The silence in Alina's apartment had never been so loud. The ticking of the clock echoed like thunder. Shadows danced on her walls, but none of them looked like the man standing just outside her door.
Knock. Knock.
Soft. Gentle. Repeated.
"Alina... please," came his voice again, low and heavy with pain. "I didn't mean to hurt you. Just hear me out... once."
But she didn't answer.
She sat on the floor behind the door, knees to her chest, hands trembling. His voice—once a melody to her heart—now pierced like a blade. Her eyes were red from the tears that wouldn't stop falling, and yet she refused to let even a single word pass her lips.
Thud.
Another knock. More desperate this time. Still gentle, still pleading.
"I didn't make any deal to buy you. I swear on everything I am—on us. Please... don't shut me out like this."
But she did.
She shut the door to her heart and soul.
The knocks stopped eventually. A suffocating silence followed.
That silence screamed louder than his voice ever could.
---
Sometime after the sun had melted into the Parisian skyline, Alina slipped out of her apartment. Her face was pale, lips dry, eyes swollen. She needed air. Needed to breathe something that wasn't pain or memory.
She walked aimlessly through the narrow streets, the dim streetlights flickering above her head, the wind tugging at her scarf as if it wanted her to stop and cry into the night.
She sat on a quiet bench, the chill biting into her skin, but she welcomed it. Anything was better than the warmth that reminded her of Evander's touch.
"Alina?"
She turned.
It was Ren.
His brows furrowed the moment he saw her face. "What happened to you? Why do you look like this?"
She couldn't even form words. Her lips quivered, and all she could do was shake her head.
Without a second thought, he held her hand and said, "Let's go somewhere warm. Please."
---
The little café down the lane was nearly empty. Yellow lights created a cozy glow, the smell of roasted beans wrapped around her like a blanket.
She cupped her coffee with both hands. Ren watched her in silence for a while, letting her take her time. He didn't pressure her. He just... waited.
Finally, with a sigh that felt like it came from her bones, she spoke.
"I think I made a mistake... trusting him."
"Evander?"
She nodded.
She told him everything. From the kiss they shared to the deal she overheard. The way he offered money to her father—as if she were a business transaction. And how that shattered everything she ever thought they were building.
Ren's expression changed.
He wasn't just listening now. He was feeling. The jealousy. The protectiveness. The growing need to shield her from every hurt. Especially the one called Evander Ross.
"You don't deserve that," he said, his voice tightening. "He doesn't deserve you. Not even close."
She looked away. "I don't want to go back to that apartment. I'll see him. I'll break again."
Ren leaned in, cautiously. "You can stay with me... Just for a few days. I mean—it's a suggestion. My guest room is always empty, and... you shouldn't be alone right now."
Her eyes widened. "I've never stayed at a guy's place before."
"I get it," he said softly. "I'll respect every boundary. Promise."
Her mind battled her heart. But the thought of seeing Evander again... of hearing his voice, of feeling that ache—it was too much.
"Okay," she whispered.
---
They returned to her apartment so she could pack a few essentials. Ren waited patiently in the hallway as she unlocked the door.
But the universe had other plans.
Evander had been standing in front of her door the entire time.
His eyes immediately narrowed when he saw Ren beside her. His fists clenched, but his voice—when it came—was low, rough, almost broken.
"Where have you been? I've been waiting the whole day... Alina, please. Talk to me."
She walked past him without a word, entered her apartment, and began gathering her things.
"Alina," he said again, stepping inside now, his tone more urgent. "Say something. Don't do this. I need to explain—"
"She's leaving," Ren interrupted, stepping forward.
Evander turned to him slowly, venom in his gaze. "Leaving? What the hell do you mean?"
Alina zipped her bag. Her hands shook, but her face stayed cold. Empty.
"She's going to stay at my place for a few days," Ren said, challenging him. "Any problem?"
Evander's jaw tensed. His entire body stiffened like a lion about to strike. His eyes darted between Alina and the suitcase.
He looked betrayed. Destroyed.
"Alina... you're leaving me? Just like that?"
She didn't look at him.
"I said I'm sorry. I didn't buy you—I was trying to buy you freedom. I was trying to protect you! Doesn't that matter to you?!"
Still nothing.
That silence broke something inside him.
With a sharp yell, Evander turned and punched the wall with such force it cracked under his knuckles. Blood smeared across his skin as he let out a guttural sound of pain—more emotional than physical.
Alina gasped and instinctively stepped forward. "Evander!"
But he didn't turn.
He held his bleeding fist and stared at the floor, trembling. "You hate me now, don't you?"
Her lips trembled, but she still didn't answer.
"You're choosing him... after everything we—"
He stopped. Took a deep breath. His eyes flickered with something unreadable.
Without another word, he walked out. Fast. Furious. Hurt.
---
Alina collapsed on the floor, her heart pounding violently against her chest. She had never seen Evander like that. The look in his eyes—rage and pain twined like a storm. And that blood…
Ren placed a hand on her shoulder. "He'll be fine. He's just... angry."
But Alina wasn't sure. Something deep inside her twisted with fear.
What if he did something reckless?
What if this time... she broke him beyond repair?
Her tears returned, but not for the same reason. This time, they were laced with guilt. With a terror that she had gone too far.
That night, as she walked out of her apartment with Ren, she looked over her shoulder. Her heart begged her to run after Evander.
But her pride... her pain... made her feet move forward.
The door closed behind her. But her soul?
It stayed... somewhere with him.