Lisa's POV
I couldn't believe it. After what happened last night, I was more determined than ever to prove that I could handle this life, this world that Noha kept trying to protect me from.
I had seen the danger, felt it close enough to touch, and I knew there was no going back. I had crossed a line, but it wasn't just about me anymore. It was about us. About what Noha and I could be.
But when I woke up this morning, something was different. Noha wasn't in the apartment. The bed was cold, and the place felt… empty.
I pushed myself up, trying to shake off the feeling of unease settling in my chest. I grabbed my phone, expecting a message, but there was nothing. Not from him, not from anyone. It was like he had vanished without a trace.
Noha's POV
I had to do it. I had no choice.
Dante was closing in, and my men had found out that Lisa had gotten involved. She was no longer just my weakness; she was the target. The more I kept her close, the more I put her in danger.
So I made the decision that tore me apart. I had to push her away for good.
I didn't want to see the hurt in her eyes when I told her, but I had no other option. It wasn't just my life on the line anymore. It was hers too.
Lisa's POV
I couldn't sit still. I had been pacing the apartment for hours, trying to convince myself that Noha was just busy, that he was caught up in something he couldn't explain. But deep down, I knew something wasn't right.
I needed to find him.
I grabbed my jacket, heading for the door. As I stepped out into the hallway, I was stopped by a voice.
"Lisa."
I turned around, my heart stopping when I saw one of Noha's men standing there. His face was hard, unreadable, but I could see the hesitation in his eyes.
"Where's Noha?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.
"He… he's not here," he said, avoiding my gaze. "He's handling something important."
That wasn't enough. It wasn't the answer I wanted.
"Where did he go?" I asked again, more urgently this time. "I need to see him."
His silence made my heart race. I knew something was off.
Noha's POV
I had left, just like I said I would. I couldn't risk staying in one place for too long, not when Dante was closing in. But as I drove through the dark streets, my mind kept drifting back to her—Lisa.
I couldn't shake the image of her face when I told her to stay away. The pain in her eyes was too much.
But it wasn't just about her anymore. It was about making sure she survived this.
And that meant keeping her as far away from me as possible.
Lisa's POV
I was starting to panic. Noha hadn't called, hadn't answered my messages. And his men? They were avoiding me, giving me vague answers when I asked about him.
I felt like I was slipping through the cracks, losing grip on everything I thought I understood.
I grabbed my phone again, dialing his number one more time. It rang and rang, but still, no answer.
This wasn't right.
I had to find him. I had to make sure he was okay.
Noha's POV
I stopped the car in the middle of an empty street, my hand gripping the steering wheel. I had to make a choice—leave everything behind or let Lisa get caught in the chaos I was tangled in.
I pulled the car over, resting my head against the wheel, letting the weight of everything crash down on me. I couldn't stop the thoughts from swirling in my mind. What if I didn't walk away? What if I stayed with her?
But the longer I thought about it, the more I realized that I didn't have a choice. The life I lived—this world of blood, violence, and danger—wasn't a place for her.
She deserved more than this.
Lisa's POV
I couldn't stop myself. The fear, the worry—it was overwhelming. I had to know where Noha was.
I walked out of the building, heading toward the familiar streets where I knew he sometimes hung out. The bar. It was the only place I knew to look.
I wasn't sure if he would be there, but it was the only chance I had.
When I arrived, I saw the familiar black cars parked in front of the bar. His men.
Without thinking, I walked straight inside.
Noha's POV
I wasn't prepared for what happened next.
I heard the door open behind me, but I didn't turn around. My body was tense, the weight of the world pressing down on me.
"You can't just disappear like that," I heard Lisa's voice call out. Her voice—laced with anger, hurt, but also determination—cut through the tension like a knife.
I closed my eyes for a moment, wishing that I could turn back time, wishing that I could go back to the way things were before all of this mess.
"You shouldn't be here," I said, my voice hoarse. "I told you to stay away. This isn't your world, Lisa."
But she didn't back down.
"I don't care what world this is," she said, her voice shaking. "I care about you. And I'm not going to let you shut me out."
Lisa's POV
I took a step forward, ignoring the men in the room, ignoring the fear that still gripped my heart. Noha had pushed me away, but I wasn't leaving. Not without him.
"I don't care about the danger," I said, my voice strong. "I care about you. And I won't let you push me away anymore."
His eyes locked onto mine, and for the first time in days, I saw something in his gaze—something soft, something broken.
"I can't protect you from this, Lisa," he whispered. "I can't keep you safe in this life."
"You don't have to protect me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm not afraid of you. I'm not afraid of this. I'm afraid of losing you."
Noha's POV
Her words hit me harder than anything I'd ever felt. She didn't know the full extent of what she was saying. She didn't understand how dangerous this was.
But as I looked at her, standing there, so strong, so full of resolve, I realized that maybe I wasn't protecting her by pushing her away. Maybe the only way to protect her was to let her in.
I stepped forward, my heart pounding, and pulled her into my arms. "I'm not letting you go," I whispered. "Not now. Not ever."
Lisa's POV
I felt his arms around me, holding me tighter than ever before, and in that moment, I knew—there was no turning back. We were in this together.
No matter what came next, we would face it as one.