Chapter 9 (Tossing and Turning)

Nico lay awake in his penthouse, feeling the weight of the situation on him. He couldn't sleep. His mind kept racing, thinking about tomorrow. A stranger he had to meet. Someone the Union Protocol had picked for him.

He kept asking himself: Who might she be? What kind of person could be forced into this just like him? Nico's hands clenched. He felt frustrated and confused. He didn't want this.

The rules, the punishment for breaking them... it all seemed too much to handle. The idea of being matched with someone he didn't know, someone chosen by the system, felt suffocating.

What if they didn't get along? Nico hated that this was happening, that he had no control over his life anymore. The rules were already made, and he had no choice but to follow them.

Nico sighed and stared at the ceiling. He wished time would slow down. Tomorrow was coming, and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He had to face whatever was next.

Odalis turned to the other side of her bed, unable to sleep either. The envelope still sat on her nightstand, a reminder of everything she didn't understand.

She felt confused and worried. Who was this person? What kind of life would she have with someone picked for her by a system that made no sense to her? Odalis felt trapped, stuck in a situation she didn't ask for.

The clock ticked slowly, and with every passing second, she felt the weight of tomorrow getting closer. She couldn't stop thinking about what was about to happen. She wanted to call Maddie, but what would she say? What could anyone do? There was no escape.

She sighed deeply and squeezed her eyes shut. Tomorrow would come whether she was ready or not. But for now, all she could do was lie there, trying to sleep, but sleep wouldn't come.

Hours later, Nico was still awake. His mind wouldn't stop, and sleep felt impossible. His phone rang, breaking the silence. He checked the screen and saw Ronan's name.

He answered, his voice tired. "Yeah?"

Ronan's voice came through, filled with concern. "You okay? You've been quiet."

Nico sighed deeply, staring at the ceiling. "I don't know. Tomorrow... I'm not ready."

Ronan stayed quiet for a moment. "I get it. It's a lot. But you don't have a choice. You'll figure it out."

Nico didn't answer right away. He was still lost in his thoughts. He wasn't ready. None of this made sense. He just wanted things to go back to normal.

"Yeah," he mumbled.

Ronan spoke again, softer this time. "I'm here if you need to talk, okay?"

Nico held the phone tight, his mind still spinning. "Thanks," he said quietly, then hung up. The silence came back, and he was left with his thoughts.

Odalis hadn't slept a single second. She spent the whole night thinking about the meeting. She was nervous and scared. Now she had to face it.

She climbed out of bed and looked at the envelope again. She had picked out her clothes the night before—nothing fancy, just something simple and neat. She felt like her whole life was about to change, but she didn't know if it was for better or worse.

Her hands shook as she buttoned her shirt. The time was getting closer, and she had no choice but to go to the meeting. What if this person wasn't what she expected? What if she wasn't ready?

Once she was dressed, Odalis took a deep breath and looked at the envelope one last time. It was a reminder that this was real. She couldn't turn back. She looked at herself in the mirror, then left her apartment, knowing she had to face what was coming.

Nico stood in front of his mirror, staring at himself. He had gotten dressed, but he barely recognized the person in the reflection. His hair was messy, and his eyes were tired from the sleepless night. But tomorrow came. No matter how much he hated it, there was nothing he could do to stop it.

He thought about calling Ronan again. Maybe asking him to come with him. But deep down, Nico knew he had to face this alone. It was something he had no choice but to go through.

With a deep sigh, Nico grabbed car his keys and left his penthouse, ready to face whatever came next.