I woke up to soft light filtering through the curtains. For a second, I forgot where I was. Then I turned and saw Arden asleep on the chair across from the bed, head tilted back, arms crossed, like he hadn't meant to fall asleep at all.
Safe.
That's what it felt like. Not peace, not yet, but safety. And in my world, that was rare.
I sat up quietly, my body still aching, not from bruises, but from the weight of everything. The memories. The shame. The silence I had to live in.
But for once, I wasn't alone with it.
Arden stared. His eyes blinked open, immediately alert when he saw me awake.
"You okay?" he asked softly.
I nodded, though I wasn't sure if it was true. "I think I'm hungry."
He smiled and got up quickly. "Good. I'll get something fresh. Be right back."
---
He came back with pancakes, fruit, and warm tea.
We sat on the floor this time, leaning against the bed, sharing bites in silence for a while. It was the kind of quiet that didn't demand conversation. Just… being.
But eventually, Arden spoke.
"I've been thinking," he said, fingers tracing the rim of his mug. "You don't have to go back. Not to them. Not to her. Not to the agency."
My fork paused halfway. I waited for him to continue.
"You start over," he said. "We make a plan. Safely. Legally. I've already talked to a lawyer."
I stared at him. "You did... that already?"
He nodded. "I don't want to wait when it comes to you."Then he stopped, looked away like he hadn't meant to say it out loud.
But the words stuck. They hit somewhere deep.
To cut the silence that followed, I opened up.
"I don't even know who I am without it," I whispered. "The photoshoots. The lights. It's all I've done since."
Arden looked at me, gentle. "Then maybe it's time you find out who Antheia is when she's not someone else's doll."
I started crying again. Quietly. But this time, not from fear.
"You can still do photoshoots," he added. "I could set things up… if you ever want that. But it's on your terms now."
I raised my head looking at him, my eyes were watery, but I can clearly see him. His eyes were full of worries, his brows are dark but aren't furious, his nose, his face that's perfectly sculpted, his lips, that's so red. Made me think about the talks spreading before, that he should've become one of the models.
"Well, we can talk about this matter next time" he cuts me from staring at him. I felt my chest beating faster like it's widely insane. And for a moment, I feel embarrassed for looking so long.
I bit the lower of my lips and I nodded. But as I looked at him, he smiled.
---
Later that day, I opened my phone and got a message from my mom.
Mom:
> You're being ungrateful. You embarrassed the team. Come home. Now.
I stared at it. My chest felt tight, but nothing surprised me anymore.
I put the phone down.
Arden noticed. He didn't ask. He just reached over slowly, picked it up, and put it facedown on the table. Then pushed it a little further away.
"She doesn't get to talk to you like that," he muttered.
I didn't say a word. Just kept my eyes on the carpet.
He sat next to me on the floor after that. Not too close. Just there.
We stayed like that for a long time. Quiet. Still.
Then, out of nowhere, I looked at him and smiled. I whispered, "Thank you."
He looked at me.
"You don't have to thank me."
I moved closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder, made me feel safe and at peace. This time.
-----
The next morning, I didn't expect Arden to be this... enthusiastic. He greeted me with a huge grin as soon as I walked out of the room.
"I prepared something," he said, almost too proud of himself.
He'd set up lights, a backdrop, and his cameras already. The whole room looked like a small, cozy studio.
"Stop playing around," I said, grinning despite myself.
He laughed. "Are you happy?"
Then he looked at me—really looked at me. "You look like an angel."
My heart did something strange. I nodded. "Yeah... and thank you. For everything."
He didn't say anything after that. Just smiled wider, then went back to adjusting his camera. The room fell into a soft kind of silence.
After a while, he broke it.
"So, today's concept is... like a queen's revenge. Or something close. Powerful. Regal. Untouchable."
I nodded slowly. "I like that."
After a few more adjustments, he paused. "Hey... can I ask something?"
I looked at him.
"Can I go…" He laughed under his breath, looked away, ran a hand through his hair. "I mean—"
I tilted my head. "What?"
"I said... can we go—never mind."
I didn't answer. Just waited.
"You're not gonna make it easier, huh?" he said.
I stayed quiet. Just watched him.
He rubbed his face, then finally said, "Can we go on a date?"
Still, I didn't respond right away.
He looked uncomfortable now. "Forget it. I shouldn't have said that."
Then he left the room.
I stood there for a moment. Letting the question settle in.
He wants to go on a date.
It wasn't a bad thought. Actually, it sat somewhere in the quiet part of me that didn't know what to do with good things.
I just stood there, still stunned. Did Arden really just ask me out? A date?
I turned around, smiled like an idiot, and just... stood there. Giddy.
I could talk to him about it later, I thought. And yeah, we could.
---
The shoot itself? Chaotic in the best way.
Arden couldn't even make proper eye contact. He kept fiddling with his camera, pretending to adjust settings that probably didn't need adjusting. And me? I kept trying to find the right moment to bring up the thing.
By noon, the shoot was done. He started packing up in silence, like I wasn't even there.
"Hey," I said finally, catching him at the door.
He turned, raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Okay. That eyebrow thing? Annoying and hot at the same time. I laughed at myself.
"Haha. If you're gonna say something, just say it," he said. Then, a bit quieter, "If it's about... earlier—"
"Yes."
He blinked. "Yes?"
"Yes, let's go on a date," I said, a little too fast, too loud.
He stared at me like I'd just told him the moon was made of pancakes.
"Are you... really sure?"
I nodded, suddenly feeling shy, which wasn't like me at all.
Then the room fell quiet again. But this time, it wasn't awkward.
I've always wanted sincerity. Realness. And Arden, he didn't just say things. He meant them. He reminded me of the person I always imagined would show up one day. Like the ones you dream about but don't expect to find in real life.
Except... he was real. I could talk to him. Cry in front of him. Trust him.
And I was glad I wasn't imagining this anymore.