Chapter 11

Author's Pov

The following day, exhaustion weighed heavily on Yerenica. Every task felt like it dragged on, and yet, she had become so numb to it all. The repetitive cleaning, the menial chores, it was a life she never imagined for herself. She hadn't seen Reed since the altercation, and part of her wondered if he'd been fired, though she didn't dare ask. It was far too dangerous to show any curiosity about the inner workings of this place. She simply continued her work, moving from task to task, the monotony offering some form of escape from her thoughts.

As she kneeled on the cold, marble floor, scrubbing the tiles with the carelessness of someone who had no more energy to spare, her dress shifted dangerously high up her thighs. She didn't even notice it, too caught up in the exhaustion and the quiet hum of her thoughts. How could she? She wasn't even aware of how anyone might view her from the doorway, in this position, so exposed. Her dress, a humble uniform, made the task even more uncomfortable, but she forced herself to keep going. She had to. No one was going to do it for her.

But then, a voice, low, firm, and commanding- pulled her from her tired stupor. "What do you think you're doing?"

Yerenica's head snapped up, heart racing as she saw Cihan standing before her, his brow furrowed in concern. She quickly scrambled to sit up properly, the shock of his presence turning her flustered and nervous. He reached for her arm, pulling her up with surprising gentleness, his fingers wrapping around her delicate wrist.

"Be mindful," Cihan chided, his tone soft but insistent. "You're making yourself look...vulnerable."

Yerenica didn't understand. Vulnerable? She wasn't sure she even knew what that word meant anymore. She just nodded, too timid to voice her confusion, but her eyes darted to the floor, afraid to meet his gaze.

Cihan's eyes scanned her, her disheveled hair, her dress wrinkled from hours of work, the exhaustion on her face. Something flickered in his expression. His gaze softened for a moment, but only for a brief second. "You look like you've been working yourself to the bone," he muttered under his breath, more to himself than her. "How old are you again?"

Sixteen, she wanted to say, but the words died in her throat. She could feel his eyes studying her, as if seeing her for the first time, and the realization hit him hard, she was just a child, barely more than a girl, yet here she was, scrubbing floors.

Cihan clenched his jaw, his mind a swirl of conflicting thoughts. His protective instincts had always been strong, but there was something about her that stirred something deep inside of him. Something that felt... wrong, seeing her like this. A nagging voice in the back of his mind told him to ask Zyran to fire her, to send her away, to keep her out of this filthy mess they called their lives.

But he couldn't. Zyran had kept her here for a reason. Maybe it was because of the deal, maybe it was for something else entirely, but Cihan knew better than to question his brother's decisions. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that seeing her so small and fragile, working her life away, wasn't right. She wasn't meant for this.

Before he could think too deeply about it, Irem appeared at the doorway, her sharp eyes narrowing as she assessed the situation. "Did she do something?" she asked coldly, her glare cutting through the silence.

Yerenica's heart skipped a beat, her nerves immediately jumping. She opened her mouth to explain, to apologize, but no words came. Instead, she flinched at Irem's gaze, shrinking under the older woman's judgmental stare.

Cihan quickly intervened. "It's nothing. Just make someone else clean the floors," he said, his tone growing sharper as he addressed Irem. He didn't like the way she was looking at Yerenica, didn't like the way she always seemed to find fault in the girl.

Irem raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, clearly confused by the interaction.

"Evet, genç efendi." (yes, young master)  She said, as she walked away.

Yerenica watched her leave, still unsure of what had just happened. Cihan, however, had already begun to walk away, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions he wasn't sure how to deal with.

=

Later that night, as the quiet of the house settled over the grounds, Yerenica found herself restless. The cold gnawed at her skin through the thin fabric of her pajamas, but she couldn't ignore the urge to escape the confines of the house. She needed fresh air, anything to clear her head. She knew the garden was the one place she could go without being noticed, so she slipped out, careful not to make a sound.

The air was cool against her cheeks, but she didn't mind. The walk helped calm her. As she reached the small lake by the edge of the garden, the sight of the shimmering water brought a sense of peace she hadn't realized she was missing. She sat by the water, her legs crossed, her gaze lost in the soft ripples. It was strange since she never used to find peace in such moments. But here, in the quiet, the dark, away from everything, she could breathe.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a voice broke the silence.

"What are you doing here at this time, minik kuşum?" (Little bird)

Yerenica startled, her heart skipping a beat. She turned quickly, eyes wide, only to see Dehrin standing behind her. He was dressed casually, his hoodie catching her eyes. His dark eyes were sharp, yet there was something almost playful in the way he looked at her.

"I—I couldn't sleep," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. She instinctively pulled her knees closer to her chest, trying to make herself smaller.

Dehrin sighed, his voice softer now. "It's not safe to wander around at this hour." He sat down next to her, the distance between them minimal but somehow comforting. She made space for him, unsure of what to do with herself in this strange, quiet moment. For some reason, she didn't feel unsafe around him. In fact, she felt an odd sense of calm, like the tension in her chest eased just a little.

He noticed her shivering, and with a grunt, he slipped his hoodie off. "Take it. You're freezing."

Yerenica hesitated, her eyes wide. She wasn't sure why he was doing this, but before she could protest, he thrust the hoodie toward her. "Fucking take it already," he grumbled, clearly not used to showing kindness.

Slowly, she put it on. The hoodie was warm, the fabric thick and comforting. It was a deep green, and for some reason, she found herself liking it more than she cared to admit. She pulled it tighter around her, savoring the warmth.

That's when she noticed them, his tattoos. Yerenica's gaze couldn't help but drift to his wrist. Intricate vines wrapped around his skin, curling like they had grown naturally there, hugging the muscle. A falcon, wings spread wide, was inked just below the vines, its sharp, defined lines capturing a sense of power and freedom. Small butterflies fluttered around the falcon, their delicate wings detailed in subtle shades, almost as if they might take flight at any moment.

"What? Never seen tattoos before, minik kuşum?" he teased.

"I-I just... they're pretty," she muttered.

Dehrin smirked. "You're cute, you know that?"

She blinked, caught off guard. She didn't think his words weren't meant seriously, but the way they were said made her happy anyway. No one has ever given me a compliment without any malice behind them before.

A soft blush crept up her neck, and she quickly looked away, hoping he wouldn't notice.

But of course, he did. The corners of his mouth twitched, amusement dancing in his eyes as he watched her reaction.

They both sat in comfortable silence before she asked, "What's college like?"

He looked at her, surprised. "Have you ever been to school?"

She shook her head. "No. They didn't let me once I turned 15."

Dehrin's jaw tightened. "That's bullshit."

She looked down, unsure of how to respond. He exhaled sharply. "Go back to sleep. It's late."

She turned to hand him back the hoodie, but he shook his head. "Keep it."

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she pulled the hoodie tighter around her. For some reason, that small gesture made her feel... good. A little bit lighter. Like she wasn't so alone.

Thoughts?

I love Dehrin. Who is your fav so far?