For a long moment, he said nothing. His breath came heavy, his hands trembling at his sides.
I took his hand. "Change into your swim shorts," I told him quietly. "You once told me water calms you down. Go swim. I'll wait."
At first, he hesitated. But then, without a word, he left to change.
Minutes later, we stood by the pool. The night was still, the water glimmering under soft lights. Chak dove in without hesitation, his movements sharp, powerful — as if each stroke was a battle against everything crushing him.
I sat at the edge, hugging my knees, watching him. My chest ached with every ripple he left behind.
When he finally climbed out, dripping wet, I handed him a towel. Quietly, I dried his arms, his shoulders, his hair.
"The water always brings you back," I whispered.
His eyes met mine, raw and unguarded.
"They're going to take everything from us!" His voice rose, cracking under the weight of it. He raked a hand through his wet hair, chest heaving. "I love you… but our love is about to end." He slammed his fist lightly against the pool railing. "I don't even know why you're still here after you heard I'm getting married!
My eyes stung with unshed tears. "When I heard, I thought I'd break. I was furious — because you'll marry someone else, not me. You'll have a child with someone else, not me. But even if I only have you for one more week… I'll always love you."
My hands trembled as I reached for him. Slowly, he lowered his forehead against mine, eyes squeezed shut, as if he could hold on to me through sheer will.
"Niran…" His voice was hoarse. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. You did nothing wrong." He looked away. "I'm angry at them, not at you. But I end up hurting you instead. I hate myself for that."
Tears welled in my eyes. I brushed back his wet hair gently. "You don't have to carry it alone. Even if I can't fix it, I'll be here."
Chak's hand trembled as it gripped mine. Then, with sudden force, he pulled me into his arms. His embrace was desperate, crushing.
"I'm sorry, Niran," he whispered into my hair. "You're the only thing that feels real. I don't want to lose you."
I clung to him just as tightly. "Then don't push me away. Not tonight. Not ever — until the last second."
And for the first time that night, I felt his anger melt into something softer. Something fragile.
For a while, we sat at the edge of the pool.
"Chak, let's go inside," I told him quietly. He gave a short nod. In his eyes, I could still see the weight of the future tormenting him.
I stood and helped him up before heading into the room to shower. When I came back out, Chak was sitting in the armchair, staring blankly at the wall. I walked over, softly called, "Chaky," and took his hand. Slowly, he rose and lay down on the bed.
"I'll be right back," I told him, slipping out of the room. In the kitchen, I grabbed a broom and began sweeping the broken shards of glass from the floor. Suddenly, I felt a gentle embrace from behind. Chak wrapped his arms around me and whispered with a trembling voice, "I need you." His hold tightened, desperate. I leaned my head back against him.
"Leave it for now. The maid will finish it tomorrow," he said softly. I turned toward him, meeting his eyes. "Chak, let's go to bed. It's been a long day."
I took his hand, and together we returned to the bedroom. We lay down, and I rested my head on his chest. His arm slipped around me protectively.
"Good night, Chaky," I whispered and kissed his cheek.
"Good night, my artist," Chak murmured, kissing my forehead. I closed my eyes and drifted into dreams.
Later that night
I woke up and realized Chak wasn't asleep. His breathing was steady but his eyes were wide open, staring into the dark. I sat up slightly and leaned closer, my voice barely above a whisper.
"You can't sleep, can you?"
Chak only nodded, his jaw tight, as if words were too heavy to speak.
I reached for his hand under the blanket, wrapping my fingers gently around his. His skin was warm, yet I could feel the faint tremor in his palm. "If you can't fall asleep," I murmured, "I'll stay awake with you."
For a moment, he didn't move. Then, slowly, he turned his head toward me. In the dim light, I could see the vulnerability in his eyes, raw and unguarded.
"You don't have to," he whispered hoarsely, his voice rough with exhaustion.
"I want to," I said firmly, brushing my thumb across his knuckles. "You're not alone, Chak. Not tonight. Not ever."
His lips parted, as if he wanted to argue, but no sound came out. Instead, he shifted closer, resting his forehead against mine. I could feel the weight of his unspoken fears pressing down between us.
"Try to sleep," I whispered, closing my eyes as I held onto him. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
Chak's arms tightened around me, almost desperate. His breath warmed my cheek as he finally let his eyes close. I lay still, listening to the slow rhythm of his breathing, until little by little, his body began to relax against mine.
Only when I was sure he had finally drifted off did I allow my own eyes to close, keeping my hand clasped tightly in his.
Morning
When I opened my eyes, I looked at Chak. As he slept, he looked so peaceful, as if nothing was troubling him. But the truth was far from that. Deep inside, I felt the weight of worry and fear. He mustn't see it—he mustn't know how afraid I am of losing him.
I will stay by his side, even if it isn't easy. Next week, Chak won't be here beside me when I wake up. That's why I want to cherish every moment we still have together.
Slowly, I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him, and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. As I cracked the eggs into the pan, Anamarija walked in.
"Morning," she said.
"Good morning," I replied with a yawn.
"You didn't sleep well either?" she asked.
"No… Chak only managed to fall asleep just before dawn," I admitted.
"How is he?" she asked while I stirred the pan.
"Not good. He's angry at everyone. It took me a long time to calm him down," I said quietly.
Her face softened. "I feel sorry for him. He has to get married only because of me—to clean the family's name."
"It's not your fault," Chak said suddenly as he walked into the kitchen. "Either way, I would have had to marry."
"I'm sorry," Anamarija whispered, sitting down on one of the bar stools.
Chak stepped closer to me and pressed a gentle kiss against my forehead.
We sat down at the table to eat. While we ate, Anamarija looked at Chak and asked, "When is the press conference?"
"At 9:30," he replied.
She glanced at me, then back at him. "Could Niran be there with us, please?"
Chak looked at me, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "If that's what you want, he will be."
"Thank you," she said softly, returning to her breakfast.
When we finished, Chak stood and said firmly, "Leave the dishes. The maid will take care of them."
We went back to the bedroom together. The moment Chak closed the door behind us, he suddenly pushed me against the wall and…