Shadows of Doubt

Ember gasped as Emir suddenly pushed her against the wall. Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she froze, caught completely off guard. His deep brown eyes locked onto hers, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, his voice smooth yet curious.

"Nothing," Ember replied quickly, averting her gaze. But her heart betrayed her, pounding erratically—badump! badump!—loud enough that she wondered if he could hear it.

Emir's smile faltered slightly. "I'm sorry for not understanding your feelings at first. You mean so much to me, and I don't want to lose you. When you lie to me, it makes me feel insecure. I'm trying to understand your perspective, but can you try to understand mine too? You haven't even agreed to be my girlfriend yet... and that makes me even more uneasy. Please, forgive me." His voice softened, laced with vulnerability.

A pang of guilt washed over Ember. She lowered her head. "I'm really sorry for what I did before. I was overwhelmed with emotions, and I didn't consider your feelings. I should have been more understanding." Her voice trembled with regret.

Emir exhaled, his expression gentle. "It's okay. We both made mistakes."

Without warning, he playfully pushed her onto the bed and hovered over her, his grin returning. "You called me 'honey,' right?" he teased.

Ember's face burned. "No, you misunderstood! I was just telling you a story!" she stammered, twisting slightly beneath him in an attempt to escape his teasing gaze.

"Don't lie. It's written all over your face," he smirked, leaning closer.

"No, I'm not!" she protested, mentally screaming at herself. I can't tell him what I was really thinking!

But as Emir inched even closer, his warmth enveloping her, Ember finally gave in. "Okay... I admit it. I called you that... or at least, I was trying to," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. Her entire face was a shade of deep crimson.

A flicker of something unreadable crossed Emir's eyes before he leaned in, closing the distance between them. His lips captured hers in a soft, lingering kiss, stealing her breath away. The world around them faded. When they finally pulled apart, Ember's face was flushed, her eyes shining with an emotion she couldn't name.

Emir's heart skipped a beat at the sight of her, mesmerized.

But suddenly, he pushed himself up, standing beside the bed as if trying to regain control of himself. He hesitated before turning toward the door. "It's fine if you don't want to say anything right now. I'll wait for your answer. Take your time and think about whether you want to continue our trial period or not." His voice was calm, but there was something restrained about it.

He took a few steps, pausing at the doorway. "For now, stop overthinking and eat your dinner. Get some rest."

Ember exhaled shakily. "Hmm," she murmured in agreement.

As he opened the door, he turned slightly. "Bye."

"Bye," she whispered back.

The moment the door shut behind him, Ember collapsed back onto the bed, inhaling deeply as she tried to process everything that had just happened. Her fingers brushed against her lips as she replayed the kiss in her mind. Why did he leave like that? she wondered.

Meanwhile, outside the room, Emir leaned against the closed door before sliding down to the floor. He ran a hand through his hair, his mind spinning. "Ughh! I can't believe I did that!" His pulse was still erratic from the rush of emotions. But then, a small, helpless smile crept onto his lips as he whispered to himself, "Her scent, her breath, the warmth of her body… even her blushing face… I want to keep all of it to myself. I want to cherish this moment forever."

And with that, he sat there, savoring the memory of the girl who had completely captured his heart.

 Dylan stood up and returned to his room. As he entered, the faint smile on his lips disappeared, replaced by a serious expression. He picked up his phone, his fingers tightening around it before dialing Emir's number.

On the other end, Emir answered, his voice laced with irritation. "What are you doing? It's late. Why are you calling me now?"

Dylan didn't waste any time. "Hey, go to the college shooting site and get me the CCTV footage from my dressing room." His tone was urgent, leaving no room for argument.

There was a pause before Emir questioned, "What's going on? Why do you suddenly need that?"

Dylan exhaled sharply. "I'll explain later. Just do as I say."

Emir groaned, exhaustion evident in his voice. "I'm so tired. Can I send it to you later?"

Dylan's patience was running thin. "Are you going there or not?"

Emir hesitated. It wasn't urgent, right? It could wait until morning. But Dylan wasn't willing to take that risk.

"If you're not going, then send your driver. I'll go there myself."

Emir sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay. Don't get angry. I'll send someone, alright?"

Dylan nodded to himself. "Okay."

Emir was about to end the call when Dylan's voice stopped him. "Wait. Tell that person not to watch it, okay?"

Emir rolled his eyes. "Alright, I'll make sure they don't. Can I hang up now?"

"Yeah, sure."

Emir sighed, his exhaustion creeping back into his voice. "Goodnight. And don't call me so late again."

Dylan barely acknowledged it with a distracted, "Hmm." The call ended.

Meanwhile, Ember had just finished dinner. Stepping out of the bathroom, she ran a towel through her damp hair, now dressed in her nightdress. But as she turned toward the bed, she froze.

Emir was lying there, completely at ease.

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you doing here on my bed?" she asked, her voice laced with both surprise and disbelief.

 With a playful wink, Emir leaned in slightly, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Actually, I'm here to see you and get an answer."

Ember's breath hitched, her fingers tightening around the blanket as she hesitated. "I haven't decided yet… Give me some time." Her voice was steady, but inside, her emotions churned.

Emir sighed, disappointment flickering in his gaze. "You're being too cruel to me."

Ember met his eyes with quiet determination. "Can you give me an honest answer to my question?" She shifted to sit on the other side of the bed, putting some space between them.

Emir's teasing expression softened into something more sincere. "If you truly wish to know, then I will tell you." He paused for a beat, his voice dropping to a gentle confession. "I like you, Ember. I want you to stay by my side forever. I want you to be my girl." His lips curled into a small, shy smile.

A deep blush crept up Ember's cheeks. She looked away, her fingers nervously fidgeting. "Actually… I'll need some more time to think."

Emir chuckled softly. "Okay. I'll give you the time you need… but I hope you won't take too long." He reached for her hand, bringing it to his lips and pressing a delicate kiss against her knuckles.

A shiver ran down Ember's spine at the warmth of his touch. Her heart pounded, making it harder to breathe. She quickly pulled her hand away, trying to regain her composure. "Leave now. I'm tired, and I need to sleep."

She slid under the covers, expecting Emir to leave, but he remained still. His presence lingered, his gaze fixed on her.

Ember peeked at him through her lashes, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Anything else?"

Emir smirked. "No, you just sleep. I'll go back when you fall asleep."

Ember exhaled, giving a small nod. But no matter how hard she tried, sleep refused to come. She could feel his unwavering gaze, stirring a nervous energy within her.

The silence stretched between them until Emir finally spoke. "Can I ask you something?"

Ember turned to him, her voice soft. "Sure."

He hesitated for a moment before asking, "What would you do if you found out I was a completely different person from what you expected?"

Ember blinked, considering his words carefully. "Honestly… I would try to adapt to the change and help you become a better version of yourself if you are going in a wrong direction."

Emir let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "No, silly girl. I meant, what would you think of me?"

Ember tilted her head, her expression thoughtful. "In my eyes, you're a kind-hearted person. If you ever changed into someone different… I'd try my best to bring you back."

A slow smile spread across Emir's lips. "What profession do you want your partner to have?"

Ember's eyes gleamed with warmth. "I don't have a specific preference. But their main priority should be me. I want a small, close-knit family where we're always there for each other."

Something in Emir's gaze darkened for a brief moment, but he masked it with a casual flick of his hair. "Why are you suddenly asking all these questions?"

"Just curious about your tastes," he replied smoothly.

Ember laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, don't take my words too seriously. More than anything, I just want love, respect, and attention from my partner."

Emir leaned in slightly, his voice a hushed promise. "You'll get every single drop of my love, Ember."

Before she could react, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, lingering just a second longer than necessary.

Ember's breath hitched as the words tumbled out before she could stop them. "I love you, Emir."

For a moment, he didn't move. Then, his fingers brushed against her cheek, his voice tender. "I love you too, Ember."

The warmth of his touch, the sincerity in his voice—it was enough to lull Ember into slumber.

But as she drifted off, her lips parted with a quiet murmur. "Emir, don't hide anything from me… I love you and trust you. Don't break my trust. And please… stay by my side."

A single tear slipped from the corner of her closed eyes.

Emir's chest tightened. He reached out, wiping it away with a touch as light as a whisper. "I love you too, Ember. I will never leave you… Just have sweet dreams, my baby."

He stood, his gaze lingering on her sleeping form. Yet, as he stepped out of the room, a weight settled in his heart.

The guilt clawed at him.

Because he knew—he had already lied to her.

 The phone vibrated in Dylan's hand. It was a call from Emir.

"Is the work you mentioned finished?" Emir's voice carried a trace of exhaustion.

Dylan leaned back, exhaling. "Good." Acknowledgment, nothing more.

Emir sighed. "I've sent it to your phone."

Dylan's grip tightened slightly around the device. "Okay. Did you watch the footage?"

There was a pause before Emir answered, "No, not yet. If you want me to, I can take a look." His voice held a mix of curiosity and restraint.

Dylan's response was sharp. "Don't dare to do that."

Emir chuckled. "Your tone is making me even more curious."

Dylan wasn't in the mood for games. "I'll tell you everything after I see it. Goodbye."

A faint sound came through the speaker.

"Zzzz..."

Dylan blinked, realizing Emir had dozed off mid-call. He shook his head, amused. "So, he fell asleep while talking to me. See you tomorrow." With that, he ended the call.

Back in his room, Dylan sat in silence. The weight of what he was about to do pressed heavily on him.

"Sorry, Ember… but this will be the first and last time."

His fingers hesitated over the screen before he finally played the footage. He wasn't searching for betrayal—he just needed proof, something tangible to settle the storm in his mind.

The video began. Ember, alone in the dressing room.

As he watched, the tension in his shoulders eased. The doubt, the suspicion—it had all been unfounded. She hadn't lied to him.

Dylan let out a quiet chuckle, his lips curving into a soft smile. "She's too cute when she's jealous… All this time, she's been thinking about me, and I was foolish enough to make her angry."

A pang of regret settled in his chest. Now, he understood. The frustration in her eyes, the sting in her voice—she had every reason to be upset.

Determination sparked in him. "I'll do my best to repay her for the tears she shed because of me."

His mind raced with ideas. Something special. Something that would make up for everything.

But first—

"I think I need a shower."

An undefined smile played on his lips as he stood, already lost in thought about his plan.