked like a storm about to explode.
"And then…" Ember whispered, "they stopped fighting. I heard them coming toward me. I knew that touch was coming again, and I couldn't… I couldn't let them do it. I had to stop it somehow…"
She paused, her voice trembling so much she could barely go on.
"So I decided to hurt myself."
Dylan's eyes widened slightly, and his grip on her hand tightened, gently but urgently.
"I didn't know what I was thinking. I just slammed my head—hard—against the metal headboard."
Her voice cracked like glass shattering.
"I just wanted everything to stop. And after that… I don't remember anything else."
The room went still, thick with silence and raw emotion. Ember's breathing was shallow, her shoulders trembling. Dylan slowly leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead—soft, warm, and trembling with barely restrained pain.
"You're safe now," he whispered, voice low and full of agony. "No one will ever hurt you again. I'll make sure of it."
Ember, broken and fragile in that moment, nodded against his chest. Her voice was faint, but filled with truth:
"I thought I'd die in that room."
Dylan brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and looked into her eyes, his own voice thick with emotion.
"You didn't. Because I came for you. And I will always come for you, Ember. Always."
And the police leave her hospital ward.